running backs (2 Viewers)

[LSSpam]

If the Saints go BPA at any point in the draft there's a very large chance they'll end up drafting a RB. This draft is enormously deep at that position.

I mean if you can get someone like, say, Steve Slaton in the 4th round and make him a sort of RB/WR/KR hybrid, don't you have to consider it?

 

[wowatkin]

Jesus, wowatkin...your avatar just scared the hell out of me!!

Really??? It always makes me laugh!

What's up with Forte's knee?
Again, IMO, we could really use a bigger back to try to duplicate Deuce's role in the offense. Even when Deuce returns this year, odds are that he's not going to play for another 5 or 6 years. Since this is such a deep running back draft, may as well grab one in the later rounds.

I think a lot of our O-line's blocking issues can be directly traced to the lack of Deuce and the power running game. Even when Deuce was met at the line, chances were that he would fall forward for at least 2 yards. That makes a world of difference in the red zone, short yardage, and in the overall playcalling. Without the big back that always falls forward, the LB's and safeties don't have to play as close to the LOS and respect the playaction pass as much. Maybe they cheat up only a yard or two, or stand fast on the playaction for less than a full second, but those few precious yards and seconds are the difference between the runningback getting into the second level with room to work with or the safety being just out of position to make a play on the deep pass.
I think this affects our defense too. Surely our defense plays off of our offense, and when we can't sustain drives after a 3rd and 1 or 2, the D eventually takes more chances and end up out of position, trying to get the ball back for the offense. This is especially the case late in the games that are not out of hand, but take 2 or more scores to get back into. How many times in '06 did we go down by 10 or more points and we all felt like it was all over?? Not many. How many times did we go down by 10 or more and we felt like we were going to come back and win?? Not nearly enough...
I know it's a huge stretch, but I do think that #26 meant just that much to our team.

Sorry for being so long winded.....

 

[DownWithDisease]

If the Saints go BPA at any point in the draft there's a very large chance they'll end up drafting a RB. This draft is enormously deep at that position.

I mean if you can get someone like, say, Steve Slaton in the 4th round and make him a sort of RB/WR/KR hybrid, don't you have to consider it?

IMO, that would be the best move for the Saints. Grab a RB that can give us a big-play threat as a return man, as well as provide us with a similar type player to Reggie Bush. That way, if anything were to happen with Reggie we wouldn't have to completely lose that aspect of our offense.

A player like Steve Slaton from WVU, Chris Johnson from ECU, Justin Forsett from Cal, or even a guy like Anthony Alridge from Houston would fit that bill... and of course Felix Jones. (I wonder if the Saints would consider Felix Jones if he was there in the 2nd round).

Alridge could be had really late... maybe even as an UDFA.

Really??? It always makes me laugh!

What's up with Forte's knee?

I believe he blew out his knee the season before last. He certainly didn't show any ill effects from it last season, but you know how the NFL looks at injury history.

 

[jayd265]

felix jones in round 4...j/j i dont really know a lot about college players. i know he's declaring for hte draft though.

 

[DownWithDisease]

Those are good RB's, but the player I that I think would complement Reggie the best is Jacob Hester. Both can be in the backfield at the same time because Hester can block, catch, and run the ball.

What about Peyton Hillis? He's very similar to Hester, but he had to play behind Run DMC and Felix Jones.

 

[DownWithDisease]

IMO, that would be the best move for the Saints. Grab a RB that can give us a big-play threat as a return man, as well as provide us with a similar type player to Reggie Bush. That way, if anything were to happen with Reggie we wouldn't have to completely lose that aspect of our offense.

A player like Steve Slaton from WVU, Chris Johnson from ECU, Justin Forsett from Cal, or even a guy like Anthony Alridge from Houston would fit that bill... and of course Felix Jones. (I wonder if the Saints would consider Felix Jones if he was there in the 2nd round).

Alridge could be had really late... maybe even as an UDFA.

Alridge is actually listed as a WR on some sites.

 

[saintsplaya]

i would like to get chris johnson (dont think it will happen) and let him be kr/pr and use him as a rb also. the rb we draft should have kick return ability so hes not sitting on the bench waiting to get a snap behind all our rb's. however i believe a bigger back like a forte or jon stewart is the kind of back this team is looking for so we can pound the ball up the middle if deuce isnt back

 

[Professor]

I think the Saints will pick a RB the second day, but frankly, given his performance against the Bears, I think P. Thomas will be Deuce's backup come game one of the '08 season, and deservedly so.

 

[whoami]

i would like to get chris johnson (dont think it will happen) and let him be kr/pr and use him as a rb also. the rb we draft should have kick return ability so hes not sitting on the bench waiting to get a snap behind all our rb's. however i believe a bigger back like a forte or jon stewart is the kind of back this team is looking for so we can pound the ball up the middle if deuce isnt back

All the RBs we want are on the team's roster now.

Chris Barclay (#24) did a nice job of returning (KO or Punts, I am not sure). He is listed as a RB, and I believe that Skyler Green can also be thought of as a RB/WR/KR/PR. Then we have #23, #25 and #26 under contract. Barclay will take over Lance Moore's job, as he has already had 2 TDs as a PR/KR. Moore didn't work out as we had hoped, and #23 will not see any significant action at PR/KR.

I don't think they draft a RB. We will probably find one as a UDFA.

 

[saintsplaya]

im not sold on barclay. skyler green has done nothing to prove he has a spot on this team come regular season. hopefully he can get slimmer and regain his speed. payton doesnt like using roster spots on players who can only return kicks. barclay wont make the team imo, green has an uphill battle.

 

[oodank]

I actually think the OP is right. I'm willing to bet money the Saints draft a RB this April. This is one of the deepest drafts at RB in recent memory, and at some point when the Saints pick, a RB is going to be BPA.... It could be sooner than later.

I also agree here, and this is one of the peeves I have with the draft. Teams will pass on a need if a another player falls further than they expected. I am one of the thought that you have to draft guys in positions of need. let's face it guys, there are HOLES on this team! we are not in a position to draft just the "best player available". we need to target quality guys at positions of need. personally, i would hate to see the saints draft a RB before the 5th rd, if at all. we need to stock pile defensive guys in 5 of the 7 rounds.

 

[canuckredux]

I wonder why so many declared? A few would have been smart to stay another year and enter in a less deep draft next year. It's the underclassmen that made it so deep. You might not even see a senior selected in the first 3 rounds.

 

[baarbogast]

I think Jalen Parmalee of Toledo will be a steal. Right now he is projected as a 7th rounder. Every time I saw him play he was dynamite. The MAC must've really been weak this year.

 

[canuckredux]

felix jones in round 4...j/j i dont really know a lot about college players. i know he's declaring for hte draft though.

Felix Jones is a 1st or high 2nd-round talent. Highly unlikely he falls to round 4. (Or does "j/j" mean "just joking"?)

Chris Johnson's interesting. He's been called a "poor man's Reggie Bush", you know how much we've always wanted one of those.

I'm thinking that if we're going RB we're going big and there aren't too many big RBs in this draft. After Stewart and Mendenhall, there's Forte a way's down and then a big dropoff after that.

 

[waazup]

Can you believe that the position in which we have the most depth in is running back?