Jeremiah Wright’s path to the field in New Orleans just got a lot shorter.
The Saints’ first-round pick was already being viewed by plenty of fans as Cesar Ruiz’s eventual replacement, and Dillon Radunz’s torn ACL in practice on Saturday only sharpened that picture. With Radunz out for the season, Wright is suddenly closer to real playing time than he probably expected this early.
That doesn’t mean the Saints have a clean answer at right guard. Ruiz was never locked into a straight-up battle for the job, but there is still pressure on him after Mickey Loomis put him on notice in his end-of-season speech earlier this year. Radunz being removed from the mix gives Ruiz a little more breathing room, though not a limitless one.
Wright’s own development is now part of the equation, and he needs to get back on the field. He looked good in pads, but an injury of his own has kept the rookie sidelined. The setback is not considered severe, but it has still slowed the kind of progress he needs right now.
The Saints gave a glimpse of how this could all play out on the day Radunz got hurt. At that point, Erik McCoy’s backup plan had Ruiz working at second-team center and Radunz at first-team right guard. What isn’t clear is how much Radunz’s presence influenced the Saints’ willingness to move Ruiz to center in the first place.
Kellen Moore may have been more comfortable with Ruiz in that role because he still had a player with starting experience available at right guard. Now that option is gone, and the next man up is a rookie who is still expected to need time before he’s fully ready. That’s where the pressure really lands.
Wright was supposed to take time. Instead, he’s next in line. There’s a real chance that, whether he’s ready or not, he ends up starting at some point in 2026.
Ruiz has only played a full season once in his career, and that matters here too. Even if McCoy stays healthy or the Saints go in another direction for backup center, Ruiz has his own injury concerns to manage. With Radunz no longer in the picture, Wright becomes the one who may have to step in.
A Ruiz move to center, or an injury that forces him out of the lineup, are both realistic ways Wright could get on the field sooner rather than later. A lot of fans already believe he can be the future, and now the Saints may get their first real look at what that future looks like.
Wright is currently dealing with a shoulder injury. Ideally, he’ll be back by the first preseason game.
Since the Saints have joint practices with every preseason opponent, the starters may not even play in those games. With Radunz gone, Wright’s preseason workload could be even heavier.
In Other News...
Saints Camp Is Already Putting A Few Roster Spots In Danger
Training camp has a way of clarifying a roster fast, and the Saints are already seeing that play out in a few key spots. Kendre Millers summer got off to a tough start when a back injury interrupted his push in a crowded running back room, while Devaughn Veles hold on the third receiver role has become more complicated as other wideouts keep making their case. Even at kicker, the pressure is real, with Charlie Smyths recent misses opening the door wider for Tanner Brown.
Brock Rechsteiner is also in a difficult spot after a suspension thinned his path before the competition really got going. For New Orleans, the early weeks of camp are doing what they often do this time of year, sorting out who can absorb setbacks, who can hold off challengers, and who may be running out of room before the preseason even starts. [Read more 🡒]
Drew Brees Just Gave These Saints A Powerful Reminder
Kellen Moore turned a routine team meeting into a reminder of what the Saints have meant to New Orleans by showing Drew Brees Hall of Fame induction speech. The 28-minute address carried extra weight inside the building, where players and coaches took it in as more than a celebration of a former quarterback. It served as a fresh look at how Brees framed his career around adversity, teamwork and the bond he built with the city.
Current Saints said the speech resonated for the way it connected individual achievement to a larger purpose, which is exactly the sort of message a team can use as it tries to define itself. Bryce Lance and Terrell Burgess were among those reflecting on what it meant, and the reaction suggested the lesson landed the way Moore likely hoped. For a roster still shaping its identity, Brees offered a familiar standard without needing to be in the room. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Are Sending A Clear Message About Their O-Line Depth
During Saints training camp, Cesar Ruiz has been spending time at center with the second-string group, a move that says plenty about how the staff is thinking about the offensive line. Ruiz is normally New Orleans starting right guard, but the work is designed to get him ready to serve as a backup center, a useful layer of insurance given Erik McCoys injury history.
It is not a sign that Ruizs role at guard is in question. Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore made clear this was part of the camp plan, and it fits with Ruizs background since he played center in college even if he has not handled the spot recently in the NFL. For the Saints, the bigger message is straightforward: they want more flexibility up front, and they are treating that as a priority now rather than waiting for a problem to show up later. [Read more 🡒]