The Saints took Andrus Peat with the 13th overall pick of the draft as part of their effort to get stronger on the offensive line.
Now they just need to figure out how Peat can do that during his rookie season. Peat has been at right tackle most of the time during rookie minicamp, but the team is also giving him a little time on the left side and contemplating the possibility that he could kick inside as the replacement for Ben Grubbs at left guard.
“I think his size allows him to be versatile,” offensive line coach Bret Ingalls said, via the New Orleans Times-Picayune. “He’s been a tackle, but I think he’s big enough and quick enough to where if someone said, ‘Can he play guard,’ I haven’t seen it yet, but I’d say sure he could. Is he one of the five best? We’re going to find out.”
Ingalls added he’s excited about Peat’s future wherever he winds up, in part because he’s never “seen anybody with legs that big.”
The Saints return left tackle Terron Armstead and right tackle Zach Strief from last season and Ingalls had positive reviews of Tim Lelito as a left guard possibility, so they have a few options of how to deploy their blockers in the coming season. Whatever the mix, which will include new arrival Max Unger at center, the Saints are expecting more thump up front this time around.