How Bad Are Our Running Backs?

[RayClay]

I have a theory why he didn't draft an RB this draft. Yes, there were plenty of opportunities to draft one this draft. We traded up into the 5th round and traded out. We now have a 2017 4th rounder which means we will most likely keep our 4th rounder and lose the one we got from the seahawks. What if BB used that seahawks 2017 4th rounder to trade for a RB? Chiefs are shopping Kniles Davis. Do you think a 4th rounder is too high to give up for Davis?

As long as Kansas City is fine with taking the lowest pick between ours and the seahawks, or do I misunderstand you?

I'm kind of kidding, but that pick is a poison pill, I can't imagine we would be allowed to trade it as if it were an unrestricted pick.

 

[RayClay]

He does. He serviceable. They need a veteran runner like Blount to help groom whomever it is that they draft. I still think they can upgrade over him but I don't think this is the year they can do it.

We all want the next C-Mart, Antowain Smith, Dillon or even 2012 Ridley but that is unrealistic. What is realistic is getting a player in the 4th round that can give you 150 carries and 4-4.5ypc in this offense with a little bit of playmaking ability to catch balls out of the backfield and maybe get some yards on his own running the ball.

Actually, Antowain Smith was quite available and I'm not knocking him. With this kangaroo court sentence hanging over the team, maybe BB will look to a veteran instead of a rookie to help in the first four games. There's no doubt that Blount needs a head of steam before he can do anything. Maybe a short term lease on a vet, with which I would totally disagree under normal, pre Hitler rules, and give Blount and Lewis time to work in.

 

[JMC00]

Not sure I get that "Blount can't do it" stuff. Ya he isn't going to be a 1600 yard back behind a musical chairs because of injury OL

But before he went out he had 700 yards in 8 1/4 games (6 of those games he had 70+ yards). Like every other RB needs touches to be effective. The way some people ***** about it I honestly think you are looking for a RB that averages 6-7 yards a carry and can run for 100 yards on 10-12 carries

 

[zipster9]

Nobody looked like an upgrade to Gaffney (if he stays healthy) apart from Elliot (impossibility) and Henry (out of our reach as well).

Gaffney is a bust. People fooling themselves about his potential. 2 consecutive years on IR!

 

[zipster9]

Not sure I get that "Blount can't do it" stuff. Ya he isn't going to be a 1600 yard back behind a musical chairs because of injury OL

But before he went out he had 700 yards in 8 1/4 games (6 of those games he had 70+ yards). Like every other RB needs touches to be effective. The way some people ***** about it I honestly think you are looking for a RB that averages 6-7 yards a carry and can run for 100 yards on 10-12 carries

Really wanted either : Jordan Howard, Devonte Booker, CJ Priosise, or Kenyan Drake.

All are pounders.

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

When is the last time a team's running game went wild and you could point to it and say "that's the difference" in the playoffs? Semi-rhetorical question

It's about more than that, it's about controlling the clock when your up by 14 with 8 minutes to go. Drives me crazy when the Pats are in that situation and take 20 seconds off the clock. It's also about not keeping the (Pats) defense on the field for 9 and a half out of 10 minutes, getting winded and letting the other team back in the game. It's about the defense not knowing it'll be a run play simply by which players are in the game. Blount's in - it's a run.

And lastly it's about they'll be starting either a QB starting for the first time with 31 passes under his belt or a 39 year old Tom Brady. At some point the need to mix up the play calling and not let the D just tee off on their QB. They should have run the ball more with the olines struggles last year - not less.

I truly don't understand the complete disregard this team has for the running game. Maybe they figure JMD won't call any running plays anyway so why invest in the position.

I'm afraid this will be the teams fatal flaw, one that you could see coming from a mile away. Not sure if anyone available at this point will help much. Too bad because otherwise I really like the makeup of this team.​

 

[BradyFTW!]

Nobody looked like an upgrade to Gaffney (if he stays healthy) apart from Elliot (impossibility) and Henry (out of our reach as well).

Gaffney hasn't played football in 2 years. I think it would be a mistake to project anything out of him, even just being as good as he was pre-injury 2 years ago.

IMO Booker would've been a clear upgrade. That doesn't mean I'm pissed we didn't take him or anything, I get that there are other considerations, information I'm not privy to, etc. Just observing that Booker is a really promising talent at RB. Wouldn't surprise me at all if he establishes himself as a premier RB very early in his NFL career.

 

[BradyFTW!]

When is the last time a team's running game went wild and you could point to it and say "that's the difference" in the playoffs? Semi-rhetorical question

The Seahawks' running game at various points in its SB-winning playoff run did exactly that. The Broncos just won the Super Bowl largely due to their running game rounding into form at the right time. The Pats' dominance in the ground game got them to the 2013 AFCCG when injuries had turned their passing attack into a shell of its former self.

Nobody's going to argue that passing is more effective, important, and prevalent in today's NFL. That's so obvious it's borderline self-evident. But a strong running game is still a major asset, and being able to lean on it when the situation calls for that helps teams reliably close out games that might otherwise be up for grabs.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Not sure I get that "Blount can't do it" stuff. Ya he isn't going to be a 1600 yard back behind a musical chairs because of injury OL

But before he went out he had 700 yards in 8 1/4 games (6 of those games he had 70+ yards). Like every other RB needs touches to be effective. The way some people ***** about it I honestly think you are looking for a RB that averages 6-7 yards a carry and can run for 100 yards on 10-12 carries

I think there are legit concerns re: Blount. For one, he's coming off of a hip injury. That's not insignificant at any position, especially not at RB. More importantly, even when healthy he's not a particularly good short-yardage back. On 3rd and 1, I had more confidence in Lewis to get the first down than I ever did in Blount.

I think Blount's a good player, and I there's a spot for him on the roster. But ideally your RB are either a) a presence in the passing game, b) a reliable short-yard workhorse, or c) both. Blount is neither.

 

[long distance]

Gaffney hasn't played football in 2 years. I think it would be a mistake to project anything out of him, even just being as good as he was pre-injury 2 years ago.

IMO Booker would've been a clear upgrade. That doesn't mean I'm pissed we didn't take him or anything, I get that there are other considerations, information I'm not privy to, etc. Just observing that Booker is a really promising talent at RB. Wouldn't surprise me at all if he establishes himself as a premier RB very early in his NFL career.

I agree that there is a lot of uncertainty regarding running game. Hence this thread. And i do hope they address it this offseason or it might haunt us again. It would be a real waste of a great FA and 2016 team.

My number one wish for this draft was a powerful 3-down back who would be an upgrade to Blount by the beginning of the season. There was a lot of hype about a lot of RBs in this forum. After watching all the highlights (since i don't follow college football) I was not impressed (apart from Elliott and Henry). I didn't see anything that would significantly improve our situation. Obviously BB was not impressed either, since they were all falling much lower than expected and he never reached. At the end he even passed on Reynolds. My guess is not because of arrogance (like some suggested) but because he didn't see a definite upgrade and he didn't go for development because next year promises more. They reportedly did want to make a pick in the 5th (Booker was gone but many similar still remained) when Seattle called but I don't know if it was meant for RB. Before they got on board next most were gone. At the end I see more value in next years 4th than any of remaining backs.

Returning to the situation at hand - obviously for BB Gaffney is a project. There must be a good reason he keeps bringing him back. Brown is the highest payed back (just slightly) after Lewis. Lewis might not be at hand for at least first part of the season. Blount is a solid commodity (if healthy) but we saw last year without Lewis he is not the answer (everything becomes too predictable and slow). I do believe improved OL and Develin coming back will make more room for running. But I also think we need somebody that can really exploit it (including clock management) before Lewis returns and be complementary to him then. Money would suggest Brown is the answer at this moment (i hope not). Since all our RBs contracts together don't make for an average vet N1 RB salary I do hope they are thinking for upgrade in FA or trade before we turn to S-Jax again.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

Unless they bring in a between-the-tackles running back from free agency, Blount will be one of the few players on this team, that will not have to compete for his job....but he's turning 30 and didn't even last to the end of the season.

He's no doubt an asset to the Patriots... But I think they would try to bring in someone....anyone to compete with him, right?

 

[Gronk]

What exactly was LGB's hip injury anyway? Knee injuries get all kinds of detail about which ligaments were the problem, how they were repaired, average recovery times, there's graphics of all the bone and muscle mechanics and ****. With this hip injury it was an immediately season-ending hip injury, followed by reports he'd need surgery, and then a few months ago reports that he didn't need surgery. So it exists anywhere on the scale of moderate strain to Bo Jackson.

 

[primetime]

Really wanted either : Jordan Howard, Devonte Booker, CJ Priosise, or Kenyan Drake.

All are pounders.

Of these, only Jordan Howard was anywhere near a 'pounder' and he's an Indiana running back - second only to Wisconsin in schools from which you should never draft a running back - who wasn't even that good to begin with. That's the thing, after Elliot, none of the RBs in this draft were that good. I'm surprised they didn't take one late, but far from shocked; I had been saying they wouldn't draft a RB prior to the draft. You can't have a superstar at every position, and they do have one of the better scatbacks in the league.

 

[borisman]

Very surprised no RB was drafted. Was a run on them in round 5 and the Pats missed the boat as they obviously didn't want Alex Collins but I'm sure there was someone they were targeting. I hope they now sign a Arian Foster or someone similar that may still be cut.

 

[TheFlyingWedge]

Besides Dion Lewis (who will start on PUP), we've got nothing.

 

[Don Kipines]

It's amazing that fans who've watched this whole Belichick era still have annual panic attacks about position groups before the seasons even start. Every year there's a perceived hole somewhere on the roster and every year fans go crazy about it, until it inevitably works itself out - and fans move on to the next thing to freak out about.

This goes all the way back to the Bledsoe era. Remember David Terrell? We supposedly needed receivers in the worst way then. Remember also that people were furious that BB wasted a draft pick on a quarterback when we had three already?

Remember how people were panicking about the nose tackle position before the Ted Washington trade? How people were furious we drafted Nate Solder when we already had Matt Light under contract and needed pass rushers?

Then there was last year, when we needed corners so badly, and we watched one draft binky after another go elsewhere. Now we are more stacked with young corners maybe than we've ever been.

BB is a weird dude for sure. Absolutely it would seem having a three-down threat like David Johnson would be nice. But for whatever reason, they don't seem to care. That's probably because of their experience solving the RB problem with guys off the scrap heap. From Lewis to Woodhead to Green-Ellis to Jonas Gray to Blount, they seem to end up with enough guys to win without spending either money or much draft capital on the position.

This is also a team that constantly cycles through the bottom of its roster, before and after the draft. Does anyone really believe they won't keep bringing backs through?

Personally I love the Lewis-Blount combo, when healthy. I'm guessing Donald Brown, who actually has been good in the NFL before, won't embarrass them if he has to play in the interim. This is nowhere near as bad as the year they cut all their safeties a week before the season or whatever. In only a few cases (the infamous 2006 WR corps being an example) did any of these position-group panics ever turn out to really cost them. They find players and coach them up quick and that's one of the fun parts of being a fan of this team, frustrating as they can be sometimes.

 

[mgteich]

Personally I love the Lewis-Blount combo, when healthy. I'm guessing Donald Brown, who actually has been good in the NFL before, won't embarrass them if he has to play in the interim. This is nowhere near as bad as the year they cut all their safeties a week before the season or whatever. In only a few cases (the infamous 2006 WR corps being an example) did any of these position-group panics ever turn out to really cost them. They find players and coach them up quick and that's one of the fun parts of being a fan of this team, frustrating as they can be sometimes.

I think that Belichick is looking forward to Blount running behind a revamped and healthy OL, plus have some blocking from a 2nd TE and/or a FB.

I suspect that Belichick is OK with bringing in veteran RB's every year. This year, he re-signed Blount, and added Brown. And I'm sure Josh will be happy to see Develin back.

Obviously, we are waiting for Lewis and Gaffney to come back from injuries.

PLAN B
As always, if there are issues, Belichick is ready to call a RB off his Rolodex, which could be a name we recognize, or not.

But for now, I think Belichick is OK with
1st down - Blount, Bolden
3rd down - (Lewis), Brown, White
FB - Develin
PS - Foster

 

[p8ryts]

james white is a decent third down back. tom kept " just " missing him in the title game...they almost connected on some long passes.

It confounds me why people think White is a top candidate to be cut. I agree with you, White was open on wheel routes and Tom didn't hit them. He was doing a great job at receiving at the end of the season. He didn't have many opportunities to run and when he did there wasn't much room at the line. He may not be Dion Lewis but I think he could be Shane Vereen. If someone beats him out because he is better, fine, but I think his contributions could increase.

 

[chasa]

our running backs are SO bad, that the last two years we either won a superbowl, or came one game away from being in a superbowl with them.

 

[primetime]

our running backs are SO bad, that the last two years we either won a superbowl, or came one game away from being in a superbowl with them.

Right. Last year they had Brandon Bolden, James White, and the Ghost of Steven Jackson as their running backs going into the playoffs, and still beat the Chiefs and came within a missed extra point and then two point conversion for a chance at the Super Bowl. It's possible none of those players make the team, or - in Bolden's case - contribute at all on offense.

Lewis is the best player in the backfield they've had since Faulk retired; his only problem is that he's made of glass. Donald Brown is fine as a third running back, too.

It wouldn't surprise me if they brought in Arian Foster or someone else towards camp. Think about that: Foster may be injury-prone and getting older, but if they can squeeze one prime year out of him like they did Dillon, that would be something.