Verdict
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Clearly, we drafted Zeke to be the bell cow, but the rest of the class can really give you a headache trying to sort them out. Some say Morris will be the clear favorite to be the number two back. I guess I can see that with his history of success in Washington, but by all accounts he is a ****** blocker and can't catch the ball worth a ****.
Ok, so we won't throw him the ball .... almost ever .... and we can't trust him to pass block for Romo. Do you really want Romo getting crushed under a DL and lose him for the season because of that? I just don't see him as a great fit for us, unless he is here only to be the short yardage back. We don't really need that though if we have Zeke. He improves our running game when he has the ball, but is a significant liability otherwise. This may get him cut.
McFadden is another enigma. He is a great at catching the ball out of the backfield and is a willing and effective pass protector. I understand that he isn't a great fit for the team in that he isn't a great ZBS running back. One might argue that if we keep him McFadden our line has to zone block for Zeke and run block for McFadden. I really don't know if that happens. Maybe we just zone block and make McFadden adapt according.
I think McFadden's ability to catch the ball, pass protect and carry the load if Zeke goes down makes him a pretty hard guy to cut, at least early in the year. It is easier to teach McFadden to run behind a ZBS, than to teach Morris to catch the ball and pass protect? Probably so.
Dunbar was resigned in spite of his significant injury which indicated pre draft that we intended to keep him around. Dunbar's injury might actually make him MORE valuable than the other backs (other than Zeke) to some degree. Why? Well he can go on pup this year and we get to stow him away on the back burner with no roster spot being used up. Hell he could ride the pup list most of the year and then come in after a significant injury to one of the other backs. That is very cheap insurance. There is no rule that we have to rush him back.
I have a feeling that one of the other backs we have added to the roster during and after the draft will stick to this roster. It wouldn't take a lot to unseat Morris off of this roster. That may not happen week one, but don't be surprised if we go one back long (plus Dunbar) this time to see what we have in one of these late round guys. With Dunbar on pup, and Gregory and Lawrence suspended, we may have a couple of extra spots available on the 53 the first few weeks.
Ok, so we won't throw him the ball .... almost ever .... and we can't trust him to pass block for Romo. Do you really want Romo getting crushed under a DL and lose him for the season because of that? I just don't see him as a great fit for us, unless he is here only to be the short yardage back. We don't really need that though if we have Zeke. He improves our running game when he has the ball, but is a significant liability otherwise. This may get him cut.
McFadden is another enigma. He is a great at catching the ball out of the backfield and is a willing and effective pass protector. I understand that he isn't a great fit for the team in that he isn't a great ZBS running back. One might argue that if we keep him McFadden our line has to zone block for Zeke and run block for McFadden. I really don't know if that happens. Maybe we just zone block and make McFadden adapt according.
I think McFadden's ability to catch the ball, pass protect and carry the load if Zeke goes down makes him a pretty hard guy to cut, at least early in the year. It is easier to teach McFadden to run behind a ZBS, than to teach Morris to catch the ball and pass protect? Probably so.
Dunbar was resigned in spite of his significant injury which indicated pre draft that we intended to keep him around. Dunbar's injury might actually make him MORE valuable than the other backs (other than Zeke) to some degree. Why? Well he can go on pup this year and we get to stow him away on the back burner with no roster spot being used up. Hell he could ride the pup list most of the year and then come in after a significant injury to one of the other backs. That is very cheap insurance. There is no rule that we have to rush him back.
I have a feeling that one of the other backs we have added to the roster during and after the draft will stick to this roster. It wouldn't take a lot to unseat Morris off of this roster. That may not happen week one, but don't be surprised if we go one back long (plus Dunbar) this time to see what we have in one of these late round guys. With Dunbar on pup, and Gregory and Lawrence suspended, we may have a couple of extra spots available on the 53 the first few weeks.
