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SALT LAKE CITY — Paul Kruger’s search for a new team ended quickly. Only two days after being cut from the Browns, Kruger has signed a contract with the New Orleans Saints. The terms of the deal have not been released.
The New Orleans Saints have been in search for a pass rusher since projected starter, Hau'oli Kikaha, was injured over the summer. While the Saints have tentatively been planning for third-year pro Kasim Edebali to start on the weak side across from pro-bowler Cameron Jordan, the Kruger signing would likely change that.
The Saints, who pursued Kruger during the 2013 when he signed with the Browns, clearly liked what they saw in Kruger during his workout this Tuesday. Kruger had agreed to visit with the Kansas City Chiefs, but the Saints didn’t let him leave New Orleans without a deal.
Coming in the wake of a preseason performance where Saints head coach Sean Payton deemed the pass rush “very concerning,” it’s not a surprise that a new pass rusher is signed. Kruger will play as a defensive end in the Saints' 4-3 scheme.
The combination of Kruger and Jordan will be a big boost to this defense, which ranked 31st in the league last season, allowing over 400 yards a game and 473 points over the course of season. Those numbers are abysmal when you consider the Saints defense was on the field a total of less than 1000 plays last season.
Only 10 teams managed to keep their defense off the field less than 1,000 plays. This means that teams were racking up yards and scoring quickly. With a pass rush, quarterbacks will have less time to look down the field and make big plays. With Drew Brees still playing at a high level, the Saints want to capitalize on the time he has left. Kruger gives them the best option to do that.
