Should Zeke be released in the offseason?

[Loso86]

If not for a 26 yard run yesterday, Zeke would have had 11 carries for 22 yards.

His decline is very concerning.

Should he be released in the offseason?

Only if the entire oline and coaches are released with him, good god man

 

[RonnieT24]

Barkley managed to put up amazing numbers his rookie year behind one of the worst O lines in the league Oh, that’s right, according to Ronnie that Giants O line was much better than the stats showed, it was Barkley making them look bad, lol.

Funny how much criticism Barkley got after the first MNF game this year against Pitt. Anyone who watched it saw how quick he was getting hit in the backfield, something less than a second after touching the ball. It was all Barkley’s fault, the O line was never mentioned.

For the past 4 years it’s been easy to criticize other RB’s who didn’t have great lines but now once poor wittle zeke doesn’t have a top 5-10 O line it’s suddenly a valid excuse for all the RB’s. I don’t recall many people giving credit to the O line for the past 4 years (despite a few of us saying otherwise and backing it up with individual RB stats) it was allllllllll zeke and IMOF a lot of people said the O line wasn’t nearly as good as their ranking and stats suggested.

Aside from you I have not seen anyone here mention Barkley at all. Who were all these people on the Cowboys website critiquing a guy who plays for a hated rival? Sorry dude.. You're the only here who insists on wedging Barkley into every other conversation. If you didn't bring him up here he would only get talked about twice a year... when we play the Giants.. and would be forgotten as soon as the next opponent showed up on the radar. Your fanboying for him is admirable but the fact remains.. the Giants are winning more without him than they ever won with him. Spin it any way you wish.. but all them highlights have not netted his team diddly, probably because all that dancing around looking for highlights frequently leaves them in 2nd and 15. With one more win the Cowboys will have matched the best record the Giants ever had with Barkley.. .. or maybe they were 6-10 one year? I'm afraid I don't follow them that closely.

 

[J12B]

Have you not heard, you don't need a good OL to run.

Haven't you heard a good rb is nothing without a good OL and a bad RB is good with a good OL and no one really needs a $15 million a year RB

 

[Cowboysheelsreds053]

Haven't you heard a good rb is nothing without a good OL and a bad RB is good with a good OL and no one really needs a $15 million a year RB

I agree about RB getting paid, would not pay them regardless of who it is but you still need an OL and a back that is willing to put in the work. So you can spin it however.

 

[aria]

Aside from you I have not seen anyone here mention Barkley at all. Who were all these people on the Cowboys website critiquing a guy who plays for a hated rival? Sorry dude.. You're the only here who insists on wedging Barkley into every other conversation. If you didn't bring him up here he would only get talked about twice a year... when we play the Giants.. and would be forgotten as soon as the next opponent showed up on the radar. Your fanboying for him is admirable but the fact remains.. the Giants are winning more without him than they ever won with him. Spin it any way you wish.. but all them highlights have not netted his team diddly, probably because all that dancing around looking for highlights frequently leaves them in 2nd and 15. With one more win the Cowboys will have matched the best record the Giants ever had with Barkley.. .. or maybe they were 6-10 one year? I'm afraid I don't follow them that closely.

Ronnie, you continue your dumb comments about winning more without Barkley. We’ve been over this 1,000 times. It literally shows how you’re either trolling or just a dunce or both. I guess DJ leading the league in turnovers last year had nothing to do with it? Or a defense that went from one of the worst to top 10 had nothing to do with it?

Again, if you want to make the argument that RB’s should be judged based on how far their team went or how good their record is then there’s a long list of RB’s that, according to you, are superior to zeke. CJ Anderson comes to mind, he put on a clinic for zeke when we played the Rams in the playoffs. Guess that means CJ is a better RB than zeke. Montgomery and the Packers beat us in 2016, guess that means Montgomery is better than zeke. The ewok couldn’t get the job done but those RB’s did, they’re clearly better according to you because they had better records. That also means there’s about 28 RB’s in the league currently better than zeke, so maybe you’re on to something.

You don’t see anything about Barkley anymore (or other RB’s) because now once the O line excuse suddenly becomes valid for zeke, no one wants to talk about the numbers Barkley put up behind a worse O line than what zeke has. Where were you the past few years Ronnie? You didn’t show up defending your boy zeke until he started having the worst season of his career and all you do is point your finger at the offensive line and make hypocritical excuses that only apply to zeke but no other RB’s.

I constantly bring up Barkley because he was the only other RB that a team was dumb enough to draft in the top 5, he plays for a division rival, he was considered zeke’s biggest rival amongst all RB’s until his high ankle sprain and he played behind one of the worst O lines in the league and still managed to put up better numbers than zeke. So when people say “no one can run behind a bad O line” I can say otherwise when referring to Barkley.

Ohhhhhh...that’s right! According to you, and ONLY you, the 2018 Giants O line was much better than the stats or any football fan, analyst or anyone with common sense and two working eyes said it was because you said Barkley made the O line appear a lot worse than it actually was That’s how pathetic your excuses have become in defending zeke.

Just as a reminder, since the Giants are so much better off without Barkley and no RB can succeed behind a bad O line, here’s this, but you don’t need no stats to tell you anything do you Ronnie? You played the game, you just need to watch....unless all those meaningless stats that you post support zeke, then they’re legit

https://247sports.com/nfl/new-york-...ants-all-time-records--126177397/#126177397_1

 

[kskboys]

Problem is, you've got two sides that are extremely polarized. Z is either great, or he can be replaced by anyone. Neither side is accurate.

 

[EABCOWBOY]

Why not trade him for draft picks now? Also do not sign Dak. Let's start over $60 Million lighter. Keep Dalton, draft Lawrence or another young QB and draft a bunch of linemen on both sides of the ball.

 

[Cowboysheelsreds053]

Cowboys are not getting 1st pick so forget about Lawrence.

 

[kskboys]

Why not trade him for draft picks now? Also do not sign Dak. Let's start over $60 Million lighter. Keep Dalton, draft Lawrence or another young QB and draft a bunch of linemen on both sides of the ball.

Salary.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Why not trade him for draft picks now?

Welcome to the forum! The Cowboys can't trade Zeke because of his contract. It's too big for any team to absorb.

 

[RonnieT24]

Ronnie, you continue your dumb comments about winning more without Barkley. We’ve been over this 1,000 times. It literally shows how you’re either trolling or just a dunce or both. I guess DJ leading the league in turnovers last year had nothing to do with it? Or a defense that went from one of the worst to top 10 had nothing to do with it?

Again, if you want to make the argument that RB’s should be judged based on how far their team went or how good their record is then there’s a long list of RB’s that, according to you, are superior to zeke. CJ Anderson comes to mind, he put on a clinic for zeke when we played the Rams in the playoffs. Guess that means CJ is a better RB than zeke. Montgomery and the Packers beat us in 2016, guess that means Montgomery is better than zeke. The ewok couldn’t get the job done but those RB’s did, they’re clearly better according to you because they had better records. That also means there’s about 28 RB’s in the league currently better than zeke, so maybe you’re on to something.

You don’t see anything about Barkley anymore (or other RB’s) because now once the O line excuse suddenly becomes valid for zeke, no one wants to talk about the numbers Barkley put up behind a worse O line than what zeke has. Where were you the past few years Ronnie? You didn’t show up defending your boy zeke until he started having the worst season of his career and all you do is point your finger at the offensive line and make hypocritical excuses that only apply to zeke but no other RB’s.

I constantly bring up Barkley because he was the only other RB that a team was dumb enough to draft in the top 5, he plays for a division rival, he was considered zeke’s biggest rival amongst all RB’s until his high ankle sprain and he played behind one of the worst O lines in the league and still managed to put up better numbers than zeke. So when people say “no one can run behind a bad O line” I can say otherwise when referring to Barkley.

Ohhhhhh...that’s right! According to you, and ONLY you, the 2018 Giants O line was much better than the stats or any football fan, analyst or anyone with common sense and two working eyes said it was because you said Barkley made the O line appear a lot worse than it actually was That’s how pathetic your excuses have become in defending zeke.

Just as a reminder, since the Giants are so much better off without Barkley and no RB can succeed behind a bad O line, here’s this, but you don’t need no stats to tell you anything do you Ronnie? You played the game, you just need to watch....unless all those meaningless stats that you post support zeke, then they’re legit

https://247sports.com/nfl/new-york-...ants-all-time-records--126177397/#126177397_1

There you go wedging Barkley into the discussion yet again. Are you related to him or something? You keep wanting to harp on Barkley's o-line.. Okay let's analyze..

2018 Giants line..

LT Nate Solder - 7th year 17th overall pick.. multiple Super Bowl champ protecting Brady's blind side
LG Will Hernandez - rookie 34th overall pick .. very solid player.
C - Spencer Pulley - UDFA 3rd year
RG - Jamon Brown - 3rd year 72nd overall pick Rams
RT - Chat Wheeler - UDFA 2nd year

QB? - borderline hall of famer

So that's two FAs, one high dollar first round pick free agent, one second rounder and a third rounder.

Now let's examine what Zeke is working behind..

LT - Knight - UDFA 2nd year
LG - Williams - 3rd year second rounder 50th pick
C - Looney/Biadasz - 4th rounder and 6th rounder.. take your pick.
RG McGovern 2nd year 3rd rounder 90th pick
RT Steele UDFA rookie

QB - borderline UPS drivers.

So Zeke is working behind - two rookies, two UDFAs and one guy taken in the top 50
Barkley toiled behind one rookie, two UDFAs and 2 top 50 picks including a first rounder.


And I stand by my assertion that no back succeeds without a good line. Barkley "succeeded" to the tune of 5-11 and 4-12 then 0-2 this year. Your definition of success clearly differs from mine.

And if you're going to pretend to speak authoritatively on RB draftees you may wish to look up Leonard Fournette.. you know the guy taken 4th overall the year before the Giants took Barkley and the year after the Cowboys took Zeke. You may also want to check on who David Montgomery plays for .. (hint: it's not the Packers.)

You also keep claiming that Barkley 'put up better numbers than Zeke' in 2018. Ummm. Zeke led the NFL in rushing in 2018.. which means that other guy you keep jizz-sippin on didn't. It's not really possible to finish ahead of #1. In your mind 1307 yards in 16 games is "better numbers" than 1434 yards in 15 games. And Zeke only sat out that last game to rest for the playoffs.. Which Barkley has never been in any danger of needing to do. Last year Barkley had 1003 yards and 6 TDs.. Zeke had 1357 and 12 TDs .. Only in your twisted formula is that "better numbers." Here on planet Earth that's 350 yards and 6 TDs behind. And just as a public service I would like to remind you that Barkley is going to finish WAAAAAAY behind Zeke AGAIN.. But somewhere in your mind he's "putting up better numbers" while not even playing..

And yes.. I judge running backs on how they teams are doing.. If fact I judge EVERY player in the context of what he does to help his team win. Zeke is not doing enough to help HIS team win this year so that absolutely enters into my evaluation of him as well. As I have stated many times, he's having a crappy year.. If Barkley was playing and leading the Giants to a better year than the Cowboys are having doing what he do, then I would consider him as having a better year.. Just as Cook and Henry and a few others are having better seasons than Zeke. So they are better RIGHT NOW. The fallacy you insert into the argument is that I am somehow of the mind that there is only one great back (Zeke) and all the rest are somehow dismissed. You have it completely backwards.. As an ex running back I absolutely LOVE about 20 guys playing in the league at any given time. I love Aaron Jones.. I love Robinson.. I loved Henry coming out of college. I grew up in Florida and have followed both him and Dalvin Cook since high school. I watched pretty much every snap of Cook's college career. I loved Todd Gurley but after two knee surgeries in college I knew he would have a short run as an elite back. I love Alfred Morris.. dude just knows how to tote the rock. I love Raheem Mostert.. he's the best one-cut speed back in the game. I shudder to think what he might do to our defense. I love the Dobbins kid in Baltimore.. I love Ronald Jones .. I love Clyde Edwards-Helare.. a guy my size tearing it up in the NFL is always fun to watch! And yes.. I even love Barkley.. I love his skillset.. I just think he needs to fix his mindset.. As long as he's bouncing it outside all the time he's always going to be leaving his team in 2nd and long and they will never win consistently with him doing that. He has to learn that sometimes a 3 yard gain is the best thing he can do for his team. . There is nothing I would rather watch in football than a good running back doing his thing. I am able to appreciate each of them for what they bring to the table. If any of the guys above were on my team I'd be rooting for them. Zeke is my favorite for no other reason than he plays for my team. I don't need another reason. If that bothers you.. sue me.

 

[RonnieT24]

Problem is, you've got two sides that are extremely polarized. Z is either great, or he can be replaced by anyone. Neither side is accurate.

Nah.. most of us who support Zeke can see objectively that he is not great right now. We are simply willing to examine the reasons for it and acknowledge that a good percentage of it.. is through no fault of his own. People often mistake analysis for excuses.. But such is the nature of the internet. Zeke has had a crappy year.. some of it's him.. some of it's other stuff. It's not really that complicated. The real question is whether he can, with a semi-normal offseason program, for both him and the rest of his mates, can he return to being a dominant back.. It's a question that cannot be answered until next September.. Those of us who are older than 15 will wait patiently. Others will whine about his production and his salary daily for the next 10 months.. C'est le vive.

 

[Ranched]

Never pay RB’s. Lesson learned.

McCaffery & Kamara are paid higher than Ewok. They're not declining & neither is Gurley.

Nor was Emmitt. Had Jerry not paid him what he wanted, I'd doubt very highly Dallas would have 3 rings.

 

[Havic]

Once we are done with Zeke, moving forward I just want to draft a RB and let them hit FA once their rookie contract ends.

 

[RonnieT24]

Once we are done with Zeke, moving forward I just want to draft a RB and let them hit FA once their rookie contract ends.

Well you can do that with whatever team you own..

 

[blumayne38]

Offensive line hasn't been that bad despite all the injuries.

Plus explain to me why a RB who is paid top money at his position needs a top 5 line to be successful.

Explain to me the how releasing zeke smart? I’ll wait.

 

[Havic]

Well you can do that with whatever team you own..

Paying this dude 15m a year for 4-7th round pick production.

 

[kskboys]

McCaffery & Kamara are paid higher than Ewok. They're not declining & neither is Gurley.

Nor was Emmitt. Had Jerry not paid him what he wanted, I'd doubt very highly Dallas would have 3 rings.

TENN just paid Henry.
SF paid McKinnon.
GB might pay Aaaron Jones. To be seen.
KC is RB by committee.

Two of the four teams in the championship games paid their RB.

 

[Havic]

TENN just paid Henry.
SF paid McKinnon.
GB might pay Aaaron Jones. To be seen.
KC is RB by committee.

Two of the four teams in the championship games paid their RB.

SF Superbowl run they were RB by committee. Really the only worthwhile investment was Henry.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

Aside from you I have not seen anyone here mention Barkley at all. Who were all these people on the Cowboys website critiquing a guy who plays for a hated rival? Sorry dude.. You're the only here who insists on wedging Barkley into every other conversation. If you didn't bring him up here he would only get talked about twice a year... when we play the Giants.. and would be forgotten as soon as the next opponent showed up on the radar. Your fanboying for him is admirable but the fact remains.. the Giants are winning more without him than they ever won with him. Spin it any way you wish.. but all them highlights have not netted his team diddly, probably because all that dancing around looking for highlights frequently leaves them in 2nd and 15. With one more win the Cowboys will have matched the best record the Giants ever had with Barkley.. .. or maybe they were 6-10 one year? I'm afraid I don't follow them that closely.

In there last NCAA matchup....Barkley had a big STs play..and like one other run. Basically sheet the bed on a great team. Zeke kicked his behind.

Aria trotting on Barkley as his golden child tells you how delusional he is.