Veteran offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk is one of the most important players for the New Orleans Saints. Because of that, his health has become a major storyline for the franchise over the last year or so. On Tuesday, the Saints opened the latest chapter of the storyline, and things aren’t off to a great start.
During league meetings in Orlando, New Orleans head coach Dennis Allen took time to speak with the media. Ryan Ramczyk’s health came up during the discussion, and unfortunately, Dennis Allen had a concerning update. He told the media that Ramczyk’s knee didn’t respond to the surgery he had earlier in the offseason like the team had hoped. Now, everything surrounding Ramczyk and his knee is a mystery, and the team is even preparing for the possibility that he’s medically unable to play in 2024.
The #Saints are preparing for the real possibility that OT Ryan Ramczyk is medically not able to play this season, sources say. Coach Dennis Allen alluded to Ramczyk’s knee not responding as they hoped, and it’s unclear when or if it will. A true question mark. pic.twitter.com/KJpVwvYKGm
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 26, 2024
Ryan Ramczyk’s knee didn’t respond to surgery and Saints could be without him in 2024
This is the latest twist to a saga that has been going on for months. Back in December of 2023, Ramczyk opened up about a cartilage defect in his knee and admitted that his playing future was up in the air. However, in late February, Dennis Allen announced that Ramczyk had a minor procedure on the knee and gave a much more optimistic outlook, saying he should be ready to go once training camp arrives.
Now we learn that the surgery didn’t immediately yield the results that everyone was hoping for. It’s not even April yet, so there’s still a ton of time for improvement, but this is undoubtedly a concerning situation, and seems like something that the team will be dealing with for the foreseeable future.
It’s especially unfortunate because Ryan Ramczyk is an elite player. Since being drafted by the Saints in 2017, Ramczyk has been a staple in the lineup, providing elite play at the right tackle position. He even made First-Team All-Pro in 2019. Turning 30 years old in April, Ramczyk is young enough to have several more years of quality play in him. However, his knee is bringing all of that into question.