The writing has been on the wall for Cesar Ruiz. He’s been an up and down player throughout his professional career, and the New Orleans Saints drafted his replacement in this year’s draft. How soon the Jeremiah Wright era starts is dependent on a few factors, the biggest of which is Ruiz’s availability versus the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Ruiz injured his knee versus the New York Giants, and missed the back half of the game. He didn’t participate in the first two days of practice before being a limited participant on Friday.
Currently listed as questionable, Ruiz’s availability could send a ripple effect spanning well beyond Paris. If he is healthy enough to play, Ruiz is going to be the starting right guard like normal. If he isn’t good to go, then Wright is primed for his first start.
Jeremiah Wright can start the Saints' new era with a big performance
One question worth pondering is how does Wright play well and leave the starting lineup?
It doesn’t take long to make an impression, and Wright made one in 30 minutes. With the understanding of his potential as the right guard of the future, it’s very difficult to make an argument for Wright to leave if he performs well. This is what the Saints drafted him for.
The season presented a chance for Ruiz to hold off his potential successor. Through six games, he’s been solid but far from irreplaceable.
The moment Wright shows he can be a starting right guard in an extended period of time, the Saints should stick with him. The idea was that he needed to develop for a year, so this shouldn’t be viewed as a make or break moment for his future. It’s all about the upside.
The Saints will be comfortable with Ruiz for the rest of the year and still feel on track with Wright because the plan was to slow play the transition anyway. However, they can’t slow plan it to the point of ignoring the signs that Wright is ready. The rookie won’t be handed the keys to castle, but they are definitely within arm’s reach.
This will likely be Wright’s one game to prove he should be a permanent starter. Ruiz is questionable for Sunday, and a bye week next week should mean he’ll be ready to go when the Saints return home in Week 9. Wright made an impression in 30 minutes, and he’ll need to make a statement in 60 minutes.
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