Tom Curran: BJGE could be 2010 starter

[SammyBlueCat]

Does the title "starter" mean much these days?

 

[RayClay]

I really don't think BJGE is being showcased for a trade because Taylor and Morris are injury prone. Why would you trade the one RB who has been in the system two years, and who has clearly shown improvement, that hasn't been hit by the injury bug?

Doesn't a trade mean another team would have to give up something for him?

Come on people, back to the land of reality.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

From what I saw in training camp, all the backs rotated during drills yes, but in the offense v defense drills in which it was clear it was the #1 offense vs #1 defense running plays, Law Firm was the starting RB.

I don't see why it's so out of question to think he could be the starter. Who cares about his draft pedigree.

If the Pats ever released him, Denver would scoop him up in a second.

 

[crowell33]

Maybe our #1 draft pick gets the starting nod, or maybe our undrafted free agent beats him out for the spot. We will all know soon enough.

 

[Kdo5]

I sure hope Benny isn't the best we have.

 

[crowell33]

I sure hope Benny isn't the best we have.

Two big question marks in the division this year..........Benny and the Jets.

 

[mgteich]

It is just possible that we will again carry five running backs. I could see this happening if Belichick think that Green-Ellis is good enough to actually play when two other running backs are out injured. Last year, he didn't have that confidence in Green-Ellis.

Maybe Price's toe injury will be serious enough to put him on IR.
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[RayClay]

Maybe our #1 draft pick gets the starting nod, or maybe our undrafted free agent beats him out for the spot. We will all know soon enough.

You're real excited about this, huh? I'm sure we could trade BJGE's one dimensional style and his 3.1 avg in preseason for a high draft pick if we wanted.

 

[spacecrime]

So my guess is that this is for evaluation purpose.

This is how I saw it. Rather than an edorsement of BJGE, it is an indictment.

I see this as BJGE on the bubble to be cut, and BB wants to know if the guy is worth keeping over Sammy Morris or not.

BB know what Taylor, Morris and Maroney can do. BJGE doesn't often (if at all) have the opportunity to get into a RB rhythm with the first string in meaningful snaps.

So by watching BJGE run with the firsts, he can see if the guy can cut it. He would still be #3 back (I don't include Faulk with RBs - he's a third down back, not a I-back).

The question is: who will be the third back after Maroney-Taylor (or Taylor-Maroney if you prefer)? Morris or BJGE.

BJGE is fighting Morris for the #3 back, and in my opinion he is winning.

 

[Water Boy]

I heard Fred Taylor's interview today on WEEI on the Dale and Holley Show. Michael Holley asked Taylor's opinion on BJGE and Maroney. Taylor was effusive in his praise for BJGE but was much more cryptic about Maroney essentially saying there are a lot of things his still needs to work on.

 

[Patspsycho]

Doesn't a trade mean another team would have to give up something for him?

Come on people, back to the land of reality.

Ok let's assume we trade him for a pick (not a player). Taylor and Morris go down with injury (both have missed games every season they have been here), that leaves Maroney with an unknown backup, such as C. Taylor or Clayton.

How sensible is that?

 

[mgteich]

While I agree with your analysis. I don't agree with your characterization of this as an indictment.

Belichick would like to go with four running backs this year, if he can. Green-Ellis was the #5 last year. Since everyone else is back, it would seem that he would simply be one of the last cut.

INSTEAD, Belichick is allowing him an opportunity to show his stuff with the 1's and compete with Morris for a roster spot. Some would think that he has done little in the past to deserve such consideration. In any case, it seems that he is in competition for a position.

Obviously, the #4 running back will get very few carries during the regular season if Maroney, Taylor and Faulk remain healthy. I think the advantage of Morris is that he can back up both at running back and at 3rd down pack. He can also be the fullback, if Williams is not on the team or is inactive.

This is how I saw it. Rather than an edorsement of BJGE, it is an indictment.

I see this as BJGE on the bubble to be cut, and BB wants to know if the guy is worth keeping over Sammy Morris or not.

BB know what Taylor, Morris and Maroney can do. BJGE doesn't often (if at all) have the opportunity to get into a RB rhythm with the first string in meaningful snaps.

So by watching BJGE run with the firsts, he can see if the guy can cut it. He would still be #3 back (I don't include Faulk with RBs - he's a third down back, not a I-back).

The question is: who will be the third back after Maroney-Taylor (or Taylor-Maroney if you prefer)? Morris or BJGE.

BJGE is fighting Morris for the #3 back, and in my opinion he is winning.

 

[Patspsycho]

Tom Curran said on Comcast Sportstonight that it is his understanding that Ben Jarvis Green Ellis and Maroney are both now tied for the starting half back position on the New England Patriots.

Neither BJGE or Maroney are half backs.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

If Tom E says he could be the starter my money is on BJGE getting cut.

 

[ahmed]

If Tom E says he could be the starter my money is on BJGE getting cut.

lol... BJGE never showed me that he could be our feature back so I don't see it either.

 

[Patspsycho]

Belichick would like to go with four running backs this year, if he can.

How do you know this?

In camp, specifically the joint practices, the four RB's I mentioned were working with 1st/2nd string LB'ers, and BJGE, Clayton, and C. Taylor were working with 3rd string Saints LB. The two field were specifically divided up so that the Saints 3rd string was working with Patriots 3rd string.

Hence my theory for the 5 RB for this season. What is your 4 man theory based on?

 

[TimU]

There is one big reason to believe Curran's story: it is the simplest explanation for the fact that BJGE started and played all the way with the "1"s. None of the other explanations really make sense, or sound like the way BB works.

 

[Patspsycho]

There is one big reason to believe Curran's story: it is the simplest explanation for the fact that BJGE started and played all the way with the "1"s. None of the other explanations really make sense, or sound like the way BB works.

You need to meet "I-bleed-blue"

 

[mgteich]

First, no one knows what the final roster will be for Game 2, after the usual transactions right before and after Game 1.
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We will likely carry a 3rd TE this year, one of whom is an h-back (Hernandez) instead of the
redundant fifth running back. Because of injuries, Green-Ellis got the 5th RB spot =last year. However, this was a developmental position, with almost no reps. Even when two running abcks were injured at the same time, Green-Ellis played not at all. Given that all the running backs have contracts running out after this season, it was deemed prudent to see if Green-Ellis would develop into anything.

So, here we are. Has Green-Ellis developed enough to be the 4th running back or not. We shall see.

How practices are organized does not determine the final roster. Personally, I think that we need a starting RB, a 3rd round back and a backup for each position.

Just BTW, 3rd stringers generally don't make the team. Green-Ellis should be glad that he plays a posiiton where a 3rd stringer has a shot.

How do you know this?

In camp, specifically the joint practices, the four RB's I mentioned were working with 1st/2nd string LB'ers, and BJGE, Clayton, and C. Taylor were working with 3rd string Saints LB. The two field were specifically divided up so that the Saints 3rd string was working with Patriots 3rd string.

Hence my theory for the 5 RB for this season. What is your 4 man theory based on?

 

[Patspsycho]

Further, Curran says that Fred Taylor made a point of coming over to him and asking him to put into print that " Ben Jarvis deserves this opportunity to be the lead back. He is a good running back. Print that. "

Here is what Curran said in print:

2. Strange running back deployment Thursday night. It's not a shocker that Fred Taylor and Sammy Morris were on ice for the night. This is one of those "go easy on the old guys" games. But to see BenJarvus Green-Ellis getting virtually all the first-team reps instead of Laurence Maroney was eye-opening. Why? Three possibilities. A) BJGE was being showcased for a trade. (I don't buy that; the Pats running back depth isn't great.) B) A message is being sent to the not-terribly-consistent Maroney. C) Green-Ellis has moved ahead of Maroney on the depth chart. I don't know which one it is, but it was interesting that Fred Taylor said with emphasis that Green-Ellis "needs an opportunity. He's a very good running back."

Patriots 27, Saints 24: Five points to remember