Addressing the Running Back Position

[SlyEli]

I was reading the Denver Post article about Ronnie Hillman and this stat stood out to me:

The team did not score a single rushing touchdown on a run longer than seven yards, and that scoring run came in the season opener against the Steelers.

Out of all the Rb's on the roster I don't see any big play threats. McGahee is an old plugger, Moreno improved last year but still has no speed. Hillman is not quite there yet...he's young and getting comfortable, but doesn't get enough tough yards to rely on every down.

The free agency class is strong at running back:

Steven Jackson is another plugger, but might not have much left. He probably will end up going back to the Rams anyway.

Reggie Bush seems like a perfect fit, as he provides the explosive threat at the position that the broncos are lacking. He can catch passes as well. He might be looking for a lot of money, though.



Rashard Mendenhall powerful and fast. gets tough yards and has big play ability. Coming off an injury and maybe could be had for cheap?

Ahmad Bradshaw tough, solid complimentary runner. would be a great part of a rotation. His big problem is staying healthy.

Looking at the rest of the list, I don't see any other guys who would add much to the lineup. Ideally I'd like them to pick up Bush, and rotate him with McGahee for a thunder and lightning, but maybe I'm just dreaming.

If the prices are too high for the free agent crop (which is likely), they'll probably pick up a guy in the draft. The draft is nowhere near as deep as last year's, but there are a few solid guys.

Eddie Lacy I'm not really sold on. Yeah he's big and pretty athletic, but he's nowhere near the running back that Trent Richardson was coming out of Alabama last year. It's hard for me to get excited about drafting him with a first round pick, which is probably what it would take.

Gio Bernard I expected more watching his tape, he doesn't seem that fast. Not very flashy, but overall solid. Maybe I just haven't seen the right tape.

The best value is in guys like Montee Ball and Christine Michael. I like Ball's make-em-miss ability and production. Michael is a good combination of speed and power and presents game breaker ability. I wasn't impressed at all with Marcus Lattimore. And that's before the injury. He's no Adrian Peterson.

Here's some film of Michael: Look at the full speed cut he makes on the safety at (1:06)


McGahee gets all the tough yards, but is never a threat to break one. Moreno gets some of the tough yards, but is hardly if at all a big play threat. Hillman doesn't get tough yards but has the potential to make big plays.

In my dream world, we'd sign Bush as the lightning to McGahee's thunder. I think the offense lacks the legitimate threat at RB that Peyton has had in the past with Edge and Addai. We have enough money to sign a guy like Bush after cuts. I like Bradshaw though too.

I'd love Hillman to develop into a big time threat this season but I think he's a couple years away, and there's no time to way. What are your guys' thoughts?

[ZONA]

I just don't see how you can't mention a guy like Shonn Green. He's better then anybody we have currently.

[SonOfLe-loLang]

is like a Boy Named Sue kinda thing>?

[SlyEli]

Originally Posted by ZONA

I just don't see how you can't mention a guy like Shonn Green. He's better then anybody we have currently.

Green is the definition of average, and hasn't done much since his rookie year. I'm talking about picking up a guy that would improve the position. Green isn't better than McGahee.

[DENVERDUI55]

Originally Posted by ZONA

I just don't see how you can't mention a guy like Shonn Green. He's better then anybody we have currently.

Because outside of the playoffs his rookie year he has been dog poop. Very average at best running behind a good OL in a running system.

[Ratboy]

The problem with Free Agency is that a lot of the RB considered to be "top" are or have been injured in the past. The only reason I don't list Reggie Bush is because Hillman fills that role.

Through FA--

1. Ahmad Bradshaw
2. Steven Jackson
3. Rashard Mendenhall

Through the draft -- while I would go through the draft for a running back, I'm not sure the Broncos will.

1. Eddie Lacy
2. Montee Ball

[bowtown]

Originally Posted by ZONA

I just don't see how you can't mention a guy like Shonn Green. He's better then anybody we have currently.

Shonn Green is terrible.

[Ray Finkle]

Originally Posted by ZONA

I just don't see how you can't mention a guy like Shonn Green. He's better then anybody we have currently.

Lance Ball is better than Shonn Green. He's got no lateral quickness. Everyone hangs to Green's 1 good post season game 3 years ago as opposed to the dump he is.

[Bacchus]

I like Montee ball out of all the backs. He is big, strong and can catch. He would be great for shotgun-draws. That being said I do not want to use a first round pick on a RB. DT/CB/MLB are my first three choices fo rthe first pick.

[socalorado]

The perfect RB in this years draft for the DEN offense is Stepfan Taylor STAN.
Dude is a workhorse with power inside the tackles and outside, can catch out of the backfield, and is a very good blocker in pass pro. Basically a plug and play RB day 1.

Obviously DEN needs another RB.
My top 5 RBs that DEN should go after in the draft.
1.Stephan Taylor STAN
2.Mike Gillislee FLA
3.Montee Ball WISC
4.Jawan Jamison Rutgers
5.Johnathan Franklin UCLA

My top 5 RBs DEN should go after in FA/RFA
1.Jonathan Stewart* (If CAR releases him!!!)
2.Chris Ivory (RFA)
3.Jonathan Dwyer (RFA)
4.Ahmad Bradshaw (Always injured)
5.Steven Jackson (Always injured)

[Beantown Bronco]

I would go after Jonathan Dwyer long before I went after any other name in this entire thread.

[Beantown Bronco]

Originally Posted by socalorado

Steven Jackson (Always injured)

Huh? He's missed a grand total of 2 games in the last 4 years and has averaged over 290 carries a season in that timeframe. The guy is nothing if not a workhorse back.

Having said that, I don't want him purely for cost reasons.

[SlyEli]

Originally Posted by socalorado

The perfect RB in this years draft for the DEN offense is Stepfan Taylor STAN.
Dude is a workhorse with power inside the tackles and outside, can catch out of the backfield, and is a very good blocker in pass pro. Basically a plug and play RB day 1.

Obviously DEN needs another RB.
My top 5 RBs that DEN should go after in the draft.
1.Stephan Taylor STAN
2.Mike Gillislee FLA
3.Montee Ball WISC
4.Jawan Jamison Rutgers
5.Johnathan Franklin UCLA

My top 5 RBs DEN should go after in FA/RFA
1.Jonathan Stewart* (If CAR releases him!!!)
2.Chris Ivory (RFA)
3.Jonathan Dwyer (RFA)
4.Ahmad Bradshaw (Always injured)
5.Steven Jackson (Always injured)

I'm not sold on Taylor. Catching out of the backfield is not one of his strong suits. Moreno proved how important a good rb receiver is in a manning offense. I wouldn't mind signing Jonathan Stewart, I liked him a lot coming out of the draft a few years ago

[socalorado]

Originally Posted by Beantown Bronco

Huh? He's missed a grand total of 2 games in the last 4 years and has averaged over 290 carries a season in that timeframe. The guy is nothing if not a workhorse back.

Having said that, I don't want him purely for cost reasons.

Yeah, he plays but hes always injured. But he plays anyways, and thats great, however hes always injured. He never seems to be full healthy, and so i just see him as too much of a liability for the money.
I like watching him play though, and hes a good teammate.

[CEH]

We need to convert 3rd and 1s and make 2nd and 2 a free down to take a shot
Hillman is a young 20 year old RB who should get better and has that capability to add the big play unless you think he has maxed out after his first year. I think he has only touched the surface of his potential

I would love Jackson but I think he may stay in Stl because after their OLine started to gel you saw SJ producing better atleast this is what Fisher told ESPN

[socalorado]

Originally Posted by elibroncofan

I'm not sold on Taylor. Catching out of the backfield is not one of his strong suits. Moreno proved how important a good rb receiver is in a manning offense. I wouldn't mind signing Jonathan Stewart, I liked him a lot coming out of the draft a few years ago

Are you on crack cocaine!?!?
Taylor is VERY good at catching outta the backfield!

Stepfan Taylor, RB, Stanford
Height: 5-9. Weight: 216. Arm: 29 5/8. Hand: 8 3/8.
Projected 40 Time: 4.58.
Projected Round (2013): 2-3.
2/16/13: Taylor was phenomenal for Stanford in 2012 and was the workhorse for the Cardinal's offense. He carried Stanford to an upset win over USC with over 200 combined yards and two touchdowns. The senior followed that up with other big games against the likes of Oregon and UCLA.

Taylor averaged 4.8 yards per carry this year, having collected 1,530 yards and 13 touchdowns. He totaled 41 receptions for 287 yards with two scores through the air, too. Taylor showed three-down ability with his blocking and receiving. He had an excellent week of practice at the Senior Bowl that proved he could be a three-down player in the NFL. Nationally, Taylor is a sleeper prospect who could be a draft-day steal.

8/16/12: Taylor could be one of the more underrated players in college football. Quarterback Andrew Luck, guard David DeCastro and tackle Jonathan Martin have received more attention, but Taylor has been a critical player in Stanford's ongoing success. The underappreciated back averaged 5.5 yards per carry in 2011, rushing for 1,330 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also caught 25 passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns.
http://walterfootball.com/draft2013RB.php

[i4jelway7]

Falcons are cutting Michael Turner

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...ichael-turner/

[SlyEli]

Originally Posted by socalorado

Are you on crack cocaine!?!?
Taylor is VERY good at catching outta the backfield!

Stepfan Taylor, RB, Stanford
Height: 5-9. Weight: 216. Arm: 29 5/8. Hand: 8 3/8.
Projected 40 Time: 4.58.
Projected Round (2013): 2-3.
2/16/13: Taylor was phenomenal for Stanford in 2012 and was the workhorse for the Cardinal's offense. He carried Stanford to an upset win over USC with over 200 combined yards and two touchdowns. The senior followed that up with other big games against the likes of Oregon and UCLA.

Taylor averaged 4.8 yards per carry this year, having collected 1,530 yards and 13 touchdowns. He totaled 41 receptions for 287 yards with two scores through the air, too. Taylor showed three-down ability with his blocking and receiving. He had an excellent week of practice at the Senior Bowl that proved he could be a three-down player in the NFL. Nationally, Taylor is a sleeper prospect who could be a draft-day steal.

8/16/12: Taylor could be one of the more underrated players in college football. Quarterback Andrew Luck, guard David DeCastro and tackle Jonathan Martin have received more attention, but Taylor has been a critical player in Stanford's ongoing success. The underappreciated back averaged 5.5 yards per carry in 2011, rushing for 1,330 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also caught 25 passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns.
http://walterfootball.com/draft2013RB.php

Maybe you're right, I haven't seen him catch the ball much in the few stanford games I watched, and I had heard he wasn't much of a good receiver. He's got little hands though. He's an intriguing physical specimen for sure.

[oubronco]

Eddie Lacy*, RB, Alabama
Height: 6-0. Weight: 220.
Projected 40 Time: 4.55.
Projected Round (2013): 1-2.
2/16/13: Lacy's stock has been rising steadily since late in the 2012 season. The NFL loves his running ability with his power, quickness and elusiveness. Many believe that Lacy is the top back in the 2013 NFL Draft and has a real shot of going in the first round.

Lacy totaled 1,322 yards (6.4 average) and 17 touchdowns this season on only 204 carries. He was a power runner for Alabama and lost touches to standout freshman T.J. Yeldon. Lacy caught 22 passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns, too. He had massive performances against Georgia (20-181) in the SEC Championship and Notre Dame (20-140) in the National Championship.

8/16/12: Lacy is a clone of the recent mold of Alabama running backs. Under head coach Nick Saban, they've been led by ball-carriers who have a combination of size, quickness and power.

Lacy was the backup to star back Trent Richardson as a sophomore last year. However, when Lacy received carries, he made the most of them running for 631 yards on 84 carries with seven touchdowns.

[socalorado]

Originally Posted by elibroncofan

Maybe you're right, I haven't seen him catch the ball much in the few stanford games I watched, and I had heard he wasn't much of a good receiver. He's got little hands though. He's an intriguing physical specimen for sure.

To me, in the Manning offense, DEN needs a guy who can play 3 downs, and make the opposing defense have to account for him for all 3 downs.
That means he needs to excel at running well inside the tackles and outside, be able to drop off into the flats and catch balls, and be an excellent blocker in pass pro.
Basically, DEN needs Marshall Faulk. But we all know that aint happening.
And Shady McCoy aint gonna be traded to DEN anytime soon, so they need to look to the draft and find someone who already knows how to play in an offense that is somewhat close to what DEN runs, and has the experience to excel at doing all 3 of the above.
Stepfan Taylor has been doing it for 3 year now, and is very good at all 3.
The STAN offense is just a fantastic system to draft from, and Taylor fits what DEN needs perfectly. Gillisee is also very good at all 3 too.

[elsid13]

The key for any draft running back is how well he is pass protect for us. Running the ball is easy compared to ensure that he keeps defenders clear of Manning. I am kinda interested in Knile Davis, good size back with experience pro style passing game.

[Lestat]

Bernard is gonna be a beast in the NFL, but if you want to solve that issue in house, just run Holliday on reverses

[Requiem]

Not mentioning Le'veon Bell out of Michigan State is a crime. The guy absolutely punishes defenders and not only is a downhill runner, but does well side to side and outside the tackles. He has shed weight (was 240 in college) for the combine looking to add more speed and agility. He can also catch too. I compare him to Michael Bush, but a better receiver than he is. Would be an excellent fit for this offense. Just the kind of thunder we need to Hillman's lightning.

[socalorado]

Originally Posted by Lestat

Bernard is gonna be a beast in the NFL, but if you want to solve that issue in house, just run Holliday on reverses

Both Lacy and Bernard are really good. And Bernard is just a freak, electric playmaker. Ultimately, i would love to see Bernard gain about 7 lbs, and still be as fast, and turn into a 3-down RB. I have become very interested in the possibility of Bernard in the DEN offense.
However, i dont think DEN will spend a really high pick on the RB position. Just my 2 cents.

[Rascal]

Originally Posted by Requiem

Not mentioning Le'veon Bell out of Michigan State is a crime. The guy absolutely punishes defenders and not only is a downhill runner, but does well side to side and outside the tackles. He has shed weight (was 240 in college) for the combine looking to add more speed and agility. He can also catch too. I compare him to Michael Bush, but a better receiver than he is. Would be an excellent fit for this offense. Just the kind of thunder we need to Hillman's lightning.

He, and RBs of his caliber, is the primary reason I think drafting a RB in round 1 is moronic.