In stunning fashion Saints Center Max Unger is retiring with one year remaining on his contract, according to sources. Unger was really banged up last season and faced the prospect of surgeries to repair injuries to his hip and elbow. Unger will now land on the reserve/retired list.
The 32 year old was acquired by the Saints from Seattle in 2015, coming to the Black & Gold in the Jimmy Graham trade to the Seahawks. Now in March the Saints are searching to fill a big void on the offensive line left by the abrupt retirement of Unger.
The Cajun Cannon Bobby Hebert said the decision by Unger really puts the Saints in a bind, "Man that hurts, that hurts bad. It's one thing to retire right after the season, but now the Saints are scrambling a bit to find a starting center."
Max Unger’s former teammate and “Voice of the Saints,” Zach Strief also weighed in his retirement, “Max Unger got to make a decision today that most players never get to make,” said Strief. “The choice to walk away from the game is often not a player’s decision. In Max's case, walking away was as much about his future as it was the present. It's no secret that players play hurt, and Max was no exception last year. Greg Olsen, the Carolina Panthers tight end, once said he would have to walk away when he no longer loved the struggle of preparing for an NFL. I think that is the reality Max has found himself in. The same happened to me. No longer mentally in it enough to do what is required to play at the highest level.”
So what’s the cost of the loss of this seasoned veteran at Center, and the timing of Unger’s retirement? “Losing Max in March is tough on the Saints, but it would have been worse to have a player unable to perform at the highest level come September,” shared Strief. “Max has been a dependable, hard nosed leader since the day he walked into the Saints facility. Replacing him will be difficult for the front office to navigate, but Max earned the right to decide what was best for him and his family. The risk just became greater than the reward. The Saints will miss him on the field and in the locker room, “ concluded Strief.
The Saints currently have two unproven players at center in Will Clapp, and Cameron Tom.