Saints OT Ryan Ramczyk has successful knee surgery

Good news for the team’s starting right tackle.

There were several positives to take away from New Orleans Saints Head Coach Dennis Allen’s press conference today, but probably none more important to Saints fans than an update on the health of 3x All-Pro Offensive Tackle Ryan Ramczyk. The veteran right tackle, now in his 7th year with the team that drafted him 32nd overall in 2017, opted to have surgery on his knee after an injury riddled 2023 season. Though it wasn’t considered to be a major surgery, his health and future were on the minds and hearts of several within the Saints organization and outside of it.

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The injury Ramczyk had been dealing with was a lingering one that had given him issues dating back to the 2021 season. Before that point, the durable O-lineman had only missed one start in his first four years of his NFL career. As it directly relates to the specifics, it has been stated that “missing cartilage” is the direct source of Ryan’s knee injury and consistent pain from it prompted the aforementioned surgery. Ramczyk missed 7 games back in 2021, managed to play the entire 2022 season with “injection maintenance” and sat out 5 games this past season, all due to this same ongoing issue.

Now on to the good news: Mr. Ramczyk has now completed a successful surgery on that ailing knee of his. There was a huge cloud of uncertainty in regard to the future of the star right tackle’s career heading into this off-season. Many thought this could wind up being career ending, but that mindset has now changed after some positive news post-surgery for Ryan. Many reports are now stating that the former Wisconsin Badger will be ready for training camp in July, much to the liking of both New Orleans Saints staff and fans. Though he’s not totally “in the clear” from this nagging ailment, Coach Allen did say: “He’s got a knee that he and we are going to have to manage, but we feel much better about where he’s at today than where he was a month, month and a half ago.” This will likely result in the coaching staff monitoring his health and providing rest days to assist with “wear and tear” throughout the upcoming season for the veteran.

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Even though the Saints are in need at the position, the health status of Ramczyk will definitely play a significant role in how the Saints draft as well as how deep they dig into the free agency bag. The hope and best-case scenario is that he will be able to play the entire year with no setbacks, the younger lineman develop/ get better and if lucky enough, draft a top two player from this position group as well. There is also in all likelihood, a restructuring of Ramczyk’s contract on the horizon as New Orleans continues to work towards salary cap compliance. Saints fans will be keeping their ears to the ground for updates as the off-season progresses.