AsylumGuido

One thing we can all agree on is the importance of the offensive line to the Saints' success.

Right guard Cesar Ruiz has wisdom for three possible New Orleans Saints offensive line starters

Jul 25, 2024 at 04:33 PM

John DeShazier
Senior Writer

Irvine, Calif. – Cesar Ruiz can proffer wisdom that's as sage as any 25-year-old can to the players who possibly will be the three new starters on the New Orleans Saints' offensive line, because the right guard has been each of them.

Ruiz has been the first-round pick expected to come in and start as a rookie (left tackle Taliese Fuaga), and the pick who experienced an early injury (right tackle Trevor Penning and left guard Nick Saldiveri).

He has been the pick who changed positions from college before he took an NFL field (Fuaga was a right tackle in college and is at left tackle for New Orleans, Ruiz played center in college and moved to right guard with the Saints), and the pick who didn't play to his level of expectation early (like Penning, who also experienced a position change this offseason, from left tackle to right tackle).

So the 2020 first-round pick understands what possibly may have crossed the minds of Fuaga (first round, '24), Penning (first round, '22) and Saldiveri (fourth round, '23).

"My biggest advice to them is, the extra time that you do – you hear a lot about, 'Spend extra time in your playbook' – but that extra time on the field after practice, that extra time having one-on-one with us as players, that benefits you a lot," Ruiz said Thursday, after the Saints completed their second training camp practice at the University of California, Irvine. "It benefited me a lot when I was here with (former Saints left tackle) Terron (Armstead). That one-on-one time is a big deal.

"But I just kind of tell them, don't get down on yourself out here. We're in practice, you're going to make a mistake but just learn from it. Don't repeat the same mistakes. But all those guys are doing well, they're stepping up to the plate playing their positions well right now."

Ruiz didn't have a normal offseason assimilation to the Saints due to Covid restrictions, so missing a game with an injury as a rookie may have resounded more. Penning was injured in the preseason as a rookie and missed his first 11 regular-season games, and Saldiveri was sidelined by a calf injury for OTAs entering his first year and played in just four games last year.

"Obviously, we're all anxious to come out here and play," Ruiz said. "That's what everybody is trying to do. But (injuries) are out of your control. All you can control is how you recover from those and how you bounce back from those.

Read the rest here ...

“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” — Winston Churchill

mapcow

Positive sign.... build a strong offense with young studs... focus on a future QB.... Arch Manning.

Sinner

Derek Carr is a DUD. PERIOD.

leilung

This right here.
A perfect example of a dude many gave up on as a bust. Somehow, he found it in himself to put in the work and turn it around. He may have been an overreach by the front office as a 1st round pick, but he is a solid asset on that OL now.

Wisdom comes only if you're open to adapting. Let those who have ears, hear.

SmashMouth

I heard on the radio that McCoy is highly regarded by his peers in the NFL as a top 5 at his position. FWIW

AsylumGuido

Something important to consider when addressing the Saints offensive line is the Shanahan/Kubiak scheme. It is described as very o-line friendly. I've also heard of it described as "simplified". A lot of that comes from the extensive use of play-action passing and wide zone running. It is widely known that offensive linemen greatly prefer run blocking over pass blocking. Play-action plays off of that fact.

Another, I feel, overlooked advantage of this is with Derek Carr himself. Carr has led the league in play-action passing statistics in the past. Last year with the Saints alone his play-action pass completion percentage was #2 in the league. He was also #1 against man coverage which the scheme's pre-snap motion give the tell. Too bad these approaches were criminally underutilized under the Carmichael regime, but with Kubiak in place we should see plenty.

“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” — Winston Churchill

mapcow

Carr is NOT the QB to get the Saints to the next level from mediocre to playoff contender.... use him to build a stellar offensive line, and then go for broke on QB draft of the future.

bobdog86

i like this, unfortunately Carr is just mediocre enough to keep us from a really high draft pick.

mapcow

As for being one of the elderly(age) posters besides myself. One would think wisdom would be an asset you possess. Me thinks you are refusing to opine with such or maybe you are just not that wise... puzzling.

Cruize

Simple, common-sense message that's the truth. You have to put the work in. If Fuaga turns out to be the player most think he will, and Penning steps up, the O-Line could turn out to be a real strength.