This could be big. The New Orleans Saints haven't won a game since Pro Bowl center Erik McCoy got hurt back in Week 3, which put him on injured reserve after undergoing groin muscle surgery. But their most important offensive starter returned to practice on Thursday, at least on a limited basis.

It's still probably too soon for McCoy to get back into a game; his initial timeline had him returning to the lineup after the bye week. There's a chance he could return sooner, and opening his 21-day practice window may indicate he'll be back sooner rather than later.

Klint Kubiak installed his offense with the idea that McCoy would be responsible for reading the defense pre-snap and adjusting protection at the line of scrimmage, taking a load off Derek Carr's shoulders so the quarterback could focus on communicating with his receivers and getting the ball out quickly. That plan had to be scrapped when the center went down with an injury, but his return (whenever it comes) could be just what they need to get the offense back on track.

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This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Saints' most important offensive starter returns after early-season injury