Tag: ryan ramczyk

Saints must handle the Panthers pass rush to start 2-0

The Saints struggled against the Titans pass rush last week. They can’t have the same problem against Brian Burns and the Panthers in Week 2 | @southexclusives

The New Orleans Saints are looking for their first 2-0 start since 2013 with a win over the Carolina Panthers. In order to come out victorious, the Saints have to be able to handle the pressure of the Panthers defensive line. Last week, the Saints struggled to protect Derek Carr at times. The Panthers provide a sort of parallel to the Titans. Both teams have an interior and quick perimeter pass rushing threat.

The Saints will need to block Derrick Brown and Brian Burns more effectively than they blocked Jefferey Simmons and Arden Key. In Week 1, the offense was impacted by the pass rush heavily in the first half. They found a way to protect Carr better in the second half, but the Saints can’t take 30 minutes of football to figure it out again.

Burns and Brown are talented, so they will likely break through the line of scrimmage at some point in the game. You want to limit that, but Derek Carr will need to maneuver in the pocket when it does happen. He did a good job of operating within the pressure in Week 1.

The importance of handling the pressure becomes emphasized when you look at the Panthers secondary. Jaycee Horn is out for the game, and the cornerbacks look ripe for the picking. The Saints have a talented receiving corps that could test any secondary. With a weakened secondary in front of them, the Saints have the clear advantage. That advantage is meaningless, however, if they don’t handle the pressure.

There will be a focus on pass blocking, but the Titans defensive line made running the ball near impossible. The passing attack was able to work through the pressure. The running game was not. Both aspects have to be more efficient in Week 2.

Backup left tackle Landon Young (knee) returns to Saints practice

Landon Young returned to Saints practice on Monday, having sat out a few weeks resting a knee injury. He brings important depth at both tackle spots:

This is good to see. The New Orleans Saints welcomed third-year offensive tackle Landon Young back to practice on Monday; he had been out for several weeks resting a knee injury. He was a candidate to start the season on injured reserve but the team wanted to give him time to try out his knee before putting him on ice for four weeks. It seems like he’ll be able to dodge that.

Young has been an important depth player for the Saints at both tackle spots. He played exclusively on the left side in college at Kentucky before being picked in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL draft, and the team cross-trained him at right tackle last season to see if he could be a viable backup for Ryan Ramczyk.

And that’s likely his role moving into the fall. Young can (hypothetically) fill in at either tackle spot in relief of Ramczyk or Trevor Penning, though it remains to be seen whether he can hold up for an extended look in the starting lineup. He’s only started four games in his career: 2021’s road loss to the Philadelphia Eagles (in which he suffered a season-ending injury) and 2022 matchups with the Los Angeles Rams and Carolina Panthers at home, also playing the majority of snaps in last season’s rematch with Philly. Two of those games have been at left tackle and the other two on the right side.

The Saints must be feeling optimistic after his return to practice. They released another backup lineman from the practice squad in Mark Evans II, one of their highest-valued rookie free agents. That leaves them with Trevor Penning expected to start at left tackle against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday and Young as his backup, though Andrus Peat or James Hurst is an option depending on how heavily they want to shake up the line in the event of an injury. Veteran right tackle Storm Norton is also still on the roster as a backup for Ramczyk.

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3 Saints named to ESPN’s Top 100 Players of 2023 list

Three New Orleans Saints were named to ESPN’s Top 100 Players of 2023 list, each playing one of the game’s most important positions — and they’re all former first-round picks:

Three New Orleans Saints were named to ESPN’s Top 100 Players of 2023 list ahead of the regular season kickoff, with each of them playing one of the game’s most important positions — and they’re all former first-round picks. Say what you want about the Saints depth chart further down, they have the top-end talent to compete with anyone. All they can do is hope they enjoy good health so those vulnerabilities aren’t exposed.

But why should they have so much reason for confidence? Cornerstone players like Chris Olave and Marshon Lattimore, plus Ryan Ramczyk, have ESPN’s NFL staff regarding the team highly (even if their voters don’t see a single top-50 player on the roster)

Saints should look to improve offensive line depth after roster cuts

The NFL roster cut deadline is quickly approaching. After the deadline, the Saints should still actively seek out improved offensive line depth | @southexclusives

The New Orleans Saints must cut down their roster to 53 players by Tuesday’s deadline at 3 p.m. CT. A lot of attention will rightfully be on the players the Saints release or retain, but the players who are waived around the league should be watched as well. The initial 53-man roster will quickly change as the Saints solidify their roster. They will, not only, evaluate players who were released from other teams but also likely acquire a few.

One place in specific the Saints should look for reinforcements is the offensive line. The Saints have a problem with depth in that position group. The Saints could use a center, guard, and tackle. New Orleans knew this was an issue when they added Trai Turner and Max Garcia in the offseason. Unfortunately, Turner suffered a season-ending injury and Garcia hasn’t impressed as highly as hoped. This is still an issue.

That second unit struggled mightily during the preseason. It has become increasingly evident each week. Imagine if Cesar Ruiz or Ryan Ramcyzk went down with an injury, the step down would be potentially devastating for the New Orleans offense. The Saints should evaluate every offensive lineman let go around the league to see if they can provide value to the offensive line depth.

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25 most important Saints of 2023: No. 4 Ryan Ramczyk

Ryan Ramczyk was more impressive in 2022 than some fans might think, and he’s one of the most important Saints on the team in 2023 | @ClutchWDN

Training camp is well underway for the New Orleans Saints, and with that, we have a chance to look at both new players and those who have been on the team for a long time. With this, all players get a chance to prepare for the NFL preseason and regular season, and those newer players get a chance to prove themselves worthy of a roster spot. However, those who have already solidified their spot use this time as a period to get back into the scheme of things.

One player who has now been delegated with veteran status is right tackle Ryan Ramczyk, who is now entering his seventh season with the Saints. The former protector of legendary quarterback Drew Brees now looks to continue his impressive streak of great seasons protecting Derek Carr. Ramczyk has been a staple of a New Orleans offensive line that has been between good and great for the large majority of his career, and that is in large part due to his success. This lands him at No. 4 on our list of the top 25 most important Saints entering 2023.  In this series we take a look at the following topics for each of the members in the top 25:

  • Recap of their 2022 season
  • Projecting their 2023 success
  • What is the biggest question mark for them in 2023?

Firstly, let’s get a look at some background information for Ryan Ramczyk to get an idea of who he is on paper.

Madden NFL 24 ratings for New Orleans Saints RB, TE, and offensive line

Breaking down the Madden NFL 24 ratings for New Orleans Saints running backs, tight ends, and offensive linemen:

The latest round of player ratings for Madden NFL 24 are here, this time highlighting the New Orleans Saints running backs, tight ends, and the offensive line. The version of the game that will be available at launch isn’t the same as the one that fans will have access to after in-season updates reflecting player performance and roster moves; for example, backup guard Yasir Durant is currently listed on the Saints’ roster in Madden NFL 24, but the team released him earlier this summer.

Right now, here is how the developers at EA Sports rate all of these Saints players:

Offensive line is the make-or-break unit for the Saints in 2023

Offensive line is the make-or-break unit for the Saints in 2023. It doesn’t matter how skilled the weapons are if there isn’t time to throw | @southexclusives

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There are quite a few reasons to be excited about the New Orleans Saints offense in 2023. There is a new quarterback in the building, Derek Carr, and his arrival has injected life into the fanbase. Carr has been praised by his teammates repeatedly during offseason activities. Jamaal Williams and Kendre Miller join Alvin Kamara in the running back room to form a dangerous trio. The pass-catching threats looked stacked at wide receiver between Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, and Rashid Shaheed and improved at tight end with the addition of Foster Moreau.

From a skill position perspective, there are quite a few reasons to be excited about the New Orleans Saints offense in 2023. The offensive line has the potential to ruin that excitement. They are the make-or-break unit on the offense. Let Pro Football Focus tell it, the front five will break the offense. It doesn’t matter how skilled the weapons are if there isn’t time to throw or holes to run through. 

You feel like you trust you’re going to get quality play from Erik McCoy and Ryan Ramcyzk. You’re just looking for them to stay healthy. But you could honestly apply health questions to the whole line. Outside of Ramczyk, who was limited in practice throughout the year, the other projected starters either missed significant time or had a season-ending injury. Even at full strength, this group still has major questions.

There are three pivotal players across the line: Andrus Peat, Cesar Ruiz and Trevor Penning. Health isn’t a question for Peat; it’s almost assured he’ll miss at least a couple of games each season. He’s also struggled with inconsistent play at times when healthy. Prior to missing the end of the year, Ruiz had the best season of his career. Penning missed the majority of the year with injuries, so he is just as unknown as he was when drafted. 

How those three perform could decide whether this unit makes or breaks the offense. If you can get 2022-quality Ruiz and a relatively-healthy Peat, this unit likely won’t be weak. Trevor Penning’s performance at left tackle will be a deciding factor on whether the unit will be strong instead of just serviceable.

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Pro Football Focus says the Saints have one of the NFL’s worst offensive lines

Pro Football Focus says the Saints have one of the NFL’s worst offensive lines. It’s a bit of a cop out, but the group just needs to play better:

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Ouch. It was a rough year for the New Orleans Saints offensive line, but were things really this bad? Pro Football Focus ranked the Saints’ big men up front at No. 24 out of 32 as a unit, with PFF analyst Sam Monson writing:

Rookie Trevor Penning got his first start at left tackle in the final game of his rookie year; now he needs to step in and be an upgrade over the solid James Hurst in his second season.

The Saints will be another line operating with a very different quarterback situation as Derek Carr comes in to offer his influence under center.

Best Player: Ryan Ramczyk

It wasn’t his best season, but Ryan Ramczyk was still the class of this line in 2022. He allowed three sacks and 20 total pressures over the year and was by far the team’s best run blocker.

This year’s configuration should look much like the 2022 offensive line: Penning at left tackle, Andrus Peat at left guard, Erik McCoy at center, and Ruiz at right guard with Ramczyk anchoring the right tackle spot. The Saints probably aren’t going to be able to find anyone in free agency right now who can unseat one of those starters — former Denver Broncos guard Dalton Risner will have easier paths to a starting job available to him.

It’s a bit of a cop out, but the group just needs to play better. Penning needs to be available and meet expectations as a former first-round draft pick. Peat can’t be making mental mistakes for someone of his experience and letting rushers get by him. That goes for McCoy, too, whose five penalties last year led the starters. Ruiz made real progress in 2022 and he needs to keep pushing forward. The Saints have invested too many draft picks and too much money in their offensive line for the unit to be a weakness.

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Which Saints players weren’t spotted at voluntary workouts during OTAs?

Which Saints players weren’t spotted at voluntary workouts during OTAs? Several star players and starters along the offensive line weren’t reported to be in attendance:

The New Orleans Saints will report for a three-day mandatory minicamp this week, beginning Tuesday, June 13, and it’s going to be the first opportunity for local media to put eyes on some players who weren’t available for voluntary workouts earlier this offseason during organized team activities.

Now, it’s possible some of these players were around for practices that weren’t open to the media — reporters were only allowed to observe three of the Saints’ ten workouts at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, so maybe some players just happened to miss those days. But between injury concerns, personal responsibilities, and, frankly, star player status, some guys haven’t been in the building yet.

84 of the 90 players currently under contract participated in at least one of those three practice dates. Here are the six players who were not reported to be in attendance for any of the voluntary organized team activities open to the media ahead of mandatory minicamp:

PFF identifies the Saints’ top three players in 2023

Pro Football Focus identified the top three New Orleans Saints players in 2023, a list that doesn’t include franchise quarterback Derek Carr:

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Who are the most important New Orleans Saints players in 2023? Pro Football Focus identified the three best players on the team based on their 2022 performance, but their list doesn’t include franchise quarterback Derek Carr (which makes sense given his dip in production last season, which the Saints are hoping to reverse in a friendlier offense).

Instead, Carr was included as a footnote in a trio of other players who were also considered for recognition, along with cornerback Marshon Lattimore and safety Tyrann Mathieu. Here’s the explanation from PFF’s Trevor Sikkema on why defensive end Cameron Jordan, linebacker Demario Davis, and right tackle Ryan Ramczyk are the Saints’ three best players:

New Orleans struggled last season, but the team’s talent suggests 2023 could be a bounce-back year. Cam Jordan and Demario Davis get the legacy spots here. Davis is tied with Tampa’s Lavonte David for the highest cumulative linebacker grade (90.8) since 2019. Jordan is coming off his lowest-graded season since 2015. With him being 33 years old, he might be headed for a consistent decline, but we’ll wait another season to determine that and move him off this list. However, Mathieu earning an 87.2 coverage grade last season deserves a shoutout, putting him in contention here.

With all due respect to Jordan as a future Hall of Famer and Davis as one of the most underrated players of his generation, it’s not a great sign for the Saints that their high-end talent is all on the wrong side of 30; if you include the honorable mentions, just two of these six players are under 30, and Ramczyk just turned 29 in April (Lattimore is 27). They’re an aging team, particularly on defense.

The Saints have missed on too many draft picks in recent years and seen too much young talent leave in free agency, like defensive end Trey Hendrickson (28), safety Marcus Williams (26), defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (29), safety Vonn Bell (28), and linebacker Kaden Elliss (27), all of whom are spending their athletic prime on other rosters around the league. Until the Saints begin drafting and developing better replacements, they’re going to continue asking a lot of their most experienced players. Hopefully their promising 2022 and 2023 draft classes are steps in the right direction.

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