Saints 2021 roster breakdown, OL: Possibly the NFL's best group, but what about depth?

TERRON ARMSTEAD (LT)

AGE: 30
NUMBER: 72
COLLEGE: Arkansas Pine-Bluff
YEARS IN NFL: 8
2020 SEASON: 14 games played; 4 penalties; 3 sacked allowed

NOTES: The only question that's ever mattered for the three-time Pro Bowler is whether he can stay healthy. He's done that the past two seasons, and the result has been stellar play to lock down the the QB's blindside. One major upgrade in the 2020 version of T-Stead was eliminating the holding penalties. He was flagged for holding just once last season after logging five in 2019. That's particularly impressive considering he's often left on an island against the opponent's best pass-rusher.

Just how good was Armstead last season? He allowed 37 combined pressures and hurries in the 2019 season. Last year: 20. His role is as entrenched as they come.

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CESAR RUIZ (LG)

AGE: 22
NUMBER: 51
COLLEGE: Michigan
YEARS IN NFL: 1
2020 SEASON: 14 games played; 1 penalty; 0 sacks allowed

NOTES: Cesar Ruiz has heard his fair share of grief from Saints fans after an up-and-down rookie season, but the numbers bear out kinder than you'd think. Ruiz shifted from his college position of center to left guard with the Saints, splitting time with since-departed veteran Nick Easton. Over 14 games and 744 offensive snaps, Ruiz didn't allow a sack and committed just one penalty. Those numbers don't tell the whole story, as he also allowed 25 pressures and four QB hits in that span.

All-in-all it's fair to be optimistic that Ruiz can take a leap in Year 2 -- a goal that will be aided by a veteran group of offensive linemen surrounding him. Erik McCoy, entering his third year as the Saints' center, said during minicamp that the game appears to be "slowing down" for the former Michigan Wolverine, and that's a good thing. Where Ruiz simply must improve is run-blocking, particularly in the power run game when he's tasked with pulling around as a lead blocker. Ruiz has plenty of athleticism to do it but struggled to find his mark at times. Those types of whiffs can torpedo even the best designed play. A good example came against the L.A. Chargers when he pulled around to lead block for a Taysom Hill QB run and missed everything, with the play stopped for no gain to end a promising drive. If Ruiz can improve in that regard, he'll be well on his way to matching the rest of the group's high level of play.

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ERIK McCOY (C)

AGE: 23
NUMBER: 78
COLLEGE: Texas A&M
YEARS IN NFL: 2
2020 SEASON: 16 games played; 1 sack allowed; 3 penalties

NOTES: The Saints drafted a player listed at center in the first round of the 2020 draft, but a year later there still appears to be very little chance that player ever plays center for the Saints. That's simply how good McCoy has been since the Saints moved up to select him in the second round of the 2019 draft out of Texas A&M.

First off: McCoy has been durable, playing in all 35 possible games (regular season and playoffs) over two seasons. He's also shown off his athleticism, regularly sprinting downfield to block for potential big plays. The most memorable example came against the Green Bay Packers in Week 3 when he outpaced Alvin Kamara down the sideline as the Saints back jaunted in for a 52-yard touchdown reception.

Where McCoy could stand to improve is in pass-blocking. He allowed 14 pressures and was called for three penalties in Year 2, although none of those pressures resulted in sacks. It's possible pressure will be limited naturally with a more mobile quarterback. Over his nine games played with quarterbacks not named Drew Brees, McCoy allowed just six pressures total. And he did show improvement from the eight penalties surrendered in his rookie season. At the end of the day, McCoy is as solid as they come in the middle and he represents yet another Day 2 draft steal for the Saints.

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ANDRUS PEAT (RG)

AGE: 27
NUMBER: 75
COLLEGE: Stanford
YEARS IN NFL: 6
2020 SEASON: 13 games played; 4 sacks allowed; 4 penalties

NOTES: Andrus Peat is possibly the most criticized Saints offensive lineman in recent memory, and it's fair to point out that he's had his struggles. But Peat's biggest issue has been health.

The former Stanford Cardinal has missed 12 regular season games in past three years with injuries. He got on the field for 13 regular season games a year ago but was clearly playing hurt in several. Peat allowed 4 sacks and 7 QB hits while also being flagged for four penalties in 2020, all high numbers for a guard. But if the 6-foot-7 Peat can stay healthy, he shines in the run game. The 27-year-old has surprising athleticism to effectively pull for blocks in the power running game and to get downfield when called on. It's unfair to blame a player for injuries outside of his control, but the Saints really need Peat to be better (and available) in a season that will introduce a new starting QB and TE, and already shows depth concerns at WR.

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RYAN RAMCZYK (RT)

AGE: 27
NUMBER: 71
COLLEGE: Wisconsin
YEARS IN NFL: 4
2020 SEASON: 16 games played; 2 sacks allowed; 5 penalties taken

NOTES: It's tough to be much better than Ryan Ramczyk has been over his first four years in the NFL, evidenced by the fact that his 2020 stats are actually a bit disappointing compared to the standard he's set. Ramczyk's six penalties surrendered and 25 pressures allowed were both career highs. But don't be fooled, the Saints know exactly what they have in the former Wisconsin Badger, hence why they handed him a lucrative extension to make him the highest paid RT in the NFL.

That contract also includes an interesting escalator that Ramczyk can hit for a $1 million payday if he makes first- or second-team All-Pro at LEFT tackle. Obviously that's NOT the position he plays, but it could be a sign of a future on the opposite end of the line. Ramczyk took on that challenge in his rookie season for two games with Armstead sidelined and performed well. The good news for Ramczyk is that his escalator is tied to All-Pro and not the Pro Bowl. Somehow, someway the Saints RT has never made a Pro Bowl. Just try to figure that one out.

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JEFF'S TAKE

This starting offensive line isn't a position with many (really any) question marks, so there's not much of a take to be had. Barring injury, I don't see anyone in the group above falling out of the starting rotation. The questions come behind them and how the Saints choose to run their commonly used jumbo sets.

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JAMES HURST (G/T/jumbo)

AGE: 29
NUMBER: 74
COLLEGE: North Carolina
YEARS IN NFL: 7
2020 SEASON: 12 games played (10 at LT; 1 at RT; 1 at LG), 2 sacks allowed; 1 penalty

NOTES: James Hurst had one REALLLLLLY bad rep against the Carolina Panthers that saw Drew Brees get blown up by Panthers defensive end Brian Burns. Beyond that he was consistent and played a key role amid injuries after returning from suspension and joining the Saints in Week 5. The veteran swing lineman features positional versatility (a popular trait among Saints linemen) and filled in at three different positions in 2020 while also serving as a pass-eligible lineman in jumbo sets. With the departure of Nick Easton and Derrick Kelly's placement on the non-football injury list, that role will become even more important.

I'd expect Hurst to safely land on the 53-man roster and have an even busier role this time around.

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LANDON YOUNG (T - rookie)

AGE: 23
NUMBER: 67
COLLEGE: Kentucky
DRAFTED: 6th round, No. 206 overall

NOTES: The Saints didn't necessarily need a lineman in the 2021 draft, but they landed a high-upside player anyway in Landon Young. The former Kentucky Wildcat will have a lot to prove in his rookie offseason with the Saints, but he spent the last four seasons going up against SEC pass-rushers to get him ready for that leap.

Young was a senior captain at Kentucky and started the final 24 games of his career at left tackle. But it was right tackle that Young said he was working to pick up during minicamp earlier this year. With Hurst likely second in line behind Armstead on that side of the line, it's possible that Young steps into the backup role behind Ramczyk this season, if nothing else.

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WILL CLAPP (T/ jumbo)

AGE: 24
NUMBER: 64
COLLEGE: LSU
YEARS IN NFL: 3
2020 SEASON: 5 games played (62 snaps total)

NOTES: Unless the Saints bring in a name like Kwon Alexander, Clapp will head into training camp as the lone LSU representative on New Orleans' roster. The Metairie native has served a useful role as a pass-eligible lineman in recent seasons. Beyond that his upside appears limited, and it's possible some of the names below him on this list jump ahead of him on the roster bubble.

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CALVIN THROCKMORTON (OL)

AGE: 24
NUMBER: 76
COLLEGE: Oregon
YEARS IN NFL: 1
2020 SEASON: DNP

NOTES: Calvin Throckmorton has a name that simply fits an offensive lineman, but he's still yet to show it off on an NFL field. The former Oregon Duck was a UDFA signee a year ago but didn't record an offensive snap. If he's got a route to the Saints' 53-man roster, it'll likely come through his positional flexibility, an ability the Saints have clearly prioritized in recent seasons. During his junior year at Oregon in 2018 Throckmorton was the only player in all of the FBS to start at least one game at four different positions (RT, LT, RG and C). The Saints are clearly aware of this, considering he's listed as simply "OL" on the team's roster.

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CHRISTIAN MONTANO (G)

AGE: 25
NUMBER: 61
COLLEGE: Tulane
YEARS IN NFL: 1
2020 SEASON: DNP

NOTES: Christian Montano is a relative unknown as he joins the Saints, but he's not an unknown in New Orleans. The second-year lineman started 13 games at center for the Tulane Green Wave in 2019 before going undrafted and signing on with the Pittsburgh Steelers for training camp last season. Montano eventually landed with the Saints midseason but didn't see the field. He's listed at guard on the team's official roster, so that's where to expect him to see the most work in camp as he vies for a depth role.

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*DERRICK KELLY (OL/Jumbo)

AGE: 25
NUMBER: 68
COLLEGE: Florida State
YEARS IN NFL: 2
2020 SEASON: 5 games played (16 total snaps)
* = placed on non-football injury list to start camp

NOTES: Derrick Kelly didn't see much action in 2020, but he was a contributor in jumbo sets throughout the season. His availability for 2021 is murky, however, as he was placed on the non-football injury list to start camp. As long as he remains on the NFI list he won't count toward the team's roster limit in the regular season, but he is eligible to return in camp or with a three-week ramp-up window if his return comes in the regular season. His status could force the Saints to look elsewhere for contributors in jumbo sets, though they also got work in that role from James Hurst and Will Clapp a season ago.

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ETHAN GREENIDGE (T)

AGE: 23
NUMBER: 73
COLLEGE: Villanova
YEARS IN NFL: 2
2020 SEASON: 5 games played (49 total snaps)

NOTES: Another candidate for a depth/backup role, Ethan Greenidge was the pick to replace an injured Ryan Ramczyk midway through a Week 4 win over the Detroit Lions in 2020. He struggled at points, but was a reliable depth player. I'd expect he and Young to be the first in line to back up Ramczyk on the right side of the line.

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MIKE BROWN (OL - rookie)

AGE: N/A
NUMBER: 65
COLLEGE: West Virginia
DRAFTED: UDFA signing

NOTES: If and when Mike Brown speaks to the media, we'll be sure to ask him his age -- which isn't even listed on the team's roster a day before training camp practices begin. What we do know about Brown is that he was a reliable left guard during his lone full season at West Virginia, and has quite the interesting backstory.

Some tidbits:
- He was "Michael" Brown at West Virginia, but he's listed as Mike on the Saints roster
- Brown never played high school football. He got his first shot at college football with Eastern Arizona Community College before transferring to the Mountaineers in 2018
- Brown is one of eight children and his brother, Joe, was also a West Virginia offensive lineman during the 2018 season

His odds to make the roster? Unclear. But he'll certainly have interesting stories to tell at camp.

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KYLE MURPHY (T)

AGE: 27
NUMBER: TBA
COLLEGE: Stanford
YEARS IN NFL: 5
2020 SEASON: DNP

NOTES: Kyle Murphy is an interesting case in the Saints' offensive line room. He's a 5-year NFL veteran, but hasn't logged a snap since the 2017 season as a member of the Green Bay Packers. Murphy spent the last two offseasons with the L.A. Rams and Houston Texans, respectively, but didn't latch on with either. The former Stanford Cardinal and Packers' 6th-round pick will look to vie for a depth role on this year's roster.