The New England Patriots have emerged as a logical landing spot for Cesar Ruiz, and that possibility checks a lot of boxes for the New Orleans Saints as the trade deadline approaches.
Ruiz has become a prime trade candidate, and if the Saints move him, they’d be doing more than just clearing a veteran from the roster. They’d also be forcing a real evaluation of Jeremiah Wright, who is already in the building and could step into the opening at right guard.
That’s a big part of the decision. If Ruiz is likely gone after this season anyway, the Saints have to decide whether they want to get a full look at Wright now or head into 2027 still wondering what they have.
That’s where the risk and the opportunity collide. Wright is a fourth-round pick, so handing him the job and expecting him to hold it down next year would be a gamble. But keeping Ruiz all season only delays the answer and leaves the Saints with less clarity about how urgent right guard really is going into the offseason.
New England could also be the kind of trade partner that brings the Saints a stronger return than most. The Patriots were in the Super Bowl just a year ago and should be pushing hard to get back there, which could make them willing to pay up at the deadline. If that happens, the Saints would get draft capital back, Ruiz would land with a contender, and the Patriots would fill a glaring need.
The fit makes sense on the football side too. New England is currently without either of its starting guards, which is why Ruiz would be on their radar in the first place. ESPN’s Seth Walder laid out the case for the Patriots exploring that move.
There is one wrinkle: the Patriots are one of the most run-heavy teams in the league. Part of that comes from Drake Maye’s scrambling, which counts in pass-blocking snaps, and part of it comes from designed runs for Maye. If you remove Maye’s rushes from the equation, the Patriots would slide closer to the middle of the league, though that’s not a perfect comparison because it would also erase his designed runs and wouldn’t account for quarterback runs by other teams.
Still, the bottom line is simple. Keeping Maye protected is the top priority, and Ruiz should be able to help with that.
The rest can be figured out later. And with two injured guards, it’s hard to make a real Super Bowl push.
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Saints Run Defense Has A Problem They Cant Ignore Inside
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For a team still trying to settle into the right rhythm, the move adds another layer of pressure on an offense that has already had to sort through its share of issues. New Orleans now has to see whether the change can sharpen the ground game and clean up the details up front, because the margin for error keeps shrinking as the season moves deeper into November. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Put Run Game Pressure On Kellen Moore Before Browns Test
The Saints are making a notable adjustment in how they handle the run game as they try to clean up one of the offenses biggest problem areas. Offensive line coach Brendan Nugent is now handling the weekly structure duties, while running backs coach Joel Thomas remains involved in the situational planning, a shift designed to sharpen communication and improve execution on the ground.
It comes at a time when the rushing attack has lagged well behind where New Orleans needs it to be, adding more pressure on Kellen Moores staff to get the details right. The timing is especially important with Cleveland up next, giving the Saints a quick chance to see whether the new setup can produce a more consistent and functional run game. [Read more 🡒]