Rebuilding the Offensive Line (1 Viewer)

[GeneHansen]

I like Throckmorton. I think he and Clapp are better than Ruiz and Peat.

No way.
For all the hate Peat gets on here, he's considerably better than Ruiz, Throck or Clapp.

We've seen Ruiz with his struggles. (I do think he played better at center earlier in the year than he has played at OG)
Clapp had an average game at center 2 weeks ago, but he's been mediocre at best throughout his career.
Throckmorten seems limited in terms of quickness and athleticism.

Switch Ram to LT.
Keep Peat at LG.
Keep McCoy at OC (but I'd honestly be fine working him at OG some to see what it looks like).
Ruiz at RG.
Let Landon Young and Hurst compete for RT, but if Young looks good enough to start at RT (Streif 2.0), move Hurst to RG.

LT: Ram / Hurst
LG: Peat / Throck
OC: McCoy / Ruiz / Clapp
RG: Hurst or Ruiz
RT: L. Young or Hurst / Greenridge

I'm sure if the right OL slides to us at 18, we'll seriously consider grabbing him, and the unit gets that much better.

 

[Pkessling]

I'm willing to give our draft picks a chance, but even I am starting to see that Ruiz was a bad pick. I started paying more attention to it the past few games but it seemed like everytime there was a tackle in the backfield or a defender coming clean into the backfield on the replay it was usually Ruiz's man.

He was decent in the run game except when he fell flat on his face without touching a defender.

 

[RJ in Lafayette]

Armstead may be back. The Saints tend to keep the veteran players they like, finding a way to keep them.

 

[boutte]

Defensive players tend to get past Ruiz and to our QB quick...real quick. He has a rough time when a players shoot the gap on him. Starting to think the organization reached on him by taking him in the first round.
The offensive line needs a player or 2 to help out but I would like to see the Saints pick up a wide receiver first in the early rounds

We can probably find someone on day three or in a UDFA than Ruiz. He's not just a reach he's a bust.

 

[boutte]

Ruiz was a bad pick Peat isn’t great but not as bad as Ruiz

Wish Young got more than one game in would have been good to have had a long look at him

Peat is a road grader and that's why he keeps going to Pro-Bowl. He's prone to whiffing on pass plays though. And he stays hurt.

 

[oysters]

McCoy is a top tier center. Why move him to guard where he may be as good but likely to be worse? Chances are Ruiz is not a better center than McCoy so now you are worse at two positions.

Don't sleep on Landon Young. He has the talent and has plenty of room to improve. I could see him at left tackle or maybe guard.

 

[SigFreudianSlip]

Keep TA
Peat
McCoy
Ruiz (sadly)
Ram

Or, move Ram to LT if TA leaves and Landon Young at RT.

Draft a guard or tackle in the mid rounds.

 

[SaintStephen1]

What would Ruiz be worth to another team that needs a C, like Jaguars. Their C Brandon Linder always hurt. Would Jags give up their pick at the top of the third round for him? If so would you do it. Or maybe for DJ Chark or Shenault the WR.

 

[St. Widge]

McCoy is a top tier center. Why move him to guard where he may be as good but likely to be worse? Chances are Ruiz is not a better center than McCoy so now you are worse at two positions.

Don't sleep on Landon Young. He has the talent and has plenty of room to improve. I could see him at left tackle or maybe guard.

I mean, McCoy also could end up being even better at Guard, or at worse equal, with Ruiz being better at Center. I don't see the harm in the team trying Ruiz at Center and McCoy at Guard in camp and in a preseason game. If it works, great. If not, then you haven't lost anything because McCoy will still be great at Center and Ruiz will be what he is at Guard.

I just think Ruiz lacks the bulk to play Guard and he clearly isn't comfortable at the position. Some guys just can't change positions. And I think one of the things about Center is that guys tend to come right at you and Ruiz's issue is when they try to shoot the gap past him. Plus, he wouldn't have to worry about having to pull and find his man if he is at Center.

 

[lavered]

I would not move Peat to LT. Keep him where he is. I hope the Ruiz is just having a sophomore slump. We'll see. If Ram moves to LT or stays at RT, we'll need to draft a Tackle. If I was Ireland, I'd draft a couple of WRs, an O lineman, and a D lineman.

 

[Snakehead]

What would Ruiz be worth to another team that needs a C, like Jaguars. Their C Brandon Linder always hurt. Would Jags give up their pick at the top of the third round for him? If so would you do it. Or maybe for DJ Chark or Shenault the WR.

Chark is a FA. I doubt they'd trade Viska for Ruiz, but there are Center needy teams that may be willing to trade for him.

 

[FlySaint]

Has Ram ever played LT? It’s not a given that a good RT can move to the left side and still play at the same level.

Ruiz is clearly a bust and we need to acknowledge the obvious and move on.

Keep Peat at LG. Sunk money.

TA may be affordable to keep given his extensive injury history. and even if he stays we need to have a very solid backup ready for the inevitable missed games he’ll have. Is Hurst that guy?

 

[j4m2b]

If cam newton is our qb, the. Peat at LT makes perfect sense.

 

[Mr. Milne]

A dark horse in this conversation (possibly) is Forrest Lamp. Didn’t Payton sign and store him away earlier this season? Wondering if maybe he could make a push for a starting gig next year.

 

[Goatman Saint]

If Armstead leaves, Peat should go to LT. Now, before I get fried for saying that, guard is a thick man’s game. Peat Carrie’s big weight upper body, which gives him terrific strength, but I have always thought he has a tackles body. He can move, latch on do whatever. He also gets beat up at guard, by my getting him to tackle he’s taking less abuse and less mauling, something that wears him down and beats him up. At tackle he would last longer with less injury.

While on the board everyone loves to murder the young rookie, I’m not ready to give up yet. A line takes 5 guys who can get in a groove with each other. That was never the case this year. It was a collection of individuals. It’s funny how Ruiz is being murdered here, and everyone on either side of him is slated for future hall of fame. Or you want to trade him for a high quality vet, when you guys are saying he’s trash. Please make up your mind. Is he so bad be deserves to be cut? Well then you’re not trading him for a Carl Nicks.

This whole season has been crisis management. Players don’t improve in a crisis management situation. Give him next year. Challenge in camp sure, but give him the time to develop.