Erik McCoy’s injury made it almost impossible to trade Cesar Ruiz. It would have done significant damage to the interior offensive line, and in turn Tyler Shough. There’s also a chance Ruiz slides to center and Jeremiah Wright takes over at right guard, a situation we felt was possible this offseason.
This gives Ruiz two forms of security from being traded. There still has to be a sort of premium placed on this season, not just because of the Saints’ divisional status but, because of Shough’s development. It’s one thing to trade defensive pieces, but dealing Ruiz with McCoy out would make the Saints incredibly vulnerable in the interior.
It would be setting Shough up for failure or hero ball. Part of the equation always has to be Shough’s personal growth regardless of the team’s direction, and protection up front is key in that. As much as fans may want to move on from Ruiz, the Saints shouldn’t handicap themselves in the process by having two question marks in the interior while McCoy is out.
Saints possibly getting an extended look at Jeremiah Wright is the silver lining of Erik McCoy’s absence
The other side of this situation is Ruiz possibly moving to center. Will Sherman stepped in during the game, but it'll be interesting if that continues moving forward. Ruiz has experience at center and has started multiple games for the Saints at the position years ago.
It wouldn't be stunning if the Saints entrusted him to once again takeover the position for the duration of McCoy's injury. That would in turn leave a vacancy at right guard, but there's no question who would step in to fill that void.
In some ways, this may end up being a blessing in disguise for Jeremiah Wright. Walking into 2027 withtout truly getting a look at Wright is something that has been on my mind as of late. We often say replace Ruiz for Wright, which is probably the plan, but it'd be nice to have an idea of what to expect from Wright.
THe NFL is a fast moving business, so an extended number of starts in his rookie season will give a decent sample size to evaluate during the offseason. The team can't afford for right guard to be a liability next year.
Knowing what they have in Wright is one part of the equation. It allows the Saints to understand if they should invest high in the draft, get a veteran or let Wright take the reigns. The Saints will be able to decide which route is best whether he plays or not, but seeing the rookie on the field makes that decision able to make a more well informed decision.
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