On Thursday, John Hendrix of the Saints News Network confirmed what most New Orleans Saints fans expected but still feared. Veteran right tackle Ryan Ramczyk will miss all of the 2024-25 season with a knee injury.

Ramczyk, 30, was placed on the reserve/physically unable to perform list by the Saints on Thursday afternoon. Since Ramczyk is a vested veteran, placing him on the reserve/PUP list means that he will be ineligible to return this season. A veteran placed on reserve/PUP after the final roster cuts from trading camp is eligible to return after four games missed.

The news comes as no surprise. It was hoped that surgery that Ramczyk had on his knee early this offseason would allow him to be recovered in time for the season. That optimism significantly decreased when Saints coach Dennis Allen revealed around the time of the draft that Ramczyk’s rehabilitation was going much slower than expected.

Ramczyk began having noticeable issues with his knee during the 2021 season, when he missed six of the team’s last seven contests. Over the past three years, he’s often been unable to practice during the week leading up to a game. Always the warrior, Ramczyk missed 12 games over the last three years after missing just one of 71 contests over his first four years. When Ramczyk did play, his mobility seemed noticeably affected.

The fear is that Ramczyk’s career may be over. If that is the case, here’s a look back at how he has impacted the New Orleans Saints.

New Orleans selected Ramczyk out of Wisconsin with the 32nd and final choice in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He was the second offensive lineman picked, with OT Garett Bolles being selected at Number 20 by the Denver Broncos.

A consensus All-American with the Badgers, Ramczyk was part of an outstanding New Orleans draft class that included Marshon Lattimore, Marcus Williams, Alvin Kamara, Alex Anzalone, and Trey Hendrickson. Only Kamara and Lattimore remain on the roster for the Saints this year.

Ramczyk was an immediate starter for the Saints as a rookie. He’d make his first start in the 2017 season opener at Minnesota at left tackle in place of an injured Terron Armstead. During that game, RT Zach Strief went down with an injury. Ramczyk would be moved to right tackle the following week. Other than one game later in the 2017 season when he again filled in for Armstead, Ramczyk would be a fixture on the New Orleans right side for the next several seasons.

In 2017, the Saints ranked second in total offense and fourth in points scored. Quarterback Drew Brees was sacked only 20 times on the year, while the team ranked fifth in rushing production and second in average per run and first in rushing touchdowns.

Ramczyk, who played 100% of the offensive snaps, was overlooked in Pro Bowl voting but earned 2017 All-Rookie Team honors.

New Orleans ranked eighth in total offense and third in points scored during the 2018 season. Brees was sacked a mere 17 times. The Saints owned the league’s seventh ranked rushing attack, averaging 4.3 per attempt and leading the NFL in rushing scores.

Ramczyk was again overlooked by Pro Bowl voters in 2018. However, he did earn 2nd Team All-Pro honors from the Associated Press and Pro football Focus. He’d play every offensive snap through the first 15 games, only sitting out a meaningless season finale along with several other top players. It was the only game that Ramczyk would miss over the first four years of his career.

In 2019, the Saints ranked ninth in total offense and third in scoring production. New Orleans quarterbacks were only sacked 25 times. The team slipped to 16th in rushing yardage, but still averaged 4.3 per carry.

Ramczyk was a consensus 1st Team All-Pro, though still not voted into the Pro Bowl. He’d play a career-high 1,058 snaps on offense, appearing in 99% of the snaps on that side of the ball.

New Orleans ranked 12th in total offense and fifth in scoring during the 2020 season. Brees was sacked only 13 times in 12 games. The Saints ranked sixth in rushing production, averaging 4.6 per carry while leading the league in rushing touchdowns. Ramczyk played 97% of the offensive snaps (1,039) in the process of earning 2nd Team All-Pro honors from the Associated Press.

Since 2021, a once proud and historically prolific New Orleans offense has slipped dramatically. Yes, the retirement of Brees and injury issues with WR Michael Thomas were major contributing factors, as was the resignation of coach Sean Payton after the 2021 season.

Often overlooked with the Saints is the loss of the NFL’s best duo of offensive tackles. Armstead left as a free agent after the 2022 season, while knee issues have made Ramczyk a shadow of the dominant player he’d been.

Ramczyk was one of the most formidable run blockers in the league, a side where the Saints typically preferred to run the ball. As a pass protector, he routinely silenced most of the best pass rushers in the NFL. Ridiculous Pro Bowl snubs notwithstanding, Ramczyk was simply among the best offensive linemen in the league. His value to the Saints has been further highlighted since his injuries.

Between 2017 and 2020, the Saints averaged 380.2 yards of total offense per game and 126.5 rushing yards per contest while averaging 4.5 per carry and giving up 23 sacks per year. Since 2021, that average has been 325.2 yards per game of total offense, 112 on the ground with 3.9 per carry and an average of 36 sacks per year.

In games with Ramczyk in the lineup over the last three years, New Orleans has averaged 21.7 points, 329.6 total yards, and 110.7 rushing yards while averaging 4.0 yards per carry. Without Ramczyk, they’ve averaged 20.2 points, 307.7 total yards, and 107.4 rushing yards with an average of 3.8 per rushing attempt.