10:29 PM CDT on Saturday, April 8, 2006

Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS — About all the New Orleans Saints know about their offensive line right now is that Jammal Brown will start at left tackle. The rest is a work in progress.

Three starters from last year's line are gone and the team has brought in only one new lineman, though first-year coach Sean Payton said between minicamp practices Saturday that more will be coming.

"We're struggling right now just in this mini-camp at getting the reps without double-dutying a lot of guys," he said. "So as we go here we'll address that and make sure when we go into training camp our numbers are where we have at least two groups. We're aware of who's left. We've made some changes already. A couple of guys who can't go are forcing others to go double-duty."

Brown was moved from right tackle on the eve of minicamp after last year's left tackle, Wayne Gandy, was traded to Atlanta. Also gone from last year's starting line are center LeCharles Bentley, who signed as a free agent with Cleveland, and left guard Kendyl Jacox, who was released.

Center Jon Goodwin was signed as a free agent from the Jets. Guards Montrae Holland, who is a restricted free agent but is expected to accept the team's one-year tender offer, and Jermane Mayberry, are limited by injury.

If the season were about to begin, New Orleans likely would start Brown at left tackle, Holland at left guard, Goodwin at center, Mayberry at right guard and Jon Stinchcomb at right tackle with utility player Jamar Nesbit being the top backup. But there's plenty of time for everything, except for Brown's position, to change.

"The offensive line is kind of mixed up right now," Holland said. "Wherever they put me I'll play. Nobody knows where they fit. Everybody is trying to figure out about the new coaching staff, how they're going to put things together, what kind of plan they've got. We don't know which direction we're headed yet."

The Saints traded up three spots to the 13th position in the first round of last year's draft to make Brown the first offensive lineman selected.

"He's a big, strong guy who's got athleticism," Payton said. "He's a young player who adjusted quickly in his first year on the right side. I'm sure everyone who identified Jammal in the draft didn't identify him to be the 13th pick in the draft to be the right tackle down the road.

"When you deal with a player of his ability and he shows you that he can play at that level, I think you look at the flexibility he may give you and go from there. He's got a lot to learn on the left side and he knows that."

Brown started as a defensive lineman at Oklahoma, then moved to offense and went on to win the 2005 Outland Trophy as the nation's best blocker.

"If you think about it, it's kind of a compliment," Brown said of the move. "Usually the best guy protects the blind side of the quarterback, so I just take it as a challenge and a way to better help the team. It's going to be good for me. I'm just learning different techniques."

Stinchcomb, a second-round draft choice three years ago, was a backup his first two seasons before missing all of last season with a knee injury.

"Any time you're not out there playing, you work at every position so it's not going to be much of a jump for me," Stinchcomb said. "Once I get a feel for it, everything will fall back into place."