With former New Orleans Saints center Luke Fortner signing a one-year, $4.75 million deal with the Carolina Panthers that could be worth up to $13.5 million through incentives, it’s worth questioning how his departure will affect the offensive line.
The interior of the Saints’ offensive line was a weakness all season, but even after Erik McCoy went down with a season-ending torn bicep in Week 7, the center position was stabilized by Fortner’s presence.
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New Orleans acquired Fortner in a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars for DT Khalen Saunders prior to the start of the 2025 season—a move that paid off as injuries depleted the offensive line. While replacing McCoy’s impact is nearly impossible, the 27-year-old former third-round pick filled in seamlessly and established himself as a reliable depth option.
In 12 games and 10 starts, Fortner allowed just three sacks and 11 pressures on 442 pass-blocking snaps while committing only three penalties. He earned a 72.5 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus in his first season with the black and gold.
While many were in favor of bringing Fortner back for another season, he had other plans. Now, the question is how does that affect the rest of the Saints’ offensive line?
Erik McCoy has struggled to stay healthy in recent seasons, and while New Orleans has players in the building with experience across multiple interior offensive line spots, the team still has not identified a clear backup for McCoy if he were to miss time again.
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The Saints selected Auburn guard Jeremiah Wright in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, as he could step in at right guard if needed while potentially allowing Cesar Ruiz to swing back to his college position at center if needed. Former undrafted free agent Torricelli Simpkins also showed promise as a rookie last season and could potentially fill either role if called upon.
Fortner’s departure definitely leaves the Saints without depth they valued, but there are already players in the building with similar upside.
