Canal Street Chronicles
The interior of the New Orleans 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 pending free agent Luke Fortner.
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.
Fortner becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and with McCoy struggling to stay healthy over the past two seasons, maintaining reliable depth at center should be a priority for New Orleans.
Are you on board with the Saints bringing back Luke Fortner?
