The Detroit Lions may consider an aggressive move this offseason by pursuing a trade for New Orleans Saints offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz, a veteran carrying a sizable contract.
Despite earlier doubts about their roster, the Saints appear to be in a better position than expected. Quarterback Tyler Shough has quickly emerged as a possible long-term answer under center, giving the franchise some optimism about its future. Still, New Orleans isn’t quite ready to push all its chips in as a contender.
Because of that, the Saints are expected to take a measured approach this offseason. While they could dabble in free agency, the draft is likely their primary focus. To help reshape the roster and manage their salary cap situation, New Orleans could also consider moving experienced players in exchange for draft assets.
One such possibility was floated by Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine, who proposed that the Saints might deal Cesar Ruiz to the Lions in a move that could benefit both organizations.
Ruiz has been a key piece of New Orleans’ offensive line, lining up mostly at guard during his NFL career after playing center in college. According to Ballentine, his versatility could be appealing to Detroit, especially given head coach Dan Campbell’s familiarity with Ruiz from their time together in New Orleans. Ruiz could either step into a starting role immediately or provide flexibility while the Lions develop younger linemen such as Tate Ratledge, Miles Frazier, or a rookie prospect.
While Ruiz likely wouldn’t command a massive return in a trade, the Saints could still secure useful draft compensation. His ability to perform at a high level across multiple interior line positions adds to his value.
From Detroit’s perspective, upgrading the offensive line could be a priority after the unit underperformed last season. Although the Lions have plenty of firepower on offense, protection issues up front held them back more than expected. That makes a trade for a proven lineman like Ruiz a logical option to explore.
If the two teams were to engage in talks, Detroit could look to send one or more draft picks to New Orleans in exchange for the veteran blocker, addressing a need while helping the Saints plan for the future.
