The New Orleans Saints are in a tailspin and could look to trade for old friend Andrus Peat. After spending the first nine years of his career in New Orleans, the former first-round pick left for greener pastures in the offseason, signing a one-year, $2 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders. Vegas didn’t sign him to be a starter, but they probably expected a better return on investment. Through six games, the Stanford product has played in just 27 snaps at guard and posted an abysmal 31.3 PFF grade in that limited sample. For comparison, he finished the 2023 season with a 60.2 PFF grade.
At 2-5, the Saints season is effectively over, but ESPN’s Bill Barnwell believes the team could still trade for Andrus Peat. In a recent article, the NFL analyst suggested New Orleans send running back Kendre Miller to the Raiders in exchange for Peat, thus giving fifth-round rookie Spencer Rattler better protection in what is turning into a development year. While this deal makes sense, teams like the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens could be willing to give up a bigger return.
Saints, Patriots, Ravens Could Trade For Raiders Andrus Peat
Much like the Saints, the New England Patriots need a miracle to make the playoffs in 2024. However, with rookie Drake Maye under center, New England has every reason to try and bolster the offensive line for the remainder of the season. Peat plays guard for the Raiders, but his versatility allowed him to suit up at left tackle with the New Orleans Saints. This is a good trait to have, as the Patriots are looking for multiple starting-caliber players throughout the offensive line.
Mike Onwenu can play tackle in a pinch, but he’s much better at right guard. Seemingly every other player on the offensive line has battled injuries at some point during the season, and the Patriots are down to the fifth left tackle with Vederian Lowe sidelined for Week 7. Andrus Peat won’t remind any Patriots fans of Bruce Armstrong, but the trade candidate would likely be an upgrade on Demontrey Jacobs. If nothing else, he can stabilize an offensive line that will start its seventh combination of players in as many weeks.
Interior Help For Baltimore
The Baltimore Ravens are dominating opposing defenses on the ground and through the air, but their guard position is still a liability. After losing John Simpson and Pro Bowler Kevin Zeitler in free agency, Baltimore had no choice but to place their faith in Andrew Vorhees, Daniel Faalele, Patrick Mekari, and Ben Cleveland. While these four have done their best, it’s not quite good enough for a team competing for a Super Bowl. Andrus Peat might not be an upgrade at this stage in his career, but the Ravens could still make a trade and see what happens.
Seeing as Andrus Peat signed a one-year, $2 million deal and hasn’t outplayed that contract, it’s safe to assume the 2-4 Raiders wouldn’t need much draft compensation to justify a trade. Chances are, a conditional late-round pick swap with playtime incentives would be enough to get the job done. This is a good low-risk, medium-reward move that could make a difference in a league where even the slightest edge can be the difference between winning and losing.
Main Photo: Stephen Lew – USA Today Sports
