3 New Orleans Saints We’ll Be Watching Closely During OTAs

Despite last year’s strong finish, there still are plenty of roles up for grabs in New Orleans

One of the players we'll be watching closely from Saints OTAs through training camp will be wideout Bryce Lance from North Dakota State. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The fan base of the New Orleans Saints is as high as it has been in at least five seasons.

The reality of Drew Brees being gone will culminate with his entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this coming August. The two men everyone loved to hate associated with this franchise – Dennis Allen and Derek Carr – have been gone for more than a year – and the potential next franchise quarterback is here in Tyler Shough.

General Manager Mickey Loomis and his staff seem to have had three straight solid drafts, and one of their better free-agency periods came a couple months ago with the signings of running back Travis Etienne and guard David Edwards – and the return of linebacker Kaden Elliss.

That being said, there’s a whole lot more to this team than what’s been done of the very recent past. There remains a big question of depth at both running back and wide receiver, as well as the offensive line, especially at center behind Erik McCoy, who has been injured for large chunks of the past two seasons.

Enter OTAs, which begin Wednesday (May 27) at the Saints practice facility in Metairie.

Although many fans don’t spend a whole lot of time paying attention to voluntary offseason practices, we have targeted three players who could have a whole lot on the line over the course of the next three weeks.

C Torricelli Simpkins

We already hinted we might start here, and as we stand at the end of May, Simpkins, an undrafted free agent who made this team last season, really is the only true center currently on this roster. And with an offensive line that should be improved, but remains greatly lacking in depth, Simpkins might be one of the most important unsung players on this roster.

Torricelli Simpkins will begin the offseason as the primary backup at center for Erik McCoy. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

When healthy, McCoy is one of the top centers in pro football. However, it has been well-documented that he has missed 20 games the past two seasons, and this came after he missed four games in 2022 and five games in 2021.

In other words, other than quarterback, can you think of a spot that would leave the Saints more in trouble without their starter? The team has versatility at other O-Line spots, but not so much at center. And that’s why we’ll keep an eye on Simpkins, who made a name for himself during the preseason last year, and who played in 15 games – starting two.

The #Saints received a huge blow when it was learned Erik McCoy would miss up to 8 weeks. Is it something the team can get around, or could this be a major problem? I debate the question with @zewing on #Dattitude (284) live at 11 a.m. and on demand. https://t.co/uvo84E2cIT pic.twitter.com/bAYXSRz5uA

— Jim Derry (@JimDerryJr) September 25, 2024

Simpkins has been a guard throughout much of his one season with the Saints and his senior season at South Carolina. In three seasons previously at North Carolina Central, he mostly was a center and was an HBCU All-American.

How does that translate to potentially being the primary backup to McCoy? We’ll keep an eye on him throughout May, June and into training camp.

WR Bryce Lance

Sure, most of the attention when it comes to rookies will be focused on Jordyn Tyson. But some wonder if the Saints got themselves a huge steal in the fourth round when they drafted the 6-foot-3, 200-pound Lance from North Dakota State.

Normally, when you think of a fourth-round pick at a skill position, you’re thinking practice squad, but Lance is a bit different. There has been quite a bit of buzz on 23-year-old who ran a 4.34 40 and had the second-highest athleticism score at the NFL Combine.

Trey Lance's brother WR Bryce Lance runs a 4.34u

2026 NFL Combine on @nflnetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/xyl4IHd0QY

— NFL (@NFL) February 28, 2026

If he has a solid offseason and training camp, the Saints won’t be able to take a chance on exposing him to the practice squad. In other words, his tryout to make the 53-man roster will be underway beginning Wednesday.

CB Martin Emerson

After the big free-agent signings in March of Etienne, Edwards and a few others, the Saints made a few relatively small splashes in April that could leave an impact on this team come September.

Cornerback Martin Emerson played for the Cleveland Browns for three seasons before missing all of 2025 with an Achilles injury. He signed with the Saints in the offseason. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

One of those was Emerson, who started 33 games during his first three seasons in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns, before he missed all of 2025 due to a torn Achilles tendon he suffered during training camp.

The Saints signed him to a relatively risk-free salary of $1.5 million, and he is expected to be a primary backup at corner, which is one of the key spots this team the most help. Can Emerson be more than just a fringe guy?

We’ll see how much he picks up during the OTAs and into minicamp next month.