Saints Decline Cesar Ruiz’s Fifth-Year Option
While not a Pro Bowler, Cesar Ruiz has been a starter for most of his Saints career. That places the fourth-year guard on the third tier of the CBA’s fifth-year option structure. As a result, the Saints are passing on Ruiz’s 2024 option, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Had New Orleans followed through with the option pickup, Ruiz would have made $14.18MM in 2024. The NFL’s franchise and transition tag formula is used to calculate options, and it still places all offensive linemen under one umbrella. With tackle contracts inflating this price annually, interior O-linemen’s fifth-year options become more onerous — seeing as the 2020 CBA made them fully guaranteed — for teams.
The Saints passing on Ruiz’s option does not mean this partnership will end after four seasons, but the Michigan alum is now set for a contract year. Ruiz will earn $2.34MM in base salary this season and is tied to a cap number just north of $4MM. The Saints are positioned rely on the former No. 24 overall pick as their right guard again in 2023.
Primarily a center with the Wolverines, Ruiz has played guard as a pro. Erik McCoy‘s center entrenchment slid Ruiz to guard as a rookie, and despite not having played the position since his freshman year of college, Ruiz has started 40 games for the Saints. Pro Football Focus has not viewed Ruiz as an upper-echelon guard in any of his three seasons, slotting him just outside the top 50 at the position from 2020-22, and the 6-foot-4 blocker is coming off an injury-shortened season. A foot injury ended Ruiz’s 2022 slate after 14 games.
Ruiz, 23, played every snap for the Saints in 2021 and logged a 100% snap rate in the 14 games before being shut down last season. The Saints have McCoy, left guard Andrus Peat and right tackle Ryan Ramczyk signed to long-term extensions. The team has continued to make big investments in its O-line, drafting left tackle Trevor Penning in last year’s first round. Assuming Penning becomes a full-time starter in his second season, he makes it five homegrown first- or second-round picks comprising New Orleans’ O-line.
With a 2024 franchise tag not realistic for Ruiz, the Saints will have a decision to make on him before next year’s legal tampering period begins in March. The team did trade up to No. 103 to start Saturday’s fourth round, selecting Old Dominion O-lineman Nick Saldiveri. While Saldiveri worked as Old Dominion’s primary right tackle in recent years, he repped as an interior blocker at the Senior Bowl.
Saints Announce 11-Man UDFA Class
The Saints have announced an 11-man UDFA class after drafting seven players over the course of the last three days. Here are the undrafted talents who will begin their pursuit of an NFL job with New Orleans:
- LB Nick Anderson, Tulane
- WR Sy Barnett, Davenport
- WR Shaq Davis, South Carolina State
- OL Mark Evans II, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
- K Blake Grupe, Notre Dame
- P Lou Hedley, Miami (FL)
- DB Anthony Johnson, Virginia
- LB Anfernee Orji, Vanderbilt
- OL Alex Pihlstrom, Illinois
- RB SaRodorick Thompson Jr., Texas Tech
- TE Joel Wilson, Central Michigan
Two of the above players, Davis and Orji, received guarantees in excess of $200K, as Greg Auman of FOX Sports tweets.
Davis has the size (6-5, 217 lbs.) and length that could allow him to find success in the pros, and he showed off serious big-play ability at the collegiate level, averaging roughly 20.4 yards per catch over four years at South Carolina State. That included 45 catches for 934 yards and 11 TDs in 2022.
That production, however, came against FCS competition. While the size of Davis’ guarantee indicates he was a priority signing, there are elements of his game — like his issue with drops — that he will need to clean up in order to have a shot at cracking the roster.
Orji, meanwhile, was a three-year starter for the SEC’s Commodores, as well as a team captain. Despite averaging nearly 100 total tackles and 10 tackles for loss over the past two seasons, he also missed a lot of tackles and does not have the speed that would make him an elite defender in today’s NFL. Still, there was a chance that he would hear his name called on Day 3 of the draft, and he should have a decent chance of sticking as a backup defender or special teamer.
2023 NFL Draft Results: Team By Team
As the 2023 NFL Draft gets underway, we will keep track of each team’s haul here:
Arizona Cardinals
Round 1, No. 6 (from Rams through Lions): Paris Johnson, OT (Ohio State) (signed)
Round 2, No. 41 (from Titans): BJ Ojulari, DE (LSU) (signed)
Round 3, No. 72 (from Titans): Garrett Williams, CB (Syracuse) (signed)
Round 3, No. 94 (from Eagles): Michael Wilson, WR (Stanford) (signed)
Round 4, No. 122 (from Dolphins through Chiefs and Lions): Jon Gaines II, G (UCLA) (signed)
Round 5, No. 139 (from Broncos through Lions): Clayton Tune, QB (Houston) (signed)
Round 5, No. 168 (from Cardinals through Lions): Owen Pappoe, LB (Auburn) (signed)
Round 5, No. 180: Kei’Trel Clark, CB (Louisville) (signed)
Round 6, No. 213: Dante Stills, DT (West Virginia) (signed)
Atlanta Falcons
Round 1, No. 8: Bijan Robinson, RB (Texas) (signed)
Round 2, No. 38 (from Colts): Matthew Bergeron, T (Syracuse) (signed)
Round 3, No. 75: Zach Harrison, DE (Ohio State) (signed)
Round 4, No. 113: Clark Phillips III, CB (Utah) (signed)
Round 7, No. 224 (from Raiders): DeMarcco Hellams, S (Alabama) (signed)
Round 7, No. 225: Jovaughn Gwyn, G (South Carolina) (signed)
Baltimore Ravens
Round 1, No. 22: Zay Flowers, WR (Boston College) (signed)
Round 3, No. 86: Trenton Simpson, LB (Clemson) (signed)
Round 4, No. 124: Tavius Robinson, LB (Ole Miss) (signed)
Round 5, No. 157: Kyu Blu Kelly, CB (Stanford) (signed)
Round 6, No. 199: Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, OT (Oregon) (signed)
Round 7, No. 229 (from Browns): Andrew Vorhees, G (USC) (signed)
Buffalo Bills
Round 1, No. 25 (from Giants through Jaguars): Dalton Kincaid, TE (Utah) (signed)
Round 2, No. 59: O’Cyrus Torrence, G (Florida) (signed)
Round 3, No, 91: Dorian Williams, LB (Tulane) (signed)
Round 5, No. 150 (from Commanders): Justin Shorter, WR (Florida) (signed)
Round 7, No. 230 (from Buccaneers through Jets, Texans, Eagles and Bills): Nick Broeker, G (Ole Miss) (signed)
Round 7, No. 252 (from Buccaneers through Rams): Alex Austin, CB (Oregon State) (signed)
Carolina Panthers
Round 1, No. 1 (from Bears): Bryce Young, QB (Alabama) (signed)
Round 2, No. 39: Jonathan Mingo, WR (Ole Miss) (signed)
Round 3, No. 80 (from Steelers): D.J. Johnson, DE (Oregon) (signed)
Round 4, No. 114: Chandler Zavala, G (North Carolina State) (signed)
Round 5, No. 145: Jammie Robinson, S (Florida State) (signed)
Chicago Bears
Round 1, No. 10 (from Saints through Eagles): Darnell Wright, OT (Tennessee) (signed)
Round 2, No. 53 (from Ravens): Gervon Dexter, DT (Florida) (signed)
Round 2, No. 56 (from Jaguars): Tyrique Stevenson, CB (Miami) (signed)
Round 3, No. 64: Zacch Pickens, DT (South Carolina) (signed)
Round 4, No. 115 (from Saints): Roschon Johnson, RB (Texas) (signed)
Round 4, No. 133 (from Eagles): Tyler Scott, WR (Cincinnati) (signed)
Round 5, No. 148 (from Patriots through Ravens): Noah Sewell, LB (Oregon) (signed)
Round 5, No. 165 (from Saints through Eagles): Terell Smith, CB (Minnesota) (signed)
Round 7, No. 218: Travis Bell, DT (Kennesaw State) (signed)
Round 7, No. 258: Kendall Williamson, S (Stanford) (signed)
Cincinnati Bengals
Round 1, No. 28: Myles Murphy, DE (Clemson) (signed)
Round 2, No. 60: DJ Turner, CB (Michigan) (signed)
Round 3, No. 95 (from Chiefs): Jordan Battle, S (Alabama) (signed)
Round 4, No. 131: Charlie Jones, WR (Purdue) (signed)
Round 5, No. 163: Chase Brown, RB (Illinois) (signed)
Round 6, No. 206: Andrei Iosivas, WR (Princeton) (signed)
Round 6, No. 217 (from Chiefs): Brad Robbins, P (Michigan) (signed)
Round 7, No. 246: DJ Ivey, CB (Miami) (signed)
Saints Trade TE Adam Trautman To Broncos
Sean Payton will pick up another former Saint. The new Broncos HC is trading for tight end Adam Trautman, Field Yates of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
This is a pick-swap deal. New Orleans will collect Denver’s No. 195 overall pick in this trade, while NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport adds (on Twitter) the Broncos will receive No. 257 from the Saints. With the sixth-rounder, the Saints chose wide receiver A.T. Perry out of Wake Forest.
Trautman, for whom the Saints traded four draft picks to draft 105th overall in 2020, is going into a contract year. Despite the Saints trading four Day 3 picks to move into the 2020 third round for Trautman, he has not yet put it together as a pro. The Saints gave converted receiver Juwan Johnson an extension this offseason, prioritizing the ascending pass catcher as their top tight end. Weeks later, Trautman will follow his old coach to Colorado.
A former Dayton prospect, Trautman posted his best receiving numbers in 2021 (27 catches, 263 yards, two touchdowns). But the Saints had both Johnson and veteran gadget cog Taysom Hill in the mix at tight end. Trautman still played a healthy snap share in 2021 (76%) and logged 521 snaps (57%) in his New Orleans finale campaign. Pro Football Focus rated Trautman as an above-average run blocker as well.
Denver’s tight end room centers around 2022 third-round pick Greg Dulcich. While an injury delayed the UCLA product’s debut, he showed promise in the passing game despite beginning his career during the dysfunctional Nathaniel Hackett-Russell Wilson partnership. The Broncos signed Chris Manhertz this offseason, but he is onboard due mostly to his blocking pedigree. Albert Okwuegbunam remains on Denver’s roster, but the 2022 trade candidate fell out of favor with the team last season. Okwuegbunam is going into a contract year but will certainly not be assured of a roster spot on Payton’s first team.
Saints Acquire No. 127, Select QB Jake Haener
The Saints are giving up a future draft pick to get into the fourth round. New Orleans has acquired pick No. 127 from Jacksonville. In exchange, the Jaguars have acquired pick No. 227 and a 2024 fourth-round pick.
The Saints will be using their selection on quarterback Jake Haener. The Fresno State product was widely considered to be atop the remaining tier of QBs, generally ranking sixth in his draft class.
While he won’t have the draft stock of the QBs selected before him, Haener can keep up with his upside. He didn’t play in a Power 5 conference and has generally been viewed unfavorably from a physical perspective, but he’s been lauded for his ability to control the game from under center.
Haener truly had a breakout campaign in 2021, when he finished with 33 touchdowns vs. only nine interceptions. He followed that up with a 2022 campaign where he connected on 72 percent of his passes for 2,896 yards, 20 touchdowns, and only three picks. He also earned the 2023 Senior Bowl MVP after the season.
The Saints made a move for Derek Carr this offseason and seem fully committed to their acquisition. The team also kept mainstay Jameis Winston, meaning Haener will likely spend his rookie campaign as the third quarterback on the depth chart.
Saints Trade Up For No. 103
The Saints will now be picking first on the third day of the NFL Draft. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweets that New Orleans has acquired the No. 103 pick from the Bears.
Chicago will be receiving picks No. 115 and No. 165, per Pelissero (on Twitter). As our Team-by-Team 2023 NFL Draft Results show, the Bears will now have five picks today while the Saints will have four selections.
With the pick, the Saints are taking Old Dominion offensive lineman Nick Saldiveri. The Saints still have their five 2022 O-line starters under contract, with starter-turned-swingman James Hurst also still rostered. ESPN’s Scouts Inc. rated Saldiveri as its No. 116 overall prospect; this selection gibes with that assessment.
While Hurst is a former free agent signing, Saldiveri gives the Saints six homegrown O-linemen drafted in the first four rounds. The Bears will pick up an additional fifth-round pick for moving down.
Draft Notes: Young, Chiefs, Saints, Addison, Vikings, Patriots, Campbell, Lions
Panthers brass joined other front offices in being wowed by Bryce Young during his 2021 Heisman-winning season, and the team had mostly decided on the Alabama prospect by the time Frank Reich arrived. David Tepper and Panthers scouts had zeroed in on Young — prior to making the trade with the Bears — and Reich learned of the staff’s preference early during his tenure.
“And it was unanimous with every guy in that room, starting from [GM] Scott [Fitterer] on down, that Bryce was the guy. That was great for me to hear,” Reich said of an early-February meeting, via The Athletic’s Joe Person (subscription required). “But what I appreciate about the way Scott handled it, he was like, ‘Frank, you take your time.’ … And it wasn’t much convincing.”
Fitterer said he sought Reich’s final stance late in the process. It would have been interesting had Reich, who was initially mentioned as preferring a taller passer, stood his ground for another prospect. He was believed to also be intrigued by Anthony Richardson. But the veteran HC will be coaching a 5-foot-10 quarterback in Carolina.
Here is the latest from the draft, as we head into Day 2:
- The Vikings closed the record-breaking run on wide receivers at No. 23, selecting Jordan Addison, the fourth straight receiver taken from Nos. 20-23. But Minnesota received interest in the pick. The Chiefs and Saints contacted the Vikings about moving up to 23, per KTSP’s Darren Wolfson, who adds the belief is at least one of the teams eyeing a trade-up would have taken the USC wide receiver (Twitter link). The Vikings appear to have received an offer, but they instead chose Addison. The Chiefs were mentioned as a team pursuing a move up the board, and the defending Super Bowl champions — after J.J. Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman‘s exits — had done a lot of work on this year’s wideout class. The Saints have not re-signed Jarvis Landry and have not seen much of a healthy Michael Thomas since the 2010s. Both teams will probably be on the hunt for receivers tonight.
- It is not surprising to see Patriots first-round trade-downs, and the team allowing the Steelers to leapfrog the Jets for tackle Broderick Jones likely made the move doubly intriguing for Bill Belichick. But the Pats turned in their draft card quickly at No. 17, selecting cornerback Christian Gonzalez. New England was high enough on the Oregon product it was close to finalizing a trade-up move from No. 14, Jeff Howe of The Athletic tweets. The Commanders had been in on corners, but they chose Mississippi State ballhawk Emmanuel Forbes over Gonzalez at No. 16.
- While the Patriots have been praised for nabbing a high-end prospect a bit later than he was expected to go, the Lions bucked pre-draft rankings by taking a running back (Jahmyr Gibbs) at No. 12 and an off-ball linebacker (Jack Campbell) at 18. Campbell, in particular, was not viewed as especially likely to be a first-round pick, and GM Brad Holmes admitted he probably could have nabbed the Iowa defender if he had traded down once again. “It’s not about just don’t pick a running back [in Round 1] because that’s not how we really view [Gibbs],” Holmes said, via the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett. “And then it’s the same thing about don’t pick an off-ball linebacker. That’s not really how we view Jack. If you put them in boxes and you put on a sheet of paper and you run mock draft analytics, yeah, you can come up with those stats. But all the hours and research and all the time that we put in, in terms of looking at these players, it becomes very, very visible that what kind of impact they can bring.”
Saints Select DT Bryan Bresee At No. 29
The Saints are adding a three-time All-ACC defensive lineman. With the No. 29 pick, New Orleans selected Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee.
Bresee joined defensive end Myles Murphy as Clemson D-linemen taken near the end of Round 1 tonight. The Saints will bet on the upside of a former No. 1 overall national recruit. A 2021 ACL tear sidetracked Bresee’s college career, but he returned to action last year and did not see his draft stock fall too far.
After a four-game 2021, Bresee made it back to play in 10 Tigers contests as a junior last season. The former 35-sack high school phenom tallied nine in what ultimately proved to be a somewhat underwhelming — based on expectations — college career. The five-star player still started 10 games as a true freshman and rallied back to earn second-team All-ACC acclaim as a junior. He closed his Clemson run with nine sacks and 15 tackles for loss.
The 298-pound defender offers some untapped potential, seeing as he will be nearly two years removed from the knee injury when he debuts for the Saints. New Orleans lost longtime defensive tackle starter David Onyemata early in free agency; he followed co-DC Ryan Nielsen to Atlanta, where he is now the Falcons’ defensive play-caller. The Saints made some midlevel investments in the wake of Onyemata’s divisional defection, signing ex-Chief Khalen Saunders and ex-Jet Nathan Shepherd. But Bresee suddenly becomes the team’s highest-profile interior D-lineman.
Draft Rumors: Stroud, Wilson, Carter, Kancey, Bears, Van Ness
When the Panthers traded up for the No.1 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the betting odds for who would be selected swung from Alabama’s Bryce Young to Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud. As we have crept towards the pivotal day, Young has forced his way back into the favorite position. Questions about how the teams following Carolina will approach their picks have some believing in a potential slide for Stroud on Thursday. According to Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network, the current belief is that Stroud won’t make it past the Raiders at No. 7 overall.
While some believe that quarterbacks could be the focus of the first four picks, there are possibilities for each pick. The Panthers could choose Young, and there’s a chance the Texans will go pass rusher. Arizona likely won’t take a passer after paying Kyler Murray, and the Colts have Kentucky quarterback Will Levis as an option opposite Stroud. The Seahawks and Lions follow them, but both have veteran quarterbacks coming off of strong seasons.
That brings us to the Raiders. Even after Las Vegas brought in Jimmy Garoppolo, rumors have claimed that the team will still look into drafting a passer with their top pick. If Stroud somehow pinballs his way past the first six picks, it would be extremely difficult for the Raiders to pass him up.
Here are a few other rumors as we close in on Draft Day:
- As we mentioned above, if the Texans pass on quarterback, they could choose a pass rusher with the second-overall pick. Many believe Texas Tech defensive end Tyree Wilson could be that selection, but according to Pauline, Houston has some problems with his medicals. If Wilson is not their selection as a pass rusher, Alabama’s Will Anderson would likely be the other option.
- There has been some reported certainty that Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter will be the Seahawks choice at No. 5 overall. According to Pauline, that certainty is coming from more external sources than internal. Reportedly, Seattle has some hesitancy about handing over the $30MM of guarantees that Carter would get in that draft slot. We’ll have to wait and see if that hesitancy wins out.
- One name that continues to rise up draft boards is that of Pittsburgh defensive tackle Calijah Kancey. Despite the lack of ideal size, at 6-foot-1, 281 pounds, Kancey has convinced many that he is a lock to be selected on Day 1, according to Pauline. The Saints, in particular, are a team that have really done their due diligence on Kancey. They could feel really good about nabbing a certain first-round talent with the 29th pick of the draft.
- According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, the Bears could be looking to add a tight end in a year that is incredibly deep at the position. Chicago won’t likely use a top ten pick on Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer or Utah’s Dalton Kincaid, but thanks to the Roquan Smith-trade, the team has two second-round picks and may use them on such prospects as Georgia’s Darnell Washington, South Dakota State’s Tucker Kraft, or Iowa’s Sam LaPorta.
- Speaking of Iowa, a recent mock draft by Pro Football Network’s Adam Caplan slotted Iowa pass rusher Lukas Van Ness as a top ten pick. Caplan explains that he’s spoken with several executives that believe Van Ness won’t make it past the Eagles at No. 10 overall. Philadelphia had been looking into pass rushers in free agency with an aging Brandon Graham, and Van Ness may be the answer.
NFC South Notes: Campbell, Maye, Sanders
Defensive lineman Calais Campbell has accomplished a great deal in his NFL career, though he has never won a Super Bowl ring. So it came as something of a surprise when the six-time Pro Bowler, who is entering his age-37 season, agreed to sign with the Falcons in March after the Ravens made him a cap casualty. After all, Atlanta has not made the playoffs since 2018 and will be starting Desmond Ridder — a 2022 third-round choice who made just four starts in his rookie campaign — at quarterback.
Still, when this offseason arrived, the Falcons had free agency money to spend for the first time in the Terry Fontenot/Arthur Smith era, and they have been especially aggressive in bolstering their defense. Jessie Bates, Mike Hughes, Kaden Elliss, and David Onyemata were signed, and as Mike Rothstein of ESPN.com writes, adding those talents and a player like Campbell supports the message that Fontenot and Smith want to convey: that Atlanta is ready to compete and is a prime destination for high-end talent.
Campbell acknowledged that the uncertainty of the NFC South played a role in his decision (Twitter link via Rothstein), and he believes that the Falcons will indeed contend for a playoff spot in 2023. He spoke glowingly of his meetings with Smith, Fontenot, and new defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, and he also watched tape of Ridder. All of that turned the Falcons from a team that was not on Campbell’s radar into the team for which he eschewed an extended free agency courtship.
Now for more from the NFC South, starting with several more items on Campbell and the Falcons:
- Campbell said that more teams were interested in his services in 2023 than during his free agency stay in 2022, which ultimately concluded with a new deal with Baltimore. He also said he was “close” to signing with another club this year before agreeing to terms with the Falcons, though that mystery team did not make him feel the same way Atlanta did. In addition to his meetings with the Jaguars and Falcons, he had visits with the Jets and Bills on the docket, and he told CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson during an episode of The Crew podcast that Aaron Rodgers — who is expected to join the Jets in the near future — texted him and implored him to sign with Gang Green (Twitter link via Ari Meirov of The33rdTeam.com).
- As Campbell explained in the above-referenced podcast, the Jets tried to get a deal done with him even before his would-be visit with New York, so perhaps they were the team that he nearly picked over the Falcons. And, per Rothstein, another factor that worked in the Falcons’ favor is that Atlanta plans to use him as a “true D-end,” meaning that he will line up on the edge on first and second downs.
- Saints safety Marcus Maye was arrested in September on a charge of aggravated assault with a firearm. As Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk wrote last month, those charges were dropped due to insufficient evidence. As most NFL fans know by now, the absence of criminal charges does not mean that a player will avoid league punishment, but since the time of Williams’ report, nothing has emerged on that front.
- Running back Miles Sanders signed a four-year, $25MM contract with the Panthers in March, a deal that features $13MM in guaranteed money. Sanders indicated that the presence of Duce Staley, whom Carolina recently hired as its assistant head coach & running backs coach, was a big reason for his decision to join the Panthers (Twitter link via ESPN’s David Newton). Sanders spent the first four years of his career (2019-22) with the Eagles, and Staley was Philadelphia’s assistant head coach and running backs coach for the first two of those seasons.