Please tell me something good about RB James White.

Sciz · Aug 30, 2014

The backup RBs as a whole put together one good half of football, second half against the Eagles. White did not play that half because his snaps came with the first team and early on with the second team. I don't think you can read too much into White's lack of success considering the other guys only had any success against a specific group of scrubs that White didn't get to run against.

varjao · Aug 30, 2014

He could have drafted him in the 5th round, but he didn't have a 5th round pick wasted on sopoaga.

Let's wait, I hope he gets touches this season to get the speed of the game. He got 3 years out of Vereen and ridley, I hope we get 4 out of white.

BradyFTW! · Aug 30, 2014

He has great hands and appears to move well in open space.

I really don't understand why people are so eager to write the guy off because he didn't excel at running between the tackles (something that we know he isn't and won't be great at) behind a line of scrubs and guys playing out of position.

I'd rather look at his body of work in practice (apparently good) and college (definitely good).

Joker · Aug 30, 2014

Please tell me something good about RB James White.

OK...uh...he got GEICO?

stayed at a Holiday Inn last night?

turned down a date with Ruth Vomiteer, the drunken flooze slinging booze at the Dew Drop Inn?

he's got a real cool cufflink collection?

Deus Irae · Aug 30, 2014

BradyFTW! said:
He has great hands and appears to move well in open space.

I really don't understand why people are so eager to write the guy off because he didn't excel at running between the tackles (something that we know he isn't and won't be great at) behind a line of scrubs and guys playing out of position.

I'd rather look at his body of work in practice (apparently good) and college (definitely good).

He stunk it up in games. Why would you be surprised about people not loving what they saw?

BradyFTW! · Aug 30, 2014

Deus Irae said:
He stunk it up in games. Why would you be surprised about people not loving what they saw?

Where did you get the impression that I expected anyone to love what they saw?

Deus Irae · Aug 30, 2014

BradyFTW! said:
Where did you get the impression that I expected anyone to love what they saw?

Probably in the same place you came up with

"I really don't understand why people are so eager to write the guy off because he didn't excel at running between the tackles"

BradyFTW! · Aug 30, 2014

Deus Irae said:
Probably in the same place you came up with

"I really don't understand why people are so eager to write the guy off because he didn't excel at running between the tackles"

I got that from this thread, which you apparently didn't read. But if you're just doing your pedantic contrarian for pedantic contrarianism's sake thing again, then I'm good. Carry on with someone else.

patchick · Aug 30, 2014

The 2013 offense took a huge hit when Vereen was injured. A 2nd RB who's a strong receiver with good pass protection skills was a clear need. As blah as White has looked as a straight-ahead runner, he's looked uncommonly polished for a rookie in the passing game.

BradyFTW! · Aug 30, 2014

patchick said:
The 2013 offense took a huge hit when Vereen was injured. A 2nd RB who's a strong receiver with good pass protection skills was a clear need. As blah as White has looked as a straight-ahead runner, he's looked uncommonly polished for a rookie in the passing game.

And in general it's just really hard to find someone who excels at both. If he ends up being exceptional in the passing game and blah as a runner, then so be it. Even if it's not ideal, that's a very useful player.

Mack Herron · Aug 30, 2014

patchick said:
The 2013 offense took a huge hit when Vereen was injured. A 2nd RB who's a strong receiver with good pass protection skills was a clear need. As blah as White has looked as a straight-ahead runner, he's looked uncommonly polished for a rookie in the passing game.

We need a backup for Vereen, and White was a good player in college. But in the pre-season, he caught 4 passes for 45 yards, similar to Taylor McCuller (4/38/1) and fewer than Roy Finch (6/71), both of whom were cut. His big play was a wheel route that fell in his lap. He may possess receiving skills, but I wonder what you saw on those 4 receptions that looked "uncommonly polished?" He ran 29 times for 2.8 yds/att and 0 TDs. He returned 2 kicks for 18 yds/ret. I wouldn't be surprised if he has skills we didn't see, but he has shown little in the preseason in the way of running or catching.

Clutch-On-Tap · Aug 30, 2014

Not saying I'm counting White out already, but did anyone pickup Finch after we cut him?

Mack Herron · Aug 30, 2014

Clutch-On-Tap said:
Not saying I'm counting White out already, but did anyone pickup Finch after we cut him?

Players won't clear waivers until tomorrow at noon, after which they can be signed to a PS.

hwc · Aug 31, 2014

Or, just maybe ol' Billy Belichick is willing to spend a year developing a rookie and having an insurance policy in hand to replace Vareen when he walks in free agency....

I think that Belichick's time frame with a promising draft pick is longer that the fourth preseason game. And, I seriously doubt the sum total of his evaluation consists of how many yards did he gain running between scrub tackles.

I am party · Aug 31, 2014

I didn't track every single play of his and may have missed some of his good ones, but he didn't look all that impressive in open space either. One play that stands out was I think in the third preseason game. Pats are backed up near their goal line, he catches the ball out in the left flat, and runs right into Amendola's legs. Amendola got called for holding on that play ("blocking too soon" as Fauria lamented), but White's lack of vision and burst stood out on that play, in open space.

But from what I've read about him, what he has going for him is his attitude. He's a smart, high character worker due to being raised by police officer parents. Work ethic, intelligence, and character have to pay off eventually, right? It's not like he has zero ability. Maybe he's just been nervous due to the bigger stage?

Sticky Caulk · Aug 31, 2014

I am party said:
I didn't track every single play of his and may have missed some of his good ones, but he didn't look all that impressive in open space either. One play that stands out was I think in the third preseason game. Pats are backed up near their goal line, he catches the ball out in the left flat, and runs right into Amendola's legs. Amendola got called for holding on that play ("blocking too soon" as Fauria lamented), but White's lack of vision and burst stood out on that play, in open space.

But from what I've read about him, what he has going for him is his attitude. He's a smart, high character worker due to being raised by police officer parents. Work ethic, intelligence, and character have to pay off eventually, right? It's not like he has zero ability. Maybe he's just been nervous due to the bigger stage?

It's not like he's been around for a while. Mark Ingram has just started to look like a good RB after three full seasons. RBs need to develop just like every other position.

I am party · Aug 31, 2014

Sticky Caulk said:
It's not like he's been around for a while. Mark Ingram has just started to look like a good RB after three full seasons. RBs need to develop just like every other position.

I've read that Mark Ingram's recent surge is due to running him behind a zone blocking scheme instead of a power blocking scheme.

What scheme did White's o-line play at UW?

patchick · Aug 31, 2014

Mack Herron said:
We need a backup for Vereen, and White was a good player in college. But in the pre-season, he caught 4 passes for 45 yards, similar to Taylor McCuller (4/38/1) and fewer than Roy Finch (6/71), both of whom were cut. His big play was a wheel route that fell in his lap. He may possess receiving skills, but I wonder what you saw on those 4 receptions that looked "uncommonly polished?" He ran 29 times for 2.8 yds/att and 0 TDs. He returned 2 kicks for 18 yds/ret. I wouldn't be surprised if he has skills we didn't see, but he has shown little in the preseason in the way of running or catching.

I'm going in part on camp reports, which were uniformly positive on White when it came to the passing game. (And Roy Finch, to me, looked thoroughly unready for prime time. He was fun to watch but out of control -- totally improvisatory, not following his blocks, and with terrible ball security.)

PatsFanInVa · Aug 31, 2014

hwc said:
Or, just maybe ol' Billy Belichick is willing to spend a year developing a rookie and having an insurance policy in hand to replace Vareen when he walks in free agency....

I think that Belichick's time frame with a promising draft pick is longer that the fourth preseason game. And, I seriously doubt the sum total of his evaluation consists of how many yards did he gain running between scrub tackles.

Great post, but I must caveat this with "I took a couple years to realize Maroney was not then nor would he ever be an NFL running back."

::shrug:: the Maroney/Chad Jackson busts shook many of our "In Bill We Trust" worlds, coming as they did at high picks in the same draft.

On the other side of the ledger, a whole bunch of picks that have panned out just fine. Unless they murder somebody anyway.

If they pan out while still cheap, we keep 'em. Hope he does.

Mack Herron · Aug 31, 2014

patchick said:
I'm going in part on camp reports, which were uniformly positive on White when it came to the passing game. (And Roy Finch, to me, looked thoroughly unready for prime time. He was fun to watch but out of control -- totally improvisatory, not following his blocks, and with terrible ball security.)

We have all read those reports and must assume he has shown more in practice than in the games, but it is legitimate to question a player who doesn't perform in games. Thus far I'd give him an "incomplete", but he has reminded more of JR Redmond than Shane Vereen.

Please tell me something good about RB James White.

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