{"id":174192,"date":"2026-04-08T01:51:51","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T01:51:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=174192"},"modified":"2026-04-08T01:51:51","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T01:51:51","slug":"%f0%9f%9a%a8-breaking-he-chose-new-orleans-the-saints-offensive-lineman-rejected-a-38m-offer-from-the-panthers-and-turned-down-buccaneers-interest-to-sign-a-33m-extension-a-stunning-deci","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=174192","title":{"rendered":"\ud83d\udea8 BREAKING: He chose New Orleans \u2014 the Saints offensive lineman rejected a $38M offer from the Panthers and turned down Buccaneers interest to sign a $33M extension! A stunning decision where loyalty beats money in a highly competitive market. This isn\u2019t just an extension\u2026 it\u2019s a statement that the Saints are holding onto their core.\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n
\n

New Orleans, Louisiana \u2013 The Saints continue shaping their roster with a decision that highlights loyalty, stability, and a long-term vision ahead of a crucial 2026 season.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Amid rising competition across the NFC, maintaining consistency along the offensive line has become a top priority for the organization entering the offseason.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

\"Article<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

One key contributor quietly became the center of attention after drawing strong interest from multiple division rivals during free agency negotiations.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Cesar Ruiz ultimately chose to remain with the Saints, turning down more lucrative opportunities to stay in New Orleans.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Saints lineman faced with hefty suspension for PEDs<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Sources confirmed the Carolina Panthers offered a three-year contract worth thirty-eight million dollars in an aggressive attempt to secure his services.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

At the same time, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers also expressed strong interest, exploring a competitive deal to lure him away from New Orleans.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Those offers significantly exceeded the final agreement he accepted with the Saints, making his decision even more notable across league circles.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Instead, he signed a three-year extension valued at thirty-three million dollars, committing to continue protecting the offense and supporting its development.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

His decision reflects more than financial calculation, emphasizing belief in the system, culture, and direction established within the Saints organization.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Ruiz, drafted in 2020, quickly established himself as a key figure on the Saints’ offensive line, earning recognition for his strong blocking and versatility at both center and guard positions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Last season, the offensive line faced adversity following injuries that forced adjustments and demanded flexibility from multiple players across key positions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Ruiz stepped into a central role, transitioning seamlessly between guard and center, stabilizing the unit during a critical stretch of the season.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

His performance brought balance, allowing the offense to function efficiently while creating opportunities for both the passing and running game.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Protecting Derek Carr remained a primary focus, and his presence contributed to improved pocket security and offensive rhythm.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Coaches praised his consistency, noting his ability to read defenses, communicate adjustments, and execute assignments under pressure throughout the season.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Despite strong interest from Carolina and Tampa Bay, he emphasized that his final decision was driven by factors beyond financial incentives and short-term gains.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

“Carolina made a very strong offer and Tampa Bay also showed real interest, and I had to seriously think about it, but New Orleans believed in me from the beginning and we have built something special here that I want to keep growing and be part of moving forward together.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Leadership within the organization viewed retaining him as a foundational move to preserve continuity and strengthen the offensive identity moving forward.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

His versatility at both guard and center positions provides valuable depth while minimizing disruption during inevitable in-season adjustments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Under head coach Dennis Allen, stability along the offensive line remains essential to controlling tempo and executing the team\u2019s strategic vision.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

This decision reinforces the franchise commitment to building a cohesive unit capable of competing consistently at the highest level.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

For Ruiz, the choice represents more than a contract; it reflects a commitment to legacy, continuity, and the pursuit of success in New Orleans.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

New Orleans, Louisiana \u2013 The Saints continue shaping their roster with a decision that highlights loyalty, stability, and a long-term vision ahead of a crucial 2026 season…. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":174194,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-174192","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\n\ud83d\udea8 BREAKING: He chose New Orleans \u2014 the Saints offensive lineman rejected a $38M offer from the Panthers and turned down Buccaneers interest to sign a $33M extension! A stunning decision where loyalty beats money in a highly competitive market. This isn\u2019t just an extension\u2026 it\u2019s a statement that the Saints are holding onto their core.\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=174192\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\ud83d\udea8 BREAKING: He chose New Orleans \u2014 the Saints offensive lineman rejected a $38M offer from the Panthers and turned down Buccaneers interest to sign a $33M extension! A stunning decision where loyalty beats money in a highly competitive market. This isn\u2019t just an extension\u2026 it\u2019s a statement that the Saints are holding onto their core.\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"New Orleans, Louisiana \u2013 The Saints continue shaping their roster with a decision that highlights loyalty, stability, and a long-term vision ahead of a crucial 2026 season....\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=174192\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-08T01:51:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avtsa-4.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1350\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"KING\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"KING\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=174192\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=174192\",\"name\":\"\ud83d\udea8 BREAKING: He chose New Orleans \u2014 the Saints offensive lineman rejected a $38M offer from the Panthers and turned down Buccaneers interest to sign a $33M extension! A stunning decision where loyalty beats money in a highly competitive market. This isn\u2019t just an extension\u2026 it\u2019s a statement that the Saints are holding onto their core.\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=174192#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=174192#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avtsa-4.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-08T01:51:51+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-08T01:51:51+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/c39bbfd04943c9a6066d47398d20dc83\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=174192#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=174192\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=174192#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avtsa-4.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avtsa-4.jpg\",\"width\":1080,\"height\":1350},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=174192#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"\ud83d\udea8 BREAKING: He chose New Orleans \u2014 the Saints offensive lineman rejected a $38M offer from the Panthers and turned down Buccaneers interest to sign a $33M extension! A stunning decision where loyalty beats money in a highly competitive market. This isn\u2019t just an extension\u2026 it\u2019s a statement that the Saints are holding onto their core.\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/\",\"name\":\"NEWS USA\",\"description\":\"Your Daily Dose of Sports News and Updates\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/c39bbfd04943c9a6066d47398d20dc83\",\"name\":\"KING\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9d48a8db62ae2a08ff5a16c43ac5bf806c0ea86d3af70f223f379b8ea2c9245c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9d48a8db62ae2a08ff5a16c43ac5bf806c0ea86d3af70f223f379b8ea2c9245c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"KING\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?author=1\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"\ud83d\udea8 BREAKING: He chose New Orleans \u2014 the Saints offensive lineman rejected a $38M offer from the Panthers and turned down Buccaneers interest to sign a $33M extension! A stunning decision where loyalty beats money in a highly competitive market. This isn\u2019t just an extension\u2026 it\u2019s a statement that the Saints are holding onto their core.\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=174192","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"\ud83d\udea8 BREAKING: He chose New Orleans \u2014 the Saints offensive lineman rejected a $38M offer from the Panthers and turned down Buccaneers interest to sign a $33M extension! A stunning decision where loyalty beats money in a highly competitive market. This isn\u2019t just an extension\u2026 it\u2019s a statement that the Saints are holding onto their core.\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA","og_description":"New Orleans, Louisiana \u2013 The Saints continue shaping their roster with a decision that highlights loyalty, stability, and a long-term vision ahead of a crucial 2026 season....","og_url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=174192","og_site_name":"NEWS USA","article_published_time":"2026-04-08T01:51:51+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1080,"height":1350,"url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avtsa-4.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"KING","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"KING","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=174192","url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=174192","name":"\ud83d\udea8 BREAKING: He chose New Orleans \u2014 the Saints offensive lineman rejected a $38M offer from the Panthers and turned down Buccaneers interest to sign a $33M extension! A stunning decision where loyalty beats money in a highly competitive market. This isn\u2019t just an extension\u2026 it\u2019s a statement that the Saints are holding onto their core.\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=174192#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=174192#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avtsa-4.jpg","datePublished":"2026-04-08T01:51:51+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-08T01:51:51+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/c39bbfd04943c9a6066d47398d20dc83"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=174192#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=174192"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=174192#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avtsa-4.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avtsa-4.jpg","width":1080,"height":1350},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=174192#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"\ud83d\udea8 BREAKING: He chose New Orleans \u2014 the Saints offensive lineman rejected a $38M offer from the Panthers and turned down Buccaneers interest to sign a $33M extension! A stunning decision where loyalty beats money in a highly competitive market. This isn\u2019t just an extension\u2026 it\u2019s a statement that the Saints are holding onto their core.\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/","name":"NEWS USA","description":"Your Daily Dose of Sports News and Updates","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/c39bbfd04943c9a6066d47398d20dc83","name":"KING","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9d48a8db62ae2a08ff5a16c43ac5bf806c0ea86d3af70f223f379b8ea2c9245c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9d48a8db62ae2a08ff5a16c43ac5bf806c0ea86d3af70f223f379b8ea2c9245c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"KING"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com"],"url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?author=1"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174192","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=174192"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174192\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":174199,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174192\/revisions\/174199"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/174194"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=174192"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=174192"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=174192"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}