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2010 Offensive Line Analysis - New Orleans Saints

2010 Projected Starters:
Left Tackle: Jermon Bushrod
Left Guard: Carl Nicks
Center: Jonathan Goodwin
Right Guard: Jahri Evans
Right Tackle: Jon Stinchcomb

2009 Injuries:
T Jermon Bushrod: Week 4

2009 Statistics:

Overview:
The New Orleans Saints became a complete team in 2009 and because of that, became Super Bowl Champions. They’d always had a strong passing offense but the emergence of their offensive line allowed them to have a running game that opponents had to respect. As for the defense, they created turnovers which gave more opportunities for the offense.

There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the left tackle position this summer but it’s becoming more likely that Jermon Bushrod will keep his starting job and Jammal Brown will be traded. The 6’5” and 315 lbs Bushrod became the starter last year after Brown suffered a season-ending injury in the pre-season. The fourth round pick in 2007 had been buried on the depth chart and had only been dressed for three games before the 2009 season. Bushrod was responsible for a total of nine sacks last season if we include the playoffs but six of those came in his first eight games (only three in his final nine). Despite that improvement, Bushrod is still below average in both pass protection and run blocking but should continue to improve in 2010. Jon Stinchcomb will be the starting right tackle for the fifth consecutive year after being selected to his first ever Pro Bowl. He had been considered a weak link on this line for a couple of years but he really stepped up his game in 2009. He struggled at times in pass protection but his run blocking was amongst the best in the NFL for right tackles. However, it’s difficult to believe that the 30-year old tackle can keep up this level of play for very long. Nonetheless, he should continue to be an above average right tackle for a couple more years. The 6’7” and 320 lbs Zach Strief is the top backup at tackle. He’s been pretty impressive in limited action over the past two years and should be ready to step in on either side of the line. The Saints also added Charles Brown in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft which convinced us that Jammal Brown will be traded before the beginning of the season.

At guard, the Saints can count on two of the NFL’s best and the better news is that they will be 25 and 27 years old when the season begins. Carl Nicks has been extremely impressive since stealing the job from Jamar Nesbit in week four of the 2008 season, his rookie year. Since then, he has started all 29 regular season games and has been responsible for only three sacks against Brees. His 6’5” and 345 lbs frame makes him even more effective in run blocking. Not only is he very strong and powerful but he’s also quite athletic and agile for his size. If Nicks can keep up this level of play, there is no doubt that he is a future Pro Bowler. Things get even better for the Saints at right guard with the 27-year old Pro Bowler Jahri Evans. He has started every game since being drafted in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft and has been amongst the league’s best for the past two years. His excellent strength and footwork make him particularly effective as a run blocker. He was recently signed to a seven-year deal worth 56.7 million by the Saints, a deal which made him the highest-paid player at his position. Tim Duckworth, a former undrafted free agent who hasn’t seen any action in the NFL is the lone backup at guard. 

The 31-year old Jonathan Goodwin will be the starting center for the third consecutive season. Goodwin has been pretty impressive since the Saints chose not to resign Jeff Faine two seasons ago. He’s not particularly strong or athletic but does his job adequately and when he makes a mistake, he has two all-star guards to cover for him. The Saints have plenty of depth at center starting with Nick Leckey, a 28-year old veteran who has started 32 NFL games in six seasons with the Rams and Cardinals. The Saints also added Matt Tennant in the fifth round of this year’s draft. He was rated the second best center in the draft and will likely replace Goodwin as the starter in a couple of years.

2010 Outlook:
The New Orleans Saints offensive line was amongst the best in 2009 and should be once again in 2010. All five starters will regain their job in 2010 and three of them are under 27-years old so they should continue to improve. The left tackle position is probably the biggest weakness on this line with Jermon Bushrod but he was much better in the second half of the year. The Saints have pretty good depth with Zach Strief and Nick Leckey, both of whom have starting experience, as well as second round pick Charles Brown. Depth at guard is a little weaker as either Leckey or Strief would have to move to a position which isn’t natural for them but it shouldn’t be too much of an issue. Overall, the Saints should once again have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL in both run blocking and pass protection.

See all of our 2010 Offensive Line Analysis Articles