Saints work out group of O-Linemen amid injuries

With star C Erik McCoy expected to miss time, New Orleans looks to add an extra body to the depleted unit in the midst of reshuffling.

The New Orleans Saints announced they brought in the following players for a workout on Tuesday: C Brian Allen, G Josh Sills, G Chris Reed, T Andrew Coker, and T Gottlieb Ayedze.

With star C Erik McCoy sidelined for 6 to 8 weeks due to a groin injury that will require surgery, the Saints are looking to add to the trenches. After losing the heart-and-soul of their offensive line in just three plays, New Orleans shifted LG Lucas Patrick to center, inserting backup OT Oli Udoh at LG. This evidently didn’t pan out too well, as QB Derek Carr faced pressure throughout the remainder of the game, preventing the Saints from finding their rhythm on offense.

After watching the tape, Saints HC Dennis Allen noted that Patrick performed well in McCoy’s absence, though he acknowledged the challenge of replacing a player with an impact as vital as McCoy’s. That much line shuffling that early in the game, especially after preparing with a completely different game plan, significantly hindered the team’s confidence for the rest of the contest.

Among the group recently hosted, the most intriguing name is former Los Angeles Rams starting C Brian Allen who was released this offseason in a procedural move to save cap space. Just three months later, Allen signed with the Cleveland Browns, though was released in August with an injury designation after tweaking his calf at the start of training camp. If fully healthy, the 28-year-old could be an underrated addition to the offensive line as he enters his seventh NFL season, allowing LG Lucas Patrick to remain in the position where he’s thrived to start the season.

If the Saints opt to leave Patrick at C, they worked out former Philadelphia Eagles G Josh Sills and former Minnesota Vikings G Chris Reed as potential temporary fillers. Sills, a 2022 UDFA, saw just five special teams snaps in the single game he appeared in during his rookie season while dealing with a serious legal matter that has since been resolved. The 26-year-old played seven games in 2023, and most recently spent the offseason with Indianapolis Colts before reaching an injury settlement with the team prior to the start of the season. Reed, a 2015 UDFA of the Jacksonville Jaguars, has experience at both LG and C; however, he only appeared in two games for the Vikings in 2023, so it’s unclear how much he has left in the tank at 32 years-old.

Both offensive tackles in the group hosted by New Orleans are undrafted rookies from the 2024 draft class. Andrew Coker, 23, out of TCU, signed with the Las Vegas Raiders as an UDFA, and was selected in the seventh round of the UFL draft by the Birmingham Stallions, though was later waived by the Raiders during roster cuts in August. He spent his entire collegiate career with the Horned Frogs, accumulating 46 starts over a five-year span, the most among active TCU players. Gottlieb Ayedze, 24, out of the University of Maryland, signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as an UDFA, and was also waived during roster cuts. Following four years at Frostburg State, he started 11 games at RT for the Terps in 2023 as a fifth-year senior.

This could indicate that RT Trevor Penning’s costly unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in Week 3 may have struck a nerve with the coaching staff. They’ve been patient with him as he’s looked to be regaining his confidence, but such mistakes for a third-year player are unacceptable and display a lack of awareness.