Adam Forsythe / March 16, 2019

In a shocking announcement, New Orleans Saints’ center Max Unger decided to retire from the NFL. The news broke on Saturday afternoon.

After spending his first six seasons in the league with the Seattle Seahawks, Unger was traded to the Saints in the famous Jimmy Graham trade in 2015 in which the Saints sent Graham to the Seahawks in exchange for Unger and the Seahawks’ first-round draft pick that year.

Unger spent four seasons in New Orleans as he played a crucial role in turning the Saints’ offensive line into one of the most dominant in the league. Unger enjoyed a phenomenal year last season, earning a Pro Bowl trip while being the literal centerpiece of one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL.

The Saints will now need to look for a replacement for their former center. They have two players currently on the team who could possibly replace Unger’s production. Cameron Tom and former LSU Tiger Will Clapp are young centers who could battle for that starting spot. Both players are very young as Tom signed with the Saints in 2017 as an undrafted free agent and Clapp was selected by the team in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft. The Saints may also look into free agency to bring in a veteran to fill this hole, or they could look to select a center in the upcoming NFL Draft which begins on Thursday, April 25.

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