Seattle Seahawks have high expectations of linebacker Barrett Ruud – NFL News
Seattle Seahawks leading tackler, David Hawthorne, left the team to join the New Orleans Saints, leaving the Seahawks in a difficult situation to fill in the void.
However, the team has recently signed veteran linebacker Barrett Ruud off the free agency and as they prepare for the next National Football League (NFL) season, the management has set high expectations of the player.
Ruud, a seven-year veteran, started his professional career with Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2005. He played six seasons with the Bucs before joining Tennessee Titans.
He could not have enough success with Titans as his progress was hampered by a season-ending injury. He played only nine games in the last season and registered a total of 57 tackles and one interception.
Ruud is still not hundred percent fit and will require some time to get back in proper shape and rhythm. Even though it is an established fact that he is not completely fit, the management is expecting him to recover soon and perform well for the Seahawks.
Seahawks’ head coach, Pete Carroll, while acknowledging that the first priority of the management is to get Ruud healthy, said:
“When he gets full speed, he can play. He started six years in the NFL at (middle linebacker). So that’s a tremendous boost for us right now, knowing that we have a guy that understands the scheme, is bright, can lead us and call (the defence).”
Seahawks’ defensive coordinator, Gus Bradley, who has coached Ruud when both were serving Tampa Bay, also thinks that the player’s experience will help Seahawks improve on defence.
Even the player himself is hopeful of living up to the expectations. He informed that his recovery would take a month or two, which means that he will be able to participate in the team’s training camp before the start of the preseason.
He said:
“I’ve played a lot of football, and I know how to play. And I can still play at a high level. I feel great now and should be healthy in another month or so.
“Hopefully, I can be a big part of the team.”
Ruud has also taken part in the team’s offseason voluntary workout programme.
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