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Cesar Ruiz is playing like a star for Saints. Where did all the trolls go?

Posted on 11/3/22 at 11:28 am
Posted by hellsu
Northshore via Westbank
Member since Jan 2009
4162 posts
Posted on 11/3/22 at 11:28 am
Check out the tweets in the link for a little more context.
LINK

The No. 24 pick in the draft was a bit of a surprise in 2020. His name was Cesar Ruiz.
Why would the Saints draft another center (they didn't, the plan was to shift him at guard). Why spend a premium pick on an interior lineman at all (a fair question).

And for two seasons he became a punching bag for fans looking to criticize offensive line struggles. He was in over his head as a rookie, changing positions during a COVID-limited 2020 offseason during which no preseason games were played and he battled an injury. He predictably struggled.



The reports were positive headed into 2021 that he was vastly improved in his transition to guard. But five snaps into the season Erik McCoy went down with an injury, and Ruiz shifted back to his natural position for the next five games. When he shifted back to guard, he struggled again. He was there for all 17 games along an OL group that was ravaged by injuries. He wasn't the only one who struggled, but his struggles stood out.
Heading into the 2022 season, it seemed there was little confidence in Ruiz outside of the Saints' locker room. But his coaches never wavered, including Zach Strief.

"I think Cesar's made a jump from Year 1 to Year 2. ... He needs to make a bigger jump from Year 2 to Year 3," he said on WWL. "But it's not for lack of trying. The kid works his tail off every single day, wants to get better. And we saw growth, what we need is consistency."

The 2022 offseason was the first of Ruiz's career that wasn't impacted in some way. The first time I approached he turned around to speak to reporters in the locker room he was a bit confused, he'd never seen them in there before. He got his first set of OTAs. He spent the entire offseason focused solely on guard.

Kentavius Street, a player who was facing off with Ruiz for the first time in 2022, didn't hesitate to name him when he was asked if any along the OL had stood out. It was No. 51.

"Just being able to have that total package is really rare to find in a guard," Street said.

Here were some of the replies and quote tweets:

- "Lying"

- "He got paid under the table to say this"

- "Bullsh*t"

- "Did he understand the question"

And if you think the sh*tposting was reserved for Twitter randos who don't have a platform, don't worry, there were plenty of blue checkmarks happy to jump on the pile.
All this is to say: Make sure to own your bad takes. In fairness, not all takes about his struggles were bad. We can start with any that included the words "bust" or "bench."
The popular thing when approached with the reality of his performance this season (5 pressures allowed in 300-plus pass-blocking sets, per Pro Football Focus) is to be stunned by the "turnaround." That's not what this is. It's a player who has been working, and working, and working, and is coming into his own in Year 3. He's a key piece of a top five NFL offense and one that's dominating in the run game and hasn't seen its quarterback sacked in 8 quarters of football.

His teammates aren't surprised. They tried to tell you.

"I see a lot more confidence out of him and his game," Ryan Ramczyk said this week, "and I think his preparation has been even better this year, too."

His coaches also aren't surprised (see Strief quote above). They tried to tell you, too.

Again, all I ask: Own your bad takes.
Posted by Fun Bunch
New Orleans
Member since May 2008
131929 posts
Posted on 11/3/22 at 11:31 am to
Its almost as if players, especially ones tasked with playing a new position, need time to develop.
Posted by Seen
Member since Aug 2022
1127 posts
Posted on 11/3/22 at 11:39 am to
quote:

And for two seasons he became a punching bag for fans looking to criticize offensive line struggles.


Weird how people don’t have patience anymore for young players. Use to not be near as much an issue and most players we just assumed would take 2-3 maybe even 4 years to hit their prime.

Posted by grich31
Youngsville, La
Member since May 2008
2251 posts
Posted on 11/3/22 at 11:43 am to
Now if we can only get Peat playing up to his paycheck, he still soft as baby ??!
Posted by Rand AlThor
Member since Jan 2014
10432 posts
Posted on 11/3/22 at 11:52 am to
quote:

Its almost as if players, especially ones tasked with playing a new position, need time to develop.


This, plus Cesar was only 20 years old when we drafted him and is only 23 now.

I've definitely been down on him in the past but he's been great for the last 6 weeks or so. Glad he's coming around
Posted by Weekend Warrior79
Member since Aug 2014
22280 posts
Posted on 11/3/22 at 12:05 pm to
quote:

I've definitely been down on him in the past but he's been great for the last 6 weeks or so. Glad he's coming around

Same here. Works out great because the fear I had was the Saints could be in a position to NEED to replace both guard positions next offseason. Will be very hard justifying Peat's $18M cap hit next year, when you can designate him a 6/01 cut and save $11.8M.

But looks like Ruiz could be playing into a position to justify the team exercising that 5th year option next year to keep him at a manageable rate in 2024.
Posted by htran90
BC
Member since Dec 2012
32409 posts
Posted on 11/3/22 at 12:07 pm to
They expect 1st rounders to come in and dominate or they're a bust.

I get it, I really do because I expect it too but the last 2 seasons were shite show for players
Posted by hellsu
Northshore via Westbank
Member since Jan 2009
4162 posts
Posted on 11/3/22 at 12:44 pm to
In the Rev. Deuce tweet you'll notice where he talks about the sack on Winston through Ramczyk. Winston is in the shotgun and instead of dropping back an additional one or two steps he goes back an additional 4 or 5 as the tweeter points out. Not to pick on Winston but he puts himself right in the path of the rusher. That play was designed for a short drop and release. So many aspects that go in to a successful play. Also in the other footage the timing and teamwork between him and Ramczyk frame how important to have the time to gel with your QB and your teammates on the line.
Posted by Chad504boy
4 posts
Member since Feb 2005
179947 posts
Posted on 11/3/22 at 12:56 pm to
I’m trying to understand the gotcha of the OP?
Posted by SlowFlowPro
With populists, expect populism
Member since Jan 2004
481226 posts
Posted on 11/3/22 at 1:44 pm to
quote:

Its almost as if players, especially ones tasked with playing a new position, need time to develop.


PFF always talks about how it takes most OL 3 years to develop into NFL players
Posted by kingbob
Sorrento, LA
Member since Nov 2010
71232 posts
Posted on 11/3/22 at 1:58 pm to
It’s almost like fans criticize players when they play poorly and praise them when they do well in actual games.
Posted by Wardniner01
Member since Dec 2020
2537 posts
Posted on 11/3/22 at 2:17 pm to
quote:

Weird how people don’t have patience anymore for young players.


Yet defend someone like Thomas who blows up, gets paid and is injured forever afterwards
Posted by Jasonwilliamstaxes28
Houston
Member since Sep 2022
203 posts
Posted on 11/3/22 at 2:30 pm to
Honestly nothing wrong with trolling when someone obviously plays like shite for an extended period. This is a message board after all. He deserved the trolling and now he also deserves the praise. Not a hard concept to grasp.
Posted by hellsu
Northshore via Westbank
Member since Jan 2009
4162 posts
Posted on 11/3/22 at 2:38 pm to
quote:

I’m trying to understand the gotcha of the OP?

I would agree with you that it's not so much a gotcha article but it does point out that he was being universally vilified in the press and social media and certainly was here on ST. I'm willing to bet even the author had his doubts. I know I had my doubts, but now crickets. Very few willing to openly admit that maybe they were a little quick to judge considering all the circumstances.
Posted by St Stooge
Member since Feb 2017
452 posts
Posted on 11/3/22 at 2:41 pm to
quote:

Yet defend someone like Thomas who blows up, gets paid and is injured forever afterwards


You mean gets paid then has a record breaking season?

I mean it sucks the guy got hurt blocking on a running play in a game we had in hand, then tried to play through it to end the Brees era with another ring, then had a botched surgery. But let’s not revise history.
Posted by stratman
NOLA
Member since Apr 2013
977 posts
Posted on 11/4/22 at 2:03 pm to
Give him time. He'll miss another block and Andy Dalton will be smashed into oblivion, like when Peat missed the block on Aaron Donald and Drew Brees's thumb was smashed.

Honestly, I think he's playing out of position. Wasn't he a center at Michigan?
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