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Another back for the free agent market.
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Another back for the free agent market.
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Another back for the free agent market.
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Reputation:96
Level:Superstar
Since:Dec 31, 2006
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Running backs seem to no longer be a hot commodity. Shaun Alexander, Travis Henry, Najeh Davenport, Ron Dayne, Kevin Jones, Cedric Benson, and LaMont Jordan are all on the free agent market. Yet we have seen guys like TJ Ducket, Julius Jones, Warrick Dunn, Michael Pittman, Chris Brown, and even Lorenzo Booker find new teams this offseason yet Shaun Alexander is a former league mvp, Travis Henry has had multiple 1000 yard rushing seasons, Ron Dayne produced over 700 yards last season in 8 starts and led the Texans in rushing the past 2 seasons, how much could he honestly be asking for?, Kevin Jones, and Cedric Benson were both 1st round picks a couple years ago, and LaMont Jordan put up 1000 yards rushing and over 60 receptions 2 seasons ago. These guys have talent and would be killer back-up running backs for the right team but instead we have seen TJ Ducket who hasn't topped 500 yards since 2004 with the Falcons, and never topped 1000 yards, Warrick Dunn a consistantly good back, but the guy is 33 years old and has touched the ball around 2900 times in his career, Michael Pittman has never topped 1000 yards in his career and has a career yards per carry average of 4.0, he does come to the team with good hands and a veteran presence but he also has had legal troubles much like Travis Henry who they cut after one season of service with the team. I personally would have gone after Ron Dayne if I was Shanahan considering Dayne knows the offense and compliments the shifty running style of Selvin Young, and Andre Hall. But maybe that is just me. Lorenzo Booker was a 3rd round pick back in 2007 started one game last season but apparently showed the Eagles enough for them to warrant trading a 4th round pick for him, but yet the Raiders can't find anyone to give them anything for LaMont Jordan, and the Steelers couldn't find anything for Najeh Davenport. I just don't get it. I understand why the players who are free agents lost their jobs with their former teams. I can even understand why they weren't signed immediately, Shaun Alexander doesn't run tough anymore, Kevin Jones has questions with his knee, Cedric Benson is an alcoholic, LaMont Jordan carries a 4 million cap number, Travis Henry could be suspended for a year with one more failed drug test, but what about Ron Dayne, and Najeh Davenport? They are both big backs. They have both been pretty solid players. At one point people expected Davenport to be the future starter when Ahman Green left Green Bay, and Ron Dayne was supposed to replace Tiki Barber. Yet now they can't even find a back-up job anywhere in the league?
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Another back for the free agent market.
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Another back for the free agent market.
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Reputation:98
Level:Superstar
Since:Aug 18, 2006
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Running Backs are a dime a dozen in this day in age. It's been shown time and time again that just about anyone can run through a gap, so long that the gap is there. Edgerrin James was a stud behind the offensive line of Indianapolis Colts and somewhat of a dud behind the line of Arizona.
There are exceptions, of course, but it cannot be denied that the Giants were no worse for the wear after Tiki Barber retired. How can that be? They essentially replaced him with three other guys. The Giants win the super bowl without Tiki and the Colts win the super bowl with Edge. The year before, the Pittsburgh Steelers win with Jerome Bettis as a backup and an undrafted free agent as a starter, who broke the record for the longest run in a super bowl. Before him? An old Corey Dillen, twice, Michael Pittman, who that year led his team with 718 yards rushing. The 2000 season was Jamal Lewis, before he broke the single game record and hit 2,000 yards and was part of a rather terrible offense. That other Patriots running back? Antowain Smith.
You have to go back to 1999 to find a super bowl winner with a superstar running back in the St. Louis Rams and Marshal Faulk. And he had the help of some guys named Kurt Warner, Torry Holt, Issac Bruce and Orlando Pace.
In other words, having a great running back isn't enough and it han't been for some time.
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Another back for the free agent market.
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Another back for the free agent market.
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Reputation:98
Level:Superstar
Since:Aug 17, 2006
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Another factor is the rookie crop seems to be loaded with at least part-time starters this year. Mcfaddan for Oakland, Forte for Chicago, Stewart for Carolina, and Mendenhall for Pittsburgh will all see significant playing time. Even Chris Johnsun will get touches in the Tennessee backfield. Teams want fresh legs out there.
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Another back for the free agent market.
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Another back for the free agent market.
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Reputation:97
Level:Superstar
Since:Oct 26, 2006
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philyphreak1,
Good post, but I think you need to look a little deeper into some of the players you mentioned. There are a lot of injury and conduct questions surrounding some of these guys. LaMont Jordan cost the Raiders a forutne only to miss four games due to a drug suspension and Bensons off season drunk boating incident made national sports headlines. However, I think the two guys you had the biggest questions about were Dayne and Davenport. Both have been serviceable back-ups, but neither has lived up to expectations. Davenport had a golden opportunity at the end of last year and he couldn't produce when it counted. There is a reason these guys were brought to teams as the heir apperent and then let go!!! I think the reason guys like Pittman and Booker get jobs is because they are role players and they fill the role they are supposed to fill at low cost with good results. They aren't being looked upon for anything outside being a situational back. That helps them.
Just my two cents.
GMS
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Another back for the free agent market.
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Another back for the free agent market.
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Reputation:98
Level:Superstar
Since:Dec 13, 2006
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I think the last few lines of what GMS has to say is EXACTLY the reason.
"They are role players and they fill the role they are supposed to fill at LOW COST with good results"
The shelf life for backs in this game is really low compared to other positions. They get beaten and battered all game long and it really takes a toll on the body. The only way you will start seeing old veterans contributing as backups out of the FA markets is if they realize what they are. They aren't these young bucks just wanting to make a team and show what they can do. They expect everyone to know what they have already done and only think it's fair that they get the playing time and money they have been accustomed to.
Yeah a lot of teams would like to have Shaun Alexander on their team...as a back up. The word that I have read on him is that his injury concerns are pointing to the fact that he has run out of gas. Okay MVP in recent memory...and he wants to be PAID like an MVP. No one wants to pay the back up RB 7 million dollars a year.
You get young guys who have potential and who you can pay less, then if they realize their potential then great, if not at least you didn't waste a fortune on him.
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Another back for the free agent market.
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Another back for the free agent market.
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