NFC East running back rotations ranked from worst to best in 2023

[mcmvp]

That's true and that's what you really want. Even though Philly goes 4 deep you can't consistently run 4 RB's. I'd way rather have the best RB than have 4 good RBs.

I wouldn’t…RBs get injured all the time. There’s a reason why they have the shortest career spans, and why most teams won’t pay big money on a second contract.

Pollard is solid, but he’s not ‘great’. I would much prefer to have a strong stable of running backs…knowing that one or two of them are going to get nicked up along the way. It’s much better than the all or nothing approach.

 

[Bobhaze]

Oh they should’ve let him walk and addressed RB earlier in the draft then if they expect him to get 12-15 carries.

I don’t disagree that we should have drafted a RB. Where I disagree is thinking Pollard is a traditional RB because of his price tag. In my book he’s a “hybrid” weapon not in the mold of typical RB. He should be measured by stats like number of plays of 20+ yards, TDs, yards per touch, etc- not yards per carry.

Where I think we are currently vulnerable on this roster is having a reliably powerful runner in the traditional sense. Maybe Malik Davis emerges. I have my doubts about Ronald Jones. Deuce Vaughn will be more like Pollard in whatever role he plays.

 

[blueblood70]

Tony Pollard is the lead back finally for the Dallas Cowboys, but they're no longer the top running team in the NFC East.

3. Dallas Cowboys​

Tony Pollard, Deuce Vaughn, Malik Davis, Ronald Jones
This means it's Pollard's show and while he has the potential to do great things in a lead role, he's also coming off a broken fibula. So far, there's no concern about this in 2023 but the depth behind him is questionable.

Malik Davis looked impressive as a rookie but the former undrafted free agent from Florida is still inexperienced overall. Ronald Jones is there and he has a lot of experience, even gaining 978 yards for the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020. However, he's coming off a 70-yard campaign with the Chiefs and might not even make the 53-man roster.

The one player who could change their fortunes is Deuce Vaughn, a sixth-round pick from Kansas State. He has the potential to produce some highlight-reel plays but pinning their hopes on a late-round pick to be a difference-maker might not be a great bet.

Eagles are Number 1, not a surprise!

https://thelandryhat.com/posts/nfc-east-running-back-rotations-ranked-worst-best-2023

they can take those rankings and make them out of toilet paper, send some over to my house I can tell you what they're good for lol all the preseason rankings especially are worse than toilet paper... Might want to play half a season then start ranking teams letting them know their fortunes or misfortunes cause right now none of that means anything squat 0 everyone's starting out 00 there are no rankings last year means nothing...

 

[erod]

The running back position is a major weakness despite all the Pollard worship here. Yall about to find out RBs really aren't a dime a dozen.

You're way undervaluing Ronald Jones and Deuce Vaughn. Pollard's carries will barely increase. I like Davis a ton, too. Jones is a good player.

They'll be fine if they just sit pat. But they could add as well when the prices start dropping on vets.

 

[blueblood70]

In a 17 game season the Cowboys desperately need a 2nd quality back. They are putting all their hopes on undrafted free agents and a 5'6, 170 LB 6th round draft pick.

I think they want to see if they have something during the preseason. If the results ae disappointing then they have no choice but to pull the trigger on getting a known commodity.

All their hopes?? no there's a guy named Rico dowdell, Malik Davis, Ronald Jones ,hunter ,and Vaughn..

They have all offseason left to compete and some cream will rise to the top if not they have plenty of time before game one to go pick up a running back I remember this place saying they were dime a dozen easy to replace don't need to pay a lot for them don't need to draft tide now all of a sudden the backtracking and the whining and complaining we don't have enough that looks like enough to me right now.. That's a wide open competition by a lot of young guys mixed with some middling NFL career guys and I think the rotation will be fine if not again grab a running back right before game two it's not a big deal..

our run game like everyone else is run game is going to hinge on the offensive line, the play calling, and the schemes.. None of that have been good in the playoffs with or without Ezekiel Elliott or any other big name running backs... you have to have a good scheme, a great offensive line, and the play calling has to be balanced... So let's hope the offensive line comes together and it's not going to matter who we're running in my opinion after Pollard.

 

[Typhus]

Miles Sanders rushed for nearly 1300 yards and 11tds at 4.9 a carry. That's a significant chunk of productivity lost. I certainly think Swift, Penny, and Gainwell can be a solid combo as part of a committee approach, but this may not be as pretty of a situation as painted out in this article.

The reality is, though the Eagles may have the best RB depth in the division they very well could have the 4th best starting RB1 in the division.

Gainwell is Phillys poor mans Pollard.

 

[Typhus]

You're way undervaluing Ronald Jones and Deuce Vaughn. Pollard's carries will barely increase. I like Davis a ton, too. Jones is a good player.

They'll be fine if they just sit pat. But they could add as well when the prices start dropping on vets.

Jones is here for camp and insurance, you are way over valuing RJ.
Deuce gives us a prayer.
Davis is probably the 2 in camp.

 

[blueblood70]

Miles Sanders rushed for nearly 1300 yards and 11tds at 4.9 a carry. That's a significant chunk of productivity lost. I certainly think Swift, Penny, and Gainwell can be a solid combo as part of a committee approach, but this may not be as pretty of a situation as painted out in this article.

The reality is, though the Eagles may have the best RB depth in the division they very well could have the 4th best starting RB1 in the division.

agree

 

[blueblood70]

Gainwell is Phillys poor mans Pollard.

No DeAndre swift is a poor man's Pollard because they are very similar. But until swift can stay healthy he can't be depended on same goes with penny I mean that guy is a injury oh prone type guy who never blossomed when everybody had high hopes for him not like philadelphia's got a bunch of dudes that are ready just to explode. I'd say they have a lot more question marks than they have answers at running back just like us that doesn't make him number one that's why I don't like rankings..

but I believe Tony Pollard is closer to what Sanders was and we'll probably only have them this year anyway so you might as well just lean on him a little don't push him too hard keep him healthy for the playoffs but if you bring Pollard in with a healthy offensive line in the playoffs and he's fresh he could do some damage the problem is that didn't happen last year he ran out of gas he got injured twice and five game stretch and dropped off at the end of the year the Cowboys are smart to not overuse them throughout the year but towards the end of the year get him going into the playoffs and then ride him hard every playoff game.

 

[Mac_MaloneV1]

Miles Sanders rushed for nearly 1300 yards and 11tds at 4.9 a carry. That's a significant chunk of productivity lost. I certainly think Swift, Penny, and Gainwell can be a solid combo as part of a committee approach, but this may not be as pretty of a situation as painted out in this article.

The reality is, though the Eagles may have the best RB depth in the division they very well could have the 4th best starting RB1 in the division.

I don't buy their RB room for a second.

I don't buy Swift's talent and he and Penny are ALWAYS hurt. Hurt guys stay hurt lol. Philly could look at a significant number of games with Gainwell and Scott as their primary backs.

 

[mcmvp]

I don't buy their RB room for a second.

I don't buy Swift's talent and he and Penny are ALWAYS hurt. Hurt guys stay hurt lol. Philly could look at a significant number of games with Gainwell and Scott as their primary backs.

So you’re saying that the Eagles will have multiple backs miss games, but Pollard is guaranteed to stay healthy for 17 games after coming off that injury?

 

[Mac_MaloneV1]

So you’re saying that the Eagles will have multiple backs miss games, but Pollard is guaranteed to stay healthy for 17 games after coming off that injury?

Uh, no

Never said anything remotely close to that. Good hustle, good effort

 

[Hardline]

You're way undervaluing Ronald Jones and Deuce Vaughn. Pollard's carries will barely increase. I like Davis a ton, too. Jones is a good player.

They'll be fine if they just sit pat. But they could add as well when the prices start dropping on vets.

I'm in no way undervaluing Jones and Vaughn.
Jones isn't any better than Malik Davis and Duece Vaughn is a rookie that may not even make the active roster.
We need a serious upgrade outside of Pollard.

 

[erod]

I'm in no way undervaluing Jones and Vaughn.
Jones isn't any better than Malik Davis and Duece Vaughn is a rookie that may not even make the active roster.
We need a serious upgrade outside of Pollard.

Jones was very effective in Tampa and can certainly fill the Zeke role. He is NOTHING like Malik Davis. Two entirely different players.

And Deuce will be an excellent player who will never see the practice squad. He just can't be the lead back. He's Darren Sproles, and yes, I think he'll be that good. He destroyed teams like Texas, Alabama, TCU, OU, etc, repeatedly. He's just too small to be the main guy.

Need to do some research, buddy.

 

[KingCorcoran]

No DeAndre swift is a poor man's Pollard because they are very similar. But until swift can stay healthy he can't be depended on same goes with penny I mean that guy is a injury oh prone type guy who never blossomed when everybody had high hopes for him not like philadelphia's got a bunch of dudes that are ready just to explode. I'd say they have a lot more question marks than they have answers at running back just like us that doesn't make him number one that's why I don't like rankings..

but I believe Tony Pollard is closer to what Sanders was and we'll probably only have them this year anyway so you might as well just lean on him a little don't push him too hard keep him healthy for the playoffs but if you bring Pollard in with a healthy offensive line in the playoffs and he's fresh he could do some damage the problem is that didn't happen last year he ran out of gas he got injured twice and five game stretch and dropped off at the end of the year the Cowboys are smart to not overuse them throughout the year but towards the end of the year get him going into the playoffs and then ride him hard every playoff game.

Sanders, $25 million, half of that guaranteed. Some teams just don’t spend that kind of money for running backs. Unlike Pollard, Sanders is not much of a receiver. Swift will spend time on IR for half what Sanders will, and for a third of what Pollard will.

 

[Staubacher]

The running back position is a major weakness despite all the Pollard worship here. Yall about to find out RBs really aren't a dime a dozen.

You miss him awww

 

[plasticman]

All their hopes?? no there's a guy named Rico dowdell, Malik Davis, Ronald Jones ,hunter ,and Vaughn..

They have all offseason left to compete and some cream will rise to the top if not they have plenty of time before game one to go pick up a running back I remember this place saying they were dime a dozen easy to replace don't need to pay a lot for them don't need to draft tide now all of a sudden the backtracking and the whining and complaining we don't have enough that looks like enough to me right now.. That's a wide open competition by a lot of young guys mixed with some middling NFL career guys and I think the rotation will be fine if not again grab a running back right before game two it's not a big deal..

our run game like everyone else is run game is going to hinge on the offensive line, the play calling, and the schemes.. None of that have been good in the playoffs with or without Ezekiel Elliott or any other big name running backs... you have to have a good scheme, a great offensive line, and the play calling has to be balanced... So let's hope the offensive line comes together and it's not going to matter who we're running in my opinion after Pollard.

I guarantee you didn't hear that "dime a dozen" talk from me

Rico Dowdell, Malik Davis, Ronald Jones ,hunter ,and Vaughn? Sorry, that doesn't inspire a lot of confidence from me.

The running game doesn't hinge on just the offensive line. If it did then the name Joseph Randle wouldn't invoke immediate laughter. The RB must have an acceptable amount of talent to take advantage of what the offensive line offers him.

 

[Hardline]

You miss him awww

Miss who?

 

[mcmvp]

No DeAndre swift is a poor man's Pollard because they are very similar. But until swift can stay healthy he can't be depended on same goes with penny I mean that guy is a injury oh prone type guy who never blossomed when everybody had high hopes for him not like philadelphia's got a bunch of dudes that are ready just to explode. I'd say they have a lot more question marks than they have answers at running back just like us that doesn't make him number one that's why I don't like rankings..

but I believe Tony Pollard is closer to what Sanders was and we'll probably only have them this year anyway so you might as well just lean on him a little don't push him too hard keep him healthy for the playoffs but if you bring Pollard in with a healthy offensive line in the playoffs and he's fresh he could do some damage the problem is that didn't happen last year he ran out of gas he got injured twice and five game stretch and dropped off at the end of the year the Cowboys are smart to not overuse them throughout the year but towards the end of the year get him going into the playoffs and then ride him hard every playoff game.

Doesn’t that statement now apply to Pollard as well? I mean let’s keep it real… This is exactly what happens to running backs.

 

[Hardline]

Jones was very effective in Tampa and can certainly fill the Zeke role. He is NOTHING like Malik Davis. Two entirely different players.

And Deuce will be an excellent player who will never see the practice squad. He just can't be the lead back. He's Darren Sproles, and yes, I think he'll be that good. He destroyed teams like Texas, Alabama, TCU, OU, etc, repeatedly. He's just too small to be the main guy.

Need to do some research, buddy.

I seen his entire college career. He's not like Darren sproles. Just because they both played for Kansas St. Doesn't make them the same player. I hope I am wrong but I rarely am .