Saints offensive line underperforming expectations

By Ross Jackson

It was expected to be one of the strengths of the New Orleans Saints roster going into 2025. Instead, the team’s offensive line has underwhelmed and underperformed against those expectations thus far. With a bye week to now reset, the Saints’ protection unit and perhaps more importantly, the system it’s a part of, has a chance to adjust and make strides over the final stretch of the season. 

Through ten games, the Saints’ offensive line ranks No. 32 in ESPN’s pass block win rate and No. 27 in the outlet’s run block win rate metric. 

Oftentimes, analytics lack the context of role and responsibility for each individual player. But looking over major statistics that reflect upon the line as a unit help to provide some concerning trends that match the critiques presented by the above win rates. 

New Orleans has surrendered 23 sacks in the season, 14th-most in the league, has committed 15 false start penalties (10th-most), has been whistled for eight holding penalties (T-No. 4) and has paved the way for just 3.7 yards per carry (No. 30) in the run game. 

No matter how the stats and analytics are parsed out, the unit has struggled. 

After the bye, the team will hope to get right tackle Taliese Fuaga back into the starting lineup and that left guard Dillon Radunz helps to improve the team’s situation after trading away previous starter Trevor Penning. This will be an important position to watch after the bye. If the struggles continue, the unit could see some turnover during the 2026 offseason.