PFW Saints correspondent Mike Triplett of the New Orleans Times-Picayune is reporting that Saints C Olin Kreutz has left the team.

Kreutz's agent Mark Bartelstein told Triplett that his client believed he no longer was ablle to bring the same passion to work every day that he had throughout his 14-year career.

"He decided, 'If I can't bring that same passion every day to work, I'm not gonna just sit here and collect a paycheck,'" Bartelstein said. "That's the way he is. Olin's a little different than most guys. People say all the time that it's not about the money. That's really how it is with him."

The way we see it

This could be a big blow to the Saints' offense, which boasted one of the better interior offensive lines in the NFL with Kreutz between OGs Jahri Evans and Carl Nicks.

With the team in late-week preparations for its Sunday-night game against the winless Colts, the likely candidate to start at center is second-year veteran Brian De La Puente, who started in place of Kreutz in Weeks Four and Five when Kreutz was sidelined with a left knee injury.

De La Puente, an undrafted free agent out of California, has allowed one sack and has one false-start penalty this season.

The Saints also have Matt Tennant, a 2010 fifth-round pick on the roster.