Cesar

Ruiz

Ruiz signed a four-year, $44 million contract extension just before Week 1 last year. He is one of many Saints players who will have their contract restructured this offseason as they work their way from $75 million over the cap down to zero. This move will net the Saints $6.6 million in cap space.

Also out for the Saints are cornerback Paulson Adebo and safety Jordan Howden. Even down multiple starting members of their secondary, the Saints will still be a tough matchup for Baker Mayfield.

Ruiz missed the final three games of 2022 with an Achilles injury and now appears to be in concussion protocol. With the Saints likely turning over quarterback duties to Jameis Winston on Sunday, having a healthy offensive line would be a plus, but it doesn’t appear likely. The Saints were also without TE Foster Moreau (ankle), CB Paulson Adebo (ankle), and S Jordan Howden (finger) on Wednesday.

It has a max value of $46 million. The deal also includes $30 million guaranteed. The Saints declined a fifth-year option on Ruiz in May, which would have paid him $14.2 million. His new contract averages $11.5 million. Ruiz, who missed the final three games of 2022 with a torn Achilles, is healthy entering Week 1.

Ruiz will enter a contract year with the Saints in 2023 after the team opted to decline his fifth-year option. The former 24th overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft has started 40 games for the Saints over the last three years but was sidelined for the final three games of last season with a foot injury. Ruiz would have been due $14.175 million on his fifth-year option, which seems like a steep price to pay for a player who has provided average guard play at best.

Ruiz’s regular season is over. He’s been remarkably consistent with PFF grades of 53.8, 57.6, and 56.6 in his three seasons as a starter after being drafted in the first round. He’ll be a tough call for Mickey Loomis this offseason as the Saints contemplate whether to pick up his fifth-year option. Ruiz turns 24 in June.

Ruiz (6’3/307) was a three-year starting center at Michigan who earned second-team All-Big Ten honors as a true junior in 2019 by allowing zero sacks and just two quarterback hits per PFF. More athletic than most interior linemen, Ruiz wins with his first step and fluidity throughout the play. His patience and body control make him great in pass protection, but his 84th percentile Adjusted SPARQ athleticism really pops as a run-blocker, especially whenever asked to pull or find a defender at the second level. Only 20 years old, Ruiz has time to fix the few holes in his game to reach his Pro Bowl upside and is more than good enough to be a rookie-year starter in the meantime. It’s unclear if the Saints will use Ruiz at center or move him to guard with C Erik McCoy already on the roster.

Warford is headed into the final year of his deal and scheduled to collect over $8 million in salary and bonuses while the Saints can clear $7.75 million in cap space by releasing him. He turns 29 in June and was Pro Football Focus’ No. 30 guard among 82 qualifiers last season. One of Ruiz or 2019 second-rounder Erik McCoy is going to play center, and the other is going to have to move to guard. The Saints re-signed LG Andrus Peat to a five-year deal last month.

Ruiz (6’3/307) was a three-year starting center at Michigan who earned second-team All-Big Ten honors as a true junior in 2019 by allowing zero sacks and just two quarterback hits per PFF. More athletic than most interior linemen, Ruiz wins with his first step and fluidity throughout the play. His patience and body control make him great in pass protection, but his 84th percentile Adjusted SPARQ athleticism really pops as a run-blocker, especially whenever asked to pull or find a defender at the second level. Only 20 years old, Ruiz has time to fix the few holes in his game to reach his Pro Bowl upside and is more than good enough to be a rookie-year starter in the meantime. It’s unclear if the Saints will use Ruiz at center or move him to guard with C Erik McCoy already on the roster.

The Cowboys have a history of using high-round picks on offensive linemen, but that reportedly won’t be the case this year. Archer added that Dallas believes in Joe Looney and Connor McGovern as the Travis Frederick replacements. This would seemingly indicate the team is looking to address the defensive side of the ball in the first round, perhaps at edge rusher or in the secondary.