New Orleans Saints concerned about Ryan Ramczyk’s future following knee surgery

The New Orleans Saints are reportedly concerned about tackle Ryan Ramczyk‘s status for the 2024 season following knee surgery this offseason. NFL insider Ian Rapoport shared on Tuesday that the team is worried the Saints’ starting right tackle may miss the season.

“The #Saints are preparing for the real possibility that OT Ryan Ramczyk is medically not able to play this season, sources say,” Rapoport revealed. “Coach Dennis Allen alluded to Ramczyk’s knee not responding as they hoped, and it’s unclear when or if it will. A true question mark.”

Saints head coach Allen told reporters at the annual league meeting on Tuesday that Ramczyk’s availability “remains to be seen.” He said that he was feeling better about his tackle’s recovery a “few weeks” ago. The injury that required surgery sidelined him for five games during the 2023 season.

“A few weeks ago, I was feeling a lot better about it, and yet I don’t know that I’m seeing as much progress as I was hoping to see at this point,” Allen said. “We got plenty of time. … We’re just going to have to wait and see how that all goes as we go through all the offseason and as we get into the training camp aspect.”

“There’s [a] long time before we kick the ball off,” Allen added. “I wouldn’t jump to any conclusions right now, but we’ll see how it goes over the next three, four, five, six months — whatever it is — before we get to the season.”

Ramczyk enters eighth season in NFL with Saints

Ramczyk was the Saints’ first-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. They snagged him No. 32 overall out of Wisconsin.

The right tackle last signed a five-year contract extension with New Orleans in 2021. It was a deal for $96 million. The new contract made him the third-highest paid right tackle in the league, making $19.2 million per year on average. For the 2024 season, Ramczyk is due to receive $6.5 million in fully guaranteed money even with injury.

Ramczyk has earned Associated Press All-Pro team honors in three consecutive years from 2018-20. He joined William Roaf as only the second Saints tackle to be named AP All-Pro three times. At Wisconsin, he was a first-team All-American in 2016.