Top 10 combinations of offensive and defensive lines in 2018

#7 New Orleans Saints

Offense: LT Terron Armstead, LG Andrus Peat, C Max Unger, RG Larry Warford, RT Ryan Ramczyk; Bench – Michael Ola & Jermon Bushrod

Defense: LE Cameron Jordan, 1-tech David Onyemata, 3-tech Sheldon Rankins, RE Marcus Davenport; Bench – Trey Hendrickson, Alex Okafor & Tyeler Davison

The Saints were used to being known as this soft dome team, who got into shootouts at home and could put up prolific scoring numbers but got punched in the mouth when they faced a more physical opponent on the road. They are a different group at the skill positions and in the secondary, but most of all, they have invested heavily in their fronts.

Armstead has been on this roster for the longest time by far and he is only 26 years old. This group has been assembled via the draft, free agency and trade over the course of the last three years. The schemes they come from are also quite different, as Unger primarily is a zone-best center, while Kelemete and Peat are more gap-scheme maulers.

Ramczyk is the guy, who surprisingly stepped right in when Zach Strief went down in game one and the then-rookie never looked back. This group pushed some people around last season while running more power-schemes with Ingram and more stretch/zone-based schemes with Kamara. In week ten versus in Buffalo, they ran the ball 24 straight times and just took it the Bills.

I don’t think anybody really gives Cam Jordan the credit he deserves. He has always been a high impact player, but last year he was an absolute game-wrecker. I already expected Sheldon Rankins to turn into a star D-tackle in 2017 and while he definitely showed signs already, I believe he will be a disruptive force this upcoming season.

The Saints spent this and next year’s first-round picks on UTSA’s Marcus Davenport, who still needs to refine his technique, but has freakish natural power and closing speed. I said in one of my latest articles that the one spot I’m not totally sold on is their 1-technique.

Ever since Nick Fairley was forced off the field with a serious heart condition, that slot has been up for grabs. Onyemata and Davison are both young players, who will be competing for it and probably share the load. Hendrickson and Okafor will certainly find some snaps as well, coming off the bench.