Saints Offensive Line May Unveil A New Look For Preseason Finale

New Orleans looks to continue offensive line improvement showed last week, but several jobs are still up for grabs.

New Orleans Saints guard Kyle Hergel (60) lines up against the Arizona Cardinals / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The offensive line of the New Orleans Saints had their best outing of preseason or training camp against the San Francisco 49ers last Sunday. However, there are still many ongoing concerns surrounding this position as the team winds up its preseason schedule against the Tennessee Titans.

Injuries and inconsistent play have left the door open for a couple of starting jobs. Additionally, most of the depth chart is still unsettled. These factors should lead to new lineup combinations against the Titans on Sunday.

Oli Udoh, one offseason free-agent addition, is capable of playing either tackle or either guard spot. He's been at tackle through most of training camp, with coach Dennis Allen putting him in the mix as a potential starter at right tackle.

That brings us to third-year OT Trevor Penning, a former first-round choice. Penning was moved to the right side after being benched last year. He's continued to struggle but had a stronger outing against San Francisco. There's no doubt that the Saints want the first-rounder to succeed, but Allen himself has stated that the competition is still open for starters.

This year's first-round selection, OT Taliese Fuaga, has shown tons of promise and is almost certainly the starter at left tackle. Fuaga sat out Sunday's game against the 49ers with a minor back injury. The move was just precautionary, with Fuaga fully expected to be ready for the season opener. He returned to practice this week via John Hendrix of the Saints News Network. However, it's unclear whether Fuaga will see any action against Tennessee.

New Orleans Saints offensive tackle Landon Young (67) against the Arizona Cardinals / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Landon Young took Fuaga's place at left tackle against San Francisco. A 2021 sixth-round pick, Young has shown the ability to fill in at either tackle spot. He's started just seven games in three years and has limitations when pressed into duty. However, he probably clinched his roster spot with his versatility and a solid outing against the 49ers last weekend.

With all the attention at the tackle spots, some have overlooked a potentially concerning issue at guard. Cesar Ruiz will be the starter at right guard, but has been far from a model at consistency over his four-year career. Nobody has taken firm control of the competition at left guard. Nick Saldiveri was the early favorite, but has yet to even practice this month because of injuries. Remember that Saldiveri played just 18 offensive snaps over four games last year as a rookie.

Lucas Patrick, another veteran free agent addition, has started both preseason contests. Patrick played reasonably well, but according to Allen still has not clinched a starting spot. He also left Wednesday's practice with cramps, according to reports. His exit may have opened the door further for a player who's come on strong of late.

Saints offensive linemen Olisaemeka Udoh (74) and Kyle Hergel (60) block against the Arizona Cardinals / USA TODAY NETWORK

Kyle Hergel is an undrafted rookie from Boston College. Considered a longshot to make the team, Hergel has climbed up the depth chart with consistent play and has actually taken several first team reps when Patrick has been out. Dennis Allen has identified him as a player that's put himself in contention for a roster spot, according to John Hendrix of Saints News.

One player that's hurt himself with subpar play is veteran G/C Shane Lemieux. Another of several offseason additions to the line, it was thought that Lemieux would be a strong contender for the job at left guard. Instead, his play has put him on the fence, at best, for a roster spot at all. With the recent release of Sincere Haynesworth, Lemieux is expected to get most of the snaps at center against Tennessee.

Other players to watch for a late roster push are rookie seventh-round RT Josiah Ezirim, second-year G/T Mark Evans II, fifth-year G Tremayne Anchrum, and seventh-year T Jesse Davis. Those four, along with Lemieux, Hergel, Udoh, and Young, should see extensive action against the Titans. For at least a few, it will be a last-ditch effort to earn a spot.

After preseason action wraps up this weekend, all NFL teams must trim their active rosters to 53 players by Tuesday, August 27. The Saints open up their regular season on September 8 by hosting the Carolina Panthers.