Saints Must Move on From Long-Time Offensive Contributor

Peat opened the season in his customary left guard spot. Opponents mercilessly blitzed the Saints inside, especially at the start of the year. New Orleans QB Jameis Winston was sacked 10 times and took 17 hits as he tried to throw in the first two games alone. 

After sitting out Week 4 against Minnesota, Peat returned to help the Saints to a couple of explosive offensive performances. New Orleans scored 65 points and put up 463 yards rushing over a two-game stretch against Seattle and Cincinnati. It was their best back-to-back offensive outputs of the year. 

Peat went down again midway through the close loss against the Bengals and would miss the following week at Arizona. He'd return for two games before missing back-to-back weeks again.

He would come back for four starts before suffering an ankle injury early in a Week 16 game at Cleveland. The injury would knock him out for the final two contests. 

Peat appeared in 11 games for the Saints in 2022. He missed six complete games, most of another, and half of two others. Peat was penalized only twice on the year, but all the injuries over the years looked to take a toll.

His pass protection struggles were even more evident as opponents seemed to target him with extra rushers. Even his run blocking, the strength of his game, wasn't as sterling as usual for a Saints offensive line that struggled as a whole. 

Time to Move on From Peat?

New Orleans had injuries along their entire offensive line for the second straight year. However, the Saints are used to playing without Peat in the lineup. In the six whole games without him, plus most of a seventh, the offense actually averaged more points and gave up less sacks. The difference was close, but also telling considering that Peat is one of the league's highest-paid interior linemen. 

Andrus Peat has two years remaining on his current deal and will be an $18.4 million cap hit if on the Saints roster in 2023. The 29-year-old Peat could be restructured, which would create $10.4 million in cap space. However, that would also add extra cap years onto his contract. Not the wisest move for a player that's been an unreliable lineup presence throughout his career. 

The more likely scenario has the Saints releasing Peat. It's a move that would cost the team $6.6 million in dead cap space this season and $10.5 million in 2024. However, it would also create over $11.8 million in cap space this season. 

Moving on from a three-time Pro Bowler normally creates concerns, but Peat's availability has always been erratic and his play clearly slipped last season. Even if the Saints don't pick up another starter in free agency or the draft, they'll have options up front. 

The most logical move would be plugging in 2022 first-round pick Trevor Penning at left tackle and moving James Hurst, last year's starter, to Peat's left guard spot.  Hurst is better suited for an inside position anyway. Calvin Throckmorton, who filled in competently for Peat each of the last two years, is another possibility. 

Andrus Peat has been the subject of some unfair criticism from New Orleans fans. He turned out to be a serviceable blocker after a rocky start to his career, when he was on the field. However, it's time for the Saints to move on from a few of their long-time contributors, starting with Peat.