The New Orleans Saints have 90 days to create a fortress around Drew Brees

The Saints’ backs are against the wall. First, Center Max Unger injures his foot and now Terron Armstread is gonna be out up to six months.

The offensive line is the most critical part of making an offense run smoothly and efficiently. By the same token, it’s like the tires on a car. When any of the wheels are off balance, or needs air, an imbalance occurs. Furthermore, when a car gets a flat tire, it takes time to pull over and replace it.

Of course, finding an offensive lineman to fill the gap is even more complicated. NFL lineman are a bit more intricate than rubber. However, the idea is the same. The Saints find themselves in a less than ideal situation at current, and the time is ticking. The average fan may not understand how CRITICAL having a stable presence in front of Drew Brees.

In addition to having trust in your offensive line, there is something even more important. Notice the word “line” mentioned and not players. The offensive line performs as a UNIT. All the lineman must know 100% what’s going on at all times. The unit together is almost like the frame of the car. It’s the whole foundation where everything is built upon.

The Wonderlic test is obviouslynot the only measure of how a football player will perform in the future. However, The test does give an insight into the IQ of football players in general. Of course, there are exceptions. That being said, the average IQ for all positions is a score of 21. As a matter of fact, offensive tackles average around a 26 with centers right behind them. Ironically, those are the two positions that the Saints have a need right now.

Intelligence is one important trait that most offensive tackles have. This is something that’s hard to teach. Florida State’s offenisve line coach Rick Trickett has over 40 years of coaching, which includes being an expert on the front lines.

"“A team with five players who have all five of these characteristics will be difficult to beat.”"

Trickett lists these five traits: Intelligence, toughness, work ethic, character, and athletic ability. And the Saints were looking really solid coming into the 2017 season before these injuries upfront. Now the Saints must adapt quickly to build synergy. It’s not too late. There is just enough time to get the guys in place under 90 days to create a “line of defense.” If not, the car that Drew Brees will be driving may end up in neutral with a bent frame.