A lot of attention has gone to the New Orleans Saints’ additions of guard David Edwards on the offensive line, and deservedly so. He’s a new addition to the team that was signed in the hopes of bolstering the protection unit in front of quarterback Tyler Shough and paving the run game for some explosive rushing options.
However, no mistakes should be made about the true cornerstone of the team’s offensive line: center Erik McCoy. The starting center went down with injury just two seasons again and the Saints immediately responded by losing seven consecutive games. New Orleans did a much better job in 2026 managing his absence with dedicated backup center contributions coming from former Saints lineman Luke Fortner.
With Fortner now a member of the Carolina Panthers, the Saints have turned to second-year undrafted free agent Torricelli Simpkins III to back up McCoy.
Despite that, the team’s ideal scenario is unquestionably a full 17-game season with McCoy as the starter. From identifying defenses to physical play in the run game and strong pass protection, the former Texas A&M Aggie checks every box and is easily one of the best at this position in the NFL when healthy.
He also provides important insight as one of the team’s top leaders in the locker room. He has been voted as a team captain in each of the last three seasons, showing his value to his teammates and the organization.
Over the last two seasons, McCoy has appeared in 14 of the possible 34 games. In games in which McCoy has started, the team has averaged 93.4 rushing yards per contest. In games without him, the Saints have averaged just 66.6. He has also had an impact on third down runs in particular, with New Orleans’ third down rushing conversion percentage up from 47.3% without him to 65.2% with him.
Similarly, he’s had a positive impact on the passing game during that stretch as well. With McCoy on the field, regardless of which quarterback was under center over the last two seasons, he’s helped to reduce sacks per game by more than half-sack per contest with sack percentages dropping from 7.7% with him on the sideline to 5.3% with him in the action.
It couldn’t be more clear that McCoy is an essential influence off the field and a central contributor on it, making him one of the most important Saints going into the 2026 NFL season.
