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Why Falcons were willing to trade Ruke Orhorhoro to Jaguars
TL;DR
The Atlanta Falcons traded Ruke Orhorhoro to the Jacksonville Jaguars to acquire Maason Smith, whom they have evaluated for a while. Falcons GM Ian Cunningham highlighted Smith's versatility and potential in their defensive scheme.
Key points
- Falcons traded Ruke Orhorhoro to Jaguars
- Acquired Maason Smith for defensive enhancement
- GM Ian Cunningham praised Smith's versatility
Atlanta FalconsJacksonville Jaguars
Liam Coen recently explained why the Jacksonville Jaguars were comfortable moving on from Maason Smith and wanted to bring in Ruke Orhorhoro to help bolster the defensive tackle position.
But on the flip side of that, why did the Falcons want to acquire Smith and part with Orhorhoro?
Falcons' GM Ian Cunningham recently explained why Atlanta had their eyes on Smith.
“We’ve evaluated him for a while, since his time at LSU,” Cunningham said, via Falcons on SI. “Obviously, everybody knows the measurables, but it's a player that can play nose tackle and the three-tech for us. We really are excited about him in the attacking front and being able to get upfield. He is strong. He's physical. We're excited about his upside and getting him with Coach [Jeff] Ulbrich and Coach [Nate] Ollie to see him take that next step.”
Smith is listed at 6-6, 315 pounds, while Orhorhoro measures in at 6-4, 295 pounds. That size difference, which favors Smith, better suits him to "work inside," as Atlanta head coach Kevin Stefanski said, whereas Orhorhoro is more of an "inside to outside" defender. Stefanski adds that the usage of Smith and Orhorhoro does differ.
The Jaguars are hoping that Orhorhoro can give them some added pass-rush juice from the defensive tackle position.
Q&A
Why did the Falcons trade Ruke Orhorhoro to the Jaguars?
The Falcons traded Ruke Orhorhoro to acquire Maason Smith, a player they have been evaluating for his versatility and potential in their defensive lineup.
What are Maason Smith's strengths that attracted the Falcons?
Maason Smith is known for his strong physicality and ability to play both nose tackle and three-tech positions, which fits well into the Falcons' defensive strategy.
Who is Ruke Orhorhoro and what was his role with the Falcons?
Ruke Orhorhoro was a defensive tackle for the Falcons, and his trade was part of a strategy to enhance their defensive front by bringing in Maason Smith.
