The Denver Broncos' offensive line was dealt a devastating blow when guard Ben Powers suffered a significant injury.
Powers tore his biceps in the Week 5 win over the Philadelphia Eagles and is now expected to miss at least two months, but it's also possible he won't be back this season after we've seen other players with the same injury suffer that fate.
Alex Palczewski has performed admirably in Powers' stead, but it remains to be seen how long that will last, especially after he posted a season-low 34.9 pass-blocking grade in Week 8 against a Dallas Cowboys defense that has been struggling in the pass-rush all season long.
If the Broncos are looking for more help, they should consider putting in a call to the New Orleans Saints, who are believed to be open to trading guard Cesar Ruiz, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
"Teams I've spoken to are under the impression that guard Cesar Ruiz might be available at the right price," Fowler wrote in his weekly NFL buzz article.
A former first-round pick, Ruiz offers the Broncos a more proven option to play guard, and he's under contract through 2027, so he won't just be a rental and potentially could replace Powers in 2026 if the Broncos want to cut ties.
Ruiz is in the midst of a down season, but perhaps a change of scenery to a team with a chance to win will help.
Ruiz is still a plus pass-protector with a 65.2 pass-blocking grade, according to Pro Football Focus, and we've seen him play better than the 46.0 run-blocking grade he has after he posted a 64.4 mark in 2024.
We definitely wouldn't consider acquiring Ruiz a slam dunk for the Broncos at all, but with the pickings slim in terms of the offensive line market in general, he may end up being the best available option out there.
NFL trade rumors