Pro Football Focus ranks New Orleans Saints' Right Guard Cesar Ruiz among the worst players at his position through the first two weeks of the 2025 National Football League season. However, head coach Kellen Moore doesn't seem too worried about his recent struggles.
PFF has his overall offensive grade at an eyebrow-raising 35.8, which puts him 86th among the 88 eligible players. For Ruiz, it's the worst start in his career. He hasn't given up any sacks and only a few pressures, but it's run-blocking that has taken a turn for the worse this year, as that has a grade of 34.4, basically guaranteeing a run to the left, unless the team wants to risk a ton of contact for star running back Alvin Kamara.
Moore, in defense of Ruiz, said that he thought the guard had battled each and every game. "He's right in there with those guys," Moore said to the media. "I have all the confidence in the world that he'll just keep getting better each time."
If Saints' G Cesar Ruiz can't bring it up a notch soon, he could lose his job
Only two guards on PFF have been graded lower than Cesar Ruiz: Andrew Vorhees of the Baltimore Ravens and Jonah Savaiinaea of the Miami Dolphins. Currently, backup lineman Dillon Radunz, who's currently filling in for Trevor Penning at Left Guard is even managing to outperform him, leaving some to say that when Penning is healthy, he should replace Ruiz on the right side of the line.
For Ruiz, the struggles aren't new. He's struggled to play at a consistent level, playing elite at some moments but more so was playing catch-up most of the time. In fact, he had many calling him a bust just after his rookie season, but he managed to pick it back up from there. However, he's struggling to get his motor going in the 2025 season, one that PFF themselves thought would be better than it has been, as they had him ranked among the league's best guards prior to the season.
If Ruiz's struggles continue, it could start to really affect the health of some of the team's most important players, like Alvin Kamara and quarterback Spencer Rattler. For him, he's got to crank it up to 11 or else he could be benched.