Who still thinks Zeke was a mistake at #4?

[erod]

The best back in the NFL versus an above average corner.

Hmmmmm.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

But how would they have gotten Paxton Lynch? The Ravens may have confirmed they wanted to trade up, but did they confirm what they were willing to offer to do so. Obviously not enough. And it would have taken quite a bit for Dallas to then turn around a throw a package together to get in position to get Paxton Lynch.

Jerry needed to give up another 3rd to get Lynch. There was talk they were willing to give up a 4th. I think the Seahawks would have gone for a deal with 2 fourth rounders in place of the 3rd rounder.




YR

 

[Toruk_Makto]

DeMarco has played 6 seasons in the NFL and averaged 997 yards per season, even including that one glory year.

Exactly. Zeke is a better talent. But because of the limits of the position the incremental difference in ability doesn't translate to a whole lot more production. It just doesn't. Peterson is maybe the best back of all time and what Murray did would be one of the best seasons of his career.

Ironically, if our line was worse it'd be more defensible grabbing a guy like Zeke.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

I thought I read that the Cowboys were trying to work a trade with the Ravens but the Ravens weren't offering much, maybe just a 4th rounder to swap #4 and #6. The Cowboys said no. It would have been a moot point because I think the Cowboys and Jerry said they would have asked who the Ravens were interested in before doing a deal. I thought Ozzie said it would have been for Zeke.

Ozzie confirmed it was not Elliott and it was Ramsey that they wanted. Jerry wanted a 3rd rounder and the Ravens were only going to give up a 4th rounder to move up 2 spots.



YR

 

[Kaiser]

Demarco has average 62 yards per game over his career.

Zeke has averaged 114 per game in his (brief) career.

That isn't incremental, its almost double.

 

[Romotil45]

I would like to know.
Amazing game.
He willed us to so many yards.

It not a matter of Zeke being a beast or not. Most of us "no Zeke at 4" guys knew he would be a beast behind this line. That's not the point. It's just not smart football to take a RB that high. I was first in favor of a trade back if possible next Bosa then Ramsey. Would be nice to have Ramsey now that Claiborn n Church are down but that's all hindsight. No even in retrospect I still don't take Zeke at 4.

 

[windjc]

Exactly. Zeke is a better talent. But because of the limits of the position the incremental difference in ability doesn't translate to a whole lot more production. It just doesn't. Peterson is maybe the best back of all time and what Murray did would be one of the best seasons of his career.

Ironically, if our line was worse it'd be more defensible grabbing a guy like Zeke.

You continue to ignore the impact of blocking on a game. Just like an OL can be dominant, so can RB blocking. So only looking at Zeke as a blocker, one could make an argument for his value equal to a developing CB.

 

[Hardline]

Everyone knew he'd be productive behind this line and in this offense. Literally nobody disputed that. While all of you were watching Zeke run through giant holes (nad he maximizes everything in front of him and falls forward which I love) I was watching little Darren Sproles who is on a 1 year 4.5M dollar deal...and didn't cost the eagles a draft pick.....i'm watching him be a more effective runner than Zeke last night (from a ypc perspective).

This is what people don't get. You can get productive runners anywhere. Devonte Booker had an effective game yesterday. Robert Kelly did as well in Washington. You have Spencer Ware keeping Jamal Charles on the shelf. Jay Ajayi? Old men Gore and Forte? Isiah Crowell? Even our castoff Christine Michael is doing ok. Zeke is better than all those guys yes. But he's also more expensive. He also came with a huge opportunity cost.

This is a simple argument guys. I THOUGHT ZEKE WOULD BE AWESOMELY EFFECTIVE IN THIS OFFENSE. I also know that RBs are rarely worth a first round pick...yet alone one in the top 5. For a team that has so little money and talent on defense it was a huge waste. Yuge.

You don't understand good and elite good. Zeke is leading the league in rushing not only because of this offensive line but because he is elite talent. Sproles has never led the league in rushing and never will. Plus the fact that Zeke was BPA at #4.

 

[Hardline]

I like TM too, but he's being really weird about this.

TM us a great poster. But one of the last you would want making GM decisions for this team.

 

[Supercowboy1986]

So he would need to be near the rookie rushing record to be worth it?

I don't think he needed to produce that highly to warrant the pick. If they drafted a DB, that DB wouldn't need double digit interceptions to warrant the pick. If they drafted a DE, that guy wouldn't need 18 sacks to warrant the pick. A single season of great success also doesn't warrant the pick. We won't know Elliot's true measure of success for several years hopefully.

Love that you dropped the knowledge bomb about rookie expectations. Of course Ramsey and bosa apologist will conveniently read over this post. Best post in the entire thread.

 

[superonyx]

It not a matter of Zeke being a beast or not. Most of us "no Zeke at 4" guys knew he would be a beast behind this line. That's not the point. It's just not smart football to take a RB that high. I was first in favor of a trade back if possible next Bosa then Ramsey. Would be nice to have Ramsey now that Claiborn n Church are down but that's all hindsight. No even in retrospect I still don't take Zeke at 4.

Hey at least you are consistently wrong.

 

[superonyx]

Exactly. Zeke is a better talent. But because of the limits of the position the incremental difference in ability doesn't translate to a whole lot more production. It just doesn't. Peterson is maybe the best back of all time and what Murray did would be one of the best seasons of his career.

Ironically, if our line was worse it'd be more defensible grabbing a guy like Zeke.

It's not just about simple measurable production.
Defenses would not scheme to stop McFadden or Morris the way they need to for Zeke. The biggest difference a dominating RB makes is on the rest of the offense.
McFaddens 4.6 YPC doesn't equal Adrian Petersons 4.6 YPC.

 

[ctrous25]

I didn't realize how physical of a runner he is. The kid is a stud flat out. Maybe the most complete back in the league right now.

 

[dstew60105]

Demarco has average 62 yards per game over his career.

Zeke has averaged 114 per game in his (brief) career.

That isn't incremental, its almost double.

Philadelphia doesn't count

 

[Nightman]

I like TM too, but he's being really weird about this.

It has become his thing......he is very logical about everything else.....but this is the hill he die on

 

[iceberg]

It not a matter of Zeke being a beast or not. Most of us "no Zeke at 4" guys knew he would be a beast behind this line. That's not the point. It's just not smart football to take a RB that high. I was first in favor of a trade back if possible next Bosa then Ramsey. Would be nice to have Ramsey now that Claiborn n Church are down but that's all hindsight. No even in retrospect I still don't take Zeke at 4.

then i also don't think we're 6-1 either w/o him.

i was on the fence but he's earned his draft position, barring any horrible fall of his level of play from here.

 

[speedkilz88]

Zeke had one weird game where he couldn't hang onto the ball. But notice he's back to not dropping anything? A rb that does everything and doesn't fumble is so valuable.

 

[iceberg]

RB is never a gaping need. And certainly less so for a team with our line. We turned McFadden an old bad scheme fit into a pro bowler. By all means draft a RB. Just not at 4. And again I'll point to Sproles who last night was every bit the weapon Zeke was. With less help around him.

And we'll have to agree to disagree that Ramsey as a prospect was a "huge step down" from Zeke as a prospect. I'm happy to side with every NFL GM and scout.

RB is never a gaping need?

we can go back a decade and a dominate RB was a must have. yes times have changed as teams found how to win another way. so people mimic that success. i promise you as soon as we "win" with this type of a setup, it will be copied and people will begin to want a dominate RB again.

sproles - ok. even if he can match zeke yard for yard for an entire year. will NEVER happen as his best year running the ball he only got 603 yards. he beat that in 6 games and in 7, is at 799. this is also the ONLY year sproles broke 1k combines yards.

not liking zeke is one thing. saying sproles would be giving us the same results is just "out there" given he's not even starting in philly until now and that is to replace matthews, who never really should ever have been a starter to begin with.

 

[Romotil45]

then i also don't think we're 6-1 either w/o him.

i was on the fence but he's earned his draft position, barring any horrible fall of his level of play from here.

You're right we would not be 6-1 more like 4-3 Zeke has been a much bigger factor than Dak n our success that and our defense has played surprisingly well despite no pass rush to speak of. Problem with RB taken so high is the paying of guaranteed money to a position that is very very injury prone. Hopefully Zeke's stays healthy. My next concern is riding him too much because he was taken so high there is a lot of pressure to ride him bad idea. Keep him fresh for a playoff run. He's getting too many touches right now and might hit a wall. We need to get more production from the other guys in our stable.

 

[iceberg]

You're right we would not be 6-1 more like 4-3 Zeke has been a much bigger factor than Dak n our success that and our defense has played surprisingly well despite no pass rush to speak of. Problem with RB taken so high is the paying of guaranteed money to a position that is very very injury prone. Hopefully Zeke's stays healthy. My next concern is riding him too much because he was taken so high there is a lot of pressure to ride him bad idea. Keep him fresh for a playoff run. He's getting too many touches right now and might hit a wall. We need to get more production from the other guys in our stable.

hold on there cowboy. i think the pair are doing very well and doing very well for us here.

i'm not about to get anal and micro-analyze who is more important in a team sport. this mix is working. period.