Ryan Ramczyk's Restructured Contract With New Orleans Saints May Also Be An Indicator

A restructured deal for Saints OT Ryan Ramczyk is loaded with incentives and saves the team salary cap space, but could also be an indicator of another grim reality

Credit:© Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Ryan Ramczyk and the New Orleans Saints have agreed to a restructured contract this offseason. Ramczyk's reworked deal includes $6.5 million in guaranteed money. However, a large portion now includes up to $9 million in potential bonuses.

According to Nick Underhill of neworleans.football, there are four major incentives in 2024 in the newly worded contract for Ramczyk:

• $1 million for a Pro Bowl selection
• $1 million for an All-Pro season
• $1 million for at least 90% of the offensive snaps
• up to $6 million for other playing time clauses

New Orleans Saints offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk (71) blocks Baltimore Ravens defensive end Justin Houston (50) / Credit:© Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Ramczyk, who turned 30 in April, was the 32nd overall choice in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Wisconsin by New Orleans. He has been a fixture at right tackle since his rookie year.

Among his many honors has been a 2017 All-Rookie Team selection and 1st Team All-Pro in 2019.
Between 2017 to 2021, Ramczyk was considered perhaps the league's best right tackle and among the NFL's top offensive linemen at any spot. Between 2017 and 2020, he'd start 70 of 71 contests, including playoffs.

Ramczyk missed only one only start from his rookie year until midway through 2021, a span of 80 contests. That was a coach's decision in the 2018 season finale when most of the team's starters did not play.

New Orleans Saints offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk (71) blocks San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (97) / Credit:© Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Since missing eight of the last nine games in 2021, Ramczyk has dealt with serious knee issues. He'd miss just one game in 2022, but his once elite mobility was noticeably affected and he rarely practiced. Last season, Ramczyk appeared in just 12 games, missing the last four games of the year.

Several reports have circulated this offseason that Ramczyk's knee could sideline him for the start of the 2024-25 campaign. Some have speculated that he could miss the entire season and his career may even be in jeopardy.

With Ramczyk's future and even availability to start 2024 in doubt, the Saints spent their first-round draft choice on Taliese Fuaga, an offensive tackle out of Oregon State. Fuaga is projected to have the ability to play either tackle, but was primarily a right tackle in college.

Ryan Ramczyk's restructured deal creates some additional salary cap space for the Saints. However, it could also indicate that his knee injuries are hastening the end of his career as one of the best offensive linemen in New Orleans franchise history.