The Los Angeles Chargers are looking to be potential buyers this offseason what with all the cap spaced they have at their disposal. The question remains about who and what position group they will spend the money on. Some point to the defensive side of the ball, while some plead for offensive weapons. However, the most rumors stem from potential additions to the offensive line.
According to several reports, the Chargers could be potential trade candidates for Saints O-lineman Cesar Ruiz. FanSided’s Justin Carter seemed to agree that while Ruiz has his struggles, that he could be the perfect scheme fit for Los Angeles’ new look O-line.
“The Los Angeles Chargers need offensive line help,” Carter wrote. “The team’s inability to give Justin Herbert a clean pocket borders on malpractice, and as good of a move as hiring Mike McDaniel as the OC is, it means nothing if Herbert continues to be harassed by the defense. Saints guard Cesar Ruiz was PFF’s 13th-best-graded guard for pass blocking last season, though he struggled to run block. The Saints could still use him, but maybe they could use the $9.5 million in cap space they save by trading him after June 1 more than they could use Ruiz?”June 1 more than they could use Ruiz?”
Why Cesar Ruiz Makes Sense in a McDaniel-Led Offense
Some of those issues may be concerning, especially considering the Chargers predicate their offensive success on the run game. With the hiring of Mike McDaniel however, Ruiz could be viewed as versatile enough to make a difference. After all, for a quarterback who was sacked 54 times last season, anything would be better than what happened last season.
One other roadblock could be how the Chargers offload certain players. Guard Zion Johnson. is set to hit free agency and after a disappointing four seasons in LA, there’s no reason to think he will stay. Both Mekhi Becton and Bradley Bozeman were trade pickups that were thought to be helpful. Now, they are likely to be cut.
The Financial and Trade-Off Risks the Chargers Must Weigh
If all those things happen, Ruiz could end up being a cheap, easy deal for a player who can pass block effectively. His versatility along the interior of the line, including at center, could fix a myriad number of issues. Still, the Chargers may have to weigh both the negatives and the positives.
While Ruiz could come cheap, his dead cap hit over the next two years could be significant. At 14.196 million dollars for both the 2026 and 2027 seasons, that could be a lot for the Chargers to take on at the time despite their lofty amount of cap space.
One would also think a few high value draft picks would have to be on the table for the Saints to even consider a trade as they continue their rebuild. While the Chargers are in a position of strength, they may have to concede more than they think.
The bottom line is that the Chargers simply must address the interior offensive line or risk being an early playoff exit yet again. Whether or not Ruiz is in the discussion for them remains to be seen.
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