Offensive line depth is important to the New Orleans Saints, who took quick action to replace backup guard Billy Price with former Pro Bowler Trai Turner when Price failed his physical. But now they need to replace Turner after he went down with a season-ending injury at Friday’s training camp practice.
It’s more likely that the Saints will look to sign another free agent to compete for the backup job, but here are six options who could be available for trades. Fans would like to think that other teams are willing to give up All-Pro talents for peanuts, but keep in mind that anyone available at this time of the year is likely already on the way out with their current team. Beggars (like the Saints) can’t exactly be choosers.
1
Kevin Dotson, Pittsburgh Steelers
A fourth-round pick by the Steelers in 2020 out of Louisiana, the 6-foot-4, 321-pound Dotson has quite held down the starting spot at left guard in Pittsburgh’s offensive line. He was penalized a dozen times last year (4 for holding, 4 for false starts). The Saints could probably acquire him for a late-round pick in 2024 or 2025.
2
Kendrick Green, Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh’s third-round pick in 2021 (out of Illinois), the 6-foot-4, 315-pound Green started at center as a rookie but was moved to left guard in 2022, where he backed up Dotson. Both players might be available now that the Steelers signed Isaac Seumalo in free agency earlier this year. He was fouled 6 times in 2021, with 4 holding penalties.
3
Nick Harris, Cleveland Browns
Harris is undersized by the Saints’ standards at 6-foot-1 and 293 pounds, but he has experience at both center and right guard with ample starting experience in college at Washington. Hamstring and knee injuries have limited his snaps with Cleveland, who drafted him in the fifth round in 2020.
4
Logan Stenberg, Detroit Lions
Stenberg has great size at 6-foot-6 and 312 pounds, which helped convince Detroit to pick him in the fourth round in 2020. But he’s been pushed around too easily on limited snaps to start his career. He’s having a rough go of it at Lions training camp and could probably be moved for a late-round conditional draft pick.
5
Kyle Fuller, Denver Broncos
Fuller has played clean football throughout his career with just 3 penalties on 724 career snaps, lining up at all five spots (predominately at center). But the 6-foot-5, 315-pounder is on the roster bubble after following Russell Wilson from Seattle to Denver and could be acquired by another team.
6
Luke Wattenberg, Denver Broncos
Wattenberg is just a second-year pro (fifth round out of Washington), but he wasn’t picked by Sean Payton and could be dealt to a new team. He weighs in at 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds and didn’t draw a penalty last season, but he did yield 3 sacks on just 55 snaps in pass protection per Pro Football Focus charting.
