Saints Player Rankings: Offensive lineman Andrus Peat comes in at No. 19

Expectations from offensive lineman Andrus Peat’s new contract lands him at the 19th spot in the 2020 Saints player rankings.

Most football fans can agree that building a successful offense begins with building a talented offensive line. The Saints have consistently drafted gifted lineman and maintained a respectable group upfront to protect Drew Brees over the past few years despite the departure of important pieces like Max Unger.

One player that the organization seems keen on retaining for years to come is guard Andrus Peat, who signed a somewhat controversial five-year extension with the team this offseason.

Peat is undoubtedly a talented player and has been recognized by the league for his abilities by being selected to the Pro Bowl the previous two seasons despite missing time to injury.

Just last season, Peat missed nearly six weeks of playing time due to a broken arm suffered in Week 10, but Peat still managed to make an impact protecting Brees’ blind side with left tackle Terron Armstead.

Following Peat’s extension, the team made the decision to move on from fellow lineman Larry Warford in order to make cap space and room for draftee Caesar Ruiz.

Based on Pro Football Reference’s ranking of linemen’s value since 2015, Warford should have been favored over Peat. Despite being drafted in the third round, Warford was listed as the 19th most valuable lineman while Peat was ranked 19 spots lower than him.

The fact that the team decided to side with Peat and entrust him with the protection of the Saints backfield for the future is a sign of what the team truly values in their line.

Peat and Warford both have struggled with injuries in the past, with Peat missing 15 games over his five-year career, but Peat is generally considered more versatile than Warford.

As demonstrated in the team’s previous two first-round draft selections of Erik McCoy and Caesar Ruiz, New Orleans tends to favor players who can play multiple positions and utilize more than pure size and strength.

Obviously, Peat still has plenty to prove to the team and fans alike.

Despite his recognition from the NFL over the past two seasons, Peat was ranked on average 18.1 based on votes from our 12 staff writers. Ruiz has yet to see any time in the black and gold but is only three spots behind Peat in the player rankings.

If Peat can manage to stay healthy for a full season and contribute to the team’s closing championship window then he might see his name even higher on next year’s list.

For now, he sits in the 19th position on this year’s 2020 player rankings.