Give New Orleans Saints fans a microphone and it won’t take them 49 minutes to talk about Cesar Ruiz. It might have taken Mickey Loomis longer than fans to get to the topic of Ruiz, but he was also being asked questions to guide his response. Nevertheless, fans will agree with Loomis’ stance. At least half of it.
Loomis gave a direct critique of just one player during his 50 minute joint media session with Kellen Moore, and that was Cesar Ruiz. It wasn’t a large critique, but it was noticeable as it was one of the few times Loomis directly answered a question about a player in a less than positive fashion.
When asked about the interior of the offensive line he specifically spoke on Ruiz and Erik McCoy. He simply spoke about the health of McCoy, but when it came to Ruiz, Loomis said “gotta get more out of him as well.” He also called Ruiz a “really good player.” Fans may not agree with that part, but the call for more speaks volumes.
Cesar Ruiz has been a thorn in the side of Saints fans for years
Ruiz has dealt with some injuries, but it hasn’t been enough to lump him into the category with McCoy. It’s unlikely Loomis was doing that either. His statement isn’t news to Saints fans, though. They’ve been screaming this for years about Ruiz.
You could make a strong argument the Saints should have a completely renovated interior offensive line next year and have different explanations for each player. Radunz was only on a 1-year contract, and he didmt play well enough to keep the Saints from searching for an upgrade. McCoy simply hasn’t been able to elude the injury bug. Ruiz, however, has simply not been good enough.
This isn’t a 2025 issue either. Ruiz has been up and down throughout his career, and the downs stand out. That’s life with an offensive linemen. Your mistakes will always get more attention than the successes, but in Ruiz’s case, he also loses big. There are many lost reps where he ends on his back or turning around loss. May seem unfair but that plays a big part in how Ruiz is viewed.
The Saints have their quarterback of the future, and protecting him should be priority number one. Ruiz hasn’t done a good job doing that consistently no matter who the quarterback has been. His saving grace may be the team’s unwillingness to replace two guards at once and trying to get out of his contract.
If Loomis is coming out and saying it, the leash can’t be long. Fans won’t want to hear they’re giving him one more chance. Don’t be surprised if the Saints draft a young guy who could compete with Ruiz if the inconsistencies persist. Loomis belief in Ruiz’s ability may still remain high, but the patience seems to be running thin.