Premature Depth Chart Predictions: Offensive Line

An offense is only as good as the big boys up front and with the Saints, it begins this season with the loss of Jeff Faine.

Now Message Board Guy will tell you that Faine sucks and Goodwin is a much better run blocker, but I disagree. Faine's issue is and always has been his health, which also seems to be the case for Jammal Brown last season. With Jamar Nesbit hanging around still and Jon Stinchcomb defying Haslett's logic the Saints return pretty much the same nucleus. Jahr Evans remains the units best (and underrated) player, but guys like Carl Nicks, Jermon Bushrod and Andy Allenman are going to push for some playing time this year.



Offensive Tackle: Jammal Brown, Jon Stinchcomb, Zach Streif, Jermon Bushrod
Jammal Brown is an anchor on Drew's blindside. He's a wide body with long arms and athletic enough to handle anyone coming off the edge. His nasty demeanor doesn't get enough attention, really. I see him rolling guys when the play is on the other side of the field. He's going to play as long as his knees let him.

Already the coaches are grooming Jermon Bushrod as his replacement. Bushrod came into the league with tremendous athleticism for a guy his size, but not really strong by NFL-standards. I understand he's taken instruction very well from the staff and has dedicated his life to becoming stronger. This pre-season he's one of the guys I want to watch.

Zach Streif is a hot and cold player at this point in his career. His first start was a complete shut-down of Simien Rice at Left Tackle, followed by embarrassment at the hands of Julius Peppers at Right Tackle. His natural position just might be guard, but the staff feels solid enough about his skills to put him out on the edge I guess.

Jon Stinchcomb was in the eyes of most Saints fans, a bust. Haslett's group sought out a Right Tackle every year it seemed after Stinchcomb's draft. Draft Extraordinaire Mike Detiller even felt that Stinchcomb was being miscast as a RT and thought that he would make a fine Guard like his brother because Stinchcomb lacks the footwork to be a really good RT. Sean Payton shows up and after a couple years of hitting the weights, Stinchcomb blows up Julius Peppers and locks down the right side.

Whiskey - Tango - Foxtrot?

Guard: Jamar Nesbit, Jahri Evans, Andy Allenman, Carl Nicks
Jamar Nesbit is still hanging around. He's become the ... well, Jon Goodwin of the group. He's been holding down the Left Guard spot since he arrived, but can and will play any position you ask him to. That's usually a negative for a guy's career because you never get really good at any one position, which makes you replaceable when the team finds a guy that is really good at the position you happen to be playing right now. Nesbit seems to have found a niche at Guard with the Saints though and he continues to hold off Andy Allenman. He may have met his match however withe the addition of Carl Nicks.

Nicks is the guy who scouts were raving about and who many draft "experts" feel could be the steal of the draft. He's a literal mountain of a man and is as nimble as any Linebacker in the NFL. He's still pretty raw as he has only been playing on offense for a year or so and his most recent experience was at Right Tackle. He's seen some time at both Tackle and Guard in Camp thus far, but he's projected to stay in the interior which would be fine with me. He and Jahri Evans team up to make quite an imposing interior, even it that's with a career backup playing the pivot.

Andy Allenman is the guy brought in to replace Nesbit. Thus far, he has succeeded only in forcing Nesbit to play at a higher level. Allenman is reportedly looking very good in camp, but the coaches seem to be content with an incumbent unless there is a vast improvement by going with someone else. With the addition of Nicks, Allenman may be a backup for quite some time.

The guy most unappreciated here is Jahri Evans, from tiny Bloomberg (not the mayor) College. His bio photos project him as a librarian, but his athleticism is Roafish with an attitude to match. He turned heads in his rookie camp and had coaching thinking less "rookie project" and more "starting material" before Training Camp's halfway point. He's never looked back since and has the attention of everyone involved with the NFL except the fans. If he is ever going to take his rightful place as a perennial Pro Bowler, the Saints are going to have to start winning more games.

Center: Jonathan Goodwin, Matt Lehr
I should have titled this section "Center/Guard" because neither of these guys are true Centers. Goodwin is a guy who made his way from one end of the Jets offensive line to the other, never really spectacular at anything, but solid at everything. He's a cerebral guy I understand and performed well last year when called into action, but he still has a lot to prove. Many will point to his inclusion in the line as to why the running game performed well in Faine's absence. Those same people will also avoid bringing up that there was also a change in the runningback as well.

The Saints did not want to let Faine get away, but they were committed to not paying an unholy ransom to retain his services. Goodwin has a bit of work cut out for him and his play (IMO) just might be the key factor in how well the Saints offense does this season. Regardless, I feel the Saints will be looking to improve the position after this season is done with.

Matt Lehr is another guy who is great at nothing, good at everything. He's an obscenely strong player, but lacks the athleticism that you want your Center to possess. There are doubts as to what his contribution can be with his legal troubles, which may be why the Saints signed Rob Hunt for the offseason, a guy who doesn't even warrant a Bio on the "Official" website.

As a whole, the group is solid, but not spectacular. The benefit from a lightening quick release from Drew Brees and a coach who loves to pass more than run in Sean Payton. This plays well into their strengths, but it does not give the team the physical line that a Super Bowl-hopeful team needs. They need to become stronger at the point of attack in the running game if they want to go far in the post season.