Saints place Ramczyk on IR with career-threatening knee injury

The New Orleans Saints placed starting right tackle Ryan Ramczyk on injured reserve due to an ongoing knee ailment.

Ramczyk, 29, has a cartilage defect in his knee that has cast a cloud of uncertainty over his career, he said Thursday, according to ESPN's Katherine Terrell. The wear and tear has caused the cartilage in his knee to deteriorate, he added.

"This year, it's bugged me a little bit more than it has in the past," he said. "At some point, I just couldn't play anymore."

He's expected to consult with doctors in the offseason to figure out if there's a solution to the issues that have plagued his knee for over three campaigns. Ramczyk hasn't decided on his next steps, but surgery is a possibility.

Ramczyk didn't miss a single game during his first four seasons in the league, which included being named a first-team All-Pro in 2019. However, he missed seven contests during his 2021 campaign due to his knee. He chose not to undergo surgery after that season, opting to manage the problem by taking injections. He returned for the 2022 season and didn't suffer a setback throughout the year.

New Orleans has attempted to help Ramczyk manage the issue by providing him with a rest day during each practice week. He said he's been dealing with pain in the knee since Week 1.

The Wisconsin product signed a five-year, $96-million contract extension with the Saints in 2021. He has three years remaining on the deal, which will have a significant impact on the team's salary camp moving forward.

Despite playing through pain and the uncertainty of what the future will look like next season, Ramczyk isn't considering retirement.

"I feel like I'm not done yet. I feel like I still want to play," Ramczyk said. "I feel like I'm still passionate about the game. When you think about it like that, my mind frame is, 'I want to play, and I want to keep doing it, so what can I do to get better, to not have this happen in-season?'"