The New Orleans Saints' loss to Chicago on Sunday was exacerbated Monday, when it became official that center Erik McCoy (biceps) and running back Kendre Miller (ACL) were lost for the season due to injuries sustained in the 26-14 loss to the Bears.
McCoy has been the starter at center since 2019, when he was New Orleans' second-round draft pick, and has started all 88 games he has played. And after two seasons of turbulence featuring injuries and being benched, Miller was showing the promise expected when he was a third-round pick in '23.
"He's one of our most impactful leaders on this team," Saints Coach Kellen Moore said of McCoy. "Other guys are going to have an opportunity to fill that void on the field. I think Erik still has that presence to all these guys. No matter what capacity he's in, he'll do everything he can to help.
"I think the world of him. He's been playing some phenomenal football. We'll have to navigate the roster as far as how that position ends up playing out. We have about 24 hours to sort through that, then we'll have to put a plan of action together and move forward with it."
McCoy, a two-time Pro Bowler, will finish with seven games played for the second straight season. He started all 17 games in '23, and all 16 in '19 and '20.
"Erik's just a really, really consistent player," Moore said. "He just doesn't make mistakes. He's really clean, he executes at a really high level. He brings that whole group together. The biggest part will be just the communication aspect. When you have a guy like Erik who has been around this game for a really long time and he can communicate as well as any of them ever have, those other guys are all going to have to work together.
"It can't just be one person go into that position and say they need to do everything Erik did. That whole group needs to raise their level of communication – tackles, guard, center, they all need to communicate at a really high level. There's been some growth in some of those other positions, I think those guys are communicating better and better each week. This is going to be a big opportunity for those guys to step it up even more."
The three players best positioned to step in for McCoy are Luke Fortner , rookie Torricelli Simpkins III and right guard Cesar Ruiz. Ruiz, who was drafted as a center in the first round in '20, moved from guard to center to replace McCoy for five games in '21, after McCoy suffered an injury in the season opener.
"These guys have rotated a lot, just the way the early part of the season has gone they've all had to play in different capacities," Moore said. "I feel like they'll be able to respond. We'll have to juggle a few pieces, we'll have to decide who that starting group looks like here shortly, but after that let's get those guys going and they'll respond really well."
Miller totaled career-highs in yards (193) and carries (47), and scored a touchdown this season. He was injured on a 7-yard run in the first quarter.
"I'm really proud of what Kendre has turned this season into from an individual standpoint, the progress he has made," Moore said. "It's really unfortunate timing from an injury perspective just because even that run yesterday, that was a really good run.
"There will be some challenging days for him because of this. We think the world of him. He's going to be better moving forward, he'll be back and have more opportunities in the future."
Miller was replaced as a kick returner and in the backfield Sunday by rookie sixth-round pick Devin Neal.
