Running Back Issues
by dcbucsfan on Jan 18, 2012 10:20 AM EST
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Yes we all know that I want the Bucs to draft Trent Richardson. He is clearly the best RB coming out the draft and looks to be a special talent. But yet there are other good or possibly great RB's coming out as well that will come out the second or third rounds too. But you cant say for sure how they will pan out. Especially on our squad. However I will make a case for why investing in Richardson or a higher round RB is needed this year. I hear alot that RBs come a dime a dozen. No need to invest high in a running back because there shelf life is short and the value isn't there in the pick. I agree the shelf life for RBs are shorter, but a good RB can give you great production in that time span. It is the most demanding position on the offensive side. But lets look at all of the most recent RBs the Bucs have drafted or had on the team that was undrafted since 2005.
Cory Boyd, Kenneth Darby, Allen Bradford, Carnell Williams, Clifton Smith, Legarrette blount, Kregg Lumpkin, Mosis Madu and Kareem Huggins. *Earnest Graham (undrafted in 2004). I may have missed some people but you get the idea. Overall its a bunch of players who had little to no success and most of them were undrafted. The only ones that had success were Caddy, Graham, Blount, and Smith as a KR/PR.
Now of course Cadillac was the highest investment out of the group and he got hurt. Now almost every year we have been drafting or trying to find undrafted running backs to become the number one back for our team. This year we actually have a legit chance and reason to draft a talented running back. Blount isn't a starter. We have to stop depending on undrafted running backs and actually invest in another RB. I say Richardson of course. Or any other running back that could actually come in and start if Blount goes down or gets benched. I love Lamichael James as a 3rd down back but could i depend on him as a starter? I'm not so sure. But let me know what you think.
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I completely disagree with "Blount isn't a starter"
I really think we’re fine with Blount and either Polk or James in the 3rd round. If Blount were to get hurt we’d be in trouble, but you can say that about most of our players because we have very poor depth almost everywhere. The only serious problem I see with Blount right now is his fumbling. That is correctable if he works on it, which he should be doing.
I agree with that.
But he became a 3rd down back later in his career. Not as a rookie. I dont mind a rookie as a 3rd down back if they have the skills to block and do what a 3rd down rb does. I dont think James or Polk can do that as a rookie.
ALL ABOARD THE TRENT RICHARDSON TRAIN!!!
Polk could handle the blocking
He’s a pretty good blocker. He’s a pretty good all around back, although he doesn’t have the explosiveness of James.
Ill give you that. I would take Polk over James because of the overall package.
But i think that the talent of Richardson is so hard to pass up this year.
ALL ABOARD THE TRENT RICHARDSON TRAIN!!!
I just don't expect Polk to be there in the 3rd, but maybe
Our 2nd round pick is too high for any back outside of Lamar Miller, who I would not be opposed to grabbing in the 2nd. I’m just going to say, straight up, I don’t think Richardson is worth a top 5 pick. I peg him around 15 or so. Maybe if we trade back.
Now i agree with all of this.
Miller in the 2nd is cool. Richardson in the top 5 is a bit of a reach but not too much. I think he can fall to the top 15. And i do think the Bucs will trade down. I have a feeling alot of teams will want RG3 and we can trade down a few spots and get some more picks plus get Richardson. Thats how i really think the scenario will play out. Dont sleep on Washington or Seattle trying to trade up.
ALL ABOARD THE TRENT RICHARDSON TRAIN!!!
See, I think RG3 won't make it past Cleveland at #4 and will probably go even earlier
and I think we will not be able to trade back.
That makes Claiborne more likely to drop to us...
at Pick 5. Some strange things can happen with big trades near the top of the draft. When a team covets somebody, they will do what it takes.
by Cracker Ball on Jan 18, 2012 12:15 PM EST up reply actions
I strongly believe the Vikings will get Claiborne.
Vikings defense lead the league in sacks and was 11th against the run. 28th against the pass. Based on numbers they need him more than we do. And they may get him.
ALL ABOARD THE TRENT RICHARDSON TRAIN!!!
They might
but the Rams might trade to someone who takes RG3 and then the Vikes would take Kalil over Claiborne probably. The Vikes could also trade out if the Rams take Kalil.
Possibly
its going to be real tricky. But also throw in the mix that the Colts could let Manning walk. Then the Redskins or the Browns cold go after him too.
ALL ABOARD THE TRENT RICHARDSON TRAIN!!!
You think Peyton Manning want to go to WAS or CLE?
I doubt it… not with the NYJ or MIA needing a savior.
by Cracker Ball on Jan 18, 2012 2:43 PM EST up reply actions
Well you never know.
I mean i cant read his mind on what he wants. But I doubt he goes to NYJ. Miami maybe. But Cleveland and Washington need him more and they both have good defenses. Just need weapons and protection.
ALL ABOARD THE TRENT RICHARDSON TRAIN!!!
JAX seems like a decent fit
Run game. check. Posluszny. check. A couple of WR picks and Peyton manning and boom, your highly likely to go to the SB lol.
by Titankillah on Jan 19, 2012 12:52 AM EST up reply actions
Yea its going to be a tricky draft this year on who goes where.
ALL ABOARD THE TRENT RICHARDSON TRAIN!!!
I say he isnt a starter because he is just a downhill runner.
You cant do that every down. He lacks initial bust to hit the hole and doesnt make people miss in the open field. He cant block, and if we are down in the game he doesnt play. So whats the use of haing him as a starter if they dont use him? Thats my whole problem with him. Not necessarily his fumbling. That can be fixed. I love Blount for what he does, but hes limited. He is a younger Brandon Jacobs. And yes any running back can go down, but if he goes down we are done. And he has gone down this year. But id rather have a RB that can step in and pick up the slack when Blount struggles beating 9 or 10 men in the box when they know he’s running. Or if we are down by 14 and hes on the bench too. Richardson is that guy that can do it.
ALL ABOARD THE TRENT RICHARDSON TRAIN!!!
He makes people miss by leaping all the time
and he trucks right over people, moves the pile. His blocking was much, much improved last year. He looked good in the passing game for his few chances last year too. He does have a fumbling problem.
He was horribly misused by Olson though. You say “we don’t use him” but that’s a huge knock on Olson not Blount. When he was in there he generally did pretty well.
Now i agree with this.
And its kind of hard to determine who or what coaches see in Blount and what he can do. He does have a fumbling problem. He does leap over people. Trucking ehhhh not so much. Strong runner when going downhill. But sometimes we need that runner that can make people miss. He lacks that lateral speed. Also the O line has made big holes for him and if he had that speed he would have scored but it ends up being a 12 yard gain. Thats what i mean.
ALL ABOARD THE TRENT RICHARDSON TRAIN!!!
I agree with most of that
He doesn’t have huge speed or lateral quickness. I disagree that he doesn’t truck, I think he does if he isn’t hit in the backfield. He got hit in the backfield a lot last year. A lot. Our oline needs help in a big way outside of Penn and Joseph.
Ive seen him truck a few people. But as big as he is he should have done it more often.
He got hit in the backfield because they stack 9-10 guys in the box because they know hes running, and in one direction only. The O-line overall did a good job run blocking with the exception of one person. Jeff Faine. He is the softest center i have seen hands down this year and i hate him.
ALL ABOARD THE TRENT RICHARDSON TRAIN!!!
Agree on Faine
but I don’t think we were that great in run blocking. Zuttah and Trueblood are passable, but nothing special. Joseph is great, but he’s pretty much it.
Trueblood was just passable in the run game
and horrible in the passing game. Zuttah was passable in both, but not spectacular in either.
Trueblood sucked in the pass game.
Better at run blocking. Zuttah was passable at both.
ALL ABOARD THE TRENT RICHARDSON TRAIN!!!
Dude we need Oline picks for sure
Im not comfortable with TB, Faine or Zuttah in the starting grid. Their lack of pass protection has helped eliminate the deep ball, or Olson couldn call one, I’m not sure. Zuttah I could see staying on the team, but TB and Faine definately need to be 2nd string. We need bigger bodies so Blount can go up the gut, not just right behind Big Joe.
by Titankillah on Jan 19, 2012 12:55 AM EST up reply actions
A good RB coach just needs to work with Blount...
and get him to hold the ball differently. Former NYG Tiki Barber had a big fumbling problem early on in his career, but got that sorted out and really had no further problems with it. Blount can certainly be fixed, because we need him out there on the field.
by Cracker Ball on Jan 18, 2012 12:11 PM EST up reply actions
I agree. Some of his problems can be fixed as far as fumbling.
speed and vision? i dont know. But we do need him on the field.
ALL ABOARD THE TRENT RICHARDSON TRAIN!!!
Yea i see that except he wont block.
give him 10-15 carries. along with richardson. im content with that
ALL ABOARD THE TRENT RICHARDSON TRAIN!!!
Blount is just fine as a blocker
The issue isn’t the quality of his blocking. It’s whether he can learn the assignments.
i havent seen him do it enough.
i would need to see it more
ALL ABOARD THE TRENT RICHARDSON TRAIN!!!
Kiper's latest mock has us taking Richardson at 5
and Claiborne was still available. I don’t like it at all, but I figured you would!
Defense Wins Championships
Look at the teams in the playoffs, three of four have great defenses, and the other one being the Pats, is playing pretty darn good. We need Mo Claiborne, the dude is a potential lock down corner. A lock down corner is harder to find in the draft than a RB. This years draft is full of RB, Chirs Polk, Doug Martin, and Lamichael James are just a few to name. All year long bucs fans were screaming that Blount was not given the ball enough and Blount was not given the opportunity to pass block or catch the ball. I saw Blount catch a screen pass and go for 30 something yards against the titans, then never saw it again. Olson is gone, and now I am sure the coach who comes in is going to want to run the ball with Blount all day long. No to Trent, hey if we trade down to the teens and somehow he is still there, then maybe that is a different story, but otherwise, too many other players that fill a need.
I know some teams draft on need and some draft on best player available. But QB and RB are two positions that if you already have a player there you do not draft another one with a top 5 pick. Some teams will never draft a RB that high even if they did not have one. I say no to Richardson, yes to another back in the second or third round.
Plenty of CBs in the draft.
Kirpatrick, Dennard, Jenkins, Hosley, The Iowa CBs, Minnfield. Based on last year we cant depend on just Blount. And Pats defense overall sucks. None of those teams left have a shutdown corner. Or any that is great except for Carlos Rogers and he just became great this year.
ALL ABOARD THE TRENT RICHARDSON TRAIN!!!
They do have a shutdown secondary
"I'm a little dysfunctional
You're the problem, Please don't awakin me
And I'm that way cause back in the day
Most have forsaken me"
They have a good secondary. Not a shutdown secondary.
They are better against stopping the run than the pass
ALL ABOARD THE TRENT RICHARDSON TRAIN!!!
I so agree with this.
You have to have a balance. No extreme to either side.
ALL ABOARD THE TRENT RICHARDSON TRAIN!!!
What happens when the no. 1 offense went against the no. 1 defense in 02?
by Carlitin1988 on Jan 20, 2012 11:58 PM EST via Android app up reply actions
what happened when the packers played the steelers in the super bowl?
ALL ABOARD THE TRENT RICHARDSON TRAIN!!!
Obviously it would be nice to have both but
The best offense is a good defense.
Mojo: The libido. The life force. The essence. The right stuff. What the French call a certain... I don't know what.
by TannShazamm on Jan 27, 2012 10:15 AM EST up reply actions
^ This ^
if the other team scores faster than you can, how can you expect to win?
by Cracker Ball on Jan 27, 2012 11:04 AM EST up reply actions
I agree.
Sometimes its about being able to just score more than the other team. Look at the Bucs in its hey day. Amazing defense. But the offense couldnt quite put it together consistently. On defense the most important point is being opportunistic. Sometimes its about making plays at the key moments in the game. Hopefully we can get it together because we do have the pieces to have at least a decent defense and a good offense. No way should the Bucs as a whole be giving up 40 points to teams like we did and no way should we be struggling to score points. No way we get off to slow startes in the first half and have to come back every game. Offense shouldnt be giving up pick 6’s or quick three and outs, and the defense shouldnt let the other team run at will.
ALL ABOARD THE TRENT RICHARDSON TRAIN!!!
Not exactly a "Local Boy does good" story...
Maybe he and Tanard can buy some rural property together, become “herb” farmers and guard it with Michael Vicks old dogs.
by Cracker Ball on Jan 27, 2012 11:06 AM EST up reply actions
Lol.
Im sorry i still think he will slide to the late first round possible early second round. I havent seen any player with some type of issue of that nature not drop in the draft.
ALL ABOARD THE TRENT RICHARDSON TRAIN!!!
Warren Sapp was still a high draft pick
Calvin Johnson admitted to smoking weed, he was drafted in the top 5.
He’ll slide a few spots, but it shouldn’t be too bad.
different circustances.
neither were arrested for marijuana possessions. he might have been a mid to late first round pick any ways and thats why i say he probably will slide into the 2nd.
ALL ABOARD THE TRENT RICHARDSON TRAIN!!!
Smoking it and testing positive is bad...
but getting caught with it, and adding the legal ramifications of it, it a character issue not a personal use issue. Now he has a record.
by Cracker Ball on Jan 27, 2012 9:05 PM EST up reply actions
RB issues?
I think we have a darn good power back in blount, with the right system he could easily lead the league in rushing.
So lets not look for a RB when we got one what we need is a coaching staff that will build around him and freeman.
we got 2 good players all they need is the right system
We have no legitimate depth at RB...
and if Blount ever went down – so would our running game.
by Cracker Ball on Jan 25, 2012 6:16 PM EST up reply actions
the only way that would happen is if he played on a team where the defense had to respect the pass dearly.
Freeman is not that threat yet. and they easily stick 9-10 in the box to stop him. Thats what alot of teams did this year early in the games. thats why we had alot of 3 and outs and we failed to score in the first quarter until the jaguars game.
ALL ABOARD THE TRENT RICHARDSON TRAIN!!!
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