Who will be the best RB in our division?

[PATRIOT64]

This division may end up having the division with the most talented group of Running Backs to ever come out of just 1 division in the NFL.

Which RB looks to have the BEST season of all of them?
(Be unbiased now please)

I am going with the Jets -Thomas Jones - This is,in my opinion the BIGGEST steal of the entire draft process -Yes,even bigger than the Randy Moss one.

This guy is a tank and a beast - PERFECT fit for what the Jets want to do - Expect 1,300 yards from Jones before the regular season ends.

Maroney I can see just surpassing 1,000 yards if he stays healthy - maybe only 800-1,000 if Sammy Morris comes on strong and splits duty time-actually I would prefer that if Morris is a productive back here like he was in Miami.

 

[Lockdown06]

i gotta say maroney (in an unbiased way.) With the wealth of offensive weapons that we have at our disposal this coming year, defenses can't cheat up and put more men in the box to stop the run, plus our O-line will have had another offseason to gel and work together to hopefully provide better run-blocking for him.

 

[zippo59]

Some Jets fans actually try to say that Leon Washington will be better than Maroney.

Washington is a good Kevin Faulk type player but he is not a franchise back.

 

[PATRIOT64]

Just curious as to who has picked the backup or split time RB and who he is thinking of as the best? - I hope you are not thinking Ricky Williams or Washington from the Jets?

 

[zippo59]

Jones is nice back but he is not an elite game changer. We have no idea how Lynch will turn out and Maroney and Brown are still very young.

 

[PATRIOT64]

Some Jets fans actually try to say that Leon Washington will be better than Maroney.

Washington is a good Kevin Faulk type player but he is not a franchise back.

There is NO WAY in gods green earth barring an injury to Jones that Washington will get anything more than some garbage carries in games or maybe in different 2 split back sets.

They did not do a deal to bring Jones there for him to split time,Very unlikely

 

[PATRIOT64]

Jones is nice back but he is not an elite game changer. We have no idea how Lynch will turn out and Maroney and Brown are still very young.

Jones looks like a cross between Edgerrin James and Willis McGahee in running style,Not a game changer,but defrinately will pick up the tough yards that the Jets were not able to do enough of last year,thus they had to do something about it and went about it well.

 

[livinginthe past]

Jones looks like a cross between Edgerrin James and Willis McGahee in running style,Not a game changer,but defrinately will pick up the tough yards that the Jets were not able to do enough of last year,thus they had to do something about it and went about it well.

You seem to be quite the expert on the Jets.

 

[SeanBruschi54]

This is going to sound like a homer answer but lets try to think about this for a second.

My pick is Laurence Maroney and this is the reason why.
First off the Patriots have a very good offensive line almost unquestionably better than The Dolphins and Bills and just a bit better than the Jets young and emerging line.
The Line is expected to go to a zone blocking scheme which benefits Maroney overly well. And the field in Gillette is now Field Turf a service that RB's love to run on.

A close second is Thomas Jones. Good young line and powerful back = great production yet Washington will take away some carries from him thus depleting his total carries.

Ronnie Brown is going to be good but his line sucks.

Lynch i put in last just for the fact that he is a rookie adjusting to the NFL and it will be behind a mediocre buffalo line.

 

[gomezcat]

i gotta say maroney (in an unbiased way.) With the wealth of offensive weapons that we have at our disposal this coming year, defenses can't cheat up and put more men in the box to stop the run, plus our O-line will have had another offseason to gel and work together to hopefully provide better run-blocking for him.

I agree with you, for the same reason, i.e. that he is playing in the best offence. I like Maroney a lot on his own merits, though. I think he plays "bigger than his size" at times, has speed, elusiveness and will get better at finding the gaps.
I've never seen Marshawn Lynch play, so I can't comment. Thomas Jones and Ronnie Brown are good backs, but are playing behind developing lines.

 

[sebman2112]

To be honest I voted for Maroney, but I think Marshawn Lynch should be getting way more votes. The Bills aren't anything special on offense, so they'll probably use Lynch a lot. He's a good inside runner, he's a good outside runner, and he's also a very good pass catcher. His ability to line up at WR and effectively run passing routes will make him a good overall threat.

 

[PATRIOT64]

To be honest I voted for Maroney, but I think Marshawn Lynch should be getting way more votes. The Bills aren't anything special on offense, so they'll probably use Lynch a lot. He's a good inside runner, he's a good outside runner, and he's also a very good pass catcher. His ability to line up at WR and effectively run passing routes will make him a good overall threat.

I think Lynch's rookie season will be decided by what the big OL guys do in front of him,They are not anywhere near the top in the league,Thats why I think McGahee is going to do better with his new team.

 

[SeanBruschi54]

To be honest I voted for Maroney, but I think Marshawn Lynch should be getting way more votes. The Bills aren't anything special on offense, so they'll probably use Lynch a lot. He's a good inside runner, he's a good outside runner, and he's also a very good pass catcher. His ability to line up at WR and effectively run passing routes will make him a good overall threat.

I honestly dont think he will be anything better than the third best in our division.
Lynch is a talented runner and player but it will be his rookie season, a harder league and harder division than most, and a not so good offensive line.

 

[Pat_the_Patriot]

I went with Jones. I think that the Pats have waaaay too many weapons now for any one player to stand out. Also, I think that Morris will have a good chunk of carries for us. Maroney might come in #3 if Lynch carries the full load up in Buff. (this assumes that both Jones and Lynch stay healthy).... now that being said.... I am assuming by your first post that you mean "best" as in stats.... if it's best as in "player".... then I think that Maroney MIGHT be able to challenge Jones.... but we'll have to see how this year pans out.

If it's stats... Jones is going to be THE back in NYJ.... and they are going to try to pound the ball.

Just my opinion.

 

[mgcolby]

If the passing game lives up to its potential Maroney could run for 1400+ this season.

Can you imagine a draw out of three wide? All he will have to do is beat a LB and its going to be a 20+ yard run.

Thomas Jones is very good and that was a steal for the Jets. They have a decent passing game (if Penny stays healthy) so he should be in the 1400+ range as well.

Brown runs behind a horrible line and they don't have any clue who their QB will be.

Lynch will be running behind a line that will not live up to expectaions. They handed out well over 70 mil in contracts to lineman and only one them is good. I think Lynch finishes 4th with a possibility of beating out Brown. But the nod has to go to the vet for now.

I can't decide between Jones and Maroney. I like Maroney chances to beat out Jones due to the amount of space he should have to run. But the Pats could get pass happy at times this season limiting his carries. Jones won't have the same amount of space but should be more of a focal point for the Jets offense than Maroney will be for the Pats. Right now I am leaning towards Jones edging out Maroney by a handfull of yards.

 

[BelichickFan]

To be honest I voted for Maroney, but I think Marshawn Lynch should be getting way more votes. The Bills aren't anything special on offense, so they'll probably use Lynch a lot.

I know what you're saying but I have no doubt Maroney is better than Addai but the jammed up offense didn't let it show. Buffalo's passing attack is getting a little better but teams will be able to do what they need to against Lynch moreso than Maroney who should have a lot more wide open spaces - plus Maroney doesn't have to play the Patriots' defense twice

 

[Born_a_Patriot]

If we can adjust our blocking to Maroney's running style than look out. I doubt if to many teams will have 8 in the box this year.

 

[Ring 6]

Lets not forget that Jones was a total bust in Arizona.
After 4 years in the NFL his best season was 627 rushing yards (and he averaged less than 500 a season in his first 4)
Yes he has run for 1300 and 1200 the last 2 seasons, in Chicago backed by an excellent OL, and an excellent defense (both better than he will be supported by this year)
The Jet OL blocked their way to 3.5 yards per carry last year. And while you can attribute ypc to rb as well as OL, its ludicrous to think the Jet OL is as good as the Bears.
To say Jones is a lock for 1300 or 1400 yards with a worse OL, and a worse defense (meaning he wont be killing the clock like he did in Chicago) when he has run for 1300 yards exactly once in his 8 year career is very dubious, IMO. He will also be playing against much better competition than seeing the Lions, Packers, and Vikings twice a year, plus 6 other games against the weak NFC.

The guy is also 29 years old (at the start of the season) not far from the point where RBs start to decline, and his team---Super Bowl contenders---pretty much didnt want him back (based on what they accepted for trade value).

Somehow, he is being touted as Earl Campbell in his prime around here, when in fact, he is a guy who couldn't cut it and wasnt a starter his first 5 years, then had 2-3 pretty decent seasons in one of the best RB situations in the NFL.
I think Jones will be a surprise this year, but the surprise will be that he underperforms compared to the wild expectations I've been hearing.
I expect him to get 1000 (its almost impossible not to a sole #1 back) but not a heck of a lot more, and be under 4 yards per carry.

Brown is a good developing back, but in a dysfunctional offense. He may put up numbers, but they wont be leading to success, rather than he would get big numbers because they will rely on the run since they cannot throw the ball.

Lynch? Lots of mixed opinions on him. Hard to project him as better than Maroney, IMO, and no way as a rookie.

Without question, if you ask me which of these 4 RBs I would take in an open draft today, its Maroney. If you ask me which one has the best talent surrounding him, its not even close.
If you are asking who puts up the best numbers, who knows, that has to do with a lot more than just who is the best RB.
For example, not that I expect it, but with Brady and these receivers, we could throw the ball 700 times. Or on the other hand we could feed Maroney 400 carries. In either case, the number of points we score on offense is the gauge of what Maroney contributes, whether the stats indicate it or not.

My rankings, as of now, ignoring the team surrounding them, (i.e. if the Pats could choose any of the 4) for this year only:

1) Brown
2) Maroney (I believe Maroney will prove to be better than Brown, but Brown has done more to date, so he gets a small nod)
3) Jones
4) Lynch

If we are talking long term switch Maroney and Brown, and switch Jones and Lynch.

 

[drewdagreat]

It would be Brown, but since his team sucks, then LoMo.

 

[g-fresh]

To say Jones is a lock for 1300 or 1400 yards with a worse OL, and a worse defense (meaning he wont be killing the clock like he did in Chicago) when he has run for 1300 yards exactly once in his 8 year career is very dubious, IMO. He will also be playing against much better competition than seeing the Lions, Packers, and Vikings twice a year, plus 6 other games against the weak NFC.

The Viking's had the best rushing defense in the league last year, the Packers were in the top half, and the Lions were #21. I think Jones is a good (not great) back who will be a good addition for the Jets.

I think that the additions on offense will be open things up big time for Maroney, he will be able to pick up easy yards like Addai did last season, and Maroney will break big runs with his shiftyness and speed that other backs couldn't. He will have to split carries with Morris and Faulk, but I think he will have a very good YPC and will still break 1200 yards without being a true feature back.