Saints Declining Fifth-Year Option For OL Cesar Ruiz

The option would have been $14.175 million fully guaranteed for the 2024 season, per Over The Cap, but instead Ruiz will play out the final year of his deal in 2023 and be an unrestricted free agent in 2024. 

Ruiz, 23, is a former first-round pick of the Saints back in 2020 out of Michigan. He’s entering the fourth year of his four-year, $12,679,205 rookie contract that included a $6,781,240 signing bonus.

The contract included a fifth-year option for the Saints to pick up for the 2024 season.

In 2022, Ruiz appeared in 14 games for the Saints, making 14 starts for them primarily at right guard. Pro Football Focus had him rated as the No. 59 guard out of 77 qualifying players.