Erik McCoy’s injury has thrown a wrench into the Saints’ interior offensive line plans, but it may also force some clarity in a spot the team needed to sort out anyway.
For now, the biggest immediate takeaway is what McCoy’s absence does to Cesar Ruiz’s status. Trading Ruiz was already a complicated idea, but with McCoy out, it becomes far tougher to justify. Moving Ruiz now would leave the Saints exposed inside and could put Tyler Shough in a bad spot behind a shaky front.
There’s a premium on this season beyond just the Saints’ divisional situation. Shough’s development matters, and that starts with keeping him protected.
The Saints can afford to move on from defensive pieces if they want, but shipping out Ruiz while McCoy is sidelined would leave the interior offensive line with too many question marks. That’s a setup that could either force Shough into hero ball or set him up to fail.
At the same time, McCoy’s injury could open the door to a different kind of evaluation. Ruiz has experience at center and has started multiple games there for the Saints before, so it would not be surprising if he got another run at that job while McCoy recovers. Will Sherman filled in during the game, but it remains to be seen whether that holds up going forward.
If Ruiz shifts to center, the vacancy at right guard would likely fall to Jeremiah Wright. And that’s where the silver lining starts to show up.
Wright may end up getting a real chance to prove himself, which is something the Saints could use. Walking into 2027 without a clear read on him would be less than ideal, especially with the way the team has talked about replacing Ruiz with Wright eventually. An extended stretch of starts in Wright’s rookie season would give the Saints a useful sample size instead of forcing them to guess.
That matters because the team can’t afford for right guard to become a weak spot next year. If Wright gets on the field, the Saints can better judge whether they need to spend high in the draft, bring in a veteran, or simply hand him the job. Even if the final decision doesn’t hinge entirely on these games, seeing Wright in action would give the Saints a much clearer picture.
In Other News...
Saints Run Game Still Has One Problem Fans Shouldn't Ignore
The Saints have spent the last stretch trying to patch up a rushing attack that needed more than a quick fix, and the front office has already shown it is willing to make changes to get there. Cutting Kendre Miller, firing run game coordinator T.J. Paganetti and bringing in Audric Estime were all part of the effort to stabilize a ground game that has been too uneven for comfort.
Estime gave the offense a lift against the Browns, helping New Orleans pile up 160 rushing yards, but the bigger issue has not gone away. The Saints still have not found steady production beyond his carries, and until that changes, the run game will remain more promise than solution. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Face A Trade Deadline Decision Fans Will Debate
The Saints place in the NFC South has made their trade deadline posture harder to read than most rebuilding teams. They are tied for first, but the front office is still operating with the long view in mind, and the Davon Godchaux deal already showed this could be a roster-shaping week rather than a stand-pat one. With New Orleans in the middle of a rebuild, every move has to balance the present standings against the need to keep building for later.
That is why the next few days could bring more interest in veterans who might draw real market attention. Chase Young, Carl Granderson and Devaughn Vele are among the names other teams could circle, but the Saints are also trying to protect their stockpile of draft capital as much as possible. The tension is obvious: if the offers are strong enough, New Orleans could keep reshaping the roster, but it does not want to sacrifice the picks it needs to keep the rebuild moving. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Have A Chance To Tighten Their NFC South Grip Sunday
The Saints head into Sundays home game against Carolina with a little more room to breathe after their latest win, but not enough to get comfortable. New Orleans and the Panthers are tied atop the NFC South heading into Week 10, and the division picture could shift quickly with the Saints hosting a Carolina team that has dropped three straight. It is the kind of midseason matchup that can either reinforce a lead or turn a race back into a scramble.
A big part of New Orleans edge has been the pressure up front, where Chase Young has become a major factor in the pass rush. He is already among the league leaders in sacks and has given the Saints a disruptive presence they can lean on as they try to keep control of the division race. Against a Panthers team looking to stop its skid, the Saints will have a chance to make another statement without needing to leave the comfort of home. [Read more 🡒]