Don’t be surprised if the Saints draft another offensive lineman with first pick

The New Orleans Saints have a plethora of needs as they enter the upcoming draft, but they’ve been in this position before.

Last offseason, prior to releasing guard Larry Warford, the Saints could’ve used a big-time player at somewhere other than the offensive line. However, the team opted to let go of Warford and select Cesar Ruiz. Ruiz was a skilled lineman but not many were mocking that he’d be a Saint.

The New Orleans Saints may have other notable holes on their roster but, as the late-April draft approaches, don’t be shocked if they again go with offensive line.

That could be a reality that New Orleans again puts themselves in, especially given their injury-prone line and the cap-saving measures they had to take this offseason. The team released Nick Easton and Will Clapp.

Easton and Clapp were important. Not only did Easton appear in most games last season, but he was the starting guard or center for nine games as well. Missing that could cause issues on the line.

With limited cap space, the Saints are going to need second-year players like Adam Trautman and Zack Baun to step up.

But, it’ll more than just them. They’ll need players throughout the season. Along with their defensive line, their offensive line typically is among the most banged-up positional groups on the team.

Terron Armstead and Andrus Peat have both dealt with major injuries these past few seasons. Adding a player to give the team more depth on the line as an insurance policy would be ideal, and it would make sense.

The Saints have drafted an offensive lineman with their first pick in the last two drafts. It’s made sense then, and while other needs will be present, it would make sense for them to do it again after the hectic few weeks they were just put through.

With this draft being deep on the line, the Saints may also wait and target one in the second round. Either way, expect offensive line help and do not be shocked if they use a higher-than-expected pick for it.