During training camp, the New Orleans Saints spent two practices using Cesar Ruiz at center instead of at right guard to test a contingency plan in case starter Erik McCoy — who had been hurt in each of the last two years — was unavailable. Though they had other backups at the position, the Saints wanted to see how Ruiz looked again at his college position.

As it turns out, they liked what they saw enough to use him in the regular season — now that McCoy has to miss time.

With McCoy out with a biceps injury, coach Kellen Moore said Wednesday that Ruiz will start at center for Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers. That differs from the in-game adjustment the Saints made over the weekend, when they replaced McCoy with veteran William Sherman in their 23-22 win over the Cleveland Browns.

The approach is also different from last year when the Saints turned to Luke Fortner to replace McCoy and kept Ruiz at right guard. Back then, Moore said they didn’t want to disrupt the offensive line’s chemistry by changing two spots.

Why depart from the strategy now? Well, for one, the Saints no longer have Fortner — he plays for the Panthers.

“Cesar’s a really good center,” Moore said. “He’s done a nice job at right guard, and we feel like this will be a good rotation for us.”

Ruiz, however, hasn’t logged an in-game snap at center since Dec. 5, 2022. And as a result of his switch inside, rookie Jeremiah Wright will get another start at right guard — where he filled in two weeks ago for an injured Ruiz.

But Ruiz was up for the change. He said he expects a smooth transition, given he was a center at the University of Michigan and has played it occasionally in the pros.

"It’s like riding a bike, man,” Ruiz said. “I’ve got that muscle memory of it.”