New Orleans Saints: Impact of Andrus Peat injury

What impact will guard Andrus Peat’s injury have on the New Orleans Saints offensive line?

The New Orleans Saints’ shocking loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday was not only devastating to the team, coaches, and fans, but it also saw the exit of two players that are crucial to the success of the Saints as a whole.

Marshon Lattimore left with an apparent hamstring injury (you can read about it in the link below), and Andrus Peat left with what we now know is a broken arm.

The New Orleans Saints announced later in the week that Peat will be absent for about six weeks after surgery to repair his broken arm.

Backup Will Clapp ending up coming in to replace Peat for the finish of the Falcons game, but it is still up in the air who will replace him against Tampa Bay on Sunday. Peat played 32% of the offensive snaps before exiting the game.

According to ESPN, Drew Brees had this to say about the injury to his left guard.

"Of course it’s difficult, because he’s been a starter, for what, five years now, and been one of the main components there with the front,” Saints quarterback Drew Brees said. “But as is our league, every season you’re gonna have guys go down for a period of time — you hope not too long. And you have to have guys step up and fill in and do the job. And I’m confident with the guys we have to do that."

Coming off of his first Pro-Bowl selection and playing as if he is going to go back, this is a huge loss for the New Orleans Saints. After all, with Peat in the lineup, this team boasted one of the best offensive lines in the league with minimal injuries to start the season.

Peat also is in the final year of his contract so personally, Peat could lose monetary value if he doesn’t look good coming back off of this injury. However, good for both sides is that Andrus Peat is looking like he is going to come back in time for the Saints undoubted playoff run.

Clapp will be the obvious choice to replace Peat on the line come Sunday as he has regularly seen the field in big run packages. Although, veteran Nick Easton could fight for some of the time on the line and might replace Clapp in the jumbo packages.

Either way, all Payton will be asking for is consistency. Already having seven wins under their belt with a rather easy backhalf of the season schedule-wise, this team should be fine to still secure a top-three spot; however, a first-round bye will be the goal for the Saints to finish the regular season.

We will have more on his replacement situation as it unfolds.