CESAR RUIZ AND DILLON RADUNZ 2025 SEASON ANALYSIS
The Saints used the third most unique 5-man offensive line combinations in the NFL this season and the guard position was no different. Cesar Ruiz took the most snaps in the right guard position. Ruiz started 14 games in his sixth season with the Saints, missing some time with ankle injuries.
Offensive lineman Dillon Radunz spent the most time at the left guard position in his first year with the Saints and fifth in the NFL, taking over as the full-time starter after the trade of guard/tackle Trevor Penning. Radunz played in 15 games tallying 10 starts.
It was a challenging year for the Saints interior with the team struggling to generate a push in the middle resulting in a rushing attack that ranked 31st in yards per play with 3.69 yards a carry. The Saints guards held up better in pass protection. Pro Football Focus credited Ruiz with three sacks allowed and Radunz with one.
BEST GAME OF CESAR RUIZ AND DILLON RADUNZ'S 2025 SEASON
The Saints guards helped plow the road for the Saints offense with a season high 423 yards and 34 points in a Week 17 victory against the Tennessee Titans. The rushing game contributed 103 yards and a touchdown on the ground. They also kept quarterback Tyler Shough upright only conceding two sacks for a loss of 13 yards to a defensive interior lead by All-Pro Jeffery Simmons, helping the Saints put up 320 yards through the air and another two touchdowns.
General Manager Mickey Loomis, on the interior of the offensive line being a priority in the offseason:
Well, I think that the number one thing there is we've got to stay healthy. Erik McCoy is a really, really good player, but he's been injured the last few years. So, we have to examine that. Hey, are we putting him in difficult positions? How can we correct that, not let that happen again? Cesar is a really good player and yet I think we've got to get more out of him as well. Obviously, Dillon stepped in after the Trevor (Penning) trade. I thought he did a good job. So, we'll evaluate that interior offensive line. And I think by the way we had a number of guys step in. Luke (Fortner) came in and played for Erik and did a good job, but we're going to evaluate that position and we've got some free agents there. So it's going to be an area we pay a lot of attention to in the offseason.
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints center/guard Cesar Ruiz and offensive lineman Dillon Radunz in action throughout the 2025 NFL season.
C/G Cesar Ruiz (51) and QB Spencer Rattler (2) in action during the New Orleans Saints game against the San Francisco 49ers for Week 2 of the 2025 NFL season on Sept. 14, 2025 at Caesars Superdome.
OL Dillon Radunz (77) in poisition during the New Orleans Saints game against the Arizona Cardinals for Week 1 of the 2025 NFL Season on Sept. 7, 2025 at Caesars Superdome.
C/G Cesar Ruiz (51) blocks during the New Orleans Saints game against the Arizona Cardinals for Week 1 of the 2025 NFL Season on Sept. 7, 2025 at Caesars Superdome.
C/G Cesar Ruiz (51) during the New Orleans Saints game against the Arizona Cardinals for Week 1 of the 2025 NFL Season on Sept. 7, 2025 at Caesars Superdome.
OL Dillon Radunz (77) blocks during the New Orleans Saints game against the San Francisco 49ers for Week 2 of the 2025 NFL season on Sept. 14, 2025 at Caesars Superdome.
OL Dillon Radunz (77) blocks QB Spencer Rattler (2) during the New Orleans Saints game against the San Francisco 49ers for Week 2 of the 2025 NFL season on Sept. 14, 2025 at Caesars Superdome.
C/G Cesar Ruiz (51) in action during the New Orleans Saints game against the Seattle Seahawks for Week 3 of the 2025 NFL Season on Sept. 21, 2025 at Lumen Field.
C/G Cesar Ruiz (51) blocks during the New Orleans Saints game against the Buffalo Bills for Week 4 of the 2025 NFL Season on Sept. 28, 2025 at Highmark Stadium.
C/G Cear Ruiz (51) and C/G Erik McCoy (78) in action during the New Orleans Saints game against the New England Patriots for Week 6 of the 2025 NFL season on October 12, 2025 at Caesars Superdome.
C/G Cesar Ruiz (51) gets ready to block during the New Orleans Saints game against the New England Patriots for Week 6 of the 2025 NFL season on October 12, 2025 at Caesars Superdome.
C/G Cesar Ruiz (51) blocks during the New Orleans Saints game against the Chicago Bears for Week 7 of the 2025 NFL season on Oct. 19, 2025 at Soldier Field.
C/G Cesar Ruiz (51) blocks as RB Alvin Kamara (41) runs with the ball during the New Orleans Saints game against the Chicago Bears for Week 7 of the 2025 NFL season on Oct. 19, 2025 at Soldier Field.
C/G Cesar Ruiz (51) during the New Orleans Saints game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Week 8 of the 2025 NFL season on Oct. 26, 2025 at the Caesars Superdome.
C/G Cesar Ruiz (51) during the New Orleans Saints game against the Los Angeles Rams for Week 9 of the 2025 NFL season on Nov. 2, 2025 at SoFi Stadium.
OL Dillon Radunz (77) in action during the New Orleans Saints game against the Carolina Panthers for Week 10 of the 2025 NFL season on Nov. 9, 2025 at Bank of America Stadium.
OL Dillon Radunz (77) runs onto the field during the New Orleans Saints game against the Carolina Panthers for Week 10 of the 2025 NFL season on Nov. 9, 2025 at Bank of America Stadium.
C/G Cesar Ruiz (51) blocks during the New Orleans Saints game against the Atlanta Falcons for Week 12 of the 2025 NFL season on Nov. 23, 2025 at the Caesars Superdome.
OL Dillon Radunz (77) prepares for the snap during the New Orleans Saints game against the Miami Dolphins for Week 13 of the 2025 NFL season on Nov. 30, 2025 at Hard Rock Stadium.
OL Dillon Radunz (77) gets ready during the New Orleans Saints game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Week 14 of the 2025 NFL season on Dec. 7, 2025 at Raymond James Stadium.
Saints' offensive line looks in the distance during the New Orleans Saints game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Week 14 of the 2025 NFL season on Dec. 7, 2025 at Raymond James Stadium.
C/G Cesar Ruiz (51) in action during the New Orleans Saints game against the Carolina Panthers for Week 15 of the 2025 NFL season on Dec. 14, 2025 at the Caesars Superdome.
OL Dillon Radunz (77) blocks QB Tyler Shough (6) during the New Orleans Saints game against the Carolina Panthers for Week 15 of the 2025 NFL season on Dec. 14, 2025 at the Caesars Superdome.
Check out the game action photos from the New Orleans Saints game against the Tennessee Titans for Week 17 of the 2025 NFL season on Dec. 28, 2025 at Nissan Stadium.
Check out the game action photos from the New Orleans Saints game against the Atlanta Falcons for Week 18 of the 2025 NFL season on Jan. 4, 2026 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
C/G Cesar Ruiz (51) blocks during the New Orleans Saints game against the Atlanta Falcons for Week 18 of the 2025 NFL season on Jan. 4, 2026 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
