Jonathan Stewart at RB?

[stevedogc]

Over the years his name has been mentioned on these boards as a player that the Pats should look into trading for. I wonder if this may be the best (and last) chance to do so. He is a UFA after 2012 and I am sure he will want to go to team where he can start. The Panthers already have a starting RB in DeAngelo Williams who is making a ton of money and is signed long term. And I think he is a better fit for their new offense being run by Newton. The Panthers are already over the projected cap for next season, so even though trading him this off season wont save alot of money (i beleive his cap hit is 1.3 mil) I can't see the Panthers being able to tag and sign him next year, or at least that will be difficult to do.

I think Stewart would be a perfect fit for the Pats. He has shown that he can carry the load when needed, 4.8 ypc career, 1000 yard season, two 10 rushing tds seasons, 47 receptions in 2011. And thats while sharing RB duties. I wonder what it would cost for the Pats to get him? He was the 13th overall pick in 2008 and I wonder if the Panthers would be looking for something close in value in return? The highest I would go would be the Pats first 2nd rounder (48h overall) or maybe the 61st and a later pick in 2013.

Thoughts?

 

[ausbacker]

I've been not so quiet in my admiration for Stewart. He's a very good player wasting away in Carolina, especially now that Me-town calls his own number time and time again.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Unless they let BJGE go,I don't see a change in our RB corps unless we sign a FB along the way....Give me Peyton Hillis

They drafted 2 RBs last season and Woodhead is not going anywhere...its BJGE that is the question.

 

[goheels22002]

Stewart would be nice, but he's got miles on him which is tricky in the NFL. RBs just go downhill after taking a certain number of hits.

I'd rather that Belichick pluck Evan Rodriguez from Temple in the second or third round. He is a monster who played mostly tight end at Temple but projects to be a legitimate fullback in the pros. 6'3" 250 battering ram with soft hands and experience as a blocker - a great counterpoint to the smurfs and a wonderful player to put in there on short yardage to carry the ball or lead-block for BJGE or Woodhead or the 2011 rookies.

Check him out: Evan Rodriguez vs Miami (Ohio) 2011 - YouTube

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

For the right price, but I dunno what kind of contract he's looking for or what type of offers he'll get.

Plus we just spent 2 pretty high picks on RB.

 

[jmt57]

Stewart would be nice, but he's got miles on him which is tricky in the NFL. RBs just go downhill after taking a certain number of hits.

I'd rather that Belichick pluck Evan Rodriguez from Temple in the second or third round. He is a monster who played mostly tight end at Temple but projects to be a legitimate fullback in the pros. 6'3" 250 battering ram with soft hands and experience as a blocker - a great counterpoint to the smurfs and a wonderful player to put in there on short yardage to carry the ball or lead-block for BJGE or Woodhead or the 2011 rookies.

Check him out: Evan Rodriguez vs Miami (Ohio) 2011 - YouTube

I was thinking just the opposite, that Stewart would be worthy of consideration precisely because he doesn't have a lot of mileage on the odometer. Thanks to playing with DeAngelo Williams he only has 806 touches (725 carries, 81 receptions) in his four years in the NFL, and has had over 200 touches in only one of those seasons.

Jonathan Stewart NFL Football Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com

Williams by comparison had 295 touches in 2008 and then 245 in 2009 before (surprise, surprise) being injured in 2010. Not to change the subject, but the RB I expect to drop off in 2012: Frank Gore. 341 touches in 2011, and 1982 in his career; that's a case of a RB having some mileage issues, and a team that could really be hurting if he goes down, despite their very good defense.

I guess it comes down to (a) whether the Pats want to re-sign BJGE, and (b) how much it will cost the Pats to acquire Stewart. If BJGE walks it would be nice to add a veteran RB; would we really want to enter the season with Danny Woodhead as the most veteran RB on the roster? That would be the case if BJGE departs, Faulk retires, and the Pats add another rookie RB in their place.

 

[patsfan-1982]

Unless they let BJGE go,I don't see a change in our RB corps unless we sign a FB along the way....Give me Peyton Hillis

They drafted 2 RBs last season and Woodhead is not going anywhere...its BJGE that is the question.

i agree i think Peyton hillis would be a great fit with the pats even if BJGE is back they need a upgrade at starting RB

 

[Gronkandez]

I'd rather draft a RB with younger legs at a much lower price in the 2nd round, than to trade the same pick and pay his salary. The Pats are stacked at RB IMO.

 

[Gronkandez]

i agree i think Peyton hillis would be a great fit with the pats even if BJGE is back they need a upgrade at starting RB

except that McDaniels traded him for a song (Quinn) for some unknown reason. Rumors were it was personal.

 

[patsfan-1982]

except that McDaniels traded him for a song (Quinn) for some unknown reason. Rumors were it was personal.

he was not much of a player with Denver and they just Drafted Knowshon Moreno, i dont think he would mind haveing Brady hand the ball off to him IMO the only reason i could see him not wanting to play with the pats is if they offer him way less then with some other team is

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

except that McDaniels traded him for a song (Quinn) for some unknown reason. Rumors were it was personal.

Rumors were he was hitting on Mcdaniels wife. He's a fumbler and he whined all season about his contract. No thanks, sounds like everything you wouldn't want in a player. Much better off keeping BJGE.

 

[supafly]

I would lean towards thinking that Belichick will stick to the RBBC theory, and that he has loaded up on our RB's through the draft etc.

Most of our RB's are under contract, and in my opinion, unless you are getting a really 'fair' value/cost for an outside back with the pedigree of Stewart, it probably just isn't worth it--based on his potential carries alone.

Of course, he may prove that there is a guy out there like Stewart who can be had for relatively cheap money who will then be our #1 lead back, but in this case I am not seeing the 'need' for investing much money at this particular position.

 

[jmt57]

I was talking with Christopher Price, and for what it's worth he's guessing that the Pats are going to stick with the running backs that they have, minus of course Kevin Faulk retiring; that means they would re-sign BJGE rather than adding someone new. His thinking was that the two rookies and Woodhead would be more involved in the offense, which means that in that scenario BJGE would likely have a reduced role.

Not inside information or anything, just one writer's opinion.

 

[borg]

I have been pushing hard for Stewart for two years. Carolina needs to beef up their D...and with Williams signed to a megadeal, Stewart will be gone in '13 regardless. Might as well trade an asset from a deep position on their roster. The beauty of Stewart is that he is a 3 down back with size.
If the Pats can retain Welker, add a deep threat, and acquire Stewart....defenses won't be able to overplay one particular Pats weapon......balance.....balance

 

[Patspsycho]

I think Stewart would be a perfect fit for the Pats. He has shown that he can carry the load when needed, 4.8 ypc career, 1000 yard season, two 10 rushing tds seasons, 47 receptions in 2011. And thats while sharing RB duties. I wonder what it would cost for the Pats to get him? He was the 13th overall pick in 2008 and I wonder if the Panthers would be looking for something close in value in return? The highest I would go would be the Pats first 2nd rounder (48h overall) or maybe the 61st and a later pick in 2013.

Thoughts?

FYI, we already have very similar production from BJGE (a 1000 yard season, two 10+ rushing seasons, etc) at 1/4 the cost and ZERO diva behavior.

I would rather keep BJGE so that we are able to extend Ridley and/or Vereen when the time comes, or at least have value on the cap. Our RB situation is far from our worst issues, in terms of upgrading.

 

[stevedogc]

FYI, we already have very similar production from BJGE (a 1000 yard season, two 10+ rushing seasons, etc) at 1/4 the cost and ZERO diva behavior.

I would rather keep BJGE so that we are able to extend Ridley and/or Vereen when the time comes, or at least have value on the cap. Our RB situation is far from our worst issues, in terms of upgrading.

I agree that the RB situation is not the teams most pressing need, but I do think the Pats ground game is. Do the Pats have a back they can hand the ball to and ask them to win the game? I dont think so. BJGE is a solid back. But I really don't see him taking over a game for the Pats. And with Brady getting on in years, I think the Pats need a running game that can take over and close out games and not put it all on Bradys shoulders. Stewart is an upgrade over BJGE. He is a better runner, a better receiver and I think defenses will be much more wary of Stewart then BJGE. My only concern is it worth investing another high pick (say Stewart costs the Pats a 2nd) when they already did that last year with Vereen and Ridley?

 

[MSU]

FYI, we already have very similar production from BJGE (a 1000 yard season, two 10+ rushing seasons, etc) at 1/4 the cost and ZERO diva behavior.

I would rather keep BJGE so that we are able to extend Ridley and/or Vereen when the time comes, or at least have value on the cap. Our RB situation is far from our worst issues, in terms of upgrading.

Based off what exactly? Your perceived worth of the unit or their actual abilities? People seem to think our RBs are "stocked" because they dumped a 2nd and 3rd into them last year, but in 2011 they were by far the weakest unit on the offense.

BJGE had a down year, Woodhead didn't look the same, Ridley had fumble issues and never gained the coaching staff's trust, Vereen was a ghost, and Faulk is an old man with nothing left but his wisdom.

This team needs more from the running game. We have known quantities in Woodhead and BJGE. I highly doubt Belichick trusts Ridley and Vereen based off their weak production last year.

 

[jmt57]

Unless they let BJGE go,I don't see a change in our RB corps unless we sign a FB along the way....Give me Peyton Hillis

They drafted 2 RBs last season and Woodhead is not going anywhere...its BJGE that is the question.

Not sure if this has any significance or not, but Hillis fired his agent - the one that advised him to not play against the Dolphins when he had a strep throat and the flu.

That's three agents that Hillis has fired in the last year; what's up with that?

Cleveland Browns RB Peyton Hillis parts ways with agent Kennard McGuire, his third agent in a year | cleveland.com

 

[jsull87]

Stewart would be nice, but he's got miles on him which is tricky in the NFL. RBs just go downhill after taking a certain number of hits.

I'd rather that Belichick pluck Evan Rodriguez from Temple in the second or third round. He is a monster who played mostly tight end at Temple but projects to be a legitimate fullback in the pros. 6'3" 250 battering ram with soft hands and experience as a blocker - a great counterpoint to the smurfs and a wonderful player to put in there on short yardage to carry the ball or lead-block for BJGE or Woodhead or the 2011 rookies.

Check him out: Evan Rodriguez vs Miami (Ohio) 2011 - YouTube

is it just me or does this guy look alot like Hernandez? What are his measurables like? he didn't seem as fleet of foot as hern but he seemed to block quite well.

Colour me intrigued

 

[ausbacker]

FYI, we already have very similar production from BJGE (a 1000 yard season, two 10+ rushing seasons, etc) at 1/4 the cost and ZERO diva behavior.

I would rather keep BJGE so that we are able to extend Ridley and/or Vereen when the time comes, or at least have value on the cap. Our RB situation is far from our worst issues, in terms of upgrading.

You know I'm a Green-Ellis fan PP but Stewart is a dual threat out of the backfield in both the running and passing game. That added dimension is a crucial difference between BJGE, Woodhead and Stewart. Stewart is by far the more complete back of the three.