Thanks to the team’s most consequential free agency addition, the New Orleans Saints appear to be trending in the right direction on their offensive line.
The signing of high-profile guard David Edwards this offseason will be one of the Saints’ most important agreements of its new era. The signing provided the team a new starting guard, one with veteran experience and a proven skill set.
Not only did the signing help New Orleans obtain a talented starter, but it also helped their depth tremendously by pushing a multi-game starter from last year, Dillon Radunz, into a key depth role.
After years of injury and steep drop off from starter to backup along the offensive line, New Orleans has both improved its starting lineup and bolster its backup talent.
Radunz, rookie draft pick Jeremiah Wright and tackle Asim Richards are each in line to provide the team’s primary depth along with second-year lineman Torricelli Simpkins III, who has been the team’s go-to backup center so far through the offseason.
With the club’s improvements and development potential, especially with Wright and a pair of promising undrafted rookie tackles, the Saints have positive momentum behind their offensive line for what feels like the first time in a number of years.
The true test won’t be limited to just their ability as a pass protecting unit, but also in the run game, where the Saints weren’t nearly as efficient as they had hoped to be last season.
The team finished No. 28 in total rushing yards, No. 31 in yards per rushing attempt and No. 30 in yards allowed before contact.
If New Orleans can get its ground game going with newly-signed running back Travis Etienne Jr. and keep quarterback Tyler Shough clean, the Saints should find success in 2026, and the offensive line would deserve a heavy share of the credit.
