Feb. 21, 2026, 4:55 a.m. CT
Under new head coach Kellen Moore, the New Orleans Saints offense showed good growth by the end of the 2025 season. Much of that was attributed to rookie quarterback Tyler Shough, but the Saints also got good play from their tackles and wide receiver Chris Olave. Still, there were areas that struggled and need addressed in a big way as the Saints head into this offseason.
One of those areas was the interior of the offensive line. New Orleans lost center Erik McCoy for the year before mid-season, traded Trevor Penning after an ineffective start, and didn’t get standout play from either of their replacements. One player on the interior that was in for most of the games, but turned out not to be a good thing, is the subject of our 2025 recap.
Cesar Ruiz Year in ReviewPosition: Right guardAge: 26Height: 6-feet, 4 inchesWeight: 316 poundsNFL experience: 6 years (with Saints)2025 season: 14 games (14 starts)
Only rookie first round choice Kelvin Banks Jr. played more snaps (1,066) than Ruiz did among New Orleans offensive linemen. Ruiz played 846 offensive snaps in his 14 games, adding 45 more on special teams. That is about the only positive thing that can be said about the 2025 season for Ruiz, and pretty much his entire six years with the Saints organization.
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Ruiz did only get penalized once for holding this past season. Of course, a strong case can be made for that being the case because of his inability to block — the primary job of an offensive lineman. Ruiz whiffed on even simple blocks at an astonishing rate. He was absolutely abysmal in pass protection, with his inability establishing control as a run blocker little better.
Even with backups along the offensive line, opponents clearly targeted Ruiz with inside pass rush packages. His inefficiencies for the running game helped contribute to ranking 28th in that category. A first round choice in the 2020 NFL draft out of Michigan, Ruiz has been an albatross and major liability for the entire for most of his career. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that the Saints part with Cesar Ruiz this offseason. Ruiz is under contract through 2027, with a dead cap number of over $16.8 million this coming season if they part ways. Even if they designate him as a post-June 1 release, Ruiz would cost nearly $7.5 million in dead cap money with more spread over the next three years because of restructures. Certainly one of the poorer decisions the New Orleans franchise has made.