Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
By Ross Jackson
After being dealt an significant blow to the offensive line, the New Orleans Saints will have to find a way to navigate the remainder of their season without starting center Erik McCoy.
McCoy will be out for the rest of the year with a biceps tear that he suffered in the Week 7 game against the Chicago Bears. Being without the two-time Pro Bowler sent the Saints in a seven-game losing skid last year, earning only one win without him in the lineup.
This year is sure to provide a similar criteria of complications that could make things even more challenging as the 2025 season continues. Unlikely last year, the Saints look to have several options to turn to in McCoy’s absence.
Last season, the team also lost backup center Shane Lemieux to injury and was forced to move former lineman Lucas Patrick out of his starting role at left guard. Ultimately, the team would have to search outside of the building to add an emergency starter in Connor McGovern.
This time around, New Orleans has healthy options including a promising rookie offensive lineman that it could tap to step in at center.
Kellen Moore said Luke Fortner, Torricelli Simpkins and Cesar Ruiz will be the options at center, at least among players currently on the roster. #Saints
— Jeff Nowak (@Jeff_Nowak) October 20, 2025
OL Luke Fortner
The most likely option will be the veteran offensive lineman whom the Saints acquired via trade during the preseason. New Orleans sent defensive tackle Khalen Saunders to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for Fortner, who has taken over 1,000 snaps at center twice in his career.
New Orleans often chose to go with experience through camp and early in the year, but that mentality has slightly shifted since the season began.
Fortner took 13 snaps in place of McCoy against the Bears, during which time he allowed no pressures and kept snaps clean.
OL Torricelli Simpkins III
The recent trend for New Orleans has been to lean on youth after an injury takes a veteran starter off of the field. That’s a change from their decision-making approach before the regular season began. That could place Simpkins in position to be the team’s next starting center despite turning to Fortner in-game.
The undrafted rookie has impressed this year with his tenacity and play style, but has struggled when called upon at either guard position. During the preseason, however, he appeared to fit in very comfortably at center. Now, the competition will be much different than those early exhibition games, but this could be seen as a chance to get Simpkins some more development opportunities at a key position.
Since the season began, the Saints have lost two starters to injury on defense for a considerable amount of time. After that, rookie safety Jonas Sanker and cornerback Quincy Riley have stepped in. Simpkins could be the next rookie called upon as running back Devin Neal also steps in on offense.
RG Cesar Ruiz
Usually, this would be downplayed as a bad option. And rightfully so. Upsetting two starting positions because of one injury is often a less advantageous way to go. However, with the promise that Simpkins has shown, if the Saints turned out to be simply intent upon getting him out to on the field, they could do so by shifting Ruiz to his collegiate position at center and plugging in the rookie at right guard, where he has already seen starting opportunities this year.
New Orleans could also shift Ruiz over and then put offensive lineman Dillon Radunz in at right guard, where he spent 15 games as a starter with the Tennessee Titans last year.
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