BJGE - if he walks, how confident are we in Ridley and Vereen at RB?

[supafly]

Agreed. BB will bring in a vet for insurance. I think Vereen is going to get more carries than Ridley. Vereen looked good when he played garbage time towards the end of the season.

I think the threat of Vereen in the passing game can have some potential too.

Maybe 25-30 passes out of the backfield to take away from some predictability in certain RB personnel groupings.

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

The OC will never fully incorporate the running game into the offense with BJGE as the starter despite him being steady and reliable.

 

[IcyPatriot]

The OC will never fully incorporate the running game into the offense with BJGE as the starter despite him being steady and reliable.

I do believe he will incorporate Woodhead more than O'Brien did ... catching passes a bit more.

 

[patsfan13]

This about covers it. "We can assume that Ridley will work on ball security" ( and we can hope he fixes the fumble problems that he has had both last season and at LSU ) we can HOPE "Vareen will catch 30 balls"

I remember his first couple of years Faulk would put the ball on the ground and worked on ball security and became reliable in that area over the course of his career. We can be sure I Fears is addressing that every day with Ridley.

With BJGE it isn't hope. The guy delivers. He is very durable, an above average blocker, never dances, is great around the goal line ( 24 TD's the last two seasons ? ) and he never ever fumbles. He also has been a decent receiver out of the backfield. Sign this guy.

Yep well said.

It's nice to have a guy who never fumbles and can grind out a couple of yards every carry in the red zone, noting worse than taking points off the board with a TO in the red zone. Bad situational football when you do...

 

[crowell33]

Not fumbling is nice, but you have to do more in the NFL than not screw up. Not that he does nothing else, but he just doesn't have the level of skills that starting RBs have in this league.

BJGE easily the best Patriots running back since Corey Dillion. Is anyone since Dillon even close to BJGE ?

 

[crowell33]

Maybe if you ignore the 10 fumbles in college but keep spreading that myth.



Link

BJGE has never fumbled. Happy to provide you with as many links as you would like :

BenJarvus Green-Ellis reaches the 1,000-yard plateau | masslive.com

 

[supafly]

BJGE easily the best Patriots running back since Corey Dillion. Is anyone since Dillon even close to BJGE ?

While I think you're right about that, it probably speaks volumes about our RB situation in the past 5-6 yrs that this fact is true.

I've been a huge Green Ellis supporter since day one, regularly backing him and arguing with those who said he wouldn't make the roster, wouldn't play once he did, etc. I think we can all appreciate a guy like BJGE who has overcome odds and proven a worthy player on this team.

However, we've seen the ideal kind of player leave before if offered a better deal than the Pats want to match, so I think the situation may be leaning towards him leaving at this point; especially if Cincy (or other) will lure him with the thought of extended carries vs a RBBC system here. That may entice him just as much as money, and if he's on the fence I wouldn't be surprised if that aspect was very important to him.

It's tough to try and guess just how much his injury affected him last yr, and there's probably only a handful of people who really know the answer to that question. I think there's a significant enough difference between how he ran in 2010 vs how he ran in 2011.

Personally, I am hoping that he stays, and I am chalking some of his lowered effectiveness up to his injury last yr; however many others feel that the position can be upgraded with his departure, and I can certainly understand that too.

 

[Deus Irae]

BJGE easily the best Patriots running back since Corey Dillion. Is anyone since Dillon even close to BJGE ?

Maroney was better when healthy, particularly in 2006-2007. Taylor was better when healthy. Faulk was better, but was a 3rd down back. Woodhead is better, but plays a different role.

 

[supafly]

BJGE has never fumbled. Happy to provide you with as many links as you would like :

BenJarvus Green-Ellis reaches the 1,000-yard plateau | masslive.com

I have also seen some posters here provide a play by play of at least one or two of his fumbles in college. I cannot remember if he lost any though, that may be the key of the discussion.

I believe that Sciz provided a breakdown of one or two of his fumbles in the NCAA, but again..I don't remember if he was credited with losing any or not.

I have definitely seen evidence that he did fumble in college though.

Regardless, I don't mean to be argumentitive about it, and it really shouldn't matter anyway. The fact is that he has never fumbled in the NFL, and that is an incredible feat that speaks volumes about his consistancy.

 

[supafly]

I do believe he will incorporate Woodhead more than O'Brien did ... catching passes a bit more.

I agree too. I think that Woodhead and (hopefully) Vereen will be utilized a bit more in the passing game.

This also may coincide with how BB plans on filling some of the targets of a possibly departed Branch. Or, it may be enough of a guess to realize that there are several options as far as needing that WR1 that we all want.

We may still get a young and speedy WR in the draft to start opposite Welker, and he may be able to do the job good enough to open up some of the routes and help to keep the defense honest--even if he doesn't produce as much as we would like.

Or, we may finally see a vast improvement at targeting a WR outside of the numbers a bit more, and get the best of both worlds in the process. Either way, I expect a bit more of a relience on the RB's in the passing game, as opposed to BOB.

 

[mgteich]

Without Green-Ellis,

We HOPE that Ridley/Vareen will be more effective than Green-Ellis/Ridley.

We would then go from a running game that has a good chance of improving to one based on hope.

Green-Ellis/Ridley/Vareen/Woodhead is likely to be an improvement over 2011. We might even keep Polite or another fullback, giving us 5 rb's as we had this year.

 

[supafly]

Without Green-Ellis,

We HOPE that Ridley/Vareen will be more effective than Green-Ellis/Ridley.

We would then go from a running game that has a good chance of improving to one based on hope.

Green-Ellis/Ridley/Vareen/Woodhead is likely to be an improvement over 2011. We might even keep Polite or another fullback, giving us 5 rb's as we had this year.

What do you think about the theory that the traditional fullback position may just not be a great fit in this specific offense? Do you buy into that?

Is it possible that a fullback like Polite may just not be able to get utilized as effectively as in other offenses? It kind of seemed that way when they acquired him down the stretch last season.

Of course we all clamored for a fullback here, not only to help with blitz pickup, but also to obviously block and open up holes..however, with the personnel groupings that are mainly used here, we didn't see much use or effectiveness. Was it just too predictable?

Or is this theory just grasping at straws?

It could be argued that the loss of a guy like Green-Ellis may help to lean Belichick more towards keeping a guy like Polite though. I guess we will find out how he feels soon enough.

Oddly enough, I have argued towards keeping 5 RB's for the past 2-3 yrs, but I believe that in this upcoming yr I may be leaning more towards the traditional 4 (with one on the practice squad of course). I suppose that we'd also have to see who exactly those 4 or 5 choices are though, before trying to predict personnel numbers.

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

I liked Lawfirm, because even though the whole world knew they were going to run, he'd get you positive yardage. Maroney,,,,not so much. I really want more play action out of these 2 te formations. That would open things up a bit for Ridley/ Vareen to use their speed. But thats an argument for another thread

I hope Lawfirm comes back, but I think they'll be fine if he leaves.

 

[supafly]

I hope Lawfirm comes back, but I think they'll be fine if he leaves.

I think this is exactly what the situation comes down to.

I'm hoping he stays too though.

 

[ATippett56]

Green-Ellis hopes deal with Pats gets done

Green-Ellis hopes deal with Pats gets done | ProFootballTalk

 

[supafly]

Green-Ellis hopes deal with Pats gets done

Green-Ellis hopes deal with Pats gets done | ProFootballTalk

That visit to Cincy worries me a bit. I'm afraid they will lure him with the potential to get a lot more carries in a 2 backfield rotation, and that may be exactly what he wants if the money is close.

The Bengals have to sign someone eventually, right? Lol.

 

[Mix]

BJGE has never fumbled. Happy to provide you with as many links as you would like :

BenJarvus Green-Ellis reaches the 1,000-yard plateau | masslive.com

You can post as many links as you want but you will still be wrong.



Missouri vs Ole Miss
2nd and Goal at MIZZ 12 Ben Green-Ellis rush to the Misso8, fumble by Ben Green-Ellis recovered by Missouri Marcus Woods at Misso6, clock 06:18.

LSU vs Ole Miss
1st and Goal at LSU 2 BenJarvus Green-Ellis rush for 1 yard, fumbled at the LSU 1, forced by Jacob Cutrera, recovered by Luke Sanders at the LSU 1.

Ole Miss vs Wake Forest
2nd-3, WF3 1:55 B. Green-Ellis rushed to the right for 2 yard loss. B. Green-Ellis fumbled. B. Green-Ellis recovered fumble

Indiana vs Central Michigan
2nd and 7 at IND 28 Hoosiers fumble by BenJarvus Green-Ellis (IU), recovered by Anthony Tyus (CMU), returned for no gain.

Ohio State vs Indiana
2nd and 19 at OSU 47 Hoosiers fumble by BenJarvus Green-Ellis (IU), recovered by BenJarvus Green-Ellis (IU), advanced for no gain.

Northwestern vs Indiana
2nd and 12 at IND 36 Hoosiers fumble by BenJarvus Green-Ellis (IU), recovered by Dominique Price (NU), returned for no gain.

Indiana vs Michigan
4th and 10 at MICH 39 Hoosiers fumble by BenJarvus Green-Ellis (IU), recovered by BenJarvus Green-Ellis (IU), advanced for no gain.

Indiana vs Washington
0th and Goal at IND 21 Hoosiers fumble by BenJarvus Green-Ellis (IU), recovered by BenJarvus Green-Ellis (IU), advanced for no gain.

Michigan St vs Indiana
1st and 10 at MSU 46 Hoosiers fumble by BenJarvus Green-Ellis (IU), recovered by BenJarvus Green-Ellis (IU), advanced for no gain.

Penn St vs Indiana
3rd and 11 at PSU 45 Hoosiers fumble by BenJarvus Green-Ellis (IU), recovered by Jay Alford (PSU), 12 yard return.

 

[ATippett56]

The Bengals have to sign someone eventually, right? Lol.

Bengals lead NFL in cap space, but they haven’t spent a nickel

Bengals lead NFL in cap space, but they haven’t spent a nickel | ProFootballTalk

 

[supafly]

Bengals lead NFL in cap space, but they haven’t spent a nickel

Bengals lead NFL in cap space, but they haven’t spent a nickel | ProFootballTalk

As soon as that report came out that they led the NFL with cap space at 50 million this yr, I thought 'there's no way they even spend 1/2 of that.'

Mike Brown is going to spend about 20-25 of that IMO. As a small market owner who is known for being pretty cheap, he is saving up for being forced to spend to the 89% next yr. He probably figures he can get one last yr of additional revenue/profit in before the cap floor in 2013.

That all said, damn..they have to sign someone. I think they've had 11 players in for FA visits, and didn't sign 1 yet.

 

[everlong]

Sign me up for Tolbert as well if the dollars are right.