New Orleans Saints Trade Draft Pick For Linebacker Barrett Ruud
The New Orleans Saints announced tonight that they have traded an undisclosed draft pick to the Seattle Seahawks for linebacker Barrett Ruud. The Saints have moved swiftly to bolster their linebacker corps in lieu of the recent injuries. Linebackers Chris Chamberlain, Curtis Lofton, and David Hawthorne have all sustained injuries of various degrees. Furthermore, linebackers Jonathan Vilma, Ramon Humber, and Lawrence Wilson will all serve different lengths of suspensions this season. The Saints are incredibly thin at linebacker and Ruud will provide some depth and stability at the linebacker position.
The Saints continue to impress me with their great signings and how fast they react to an injured or suspended player. During the offseason the Saints made moves to revamp their linebacker corps and before all of the injuries and suspensions boasted one of the deepest linebacker corps in the NFL. Now, the Saints linebacker corps are depleted and they need help fast. Ruud will be able to give the Saints the help they need and “stop the bleeding.”
Ruud is a veteran in the NFL and will be entering his eight season. Ruud spent the majority of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and played last season for the Tennessee Titans. Ruud did not play for the Seahawks yet and he won’t be now that the Saints acquired him. Ruud is a 6’2″ 241 pound middle linebacker and he will probably come in and start right away given all of the injuries to the Saints’ linebackers.
Ruud has career totals of 644 tackles, five sacks, and seven interceptions. Ruud will be able to give the Saints some much needed depth and was a great pickup for the Saints as they only had to give up a draft pick. Even though this was a desperation move by the Saints it is still a smart move and really could not have come at a better time.
Alejandro Aviles is the Featured Writer for the New Orleans Saints at Rant Sports.
You can follow him on Twitter @aaviles312
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