Saints OL Andrus Peat’s struggles at tackle (1 Viewer)

[LombardiGras]

Peat looks soft physically and is playing soft. He needs to step it up in a big way.

 

[Numbskull]

I do agree with the general sentiment that Peat is not living up to his draft position at this time but I also think a lot of his struggles this preseason are a symptom of what is being put on his plate. Once the coaching staff stops moving Peat around I believe he'll get into a groove and become much more consistent. All this moving during the games is good experience and helps the team for depth purposes but it's causing all kinds of performance issues. The article below really speaks to the difficulties of playing on both sides of the line.

I see a lot of people ready to give up on Peat but I believe that is really short sighted. It's worth noting that he is still very young by any standard (22 years old thru November) and hasn't nearly finished maturing as a player. I totally get the urgency from the fans -- we need him to be the player he was drafted to be right now to have success! Hopefully the light will come on sooner than later with more experience at one position.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/switching-sides/

So what did the Cowboys miss? Maybe they underestimated the difficulty involved in reversing the mechanics of linemen who were changing sides of the line. It isn’t just as simple as asking a receiver to move across the formation. The entire shift in footwork is something that takes getting used to for a lineman. Everything is mirrored physically, and applying that mentally is not as easy as most people assume.

If it was that easy, most baseball players would be switch hitters. While switching sides on the line may not be as drastic as flipping your batting stance, it’s still pretty tough. The muscle memory that’s developed over thousands of practice repetitions along with the comfort in the sequence of motion is completely thrown off if you’re thrown to the other side, it takes a little time getting used to.

Vikings OG Geoff Schwartz told me it was much easier moving from guard to tackle, or vice versa, than switching from side to side.

“If you look at most lines, the backup LT is the LG, or he’s on the bench. Both teams I’ve played on, our backup LT was the LG.”

It seems it’s a tough enough transition, without significant lead time, that teams would rather put a far less athletically able player on an island at left tackle than expect the guy on the right to swap sides in-game.

“It’s very difficult for guys to be able to effectively play on both sides of the line without long hours practicing it,” Schwartz went on.

“That is why you don’t often see linemen switching sides of the ball for injury or performance. Playing offensive line is a very technical position. Being a great athlete and a physical player can only take you so far if you don’t use proper technique. You must drill over and over again to get the footwork and hand placement down. On top of that, mentally switching things over in your head can be tough at first. You’re used to reacting to movement on one side of the line of scrimmage, now it’s happening on the opposite side”.

 

[blackadder]

I do agree with the general sentiment that Peat is not living up to his draft position at this time but I also think a lot of his struggles this preseason are a symptom of what is being put on his plate. Once the coaching staff stops moving Peat around I believe he'll get into a groove and become much more consistent. All this moving during the games is good experience and helps the team for depth purposes but it's causing all kinds of performance issues. The article below really speaks to the difficulties of playing on both sides of the line.

I see a lot of people ready to give up on Peat but I believe that is really short sighted. It's worth noting that he is still very young by any standards (22 years old thru November) and hasn't nearly finished maturing as a player. I totally get the urgency from the fans -- we need him to be the player he was drafted to be right now to have success! Hopefully the light will come on during the season with more experience at one position.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/switching-sides/

Good stuff and puts what is happening with Peat in perspective.

 

[Goatman Saint]

Exactly. Also, how the Saints play their tackles-more of a run the defender around to the back of the pocket rather than dominating at line of scrimmage- it's a huge difference even moving to guard where it's hold your ground. I see nothing in Peat that isn't an issue with technique. He has played 4 of the 5 positions on the line so far this camp. Gee I wonder why his technique is poor. He will get there


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Cajun Chat]

He is on the squad completely because of where he was picked, and is fast tracking to be on the SJB plan once its politically acceptable to make the cut.

Agree with this statement. The coaching staff must be just dumbfounded at this point as to what to do with him. He gets a pass this year because of where he was picked. If the light doesn't come on this year we could be staring at the second coming of Charles Brown except as a much higher draft pick. Brown was a second rounder but made the team 3 years because of where he was picked.

 

[BoNcHiE]

I don't have much will to take up for Peat. I didn't get the pick and wanted Parker (who also did nothing his rookie year due to injury so I'm not saying I'm a genius).

But it's just stupid to give up on a guy like Peat at this point. He's not playing long snapper. He's trying to learn one of the tougher positions in football. He's only got one season of experience so far. We gain nothing by pulling the plug early.

 

[saintsfannca]

I do agree with the general sentiment that Peat is not living up to his draft position at this time but I also think a lot of his struggles this preseason are a symptom of what is being put on his plate. Once the coaching staff stops moving Peat around I believe he'll get into a groove and become much more consistent. All this moving during the games is good experience and helps the team for depth purposes but it's causing all kinds of performance issues. The article below really speaks to the difficulties of playing on both sides of the line.

I see a lot of people ready to give up on Peat but I believe that is really short sighted. It's worth noting that he is still very young by any standard (22 years old thru November) and hasn't nearly finished maturing as a player. I totally get the urgency from the fans -- we need him to be the player he was drafted to be right now to have success! Hopefully the light will come on sooner than later with more experience at one position.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/switching-sides/

I too think he will play better once he is settled in one spot. I'm not sure why they are moving him around so much when they can see as much as anybody that he needs to develop. I get that he's been needed to cover at LT because they are being careful with Armstead, but then just let him play LG. His footwork would be similar. He was obviously drafted to play RT, but if you aren't going devote every rep to him learning a brand new position after probably 10 years, then just allow him to play the one he would succeed at most.

I almost blame the FO a little bit on this one. I get that we don't have good enough guards to give every rep to Peat at RT. But that is also the FO's fault.

I brought this up before the summer ever even really got started. We've got Armstead and we've got Unger. We've got Peat who could be a success with dedication to one spot. We've got one HORRIBLE RT (Strief) and two equally horrible guards (Lelito and Kelemete). So as a coach what do you? CSP is caught in a pickle where he's got 3 holes and 1.5 players to plug them. Right now, CSP is saying as bad as Strief is, he trusts him more than Lelito or Kelemete, and that's why Peat is still working inside. We know CSP favors his veteran boys, but it's just a preference right now. All 3 of them are not good enough, Peat can be good if he just focuses on 1 spot. So do you want the pressure coming in around the right? Or right through the middle? That's what CSP is trying to figure out right now. And I think judging by how much Peat has been moved around, CSP obviously hasn't figured it out yet. Starting Strief, Lelito, and Kelemete is just a death wish. There will be constant pressure from whomever they are asked to block, CSP is just trying to do damage control and see where they can best deal with the leaking sieve on the offensive line

 

[sykobob671]

There May Have Been a Defensive Penalty Here

There May Have Been a Defensive Penalty Here - Canal Street Chronicles

Please have a look at this article, it is basically about Thomas getting manhandled over the middle, but there are two GIF's embedded that show exactly why i find having Peat (75) protecting Drew scary. Granted it is only one play, but he is just not ready for the big show.

 

[Joodas Avila]

Im not saying he's a "bust". But as of now, at this moment in time, Peat is definitely not starting material. And outside of Armstead, Unger, and Strief, neither are any of the other OLs we have on the roster. Maybe it'll all change and come together in the regular season. But as of week 2 in the preseason, our OL is a major concern.

 

[zigzag]

Armstead struggled his first preseason playing against the 2s while only playing 1 position. Peat is learning a new position against teams starters.

 

[BigRonJon]

7-9

 

[la. champ1]

Armstead struggled his first preseason playing against the 2s while only playing 1 position. Peat is learning a new position against teams starters.

Armstread showed great progress from game to game and the following year. This year Peat is in good shape but his skills are clearly lacking. Even at his natural position of LT. For a top 15 pick, he is a bust at this point plain and simple. As bad as our guard situation is, our RT isn't far behind due to to age, and he isn't close to unseating Strief. Watching the two I'm more confident in Strief and that's scary.

 

[Eman5805]

Armstead struggled his first preseason playing against the 2s while only playing 1 position. Peat is learning a new position against teams starters.

In today's NFL, if you aren't playing well immediately, you shouldn't be a 1st rounder. It's just how it is. You don't get a lot of time to adjust.

It's ridiculous and doesn't apply to any other avenue of life, but they get paid millions, so we can treat them differently. Or something.

There's no immediately worry. I don't buy that he suddenly has gone from having a good camp to looking out of sorts. We'll get a better true look at what our guys are made of Friday. And because I expect our starters to at least play the entire 1st half, he'll get a lot of reps at guard.

Armstread showed great progress from game to game and the following year. This year Peat is in good shape but his skills are clearly lacking. Even at his natural position of LT. For a top 15 pick, he is a bust at this point plain and simple. As bad as our guard situation is, our RT isn't far behind due to to age, and he isn't close to unseating Strief. Watching the two I'm more confident in Strief and that's scary.

Game to game? That didn't happen just in preseason though. These games won't even matter in three weeks except for the guys who can't make the team anyway.

 

[Meachemdat]

There May Have Been a Defensive Penalty Here

There May Have Been a Defensive Penalty Here - Canal Street Chronicles

Please have a look at this article, it is basically about Thomas getting manhandled over the middle, but there are two GIF's embedded that show exactly why i find having Peat (75) protecting Drew scary. Granted it is only one play, but he is just not ready for the big show.

I haven't gotten a real good look at that play until now, Thomas should have cut it in. I think Payton lit into him because he wasn't where he was supposed to be. Was he held? Should it have been a penalty? Yes.

Peat got abused on that play