Lucas

Patrick

He’ll be back in the mix for Cincinnati on the interior line for Thursday Night’s game against the Steelers. The Bengals have cycled through a few right guards and Patrick seems likely to start there again at some point this season.

Patrick played on 16 snaps in Week 1’s game against the Browns before going down and was replaced by Dalton Risner. Risner, who signed with the Bengals on a one-year contract this offseason, earned a PFF blocking grade of 43.6 in his debut performance with the Bengals and played on 611 snaps for the Vikings last season. A strong performance by Risner in the coming weeks may be enough to unseat Patrick, who has been on three different teams over the last four seasons.

Patrick went down in the second quarter and immediately went into the medical tent to be evaluated. Dalton Risner has taken his place in the lineup and will almost certainly hold that spot down for the remainder of the game.

Patrick enters his 10th NFL season, playing for his fourth NFL team. The journeyman blocker has never sustained above-average play, but NFL front offices like his tools. He earned a career-best 66.3 PFF run-blocking grade last year. He’ll likely compete with Cordell Volson and Cody Ford for a starting role in camp.

The former Titans blocker settled in as a right guard last year after bouncing between the left tackle, left guard and right tackle positions in his tumultuous prior three seasons. Radunz has failed to demonstrate season-to-season consistency in any singular aspect of his game but notably earned a 63.9 PFF pass-blocking grade in 2024. His 4.5 percent quarterback pressure rate allowed was the second-best of his career. Beat reporter Nick Underhill suggests Radunz could be a replacement option for LG Lucas Patrick, who is currently “exploring his options” on the open market.

Patrick, 31, has 64 career starts to his name and started 10 of the 11 games he appeared in for the Saints last season. The former UDFA spent the first five years of his career with the Packers (2017-2021) and has been a serviceable blocker along the interior. Patrick may find a starting role with the Bengals in 2025, should he sign with them, as they’re still looking for help at both guard spots. He earned a PFF blocking grade of 64.6 last season and could make for a cheap upgrade if the two sides can agree on a deal.

The veteran offensive guard appeared in 11 games for the Saints in 2024 after playing for the Bears and Packers the previous seven seasons. Patrick will turn 32 in the coming season and has struggled while starting over the past few seasons, the best he could hope for is winning a competition on the interior in Seattle.

Rizzi said he wasn’t sure yet if Patrick would need surgery. Patrick started 10 games in 2024 for the Saints after being a dire center for the Bears for a few years. He’ll be a free agent this offseason and, if he wishes to continue his career heading into his age-32 season, should be able to catch on as a reserve lineman somewhere.

Williams entered the weekend questionable but is expected to play. He is the clear backup running back and should remain off fantasy radars. Saints declared QB Spencer Rattler, RB Jordan Mims, LB Jaylan Ford, OL Lucas Patrick, C Erik McCoy, WR Mason Tipton, and DT Khristian Boyd inactive for Week 13 against the Rams. Patrick and McCoy are out due to ankle and groin injuries, respectively. Their absences leave the Saints offensive line weaker against the Rams.

McCoy initially suffered the groin injury in Week 3. He spent two months on the sidelines before returning in Week 11, only to immediately aggravate the issue. Interim head coach Darren Rizzi said he was going to be okay but didn’t put a timeline on the injury. McCoy didn’t practice at all this week before being listed as questionable. The Saints are giving him the weekend to test things out, though three straight DNPs puts him on the wrong side of questionable for now. Fellow interior offensive lineman Lucas Patrick has already been ruled out.