A Green Bay Need - Running backs are hot items on the market

[woodbuck27]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/10042827

Running backs are hot items on the market

By Pat Kirwan
NFL.com Senior Analyst

(March 6, 2007)

Every year, a position or two jumps out quickly as the early pacesetters in the free agency/trade market, and this year running back is in the lead. Whether it was the running backs at the Senior Bowl or that Louisville's Michael Bush is coming off an injury, it doesn't appear that many clubs are going to wait around until the draft to get a back.

Trace the early action and it is easy to see that many franchises are thinking the same when it comes to a ball carrier.

The Lions traded for Tatum Bell to pair up with the injured Kevin Jones.

The Broncos quickly signed Travis Henry from the Titans soon after they shipped Bell to Detroit -- what happened to the old Denver way of finding great runners late in the draft?

The Texans signed 30-year-old Ahman Green -- what happened to the idea of getting young at the running back spot?

Thomas Jones winds up as a Jet and New York still has four picks in the first three rounds. Early March has had a lot of action for the running backs.

Rumors are that Ladell Betts of the Redskins could be had in a trade. He was nothing short of brilliant when he came off the bench last year for the injured Clinton Portis. Betts has a new contract, which would be appealing to a new club.

Willis McGahee up in Buffalo could be a holdout if he doesn't get a new deal and might be a possibility in a trade, but this may be a bad year to try and play the leverage game for any running back because the talent pool is still fairly impressive before we even get to the draft.


Quality backs like Corey Dillon can still be had in free agency.


Free agents still on the street that can be acquired for money and no draft compensation include: Dominic Rhodes, who had a brilliant performance in the Super Bowl; Jamal Lewis, who has been the Ravens' workhorse for years and got released because of a $5 million dollar roster bonus that was due; Corey Dillon, who can still pound the ball; and Correll Buckhalter, who proved he could stay healthy in Philadelphia this past season. And, for a lot fewer dollars, a team could add Chris Brown, the former Titan, as a complementary runner to a starting back.

Those are a number of options, and as time goes on and the draft gets closer, the price will come down. As Ahman Green said to me, "I was glad to get my deal done early."

As soon as April gets here, the running back conversations will turn to draft prospects like Adrian Peterson, Marshawn Lynch, Michael Bush, Tony Hunt, Kenny Irons, Lorenzo Booker and Brian Leonard. With teams like the Texans, Jets and Broncos already resolving their running back situations, some very good backs in the draft are going to drop and are going to be tremendous values in the second and third rounds.

The money investment in those rounds is going to put more pressure on the free-agent backs and lessen the compensation a team would give in a trade for a back.

Green Bay, Cleveland, Baltimore, the New York Giants, Tennessee, Oakland and Pittsburgh, among others, have to be thrilled at the possibilities to fill their running back needs now that the market is coming to them.

If Thomas Jones can be traded for a swap of second-round picks after a season with 1,364 total yards, you can get a bargain in this market very shortly.

comment woodbuck27:

Let's not give up hope that Ted Thompson will come through.

[Packnut]

Nothing but over-the-hill and injury prone RB's left. Guys like Betts and McGahee will cost at least a #3 which is'nt worth it. Thompson has rolled the dice here and has no choice but to go RB at #16 no matter who's there. If Lynch is gone, then he has to trade down into the lower part of the round and grab Bush or Irons..

Hoping one of the good backs is there in the 2nd rd would be a gamble he cannot take.

[gureski]

I don't see him as having backed himself into a corner where the team must pick a RB at #16. Not at all. Plenty of RB's have come in the 2nd round and later that turned out to be more productive then guys taken in front of him.

In the NFL today teams are moving away from a one back ground game so that lessens the need for the Pack to have to take a RB at #16. Team's are going with two-headed monsters. Power and speed combinations. Morency can be the speed guy.....who will be the power guy? You certainly don't have to promise the 16th pick in the draft for that.

[wist43]

Nothing but over-the-hill and injury prone RB's left. Guys like Betts and McGahee will cost at least a #3 which is'nt worth it. Thompson has rolled the dice here and has no choice but to go RB at #16 no matter who's there. If Lynch is gone, then he has to trade down into the lower part of the round and grab Bush or Irons..

Hoping one of the good backs is there in the 2nd rd would be a gamble he cannot take.

Not sure that I agree with any of that Packnut...

Betts and McGahee would be done deals if the compensation were only a 3rd rounder - both very good backs.

As for the "need" to go RB at #16??? I don't think so... this team has holes all over the place - there is surely going to be a 1st round value guy there at #16 at another position of need.

Trading down may work out, but it depends on who's there, and how they've stacked their board. Trading down 4-10 spots and picking up a 2nd or 3rd may be the way to go... it just depends on who's still on the board.

Never, ever, reach just to fill a "need"... this team has plenty of "needs", RB is just one of them.

[MJZiggy]

I agree with Wist!?!

[woodbuck27]

We don't need to go RB at number 16 and won't.

With need all over Ted Thompson will take the best player available or trade down and I'll bet the house that TT doesn't choose a RB at 16 as things are shaping up (mock's).

We need a RB that has power and can get us the first down on short yardage.

It's obvious now that Thompson and McCarthy believe that V. Morency will replace Ahman Green adequately but does he have the power to succeed in short yardage situations?

I havn't seen that.

[Packnut]

I don't see him as having backed himself into a corner where the team must pick a RB at #16. Not at all. Plenty of RB's have come in the 2nd round and later that turned out to be more productive then guys taken in front of him.

In the NFL today teams are moving away from a one back ground game so that lessens the need for the Pack to have to take a RB at #16. Team's are going with two-headed monsters. Power and speed combinations. Morency can be the speed guy.....who will be the power guy? You certainly don't have to promise the 16th pick in the draft for that.


Morency a speed guy? C'mon, he's nothing more than a back-up. Why is it so hard for people to deal with FACTS around here? It's not like we hav'nt seen Morency and have questions. Plenty of film on him at Houston and last season. I never saw him racing down the sideline out-running the opponent in either situation.

MAY-BE he could be good behind a solid O-line but in case anyone missed it, our line's strength sure is'nt run blocking as of yet. Also, just when did Morency prove himself catching passes out of the back-field? Is'nt that something you would hope your #1 RB can do?

As for finding a gem in the lower rd's, yes your right it's possible. However, it will take more time to develope that player than say a Lynch. With Green gone and no one to replace him, that luxury is gone.

Do we really wanna waste what could be Favre's last season with Morency as our starting RB? Do we wanna trust a 3rd rd rookie RB with picking up the blitz?

One team stands between us and Lynch and that's Buffalo. As of right now what happens with McGahee determines everything. If they can't trade him, they could decide to get his last season out of him and go RB next season. One thing though, if Lynch is there at 16, I'll bet anyone any reasonable amount that he's wearing green and gold come training camp time.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I'm not sold that Morency couldn't be a solid starter. Not from what I saw last year. I saw a guy that had good speed, not incredible speed, that was very nifty and seem to fit the scheme. However, I don't think you can be sold that he could be the guy. It's imperative that Noah Herron isn't his backup going into the season. I doubt Ted Thompson will let that happen.

[Packnut]

Nothing but over-the-hill and injury prone RB's left. Guys like Betts and McGahee will cost at least a #3 which is'nt worth it. Thompson has rolled the dice here and has no choice but to go RB at #16 no matter who's there. If Lynch is gone, then he has to trade down into the lower part of the round and grab Bush or Irons..

Hoping one of the good backs is there in the 2nd rd would be a gamble he cannot take.

Not sure that I agree with any of that Packnut...

Betts and McGahee would be done deals if the compensation were only a 3rd rounder - both very good backs.

As for the "need" to go RB at #16??? I don't think so... this team has holes all over the place - there is surely going to be a 1st round value guy there at #16 at another position of need.

Trading down may work out, but it depends on who's there, and how they've stacked their board. Trading down 4-10 spots and picking up a 2nd or 3rd may be the way to go... it just depends on who's still on the board.

Never, ever, reach just to fill a "need"... this team has plenty of "needs", RB is just one of them.

McGahee is more injury prone than most backs. History and the facts don't lie. I'll give you the Betts one although I say Washington is a very good run team and Betts running behind their line and ours could be night and day. I agree we have several needs but with Green gone, RB is now our #1 need.

[Partial]

Nothing but over-the-hill and injury prone RB's left. Guys like Betts and McGahee will cost at least a #3 which is'nt worth it. Thompson has rolled the dice here and has no choice but to go RB at #16 no matter who's there. If Lynch is gone, then he has to trade down into the lower part of the round and grab Bush or Irons..

Hoping one of the good backs is there in the 2nd rd would be a gamble he cannot take.

Not sure that I agree with any of that Packnut...

Betts and McGahee would be done deals if the compensation were only a 3rd rounder - both very good backs.

As for the "need" to go RB at #16??? I don't think so... this team has holes all over the place - there is surely going to be a 1st round value guy there at #16 at another position of need.

Trading down may work out, but it depends on who's there, and how they've stacked their board. Trading down 4-10 spots and picking up a 2nd or 3rd may be the way to go... it just depends on who's still on the board.

Never, ever, reach just to fill a "need"... this team has plenty of "needs", RB is just one of them.

McGahee is more injury prone than most backs. History and the facts don't lie. I'll give you the Betts one although I say Washington is a very good run team and Betts running behind their line and ours could be night and day. I agree we have several needs but with Green gone, RB is now our #1 need.

meh.. I say 2nd day this year, and then try and land McFadden or Slaton next year.

[CaptainKickass]

TT's entire FA philosophy can be summed up from this phrase in the original post:

"now that the market is coming to them"

don't go to the market....let the market come to you.

[Packnut]

Nothing but over-the-hill and injury prone RB's left. Guys like Betts and McGahee will cost at least a #3 which is'nt worth it. Thompson has rolled the dice here and has no choice but to go RB at #16 no matter who's there. If Lynch is gone, then he has to trade down into the lower part of the round and grab Bush or Irons..

Hoping one of the good backs is there in the 2nd rd would be a gamble he cannot take.

Not sure that I agree with any of that Packnut...

Betts and McGahee would be done deals if the compensation were only a 3rd rounder - both very good backs.

As for the "need" to go RB at #16??? I don't think so... this team has holes all over the place - there is surely going to be a 1st round value guy there at #16 at another position of need.

Trading down may work out, but it depends on who's there, and how they've stacked their board. Trading down 4-10 spots and picking up a 2nd or 3rd may be the way to go... it just depends on who's still on the board.

Never, ever, reach just to fill a "need"... this team has plenty of "needs", RB is just one of them.

McGahee is more injury prone than most backs. History and the facts don't lie. I'll give you the Betts one although I say Washington is a very good run team and Betts running behind their line and ours could be night and day. I agree we have several needs but with Green gone, RB is now our #1 need.

meh.. I say 2nd day this year, and then try and land McFadden or Slaton next year.

Slaton is a BEAST. That guy all by himself won me a fantasy college football championship!

[wist43]

TT's entire FA philosophy can be summed up from this phrase in the original post:

"now that the market is coming to them"

don't go to the market....let the market come to you.

I didn't want TT to "go to the market"... I just wanted him to keep Green.

As for the other available FA's, nothing really suits our needs or schemes - so I have no problem taking a pass on what's out there now.

Hopefully there will be some guys that are a better fit in the next wave of FA's.

[Bretsky]

I'm not sold that Morency couldn't be a solid starter. Not from what I saw last year. I saw a guy that had good speed, not incredible speed, that was very nifty and seem to fit the scheme. However, I don't think you can be sold that he could be the guy.


ARE YOU AUDITIONING FOR A CAREER IN POLITICS ?? :wink:


Cheers,
B

[Fritz]

I don't see him as having backed himself into a corner where the team must pick a RB at #16. Not at all. Plenty of RB's have come in the 2nd round and later that turned out to be more productive then guys taken in front of him.

In the NFL today teams are moving away from a one back ground game so that lessens the need for the Pack to have to take a RB at #16. Team's are going with two-headed monsters. Power and speed combinations. Morency can be the speed guy.....who will be the power guy? You certainly don't have to promise the 16th pick in the draft for that.


Morency a speed guy? C'mon, he's nothing more than a back-up. Why is it so hard for people to deal with FACTS around here? It's not like we hav'nt seen Morency and have questions. Plenty of film on him at Houston and last season. I never saw him racing down the sideline out-running the opponent in either situation.

MAY-BE he could be good behind a solid O-line but in case anyone missed it, our line's strength sure is'nt run blocking as of yet. Also, just when did Morency prove himself catching passes out of the back-field? Is'nt that something you would hope your #1 RB can do?

As for finding a gem in the lower rd's, yes your right it's possible. However, it will take more time to develope that player than say a Lynch. With Green gone and no one to replace him, that luxury is gone.

Do we really wanna waste what could be Favre's last season with Morency as our starting RB? Do we wanna trust a 3rd rd rookie RB with picking up the blitz?

One team stands between us and Lynch and that's Buffalo. As of right now what happens with McGahee determines everything. If they can't trade him, they could decide to get his last season out of him and go RB next season. One thing though, if Lynch is there at 16, I'll bet anyone any reasonable amount that he's wearing green and gold come training camp time.

One note: you disparage Morency due in large part to a lack of speed, but Lynch himself, if you look at highlight reels, tends to get caught from behind often, too.