Position Analysis: Running Backs

by Brandon on Jul 17, 2009 10:00 AM CDT

Last month, I meant to go through the roster and write an analysis of the team by position, but I got distracted by a Top 10 list and never finished it up. Mitchell started with the o-line, and then I ran through the defense by d-line, linebackers, and finally the secondary.

So now I'm getting back to it and I'll start with the running backs and the fullbacks.

Running Backs:

1. RB Ryan Grant. Here's what I wrote about him last month:

Grant is the guy. As a team the Packers only had 437 carries in 2008, and 312 of them went to Grant. He's the big back that Mike McCarthy prefers, and the other two big backs on the roster (RB DeShawn Wynn and RB Kregg Lumpkin) combined for only 9 carries last season.

The run offense will live or die with him in 2009. He's No. 1 and there appear to be people on the coaching staff and/or the front office that insisted on starting him ahead of RB Brandon Jackson although Jackson outplayed him. Grant showed great vision in 2007 and once he got some separation past 5 yards, he would turn a lot of good runs into big gains. But all that vanished in 2008 as he struggled to break away from the crowd around the line of scrimmage. Hopefully he returns to his 2007 form in 2009.

2. RB Brandon Jackson. As I mentioned above, he outplayed Grant last season but still never got anything more than garbage time. He showed signs of becoming an explosive receiver during the 2007 preseason, but he hasn't shown it since. He's not an exceptional runner, but he seems to have mastered running in a the zone blocking system which that turned a bunch of unknown Denver running backs into 1,000 yard performers; take one cut and go, and then keep your shoulders down.

3. RB DeShawn Wynn. Why is he at number 3? Because he started some games in 2007, so he's got more experience than the last two on the list. His running style seems to be to run straight ahead as fast as he can. That's not the worst idea for a physically talented, 5'10" 238 lb. back. If Grant got hurt and missed time in 2009, I wouldn't be surprised if Wynn gets the starting nod over Jackson because Mike McCarthy prefers to start big running backs.

4. RB Kregg Lumpkin. He was a prized college recruit at Georgia who never lived up to the hype, went undrafted, but then managed to earn a spot on the Packers. He showed some promise in training camp, but then was out injured for the season by week 2. I'm still not sure what he can do.

5. RB Tyrell Sutton. I was really impressed with him during his incredible freshman season at Northwestern, but injuries derailed the rest of his promising college career. It wasn't surprising that the little back went undrafted, but it was a surprise that the Packers showed interest in him. I guess they need a Plan B for a 3rd down back if something happens to Jackson, so it might as well be Sutton. I'm looking forward to see what he can do in the preseason.

Fullbacks:

1. FB Korey Hall. He played well as a rookie, providing some solid blocking and the occasional short yardage reception. But in 2008, he struggled as injuries kept him out of action periodically. He's probably the starter, but with a lot to prove in 2009.

2. FB Quinn Johnson. If Hall loses his starting job in 2009, I would expect it's because Johnson forces him to the bench. The scouting reports varied on him, some said he was a powerful blocker and some said he wasn't. Obviously the Packers' scouts saw something and they used a 5th round pick to acquire him. I have no idea what they really have in him and I'll just be waiting to see him during the preseason.

3. FB John Kuhn. I'm surprised he's still on the team. He made a number of free agent visits this spring to other teams, but he didn't receive any offers. He's been solid, but unspectacular, in two seasons in Green Bay and seems like the odd man out.

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Comments

Keep Grant Fresh for the Stretch

The Packers need Grant to back at his 2007 performance level this season. Another 300 carry season by Grant worries me. GB will need Grant healthy and in top form for the last four games of the season and the playoffs when the weather will make the running game evev more important than it is in the early season.

Brandon Jackson has earned the right to share a lot more of the carries. Those on the coaching staff and in the front office need to wake up and protect Grant this next season. By giving more carries to Jackson the teams yards per carry will go up and Grant will also be more productive with the carries he does receive. More importantly he well be in better shape when we will need him most.

by bralee275 on Jul 17, 2009 2:10 PM CDT reply actions

with the division tough this year also

as you said, you will need him at the stretch. Im worried that the bears will overwork Forte

I Have Spoken.

by The_Fan on Jul 17, 2009 2:15 PM CDT up reply actions

The reason that...

…“all that vanished in 2008 as he struggled to break away from the crowd around the line of scrimmage” was because of his hamstring injury.
He was coached to and did, in fact, hold back some on his breakaway runs, because of the hammie.
He is, by all reports I have seen, healthy now.

By the way, I like Jackson, too.

The glass is more than half-full.

by NorthStarr on Jul 18, 2009 5:30 AM CDT reply actions

Right

Everything I’ve read has said that this is his best offseason of his career so far, which seems promising. When he is healthy he is a very good back. I just hope he can stay healthy, and have the big year we need him to this year. Maybe 1,300 yards and 10-11 tds? What does everyone else think he’s capable of?

by packallday555 on Jul 18, 2009 12:41 PM CDT up reply actions

RB

I can honestly say I don’t have any idea what Grant is headed for this year! Thats really unusual because I almost always have a strong opinion about everything! I do think he is capable of having a 1500 yd season, w/ 10+ TD’s! Whether or not he’ll reach that lofty status is anyones guess…

As far as Jackson is concerned, he had a better season, IMO because he was running against nickel and dime defenses. How will he handle having to run against the base D, or even one set to stop the run? Its an important distinction… I see Grant as a MUCH better RB against base defenses!!! I also agree that if Grant is hurt or ineffective, Wynn would likely get carries before Jackson.

Quinn Johnson is known to be a physical blocker and has the abiltiy to be a great lead blocker. They thing w/ him is does he have the vision and instincts to block the right guy? In the zbs, he doesn’t block a specific player or a designated hole, he has to read the D and hit the right guy! If he does that he will be a really good FB and lead blocker. It is totally a matter of him reading the D correctly!!!

by Strohman on Jul 18, 2009 2:41 PM CDT reply actions

RB is one of those positions...

… where looking at the roster makes me a little queasy. What I see is a bunch of guys that make defensive coordinators think they can focus on stopping the pass first. Jackson did a nice job of maximizing his talents last year, but it’s no mystery why they kept giving the ball to Grant: he’s the only RB on the roster who has a chance of making the opponent’s defense pay for forgetting about him. Not even he, however, has a chance of being productive if we run into a defense focused on stopping the run.

Ted Thompson haters: forget about Favre. If you want to criticize Thompson’s performance as a GM, this and the offensive line is your best evidence. The fact that our RB roster looks like this a half-decade into Thompson’s reign as GM is absolutely pathetic. There is so much RB talent available every year in the draft that most teams are carrying a 2nd RB on their roster that’s better than anyone we have.

by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on Jul 19, 2009 8:57 AM CDT reply actions

The O-Line

That’s a good point about the offensive line. Thompson spent a 2nd and 3rd round pick on Colledge and Spitz in the 2006 draft, but he hasn’t used anything higher than a 4th round pick since. They’ve got a lot of depth and potential, but not a lot of great players. Colledge and Spitz are fine, Spitz was the best lineman last season almost by default. This is a big year for guys like Barbre and Sitton to prove they can contribute. I’m not expecting much yet from last April’s picks, Lang and Meredith, but it’s possible they can emerge too. But this is all half-full talk; these guys have to get on the field and deliver, or the o-line might have to be rebuilt from scratch.

by Brandon on Jul 19, 2009 9:47 PM CDT up reply actions

This is the watershed year for the running game. I will admit to that… Grant has talent, the question is how much? Was he a product entirely of Favre in 07, was his injury to blame for his being largely ineffective last year?

Grant needs to have another really solid or better year to entrench himself as the starter for the next few years! I think it is going a little far to say that most teams have 2nd string that are better than anyone we have!!

Also, the OL is entering a transition year in some respects. The Packers haven’t drafted high enough in the 1st rd to get the best OL, most were either gone or would have been reaches when we picked.

Colledge by any measure had the best year of any OL for the Packers last year! He graded out as the best, not Spitz. With Tauscher this year, and CLifton next year moving on, the guys Thompson has drafted must step up! They have had enough time now that most are ready to take on larger roles!

Tauscher and Clifton in many ways held the run blocking back in the past couple years! Both were entirely to valuable as pass blockers to get rid of, but have been lacking in run blocking. Neither is suited for the zbs… which is another topic altogether!

I like the look of most of the OL drafted in recent years, but is going to become obvious early in camp if this unit is going to take the step to the next level or not!!!

by Strohman on Jul 19, 2009 10:14 PM CDT reply actions

The O-Line

Will play a big part in Grant’s success. Though I don’t think he was a product of Favre, because if that was the case he would have just as good a year with Rodgers. There really was difference in their stats.

by packallday555 on Jul 20, 2009 1:56 AM CDT up reply actions

In a way

I think he was a product of Favre in a sense when he busted out the Pack had the awesome passing game. Teams started playing the pass more often and then Grant emerged. I think he will get back to that ’07 level though when completely healthy and now he has the system and experience needed.

by bizzle4 on Jul 20, 2009 7:16 PM CDT up reply actions