Underhill: Peat "Playing Well" (1 Viewer)

[superchuck500]

A first-round pick, Peat came into his first NFL training camp with outside expectations that he would compete with Zach Strief to start at right tackle. Instead, his conditioning slowed him early, and he spent his first season mostly as a reserve.

The situation is different now. Peat is in shape, and the first time he caught eyes this week was during the first practice, when he tossed rookie lineman Ryker Mathews on his backside during a positional drill.

“He’s a supremely talented O-lineman,” center Max Unger said. “He’s got himself really in a position to really do a lot of good stuff this year, just his conditioning work during the offseason. He’s done a lot.”

This is a big year for Peat — not just for his development, but for the success of the Saints. He has spent the opening days of camp filling in for left tackle Terron Armstead, who is nursing an injury, but Peat is expected to spend the season at guard.

More at Saints tackle Andrus Peat is in shape and playing well at his second training camp | Saints | theadvocate.com

 

[Boondock]

I went to opening day last year when the Saints played at Arizona. While I was walking around the stadium I heard several Cardinal fans gawking and commenting about the size of Andrus Peat. One guy sitting directly behind me said "That #75 is single largest human being I have ever seen." I just laughed on the inside!

 

[TruSaint]

Next year Peat will be our RT, and either Turner or Kelemente will play guard opposite of lelito and be a pro bowler, Peat that is.

 

[blackadder]

Would feel a lot better if one of the UDFAs comes on and takes a guard spot and Peat goes to RT NOW.

 

[Krodwhodat]

Would feel a lot better if one of the UDFAs comes on and takes a guard spot and Peat goes to RT NOW.

Funny because as bad as I thought Strief played last year most rankings have him at the top half of his position last year and going into this year. Either they have some terrible RTs in the league or when he did give up a bad play it was really bad. Could be my expectations are too high....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ndcc]

Good post, Chuck; thanks.

The Advocate has a very talented cadre of sports beat writers; glad they will be keeping us "in the know!"

Here's the most insightful excerpt from the article, IMO:

It’s even more difficult when switching to guard from tackle. Suddenly the play is right on top of you. You’re working with players on either side. The techniques are different — clearly, there are many changes.

And if an offensive lineman is honest, he’ll admit that it can be difficult when jumping from one spot to another. Even Peat said last season that it was a process, which was shown by fluctuations in the quality of his play during a handful of starts at guard.

 

[AL_Bundy]

Found this pic of Andrus Peat at the combine. I did not know the big guys had to do this at the combine. If I ever got in this position, I'd need someone to call for the cart to get me off the field. Ouch....it hurts just looking at it.

 

[Le_Moyne]

I know most people will disagree with that but I wish that Peat could be given a real shot at beating Streif for the RT position. I think it would make the most sense.

I admit I've never been impressed with ZS, even when he was highly rated by PFF. I also think that at this point this team is shaping up to have one last run at a SB in a year or two, but not this year (we are too young IMO). So, to me, putting Peat at OG is just wasting time. Playing guard won't really help him going forward (at least not as much as playing RT this year). I also think that it could hurt him because I think he is too tall/plays too high to be a good OG so I am not sure we are putting him in a position to succeed.

Just let him win the RT job if he can (I have little doubt he would if it is a fair competition) and let the other guys battle for the OG spot. If we can't find a good starter at guard, so be it. It won't be the reason why we have a good season or not.

Prepare for the future rather than this year

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

I know most people will disagree with that but I wish that Peat could be given a real shot at beating Streif for the RT position. I think it would make the most sense.

I admit I've never been impressed with ZS, even when he was highly rated by PFF. I also think that at this point this team is shaping up to have one last run at a SB in a year or two, but not this year (we are too young IMO). So, to me, putting Peat at OG is just wasting time. Playing guard won't really help him going forward (at least not as much as playing RT this year). I also think that it could hurt him because I think he is too tall/plays too high to be a good OG so I am not sure we are putting him in a position to succeed.

Just let him win the RT job if he can (I have little doubt he would if it is a fair competition) and let the other guys battle for the OG spot. If we can't find a good starter at guard, so be it. It won't be the reason why we have a good season or not.

Prepare for the future rather than this year

Playing Peat at OG isn't about helping him per se. It's about helping "the team"

 

[St. Geezy]

Heh....sometimes a picture says 1,000 words.

 

[Optimistic Ozzy]

Next year Peat will be our RT, and either Turner or Kelemente will play guard opposite of lelito and be a pro bowler, Peat that is.

I definitely prefer Kelemente at right guard and Peat at RT.

 

[insidejob]

I could see Peat beating out Strief in camp.

I think it's just kinda the standard that the depth chart going into training camp that last year's starters go into camp as this year's starters. Peat will have every opportunity to prove that he is the better of the two. If they end up grading out equally and Peat grades out better than everyone else at one of the guard positions, then he'll obviously take that position since Payton said it's about getting the five best linemen on the field at the same time.

 

[superchuck500]

Heh....sometimes a picture says 1,000 words.

Strief looks like he can't wait until practice is over so he can go eat gummy bears and watch TV.

<img src="http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/theadvocate.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/eb/eebac297-7152-53dc-a5e6-1a6685206b8c/579bec9cebe77.image.jpg" width="800 or less" />

 

[Le_Moyne]

Playing Peat at OG isn't about helping him per se. It's about helping "the team"

I know that's the thinking...but my point is that I am not sure it actually helps the team in the long run.

Sure it might be the best option for this year (I am actually not convinced but that's another discussion). However, I do not think it helps the team as much as it should going forward.

I am quite confident that we are going to see a nice turn around from the team this year. However, I don't think this team is ready to make noise in the postseason even if everything goes right (and it most likely won't). To me, the plan should be to turn things around this year and make a serious run at a SB in the following two seasons.

So let's assume Peat plays OG all season and Streif RT. I think Streif will keep on struggling because his mobility, which has never been great, has seriously decline in recent years. Peat will probably do a pretty good job a guard but I also don't think he will be great (I just think that lining up at guard won't play to his strength and will highlight his weaknesses). What happens next year? Streif retires or is cut and we move Peat to RT. So the result is that we were only marginally better this year on the OL (and that is assuming nobody steps up at OG because I am convinced that Peat would be the better at RT this year), and next year, Peat has to adapt again to a new position which will slow down his progression.

I you let PEat play RT this year, he is ready to dominate the next two years when the rest of the team will be ready for a SB push...

 

[GilFinnerty]

He's a guy when u draft you hope he grows into potential, with his uncoachable traits but I never liked his tape at Stanford. More times then not it doesn't work out like you want but sometimes it does. Hope I'm completely wrong about Peat