Mike Tripplett/ESPN

METAIRIE, La. — Three-time Pro Bowl center Max Unger has decided to retire after 10 seasons, leaving a large void in the middle of the New Orleans Saintsoffensive line.

It’s unclear how long the Saints have known about Unger’s plan to retire, but they did visit with at least one free agent guard/center this week in Nick Easton.

Unger, who turns 33 next month, was officially placed on the NFL’s reserve/retired list Saturday. He had one year remaining on his contract.

The Saints will save $6.95 million in cash and salary-cap space that he was due in 2019. They will still have to account for $1.75 million in “dead money” against the cap from his previous signing bonus.

Third-year center/guard Cameron Tom is among the likely candidates to compete for Unger’s job. The Saints also have second-year guard/center Will Clapp on the roster. And they could turn to the free agent market, though there aren’t many top-ranked interior lineman still unsigned. Easton was a starting guard for the Minnesota Vikings in 2017, before he missed all of last season with a neck injury.

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