NO Reason to Panic over the OL

Offensively There is NO Reason to Panic over the Offensive Line.

Over the last two off seasons the Saints have slowly pieced together what could be on of the best offensive foundations in the NFL. Now before you guys get the tar and feathers out for me, hear me out. Here is what we have to work with: Youth

LT - Jammel Brown - 26, Jermon Bushrod - 23
LG - Jamar Nesbit - 30, Andy Alleman - 23
OC - Jeff Faine - 26, C/G - Johnathan Goodwin - 28
RG - Jahri Evans - 24
RT - Jon Stinchcomb - 28, Zach Strief - 24

As we all know Brown can be a dominate Tackle in the NFL at right or left. The thing with Brown is he is driven by the personnel reasons not by his own skill. He is better off on the right than the left due to his limited mobility, IMO. Granted he is better than 60% of the LT in the league he does have limitation against faster DE in the league. That is what has been revealed this year. No one is bull rushing him. They are using speed and agility against him. Where as on the right side Stinch has be beat both by the bull rush and the speed rush. Slide Brown back over to RT would line him up with Jahri Evens. Those two should be able to be the anchor on the right side of the line for years to come. Evans seems to improve with every game.

The problem is can and/or when will a starting LT emerge from the group of Strief and Bushrod. Strief has looked good in the role when he has had his chance to play. He can be bull rushed though. Bushrod we have no clue about. He has yet seen the field.

That brings us to LG. Lets face the fact here Nesbit is good but he better off as a top notch back up. So in steps Alleman as the next unknown factor. He too has seen little or no action. So we can not pass judgment on him. But if his college coach is correct he could be a good back up at center also. So in the long run he could replace both Nesbit and Goodwin as our OG/OC flex player option.

People have bashed Faine a bit but he is one of the better C in the NFL. In my opion he is trying to do to much. He is doing his job and trying to to do the G job also. You see him getting beat leaning to the G side, trying to help out.

Stinhcomb just does not seem to have the base or the quickness to handle the RT position. Maybe he could slide over to LG. At best he too is a top level backup in the league on a good OL. Maybe thats why he got a 2 year deal. Time for the others to develop. I can not believe I am about to say this, GULP, maybe Haz was right about him.

Summing it up we have 3 good starter. 2 starters the should be back ups and top notch back ups at that. We have already drafted their replacements. Of the three, odds say 1 should step up and become a solid starter. That leaves one spot open to be filled. The remaining players are very good back ups. So we are very very close here to being done with the OL. Give the unit time to learn to play together and we will be sitting pretty.

LT - ??????????? Zach Strief - 24 or Jermon Bushrod - 23, maybe top pick in 2008
LG - ??????????? Andy Alleman - 23 or maybe Jamar Nesbit - 30 or FA
OC - Jeff Faine - 26, Johnathan Goodwin - 28
RG - Jahri Evans - 24
RT - Jammel Brown - 26, Jon Stinchcomb - 28

So a bold move in the off season in the draft and/or through FA we could sew up the holes in the line. Two pieces thats it.

OT looks to be thin in the 2008 FA pool. But the draft this year could have as many as 5 OT go in round one. All depends on what the Jr. do.

Here is a list of possible day one picks at OT in 2008.

Jake Long, 6' 6" 320, 5.08, Michigan
Sam Baker, 6' 5" 305, 5.15, USC
Gosder Cherilus, 6' 7" 318, 5.23, Boston College
Tony Hills, 6' 6" 305, 5.10, Texas
Barry Richardson, 6' 6" 335, 5.40, Clemson
Chris Williams, 6' 6" 315, 5.25, Vanderbilt
Michael Oher, 6' 6" 325, Jr, Ole Miss
Ryan Clady, 6' 5" 320, Jr. Boise State
Kirk Barton, 6' 6" 325, 5.30, Ohio State
Heath Benedict, 6' 5" 330, 5.15, Newberry

The two big names in FA for 2008 at LG are:

Alan Faneca, UFA, Pittsburgh Steelers, LG
Stacy Andrews, UFA, Cincinnati Bengals, LG/LT

That should do it. LG in FA and LT in the draft. The building blocks will be in place. Nice mix of youth and experience. We already have the backups lined up and ready to go. If a player steps up and takes over at LT and/or LG even better. The picks can go else where, like defense.

Next up: Glamor position of the offense.