‘He’s hilarious. He’s brilliant, one of the smartest players I’ve ever met.’ — Saints coach drops incredible quote about UDFA standout
The young lineman has earned a ton of respect quite quickly.
The offensive line play for the New Orleans Saints took a step forward in Week 4. The tackles looked comfortable, and the interior made less mistakes in front of Spencer Rattler. The running game also had more explosive plays, too.
Undrafted free agents can change a roster unlike any other player. They didn’t cost a draft pick and usually don’t have outside expectations of making a difference in year one. Don’t tell that to Saints’ UDFA interior offensive lineman Torricelli Simpkins III.
Torricelli Simpkins has earned massive respect from Saints coaching staff
T.J. Paganetti, the run game coordinator for New Orleans, clearly loves Simpkins. He said just as much this week, ahead of another potential start for the UDFA lineman upfront for the Saints offense. His intelligence at the position is a glaring positive, and the staff has noticed.
“I f***ing love him. He’s awesome. He’s hilarious. He’s brilliant, one of the smartest players I’ve ever met.” — Saints run game coordinator T.J. Paganetti on Simpkins via Ross Jackson
Simpkins is playing in place of an injured Cesar Ruiz at guard. Ruiz has struggled at times this season, and he’s now on the shelf for multiple weeks. According to Ian Rapoport, his high-ankle sprain usually carries a timetable to return of 4-6 weeks. Simpkins may be in the starting lineup for a month or more. He is set to start against the New York Giants in Week 5.
In place of Ruiz, Simpkins allowed the second-lowest pressure rate of any rookie OL in Week 4. Only first-round pick Will Campbell allowed less pressure than Simpkins. Meanwhile, other first and second-round selections are on the list, too.
This sort of confidence from Paganetti must be exhilarating for the rookie. He already has a ton of support from his coaches after just one game of consistent action. Now, Simpkins will look to build on it in the starting lineup for Kellen Moore’s offensive line for now.
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