possible post FA landing spots for rookie RB's (and Ajayi)

[HaroldSeattle]

Jags should also find some depth and that is also a nice landing spot for a RB. However Treff has a point, no real starting jobs up for grabs at the moment, but injuries will change that .

 

[Chef99]

Vikings will be looking for depth behind Cook now that Murray has moved on. With Cooks health issue could be a good landing spot for a RB.

This is a good one to touch on; as I recently said, I'm surprised they didn't offer anything better than what the Eagles did for Howard.

The Vikes' current backups to Cook: C.J. Ham, Ameer Abdullah(yes, Treff, I know), Mike Boone and Roc Thomas. I expect them to be fully in the hunt for a backup RB, and not through the draft. They need OL help even more.

As to the others, I'm pretty much all in on Aaron Jones, and I think Mack is solidly penciled in as the starter. However, like Treff, there's something about him that bugs me.

 

[HaroldSeattle]

This is a good one to touch on; as I recently said, I'm surprised they didn't offer anything better than what the Eagles did for Howard.

The Vikes' current backups to Cook: C.J. Ham, Ameer Abdullah(yes, Treff, I know), Mike Boone and Roc Thomas. I expect them to be fully in the hunt for a backup RB, and not through the draft. They need OL help even more.

As to the others, I'm pretty much all in on Aaron Jones, and I think Mack is solidly penciled in as the starter. However, like Treff, there's something about him that bugs me.

Mack preformed better then I expected, but like you and Treff he just doesn't seem to be all that for me. Course for the right price I won't mind having him on my bench, just not in my weekly line up.

 

[TREFF]

Vikings will be looking for depth behind Cook now that Murray has moved on. With Cooks health issue could be a good landing spot for a RB.

AMEER!

 

[TREFF]

I too would expect the Vikes to add qiality depth at least. And with Cooks' recent history, that backup job could become quite productive...but I still think they should just give it to Ameer

 

[SmokingMonkey]

Atlanta could be a very interesting landing spot for a rookie. Not sure what they really have in Ito Smith or Brian Hill behind Freeman, but they could easily lose their roles if someone comes in and shines in preseason.

 

[SmokingMonkey]

Panthers too, don't really have anything behind CMC yet again

 

[TREFF]

Panthers too, don't really have anything behind CMC yet again

Absolutely they do, CAP is just awful. Too bad no one touches that ball but CMAC

 

[averagejoe]

Absolutely they do, CAP is just awful. Too bad no one touches that ball but CMAC

Just a few weeks ago, Rivera was quoted that they wanted to lighten CMAC's load.

PPR, the kid's a monster. Standard scoring... meh... And now a lighter load?

 

[TKOSpikes]

I know I need Ajayi to be healthy and starting.
Where, I don't care.

 

[TREFF]

Just a few weeks ago, Rivera was quoted that they wanted to lighten CMAC's load.

PPR, the kid's a monster. Standard scoring... meh... And now a lighter load?

well I want to win the lottery this season. We'll see just how far wanting something takes us when the chips are down

 

[averagejoe]

well I want to win the lottery this season. We'll see just how far wanting something takes us when the chips are down

Not sure I follow?

CMAC gets used, no question about that. But the offense is more predictable. Defendable against. And to think his load will be lighter... I think I'm up for other RB options ahead of him. Maybe used less but on better offenses.

I'll have to put my list of 20 together this weekend. As I do that, maybe I'll see there aren't better options?

 

[Chef99]

Not sure I follow?

CMAC gets used, no question about that. But the offense is more predictable. Defendable against. And to think his load will be lighter... I think I'm up for other RB options ahead of him. Maybe used less but on better offenses.

I'll have to put my list of 20 together this weekend. As I do that, maybe I'll see there aren't better options?

Curious to see if you throw Hunt in there. I'm thinkin' about doing a little shuffling.

 

[Chef99]

@averagejoe - question for ya, 'cuz I have a hard time letting this one go: You're the decision maker for the Vikes and you lose Latavius Murray. Isn't Jordan Howard pretty much a perfect replacement? I just can't get past the fact that the Eagles got him so cheaply.

 

[averagejoe]

@averagejoe - question for ya, 'cuz I have a hard time letting this one go: You're the decision maker for the Vikes and you lose Latavius Murray. Isn't Jordan Howard pretty much a perfect replacement? I just can't get past the fact that the Eagles got him so cheaply.

I agree 100%.
I have a theory. Which may not mean much, or even be logical.... But here goes:

Let's say that Nagy and Pace are these concerned, sympathetic people that they seem to be portrayed as in the media...

Maybe they sat down with Howard and said, look, we've got several offers on the table. They're all fairly similar. (I.e. Buffalo for a 5th. Vikes for a 6th., etc.) Which of these places would you want to go to?

Cause gotta say, maybe a 6th round pick doesn't seem like much, but going to Philly (a team looking for some RB identity) isn't a bad place for Howard to land.

 

[Chef99]

I agree 100%.
I have a theory. Which may not mean much, or even be logical.... But here goes:

Let's say that Nagy and Pace are these concerned, sympathetic people that they seem to be portrayed as in the media...

Maybe they sat down with Howard and said, look, we've got several offers on the table. They're all fairly similar. (I.e. Buffalo for a 5th. Vikes for a 6th., etc.) Which of these places would you want to go to?

Cause gotta say, maybe a 6th round pick doesn't seem like much, but going to Philly (a team looking for some RB identity) isn't a bad place for Howard to land.

This is a cool scenario, but Cynical Me has a wee bit of a problem with NFL management being so altruistic. But that could just be Cynical Me.

 

[averagejoe]

This is a cool scenario, but Cynical Me has a wee bit of a problem with NFL management being so altruistic. But that could just be Cynical Me.

My theory is a stretch.
But when Hunt was released by KC, and Nagy called him to merely see how he was doing... Nagy came off as this yes-football-is-a-business-but-as-a-person-i-still-care blah blah blah.

Same for Pace when he mended the bridges to former players like Urlacher that the prior GM burneud. He didn't have to. But doing so gave him this approval that his job was not bigger than the franchise and history of the framchise...

Was refreshing actually.

 

[TREFF]

Not sure I follow?

CMAC gets used, no question about that. But the offense is more predictable. Defendable against. And to think his load will be lighter... I think I'm up for other RB options ahead of him. Maybe used less but on better offenses.

I'll have to put my list of 20 together this weekend. As I do that, maybe I'll see there aren't better options?

I think that when game time comes and we're talking about wins and loses, no one but Cmac is going to get meaningful touches. Their inaction in free agency spoke volumes more than his saying they wanted to lighten the load.
And with a guy as versatile as him, I don't think its predictable at all. In fact, if you replace him with virtually anyone, especially a rookie, the defense knows youre not likely to throw on that play

 

[averagejoe]

I suppose.
But Clark Kent was always the nightmare for defenses in that offense.
Still might be but his super powers are noticably diminishing.
The team's only other top options are CMAC or Olsen.
Teams that feature 1 or 2 guys are getting beat in today's NFL . Rivera won't have a job if he sticks with that gameplan imo.

 

[HaroldSeattle]

@averagejoe - question for ya, 'cuz I have a hard time letting this one go: You're the decision maker for the Vikes and you lose Latavius Murray. Isn't Jordan Howard pretty much a perfect replacement? I just can't get past the fact that the Eagles got him so cheaply.

Bears may not of wanted to trade Howard to a division opponent. That makes the most sense to me.