• Have something to say? Register Now! and be posting in minutes!

What is going on with Rawls?

seahawksfan234

Radical Moderate
21,399
6,573
533
Joined
Apr 19, 2013
Location
Seattle, Washington
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I have to start with this:


Thomas Rawls burst on the scene his rookie year with this game and followed up by finishing the year with 830 yards with an extremely impressive 5.6 YPC. He looked like a guy who could lower his shoulder and bull over defenders similar to Marshawn Lynch, but also had the quickness to make great cuts with the acceleration to take it to the house.

Since then?

3.1 yards per carry on his last 122 regular season carries. Including a 1.8 YPC average this year to accompany the game he was a healthy scratch in.

I know this guy was banged up last year, but he was a "healthy scratch" which means he wasn't even worth having on the roster. Have these injuries completely robbed him of his ability to run the ball? We had a rookie 7th round pick getting more looks than him and Eddie Lacy. When he has carried the ball I just haven't seen that burst or power from him anymore.

Given his poor production and multiple times being benched, I almost wonder if that special ability he had his rookie year has been unfortunately eroded by injuries. That's my best guess. I know the poor run blocking has been an issue, but Rawls just hasn't looked like he's got it anymore. What do you guys think?
 

MrS

Well-Known Member
5,168
862
113
Joined
Apr 25, 2013
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I think our OL is historically bad
 

DHoey

Well-Known Member
5,759
1,635
173
Joined
Feb 20, 2015
Hoopla Cash
$ 2,893.51
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I'm sure injuries have slowed him and probably stunted his overall upside, but the guy has had 18 carries this year so far. I'll reserve judgment for awhile.
 

JMR

Go Army!
6,819
1,918
173
Joined
Dec 28, 2014
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I like Rawls the person (the little bit we get to see), but he's looking more and more like a flash in the pan. But to his (and that of the other RBs) defense, it's sometimes very difficult to grade skill players in this offense with how lousy the line has been since the last SB season.

The good news is our next 2 opponents don't look so hot, to put it mildly, so we may have a chance to get something going on the ground & build some confidence. It would be nice to see one of these RBs step up and take advantage of the opportunity with Carson temporarily out of the picture. Would love for it to be CJ Prosise because I think he's the most physically talented, but as long as it's someone then it's a win.
 

Mariners_44

Well-Known Member
2,015
641
113
Joined
Apr 18, 2013
Location
Gilbert, AZ
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Watching that highlight reel reminded me of he could be. Also watching that reel shows the continuity that even that line had over the current o-line. He had space to make decisions and time to gain momentum for the bull rush into defenders. He gets hit as soon as he gets the ball right now if not before.
 

jakedog56

Well-Known Member
2,670
743
113
Joined
Jul 15, 2013
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
How did the OL look when Carson ran?

The OL looked shitty regardless of who has been running. The difference is that Carson made something out of nothing while the other guys have not been able to.
 

broncosmitty

Banned in Europe
89,666
23,586
1,033
Joined
Apr 19, 2013
Location
Almost Paradise
Hoopla Cash
$ 16,206.54
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I have to start with this:


Thomas Rawls burst on the scene his rookie year with this game and followed up by finishing the year with 830 yards with an extremely impressive 5.6 YPC. He looked like a guy who could lower his shoulder and bull over defenders similar to Marshawn Lynch, but also had the quickness to make great cuts with the acceleration to take it to the house.

Since then?

3.1 yards per carry on his last 122 regular season carries. Including a 1.8 YPC average this year to accompany the game he was a healthy scratch in.

I know this guy was banged up last year, but he was a "healthy scratch" which means he wasn't even worth having on the roster. Have these injuries completely robbed him of his ability to run the ball? We had a rookie 7th round pick getting more looks than him and Eddie Lacy. When he has carried the ball I just haven't seen that burst or power from him anymore.

Given his poor production and multiple times being benched, I almost wonder if that special ability he had his rookie year has been unfortunately eroded by injuries. That's my best guess. I know the poor run blocking has been an issue, but Rawls just hasn't looked like he's got it anymore. What do you guys think?
He didn't go undrafted because he lacks talent.
 

Screamin12th

Well-Known Member
6,563
1,349
173
Joined
Apr 22, 2013
Hoopla Cash
$ 6,290.90
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Rawls has 5 carry's against the 49ers and 8 against the Rams for a total of 13 not 18 carry's. He was injured week 1 and people say a healthy scratch but actually he was dealing with a injury that he could have played with but they let him sit so yes he could have played so it was ( kind of ) a healthy scratch.

Rawls is rusty as all get out there is no doubts about that but he also runs better when he gets touches something he HAS NOT got this season. Rawls needs 10 touches or around there to get going, go back and watch his rookie season. Sure he was doing better with those first touches but the Line was better.

His first game with 5 touches he averaged 0.8 YPC and against the Rams 2.5 YPC. If he continues to improve like that then the next game it should be 4.2 YPC which will = Carsons average. Rawls just needs the touches and lacy just needs to sit or turn him into another Olineman haha. Rawls McKissic and Prosise going forward with Lacy the Fullback.

To be honest when you look at the touches our RB have ( not Counting Carson ) they haven't had enough touches to really judge anything. Rawls needs 15+ carry's per game and he hasn't even got that this season yet.
 

Uhsplit

Well-Known Member
9,075
2,532
293
Joined
Apr 23, 2013
Hoopla Cash
$ 805.92
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
The OL looked shitty regardless of who has been running. The difference is that Carson made something out of nothing while the other guys have not been able to.
So a solid rb can get the job with our OL? I think that is what you are saying.
 

jakedog56

Well-Known Member
2,670
743
113
Joined
Jul 15, 2013
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
So a solid rb can get the job with our OL? I think that is what you are saying.

Not really. I am saying Marshawn Lynch or Earl Cambell in their primes could be productive by yards after contact. Any back who can't gain 3-4 yards after the first hit or have superhuman Barry Sanders like juke ability is pretty screwed. Rawls actually fit that bill two years ago but he just can't handle the contact without getting hurt.

We need OL help. It needed to be addressed this off-season but it really wasn't. We needed to bring in 3-4 higher level than currently contributing players via FA or draft.
 

Uhsplit

Well-Known Member
9,075
2,532
293
Joined
Apr 23, 2013
Hoopla Cash
$ 805.92
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Not really. I am saying Marshawn Lynch or Earl Cambell in their primes could be productive by yards after contact. Any back who can't gain 3-4 yards after the first hit or have superhuman Barry Sanders like juke ability is pretty screwed. Rawls actually fit that bill two years ago but he just can't handle the contact without getting hurt.

We need OL help. It needed to be addressed this off-season but it really wasn't. We needed to bring in 3-4 higher level than currently contributing players via FA or draft.
Oh, I agree completely but Pete has decided to allocate most resources to the D than the O. If we buy 3-4 solid OL men, that should cost about $25-$35 M. We can certainly do that easily by shedding some of our valuable D stars.
I prefer this team the way it is built.
Carson was able to run behind this line so my thought is to acquire a bell cow at RB. Get us another tough SOB like Marshawn and he can move the ball. If we can do that, it will set up the passing game. I think that plan is a lot easier to fill the spot and cheaper than trying to fix our OL, but what do I know. It wont happen this year though.
Our O is right in the middle of the pack. We have played 3 of the 5 games on the road. Giants next. I expect us to be 2-2 on the road after the Gnats game and our O will improve over the season.
Guns or butter boys, we dont get both.
 

JMR

Go Army!
6,819
1,918
173
Joined
Dec 28, 2014
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I still don't get the claim that the OL "hasnt been addressed." Our starting LT was drafted in the 3rd round of 2016. Our starting LG is a near $8M free agent signing from the most recent off-season. Our C is a 2nd rounder who just got an extension this summer. Our starting RG is a 2017 free agent signing. Our starting RT is a 2016 1st rounder. Our primary backups are players we either drafted or traded for in 2017. Every one of these guys is someone they've added the last 18 months to address the OL. Maybe they're missing the mark with the evaluations, but it's being addressed. You also can't plant a bunch of trees today and have a forest tomorrow.
 

chf

Well-Known Member
6,945
1,077
173
Joined
Aug 15, 2014
Location
Calgary
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I still don't get the claim that the OL "hasnt been addressed." .

You're not going to get a coach fired, if you don't torque up the message!
 

Screamin12th

Well-Known Member
6,563
1,349
173
Joined
Apr 22, 2013
Hoopla Cash
$ 6,290.90
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
The Money Spent on Bennett would have been better spent on the Oline. They could have got two middle of the pack type Olineman for the money they paid to Bennett. Bennett could have been replaced by Clark with out a loss in my eyes of ability.

Bennett's contract numbers on his extension 3 years 30.5 Million. At one time he was worth that, not so much now not with Clark here ready to rumble and now with Richardson we really don't need Bennett to rush from the inside.

Cap hit per year and Age
2017 11.3 mill 32
2018 8.2 mill 33
2019 8.7 mill 34
2020 10.2 mill 35
 
Last edited:

Uhsplit

Well-Known Member
9,075
2,532
293
Joined
Apr 23, 2013
Hoopla Cash
$ 805.92
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I still don't get the claim that the OL "hasnt been addressed." Our starting LT was drafted in the 3rd round of 2016. Our starting LG is a near $8M free agent signing from the most recent off-season. Our C is a 2nd rounder who just got an extension this summer. Our starting RG is a 2017 free agent signing. Our starting RT is a 2016 1st rounder. Our primary backups are players we either drafted or traded for in 2017. Every one of these guys is someone they've added the last 18 months to address the OL. Maybe they're missing the mark with the evaluations, but it's being addressed. You also can't plant a bunch of trees today and have a forest tomorrow.
I see see you got the memo.
By all means, a lot of effort has gone into the OL lately. We have not yet seen the results we hope for.
 

chf

Well-Known Member
6,945
1,077
173
Joined
Aug 15, 2014
Location
Calgary
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
The Money Spent on Bennett would have been better spent on the Oline. They could have got two middle of the pack type Olineman for the money they paid to Bennett. Bennett could have been replaced by Clark with out a loss in my eyes of ability.

Bennett's contract numbers on his extension 3 years 30.5 Million. At one time he was worth that, not so much now not with Clark here ready to rumble and now with Richardson we really don't need Bennett to rush from the inside.

Cap hit per year and Age
2017 11.3 mill 32
2018 8.2 mill 33
2019 8.7 mill 34
2020 10.2 mill 35

Right, and if Avril ends up being more seriously hurt than we hope, it may be HIS money that gets funneled into the O.L.

But it's going to come from the D side of the ball.
 

Uhsplit

Well-Known Member
9,075
2,532
293
Joined
Apr 23, 2013
Hoopla Cash
$ 805.92
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
The Money Spent on Bennett would have been better spent on the Oline. They could have got two middle of the pack type Olineman for the money they paid to Bennett. Bennett could have been replaced by Clark with out a loss in my eyes of ability.

Bennett's contract numbers on his extension 3 years 30.5 Million. At one time he was worth that, not so much now not with Clark here ready to rumble and now with Richardson we really don't need Bennett to rush from the inside.

Cap hit per year and Age
2017 11.3 mill 32
2018 8.2 mill 33
2019 8.7 mill 34
2020 10.2 mill 35
I'm not sure if I would do that. Sweezy was middle of the pack and very few wanted to resign him. It would take 2 Sweezy's and about $4M per year and lose one roster spot for swapping a DE that is a continual top 100 in the league. Pressure on the QB is vital and we need more of that than we already have
 

seahawksfan234

Radical Moderate
21,399
6,573
533
Joined
Apr 19, 2013
Location
Seattle, Washington
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I'm sure injuries have slowed him and probably stunted his overall upside, but the guy has had 18 carries this year so far. I'll reserve judgment for awhile.

Despite the limited number of carries there has to be a reason he has been a healthy scratch. Carroll just likes his other options more, maybe as the result of what he has observed in practice. It is a limited sample size, but his struggles go back to last year.
 

seahawksfan234

Radical Moderate
21,399
6,573
533
Joined
Apr 19, 2013
Location
Seattle, Washington
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I'm not sure if I would do that. Sweezy was middle of the pack and very few wanted to resign him. It would take 2 Sweezy's and about $4M per year and lose one roster spot for swapping a DE that is a continual top 100 in the league. Pressure on the QB is vital and we need more of that than we already have

Sweezy was never more than average at best IMO. I was shocked at the contract he signed with the Bucs.
 
Top