RB Reclamation

[Yankee Traveler]

So, Bill has had some success in the past getting valuable production out of apparently washed up running backs, notably Corey Dillon and LaGarrett Blount, as well as other positions that either were hs beens or never would be's. Vrabel, Moss, Welker...

But washed up, under pruducing RB's, has had me thinking for quite awhile, here outside of Nashville there are quite a few, the overwhelming majority, of the general public and sports media, that want and believe that Chris Johnson should not and will not be back next year.

Chris is a pure speed back, not a power back or a bruiser, but would be an incredible change of pace back.
Not saying it will or even should happen, but...

The Pats had 4 backs last year and this year. Last years neverplay back was speedy Demps, traded for Blount. They also had PED suspended Boldin. Vareen and Ridley carried the majority of the load last year. This year has been fairly run heavy with the partial year IR Vareen seeing more plays than Boldin.

Now, Boldin is more of a backup bruiser, but I could easily see his reps going to CJmaybeonek.
Or even the fumbler. would offer a serious change of pace spelling Blount/Ridley/Vareen or Blount/Vareen/Boldin

Thoughts? Think he would fit? Who would you replace?

Obviously his $8 mil contract would need to go in the shredder. Then the fireplace.

 

[MrMoJoRisin63]

So, Bill has had some success in the past getting valuable production out of apparently washed up running backs, notably Corey Dillon and LaGarrett Blount, as well as other positions that either were hs beens or never would be's. Vrabel, Moss, Welker...

But washed up, under pruducing RB's, has had me thinking for quite awhile, here outside of Nashville there are quite a few, the overwhelming majority, of the general public and sports media, that want and believe that Chris Johnson should not and will not be back next year.

Chris is a pure speed back, not a power back or a bruiser, but would be an incredible change of pace back.
Not saying it will or even should happen, but...

The Pats had 4 backs last year and this year. Last years neverplay back was speedy Demps, traded for Blount. They also had PED suspended Boldin. Vareen and Ridley carried the majority of the load last year. This year has been fairly run heavy with the partial year IR Vareen seeing more plays than Boldin.

Now, Boldin is more of a backup bruiser, but I could easily see his reps going to CJmaybeonek.
Or even the fumbler. would offer a serious change of pace spelling Blount/Ridley/Vareen or Blount/Vareen/Boldin

Thoughts? Think he would fit? Who would you replace?

Obviously his $8 mil contract would need to go in the shredder. Then the fireplace.

Blount is a FA I think I would much rather concentrate on retaining his services, and IMO he was not washed up. I think what Vereen brings to the table is to valuable his hands are fantastic and IMO plays the role Faulk played. IMO Ridley has been effective and fumbles are coachable. If there would be an odd man out IMO it would need to be Boldin but he has youth on his side and would come a lot cheaper than CJ. IMO I would pass if it meant keeping the current crop in place. If we lose Blount to FA then I would consider it but would much rather the team spend monies on positions of need.

 

[JDM]

Yeah, Blount just fell out of favor of a bad coaching staff and stopped getting touches.


CJ? Depends what kind of attention he gets. Blount, Vereen, CJ would be a pretty dirty backfield, but I just don't see him accepting that role or not finding a better, higher paying one elsewhere. I don't think he's completely in the dumps or anything.

 

[Drawmeomg]

Chris Johnson... I dunno. He has such a bad attitude. We've seen bad attitude players come in and be quiet here, so I won't say it's impossible, but he'd have to give indications that his attitude would change if he came here.

Making it even more unlikely, RB is one of the strongest positions on the roster. They should definitely resign Blount if the terms of the contract are at all reasonable, and I just don't see them spending more than that when they need to address their starting TE situation, starting SS situation, DL depth, OL depth, LB depth... and with limited resources.

 

[JDM]

It would go from a strength to outright dominant, though. I don't think the money has much shot of working out, but if he was cheap? That backfield would be one of the best in the league, IMO.

 

[eric5577x]

No thanks, we have other needs that his money can go towards. I am all for getting Blount signed with Ridley. Maybe a vet or something. Blount, Ridley, Veeren, is pretty good.

 

[Drawmeomg]

It would go from a strength to outright dominant, though. I don't think the money has much shot of working out, but if he was cheap? That backfield would be one of the best in the league, IMO.

He would have to be cheap, accept a rotating position, curb his attitude AND not turn out to be just totally washed up.

If all of those things came true, it'd be wonderful, but I doubt that even one of them is true.

 

[JDM]

He can still play.

The rest is all mostly the same thing, and depends a lot what the market for him is.

 

[Yankee Traveler]

Chris Johnson... I dunno. He has such a bad attitude. We've seen bad attitude players come in and be quiet here, so I won't say it's impossible, but he'd have to give indications that his attitude would change if he came here.

Making it even more unlikely, RB is one of the strongest positions on the roster. They should definitely resign Blount if the terms of the contract are at all reasonable, and I just don't see them spending more than that when they need to address their starting TE situation, starting SS situation, DL depth, OL depth, LB depth... and with limited resources.

Guess I don't know about the bad attitude, he's known around here as doing well for and in the community, and I've never heard of any locker room or off the field issues.
The only knock I know of on CJ is he did not run for 2,000 again after signing a big contract. Again, that's all I know, and I am neither a genius or an encyclopedia.
Even Munchak said the OL was horrible last year and didn't create holes for him.

 

[Drawmeomg]

I guess I should be more clear that I haven't heard anything criminal or anything like that for sure - just, that he's always come across as a me-first player, always talks about his personal goals, had a few times where he appeared to be upset not to be touching the ball, that sort of thing.

 

[JDM]

What I heard was more of a Dez Bryant type vibe (another guy who gets more shit than he deserves). "I can do more to contribute and I'm upset I'm not getting the opportunity", that type of thing. If it's much deeper than that and a frustration with the organization, my opinion changes. I just haven't seen much evidence of that.


Either way the scenario's not all that likely. I think he gets the chance to start somewhere and takes it.

 

[briz almighty]

too expensive and hes a ball hog. mcfadden would be the guy to get, he'll be cheeper and might stay healthy not having to carry the load. blount starter, ridley/boldin backup, mcfadden and vereen change of pace passing backs.

 

[JDM]

McFadden has had injury concerns and was never all that good. I'd rather keep Ridley and bolden over him.

 

[briz almighty]

mcfadden is a very talented rb playing on a bad team that gives him the ball 30 times a game. he gets banged up, especially when the other teams sole goal is to stop him with oakland having no other weapons to care about. a change of scenery and reduced role is what he needs. theres no way i would keep ridley or boldin over him. we already have 3 starting power type backs and only one dynamic change of pace back in vereen. keep blount as starter back him up with ridley OR boldin and add mcfadden. thats 2 starting powerback and 2 dynamic change of pace backs. much better than what we got now, and better than paying chris johnson an arm and leg to cry about blount getting all the carries.

 

[briz almighty]

we saw what happened when vereen got injured this year and missed a bunch of time. we lost a whole aspect of our offense and tried to fill it with boldin who couldnt get it done. mcfadden is great catching passes and would be leathel in a vereen role. no point having 3 starting powerbacks and one change of pace.

 

[JDM]

McFadden isn't particularly likely to be any cheaper than Johnson, and Johnson is 100 times the back.

No shot of an injury prone guy who's not all that good displacing Ridley or bolden.

 

[briz almighty]

McFadden isn't particularly likely to be any cheaper than Johnson, and Johnson is 100 times the back.

No shot of an injury prone guy who's not all that good displacing Ridley or bolden.

mcfadden will deffintly be cheaper hes had injuries and chris johnson is an asante samuel type give me the money. mcfadden is a better fit as a change of pace back, johnson is a starting rb and we dont need a starting rb.

 

[JDM]

There literally isn't one thing McFadden does better than Johnson. Not one thing. McFadden isn't good.

 

[briz almighty]

There literally isn't one thing McFadden does better than Johnson. Not one thing. McFadden isn't good.

nobody is saying who the better back is we are talking about who is the better fit for our team with the guys we got right now and how much money they will cost. mcfadden will be cheaper, hes a better fit as a change of pace back which is what we need we only have vereen. we already have 3 starting rbs. and we have to resign blount. unless you want to replace blount with chris johnson which is pretty stupid at this point in time. i dont see johnson taking a reduced role nor being signed for cheep. i see mcfadden possibly doing that and would be affordable. he would be a good pairing with vereen and we still role with blount and ridley.

 

[briz almighty]

There literally isn't one thing McFadden does better than Johnson. Not one thing. McFadden isn't good.

yet he will cost the same as chris johnson?