Saints trade RB Bennett to Kansas City

The Saints would have liked to have kept Michael Bennett as insurance at running back, but decided to trade him to Kansas City in exchange for an undisclosed 2007 draft choice.

Bennett, a former Pro Bowl selection for the Minnesota Vikings, signed as a free agent with the Saints before Reggie Bush was shockingly passed over by Houston in the draft and dropped to the Saints, who had the second pick.

As a speedy, versatile running back, Bennett chose to sign with New Orleans with the expectation he would complement Deuce McAllister’s power running style. Once Bush was drafted, Bennett dropped in the depth chart and the team did not want to undermine its reputation with future free agents by keeping Bennett from a better opportunity to get in the game.

“It’s in his case a great opportunity to obviously be somewhere where he’s going to compete for more playing time,” Payton said. “We made the decision last night. The opportunity for him in Kansas City will be a great one. The thing about him, it’s unique in our business now in this day and age, his approach the last four or five months has been unbelievable. We wish him well, because he’s a good football player and a good guy.”