Why we shouldn't devalue what got us there

[Fletch]

It's all about the OL.

Demarco was not that special.

Yes he could impose his will on teams but the guy didn't run to daylight.

I think Ryan Williams will be almost as good at getting tough yards but have more vision once he gets to the 2nd level.

Two posts in a row that make complete sense. Shut yo mouth!

 

[TrailBlazer]

Whoever runs behind that line will look good.

 

[Idgit]

It's funny how Ryan Williams couldn't even make the team and now suddenly people have confidence in his ability to replace Murray...Ryan Williams and Darren McFadden are what make me nervous about counting on a back in the draft to produce. A first and second round bust.

Ryan Williams couldn't make the cardinals (who still have no backs) and then proceeded to get cut by us in favor of Randle and Dunbar.

Williams was my pick all along to be the workhorse back last season if anything happened to Murray. I believe he'd have leapfrogged Randle and taken the bulk of the carries. There's no way to prove that, but the team at least locked him down in the offseason to keep him as an option for us. That says something.

AZ was really excited about him early on, too. He lost favor with the coaching staff change to Arians, and, IIRC, they were frustrated with him because they thought he was tentative about his leg before going down for the season with his shoulder. His take was that his knee was never right and it just took time to get it back 100%. But he was capable of running hard for us in camp, fwtw.

I'm with you on DMC. Not a big fan of that signing for anything other than the pass protection, which we did actually need.

 

[CATCH17]

They have so many things we do not have and will not have, so it is not even worth comparing.

They have Brady, Gronk, and an innovative offense.

Overall our offense has more talent but we are basic and bland.

 

[ThreeandOut]

If you thing this offensive line is so great that anyone will just pick up where Murray left off are sadly fooling yourselves.

Nate Newton made the statement that they were just a bunch of fat guys until Emmitt showed up.

The running game is the only reason this team went 13-4 last year.

This is why I would absolutely trade up for Gurley.
Not only would he destroy defenses, he would also be your best defensive player.
Gurley would have more of a positive influence on the defense than any defensive player in this draft.

The odds are Murray wouldn't pick up where he left off last year. Backs that carry the ball 400+ times in a season generally have a pretty steep drop off the following year.

Personally, I would like to pick up a RB in the 2nd round. Some pretty goods backs have come out of the mid-to-late 2nd round in recent years.

 

[Silver N Blue]

While I do agree that we should not have resigned DeMarco to the size of the contract the Eagles did I do not think that his replacement should be overlooked. For us to go into the season with a running back in McFadden who basically slid down to 3rd on the depth chart at one point last season is crazy. I also wouldn't want to count on Randle who has done some idiotic things and who can't be counted on. After those two is nothing more than a 3rd down gimmick tailback in Dunbar and Ryan Williams, a guy who has missed 5 times the games he has been available for.
We all witnessed our great run last year that included a tough road win at Seattle. Anyone who watched the way Murray ran in that game should know that the passion of our team ran through him. The running back position should not be devalued just because we have one of the best lines in the league. It should be our biggest need to find the best back to take advantage of our biggest strength.
This will be the most important draft of the Stephen Jones era, even bigger than the passing on Johnny Football last year. This is the draft that will either propel us further into the playoffs or push us further away from the 12-4 season we had last year. We didn't win and lose games last year based on our corner back position but we did based on our running game.

Great post man exactly why some of us want AD or a top RB in this draft. If this team goes away from what worked last year it will be a virtual slap in Romo's face. To close not to continue with what worked last year.

 

[CATCH17]

Whoever runs behind that line will look good.

Unless its Jay Ajayi.

 

[CATCH17]

Great post man exactly why some of us want AD or a top RB in this draft. If this team goes away from what worked last year it will be a virtual slap in Romo's face. To close not to continue with what worked last year.

I want AD as well but what worked for us was actually giving the RB touches.

They'll keep producing whether it's Randle, Williams, McFadden, or a draft pick.

Just run the rock and don't have predictable tendencies with the RBs if you decide to use a committee.

 

[Silver N Blue]

I want AD as well but what worked for us was actually giving the RB touches.

They'll keep producing whether it's Randle, Williams, McFadden, or a draft pick.

Just run the rock and don't have predictable tendencies with the RBs if you decide to use a committee.

Man I just don't have faith in the current regime. I could be wrong but I just don't see it.

 

[Idgit]

Murray was a big part of it. If we do not replace him with an equivalent or better, that is the definition of devaluing what got us 12-4.

Jones took a gamble in not paying Murray. The next logical step in the process is not to just shrug his shoulders and hope for the best after taking that risk.

The running game cured a lot of evils last season. It shielded the defense and an ailing Romo from even more punishment.



All in all, we have to get the step we took back (reasonable as it was) by letting Murray go.

It does not have to be a first round pick. Or even necessarily a second.

I am not going to trust the draft board built off of picking late in every single round and having little to no ammo to move up or down with some tunnel vision to "just select defense".

Murray was a really good player. But that was back before he logged all the carries last season. There was no option of having 2014 Demarco Murray back; the Eagles aren't going to get that guy, either.

But the RB is not what got us to 12-4, anyway. The defensive improvement and the improved passing offense were more important, though they're all obviously related. I don't care who we have in the RB position group, I expect we're still going to run the ball about the same percentage of the plays, and I don't think the YPC is going to dip all that significantly. Though I do think we're going to have to keep an eye on the pass protection from that RB position.

But that's the thing. The guy that can come in and contribute could easily be a 2nd or 3rd or 4th round pick. If we draft well, it doesn't have to be a first or even a second rounder. Much more important to add defenders with those early picks where there aren't going to be players of anywhere near comparable quality available in the 3rd or 4th rounds.

 

[CATCH17]

Man I just don't have faith in the current regime. I could be wrong but I just don't see it.

RBs are proven to be a dime a dozen.

Denver trots out whoever and they produce.


So many teams who truly want to run the football run it with whoever they throw back there.

That's why smart teams don't spend a lot of money on that position.. It's a dime a dozen position.


Just don't neglect the run. That's all I ask.

 

[Alexander]

But the RB is not what got us to 12-4, anyway. The defensive improvement and the improved passing offense were more important, though they're all obviously related.

LOL

Improved defense?

Seriously? They were protected the entire season by the run game.

And yes, the RB was a part of it. Not all of it, but a good chunk of it.

And your assertion our passing game was better is also a bit odd. It was more efficient, also, yes, because of the running game.

I don't care who we have in the RB position group, I expect we're still going to run the ball about the same percentage of the plays, and I don't think the YPC is going to dip all that significantly. Though I do think we're going to have to keep an eye on the pass protection from that RB position.

But that's the thing. The guy that can come in and contribute could easily be a 2nd or 3rd or 4th round pick. If we draft well, it doesn't have to be a first or even a second rounder. Much more important to add defenders with those early picks where there aren't going to be players of anywhere near comparable quality available in the 3rd or 4th rounds.

In a perfect world, where you nail those defensive draft picks, yes, you might be on to something.

But it does not always work out that way.

All of this arrogance. After one season. We could be the Chiefs of 2014 if we do not get this right and that means at least not taking a step backwards.

 

[Alexander]

So murray is worth 5 wins a year over his replacement?

Not Murray.

I don't care about Murray. I hope he breaks a leg in Philadelphia on his first carry.

The commitment to the running game, with the right back (not backs), establishing the right tempo to keep the formula we leaned on the entire season last year is important.

 

[Alexander]

RBs are proven to be a dime a dozen.

Denver trots out whoever and they produce.


So many teams who truly want to run the football run it with whoever they throw back there.

That's why smart teams don't spend a lot of money on that position.. It's a dime a dozen position.


Just don't neglect the run. That's all I ask.

You could run the ball 100 times with garbage, does not mean it is going to produce. Otherwise we never would have missed Emmitt Smith when we had Blair Thomas and Sherman Williams running the football.

 

[DTown214]

It's all about the OL.

Demarco was not that special.

Yes he could impose his will on teams but the guy didn't run to daylight.

I think Ryan Williams will be almost as good at getting tough yards but have more vision once he gets to the 2nd level.

I know Demarco wasn't that special... but you can't really depend on McFadden's health, can't depend on Randle not doing something stupid off the field, and guys like Dunbar and Williams have very little experience in carrying the load. You could say we can be a running-back by committee like the Patriots, but that's easier said than done.

 

[CATCH17]

You could run the ball 100 times with garbage, does not mean it is going to produce. Otherwise we never would have missed Emmitt Smith when we had Blair Thomas and Sherman Williams running the football.

I buy all that but it won't apply here.. We have plenty of talent to produce if we run it.

McFadden will produce behind this line if he doesn't break a leg.

Heck Randle looked fantastic last year and made what I felt was the best run of the year against Chicago.

As long as we don't abandon the run these RBs will find a hole.

 

[CATCH17]

I know Demarco wasn't that special... but you can't really depend on McFadden's health, can't depend on Randle not doing something stupid off the field, and guys like Dunbar and Williams have very little experience in carrying the load. You could say we can be a running-back by committee like the Patriots, but that's easier said than done.

It's actually just easy.. RB by committee is what most teams do..

I just worry about Jason Garrett's ability when it comes to using different players throughout a game.

 

[Zekeats]

Whoever runs behind that line will look good.

Same was said about the 93 Cowboys

 

[Alexander]

I buy all that but it won't apply here.. We have plenty of talent to produce if we run it.

McFadden will produce behind this line if he doesn't break a leg.

Heck Randle looked fantastic last year and made what I felt was the best run of the year against Chicago.


I just worry about Jason Garrett's ability when it comes to using different players throughout a game.

Okay.

Let's use your logic, okay?

McFadden is a former first round disappointment just like Blair Thomas. Somebody at some point thought he was great, just like they did Blair.

I am sure Sherman Williams was about as touted as Randle was coming out of Alabama.

So why didn't they just blow the doors off when they filled in for a superior back in Emmitt Smith?

 

[Irvin88_4life]

I know we aren't the Patriots but the Patriots run the football and run it effectively with whoever they can get off the crap heap.

Because they have a damn good OL. It has made Brady look better and many RBs has had success. ..........trenches is how you won ball games, build trenches up and you will see a championship. Both OL and DL