Ryan Ramczyk recently underwent a knee procedure aimed at rectifying what has proven to be a lingering issue. The veteran Saints right tackle was believed to be on track to recover at the time, but his situation has taken a turn for the worse.

When speaking at the annual league meeting on Tuesday, head coach Dennis Allen said (via Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football) he felt better about Ramczyk’s health at the time of the operation than he does now. Taking the matter further, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports the 29-year-old faces the possibility of missing the 2024 season altogether.

Ramczyk said late in the campaign he has been dealing with a cartilage defect for years, admitting it has increasingly become an issue over time. He acknowledged his short-term future was uncertain with respect to undergoing surgery while adding his intention to continue playing. As things stand, though, the former All-Pro could be sidelined for an extended period during the final year in which guaranteed money exists on his contract.

The former first-rounder agreed to restructure his deal and lowered his cap hit to $12.86MM in the process. He is owed $6.5MM guaranteed for 2024 regardless of his health status, but a release or retirement could come into play next offseason without progress in his rehab. Ramczyk is under contract through 2026, and Underhill’s colleague Mike Triplett notes the team would incur $23MM in dead money in either development.

Offensive line is already a priority for the Saints, a team which has question marks on the blindside given Trevor Penning‘s struggles early in his career. Longtime starter Andrus Peat is unsigned, as are Cameron Erving and Max Garcia. Having Ramczyk unavailable for some or all of the upcoming season would add further to the urgency on New Orleans’ part to make multiple additions up front in the second wave of free agency and the draft. The latter’s recovery process will be worth watching as the offseason unfolds.

Ryan Ramczyk will likely be sidelined for the remainder of the 2023 season, having been placed on injured reserve this weekend. His future in 2024 and beyond is uncertain given the nature of his knee injury, however.

After missing a pair of games, the veteran right tackle was moved to IR on Saturday. That guaranteed a four-week absence, meaning a deep playoff run would be required for him to be eligible to return. Based on Ramczyk’s remarks on the subject of his health, though, signficant improvement will need to be made over the course of the offseason for him to continue playing at his consistent high level.

The 29-year-old said, via ESPN’s Katherine Terrell, that he is dealing with a cartilage defect in his knee, something which has been a nagging issue for years. The 2023 season in particular has proven to be challenging, and Ramczyk added he has been managing the injury since Week 1. Of particular concern is the fact not much cartilage remains in the affected knee, something which could limit the number of surgical options he has in the offseason.

“I don’t know,” the former All-Pro responded when asked about his next course of action. “I think those are the discussions we are going to have, that need to be had, and we’ll go from there… I’ll talk with surgeons, doctors, get as much as information as I can and then just make the best decision.”

Ramczyk’s contract runs through 2026, and (like many other Saints pacts of recent years) it has been restructured multiple times. As a result, he is due to count at least $25.23MM against the cap in each of the next three seasons; a void year (which carries a $2.58MM cap figure) also exists for 2027. A bonus of just over $10MM is in place from 2024-26, and moving on from the Wisconsin alum would create an annual dead cap charge of that amount in the event he were to be released.

Such action would only become feasible if little to no progress were to be made with respect to Ramczyk’s recovery, however. Long regarded as one of the league’s top right tackles, the former first-rounder has been a mainstay at his position throughout his seven-year career. Aside from the 2021 campaign, availability has not been a major concern. That could change in the near future, although Ramczyk remains hopeful he will be able to maintain his career for years to come.

“I feel like I’m not done yet. I feel like I still want to play,” he said. “I feel like I’m still passionate about the game. When you think about it like that, my mind frame is, ‘I want to play, and I want to keep doing it, so what can I do to get better, to not have this happen in-season?'”