Left Guard Competition Takes Spotlight at New Orleans Saints Training Camp

The Saints interior offensive line has one major question to answer during training camp, and that's who starts at left guard.

Oct 15, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; New Orleans Saints offensive tackle James Hurst (74) in action during the first quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports / Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

This is one of the last Sundays that we're without football, and Aug. 1's Hall of Fame game between the Texans and Bears is right around the corner. The Saints veterans report to training camp on Tuesday, and Wednesday's first practice can't get here soon enough.

Saints News Network continues to preview the offense ahead of training camp, looking at each position on the roster to assess the outlook, biggest storyline and biggest camp battle. We move to the trenches to look at the interior offensive line first, which has one big job up for grabs.

Saints Position Previews: Quarterback | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End

Saints Training Camp Position Preview - Interior Offensive Line

Sep 10, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) celebrates with center Cesar Ruiz (51) after winning the game against the Tennessee Titans during the second half at the Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Depth Chart: Erik McCoy, Cesar Ruiz, Nick Saldiveri, Lucas Patrick, Shane Lemieux, Mark Evans, Kyle Hergel, Sincere Haynesworth, Nouri Nouili

Biggest Storyline: Who Starts At Left Guard?

Andrus Peat ended up going from a guy who wasn't in the plans for the offensive line to being a solid staple at left guard last season. However, he left in free agency and opted for a fresh start. Before Peat got the job, it was James Hurst who held the spot. When he decided to retire in late April, it presented another challenge for the Saints, who already had plenty to figure out with Ryan Ramczyk too.

The Saints added to the room in free agency and have possibilities there with veterans, but the long-term outlook is cloudy at best. Back at the Senior Bowl, Jeff Ireland said that he envisioned Nick Saldiveri and Trevor Penning competing to start for a role. If Saldiveri can make a major leap and be in a position to get the starting job, then it helps New Orleans in a lot of ways.

This Klint Kubiak offense doesn't work unless the line is at its best, and there's three spots up for grabs in training camp. You know what the Saints have in Erik McCoy and Cesar Ruiz, but they must get the answer alongside McCoy this season right.

Biggest Camp Battle: Left Guard

This obviously seems redundant, but left guard is the focal point for the interior. The good news is that the Saints have several players who have been in a version of this Kubiak system before in Lucas Patrick, Shane Lemieux and Justin Herron, but they aren't the only ones.

Practice reps will be really important to pay attention to, with an emphasis on joint sessions with the 49ers. The preseason matchups will also see us hone in on the line. One thing new offensive line coach John Benton stressed during the early process was that everyone was learning their assignments and positions so that when they do get on the pads, things should come together. We'll see who picked up on things the best for sure.

Not to be forgotten or overlooked, undrafted rookie Kyle Hergel is someone I'm interested in seeing more of, and he has big practice squad potential at this point. He was even selected third overall in the CFL draft. Mark Evans enters his second season after spending last year on the practice squad, while other undrafted rookies Nouri Nouili and Sincere Haynesworth look to make their mark and case in the competition.

Wild Card: Oli Udoh

We didn't see much of Oli Udoh in the early process, mainly due to injury recovery, but Dennis Allen said that he could potentially compete at left guard. Udoh has versatility at tackle and interior, and he was actually Klint Kubiak's right guard when he was offensive coordinator for the Vikings in 2021. You can trace it back a little further too and see that Andrew Janocko was his assistant offensive line coach during his rookie year in 2019.

There's familiarity there in what Udoh's skills can bring to the table, and we'll see where he actually lines up during training camp. However, we'd expect multiple Saints to be cross-trained during the process.

Early Roster Projection

Crowning a starter at left guard is very premature here, and we know that Cesar Ruiz and Erik McCoy will be on the final squad obviously. Last year saw the Saints roll with six interior linemen, with a couple of them being able to kick outside when needed. Something similar should happen this season, so we'll rope Nick Saldiveri, Lucas Patrick and Shane Lemieux into this mix. Oli Udoh could also be put here, but he also has played tackle.

The Saints want to run the ball in this Kubiak offense, and the hope is that New Orleans improves their rushing attack from being 21st last season at 102.5 yards/game. While there's a big emphasis on outside zones and more, that doesn't mean the team won't need the interior to be successful. Pass protection and opening up run lanes in addition to athleticism are all traits the linemen need in 2024 for the team to get back into the postseason, and we'll see if they can put together what's needed out there to help the offense.