Saints Trade Guard Ben Grubbs To Chiefs For 5th Round Pick
Ben Grubbs was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs for a 5th round pick in this year’s 2015 NFL Draft. In what has started as a furious free agency period in the NFL the Saints seem to be cashing in with deals not many thought they had the bargaining power to make.
By trading Grubbs instead of outright releasing him they save $3.6 million this year while losing the potential for dead money the next two seasons. This move helps the future more than immediately, but the freed cap space could help the team sign players like C.J. Spiller and Brandon Browner who they are actively targeting.
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Reggie Bush, Spiller, Browner and Tramon Williams have all been targeting by the Saints in the past couple of days as the team looks to solidify holes in the team and a porous secondary.
What could quite possibly be the biggest benefit of the recent moves is the additional of multiple draft picks as the Saints now currently sit with 8. There is potential for another 1-2 picks to be added as compensatory picks for players lost during last year’s free agency period.
Given Mickey Loomis and Sean’s tendencies to trade up in the draft, having a plethora of picks to wheel and deal can come in handy. Still, trading Grubbs does create a hole in the offensive line that will need to either be filled with in house talent such as Tim Lelito, or through this year’s upcoming draft.
According to Pro Football Focus, Grubbs was a solid pass protector but struggled in run blocking. If the Saints moves are any indication, the team is attempting to move towards a more balanced approach.