Saints' Ryan Ramczyk's football future now up in the air
The New Orleans Saints, and the NFL, may be without one of the better right tackles in the game, as the Saints learned just how severe this knee issue truly is.
Ever since Ryan Ramczyk came into the NFL when the New Orleans Saints made him the last pick in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, he's pretty much been above any right tackle in football not named Lane Johnson or Tristan Wirfs, He's that good, and the Saints have been blessed to have him. While he's never been voted to a Pro Bowl, he has been named as a second-team All-Pro twice in 2018 and 2020, and a first-team All-Pro in 2019. Pretty good stuff.
Ramczyk, who has missed the last two games for the Saints with a lingering knee injury, has now gotten more clarity on just what is going on, and it isn't exactly great news.
Ryan Ramczyk wants to keep playing football. His knee issue might take that decision out of his hands. The 29-year-old will be looking for answers this offseason to fix a problem that's been going on for 3 years https://t.co/ObT4w7nVVY
— Katherine Terrell (@Kat_Terrell) December 28, 2023
So here's the deal. With Ramczyk having this cartilage defect in his knee, his future in football is very much up in the air, but there's two sides here. In the short-term, there is a very slim chance that Ramczyk can play again this season. Given on the current status of the 2023 Saints, there's more likely than not going to be little rationale behind pushing it, and here's why.
In the long-term, this knee cartilage issue may force Ramczyk into an early retirement after seven seasons in the NFL with the Saints. Now, with Ramczyk being the competitor that he is, it's how he got this far after all, he sees the proverbial glass sitting in his locker as being half-full.
""I feel like I'm not done yet. I feel like I still want to play. I feel like I'm still passionate about the game. When you think about it like that, my mind frame is, 'I want to play, and I want to keep doing it, so what can! do to get better, to not have this happen in-season?""
- Ryan Ramczyk
If you're surprised by that, you haven't been paying attention. Ramczyk still feels like he has gas in the tank, and the fact that his biggest concern is his knee acting up DURING THE SEASON, as opposed to just, you know, in life, is so apropos.
Obviously we and everyone else involved with the New Orleans Saints, especially fans, want Ryan Ramczyk out there. There is a human element here though, and we wish him nothing but the absolute best, and that whatever happens should be for the best.
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