Saints offensive line ranked league-average, but their Week 1 opponent is NFL's worst

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A lot of attention is rightfully focused on the New Orleans Saints offensive line after they didn’t meet expectations a year ago, but how do they stack up among their peers? The Saints have invested a lot in their blockers up front through draft picks and hefty contracts, but has their fall-off really been as drastic as fans think? What do outsiders see when checking in on New Orleans?

NFL analyst Ross Tucker shared his ranking of the league’s 32 offensive lines for the 33rd Team, but his takes aren’t worth noting just because of his credentials — he’ll also be offering his insight on the CBS Sports broadcast when the Saints host the Tennessee Titans in Week 1.

For New Orleans, Tucker puts the Saints offensive line at No. 14 in a tier termed league-average:

The New Orleans Saints’ offensive line is all about last year’s first-round pick, Trevor Penning. If he becomes the Kyle Turley enforcer New Orleans was looking for, the Saints’ line could be close to an elite group, but that’s a big question.

That’s a fair assessment. If Penning can meet his potential and just stay healthy long enough to develop his skills, this group immediately looks more formidable. But what about their Week 1 opponents?

Tucker was less-positive when speaking of the Titans, ranking Tennessee’s offensive line dead-last at No. 32:

Man, the NFL comes at you fast. Just a year or two ago, the Tennessee Titans had a top-five line in football. They had players such as Taylor Lewan, Rodger Saffold, Ben Jones, Davis and Jack Conklin. Now, they are gone — all of them. Andre Dillard playing well at left tackle would help the rest of the group have a chance to be competent.

So how could this factor into the game? If the Saints don’t win the line of scrimmage defensively, it should be seen as a massive disappointment. They’ve made moves to rebuild their defensive line through free agency and the 2023 draft, and it’s a matchup they should win.
Sacking Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill is obviously a concern, but they need to keep Derrick Henry and Tyjae Spears from building momentum, too. It’s going to be a homecoming game for Spears as a local favorite. For Henry, this is the first game he’ll have ever played against the Saints in his pro career. Stopping them and forcing Tannehill into poor decisions has to be a priority. Hopefully Tucker’s evaluation hit the mark.