The 2023 NFL offseason is in full swing, and with that, training camps edge ever closer to starting. We have seen a new wave of players enter the team both via the draft and free agency, but there is also a large group of returning players from last season as well. This has led to some debates to be had regarding which players will have the largest impact on the roster for the 2023 season.
Each day we will be counting down the 25 most important Saints for the 2023 season. This will be split up into the following categories:
- Recap of their 2022 season
- Projecting their 2023 success
- What is the biggest question mark for them in 2023?
The ninth-ranked player by the Saints Wire staff is center Erik McCoy:
Background
McCoy, a Texas native, played his college football at Texas A&M. He was a three-star prospect coming out of high school that worked his way up to being one of the best offensive lineman in the SEC. He started all the way from his redshirt freshman season to his junior season, before leaving early for the draft.
He opened up a lot of running lanes and bought time for quarterbacks in college, he was given the Offensive MVP award by his team during the 2018 season. He was drafted by the Saints in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft.
2022 Recap
2022 was a rocky season for McCoy. He missed four games due to injury and even when he was on the field it wasn’t the consistency that you would hope for from the leader of your offensive line. It was a down year for the the offensive line as a whole, with McCoy falling victim to a down year just like everyone else.
2023 Outlook
2023 is a clean slate for the offense. Bringing in a new veteran quarterback can be huge for everyone. The relationship and communication between your center and quarterback is one of the most important on the field. McCoy will try to find the success that he had earlier in his career.
Biggest question: Is McCoy getting worse as his career goes along?
Normally you would like to see your players get decidedly better as their career goes along, but McCoy might be going in reverse. Pro Football Focus’ word is not final, but is a good resource for a baseline. As a rookie, he was graded at a 76.2 when he was named to All-Rookie honors after the season by multiple outlets. His grade has decreased every year since, getting as low as 61.2 in 2022.
His decline has been visible on the field, 2023 will need to be a season where has a bit of a return to form. Having a good season from him will be crucial to the team’s success.
