Saints star center Max Unger has suffered a foot injury and is expected to miss the start of the 2017 season, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Right now, it looks like Unger will be sidelined for about five months. 
The Saints acquired Unger in the 2015 Jimmy Graham trade with the Seahawks. Since then, he has started 31 of 32 possible regular season games, but he’s now slated to be on the PUP list in September. The Saints could turn to backup Jack Allen as the new starter, but it seems more likely that they will look out-of-house for their new No. 1 center.
Former Jets star Nick Mangold remains on the open market and would make a good amount of sense for the Saints, even if he is no longer the Pro Bowl caliber player that he once was. Eagles center Jason Kelce has also been mentioned in trade rumors and one has to wonder if New Orleans could come calling. Kelce is slated to carry a $6.2MM cap hit in 2017, but any team acquiring him would only be looking at a $5MM commitment for the year.
Last year, Unger graded out as the No. 11 ranked center in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. His 83.8 score was roughly in line with his work from the previous two seasons and stands as his second-best PFF showing ever. His best season, per the advanced stats, came in 2012 when he posted an 85.6 overall score. In that season, Unger earned his first of two Pro Bowl nods and his lone First-Team All-Pro selection.
Wouldn’t Mangold be a good replacement for the time of the injury? And then be a nice reserve piece?
Yes he would but probably an expensive reserve
at this point mangold either wants a job or wants retirement. he can’t ask for much.