No Packer Running Back In The Top 10 - Time To Look At Free Agents?

by Brandon on Jun 29, 2011 12:01 PM CDT in Green Bay Packers Analysis

With the Green Bay Packers built around their passing offense, and with a lost 2010 season by RB Ryan Grant, it's no surprise that they didn't have a running back listed in the top 10 over the past three seasons by Pro Football Focus. If Grant had replicated his 2009 season in 2010, then he might have gotten into the discussion.

With the selection of RB Alex Green in the 3rd round, and the return of Grant from injury, this position isn't a priority in free agency and I'd be surprised if they'll do anything at running back. They might re-sign FB John Kuhn, who should return as a fullback only. Grant, Green, and RB James Starks will battle for playing time at running back.

But if the Packers did want to upgrade at running back, three of the Top 10 players according to Pro Football Focus are free agents.

No. 10, Giants RB Ahmad Bradshaw. He's very productive, but I don't like his fumbling problems (7 in 2010). He didn't receive the franchise tag, but he should be a top priority for the Giants to re-sign. He'll get paid like a starter from the Giants, or some other team, and I'd be surprised if it was the Packers.

No. 8, Redskins RB Clinton Portis. I wrote about him back in February, and I could see him making sense for them as a replacement for free agent RB Brandon Jackson. But then they drafted Green last April, and I can't see either Portis or the Packers having any interest in him as a potential 4th string back.

No. 6, Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams. Since the Panthers have been so cheap with unrestricted free agents, he's likely to be looking for a new team. Based on 2008 and 2009, he'd be an upgrade for the Packers, but his 2010 season was bad (for him) due to a leg injury and there might have been some signs of concern even pre-injury. Whether he could even provide an upgrade over Grant, due to his recovery from injury, is a question mark.

As I wrote above, I'm not expecting or wanting them to sign a free agent running back. But I'm listing the options available.

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We have to see what our current crop can do first

Grant was a perennial 1,000+ yard rusher before his injury last season. James Starks was the leading rusher in the playoffs. And Alex Green should be an ideal 3rd down back coming from the unconventionally pass-happy system at Hawaii.

I don’t think the Packers should pay the money to sign any of these guys until we know what our current group can do. Maybe the year off from injury (and not piling up 200+ carries) will give Grant fresher legs, maybe it really set him back and he won’t be the same player anymore. Maybe Starks’ emergence in the playoffs was the real deal and he can be our #1 RB moving forward, or maybe he just caught teams off guard who hadn’t prepared for him.

Also, we don’t have to have a top-shelf RB to be effective. Thanks to Mr. Rodgers and the explosive passing game (especially with Finley back), all you need is a tough runner that keeps defenses honest. He doesn’t have to be a home-run hitter, just a guy that can bang out 4-5 yards per carry between the tackles when called upon. I feel like Grant and Starks could both be that guy, so it’ll be interesting to see who ends up getting the #1 job.

Bottom line – we don’t need to invest more money into the RB position yet. Let’s see how this group works out and then re-evaluate

by rip_city_swagger on Jun 29, 2011 12:43 PM CDT reply actions

One of 'em more likely to wind up in Chicago than GB

Not too sure the confidence in Forte is particularly high and my guess is that this next season will be a ‘go for broke’ season for the Bears. Doesn’t matter to anyone in Chicago that they made it to the conference championship game, losing to the Packers after winning the division is something that will probably have the superfan punditocracy howling for the superbowl in the most shrill way imaginiable once the lock out dust settles.

"Show me a good loser, and I'll show you a loser." - Vince Lombardi

by AdamA on Jun 29, 2011 1:00 PM CDT reply actions

They love Forte.

SUPER BOWL CHAMPS

by Chief Oshkosh on Jun 29, 2011 5:07 PM CDT up reply actions

O-Line

Im of the mindset that good running backs are a dime a dozen in the nfl and that their success is almost entirely dependent on the O-Line. With Tauscher coming back does anyone see him replacing Bulaga on the starting line. Bulaga played well last year but he was abused a few times and showed that he was a rookie. And Sherrod is deffinately a few years away.

Basically who do you as the 5 starting O-Linemen this year

by cdow on Jun 29, 2011 1:01 PM CDT reply actions

Tausch vs Bulaga

I really like Tauscher, but we’ve seen his last start and maybe last game as a Packer. Bulaga was serviceable, and given a learning curve, is on the road to being very solid for a long time.

by Anthony Dilweg on Jun 29, 2011 1:14 PM CDT up reply actions

I agree with you on RB's

Although I was wrong to believe Brandon Jackson would do just fine last year….yikes!

Tauscher will either retire, be a backup, or be released. He didn’t have a good year last season and he’s clearly over the hill. Bulaga really started to come around in the playoffs last season, which is the most important time of the year. We need to continue to develop Bulaga at RT while Sherrod learns from the bench this next year. By the time Sherrod steps in to start, Bulaga won’t need his training wheels on anymore. I’m sure the LG position is still undecided. I would like to move forward with TJ Lang at LG and let Colledge walk. This all depends upon how the CBA works though.

LT- Clifton, Sherrod
LG- Colledge, Lang, or Sherrod, Schlauderaff
C- Wells
RG- Sitton, Lang, Newhouse
RT- Bulaga, Newhouse

Superbowl Champs Baby!!!!!

13 World Championships, soon to be 14 after next season...GUARANTEED!!!!!

Nuff said....

by Jabooty on Jun 29, 2011 5:20 PM CDT up reply actions

No McDonald?

Hes the backup Center and a possibility at LG too.

My Depth chart…
LT Clifton, Sherrod, Newhouse
LG Colledge (unlikely), Lang, Sherrod, Newhouse, Schlauderaff
C Wells, McDonald, Schlauderaff
RG Sitton, Lang, Newhouse
RT Bulaga, Newhouse

You've been Stroh'd™!!!

by Strohman on Jun 29, 2011 6:09 PM CDT up reply actions

My bad

forgot about McDonald. He’s definitely in there backing up Wells, especially since Spitz is gone.

Superbowl Champs Baby!!!!!

13 World Championships, soon to be 14 after next season...GUARANTEED!!!!!

Nuff said....

by Jabooty on Jun 30, 2011 6:29 AM CDT up reply actions

No news

this whole discussion is a reflection of news moving slowly durning the lockout. The Packers will not get a free agent RB. If we didn’t have a 1200 yard rusher coming back from injury, or a 2nd year vet that impressed in the playoffs, or a 3rd round draft choice, we still wouldn’t pursue a free agent RB.
TT wouldn’t interrupt a game of angry birds to take a call about any one of those top RB FAs

by Anthony Dilweg on Jun 29, 2011 1:19 PM CDT reply actions

Haha, I actually agree with you

We want football SO MUCH that we’re willing to talk about any little piece of football news or analysis

by Kevin McCauley on Jun 29, 2011 1:50 PM CDT up reply actions

Yep.

We’re officially out of things to talk about.

by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on Jun 29, 2011 9:45 PM CDT up reply actions

Portis

I’d be fine getting him because we could probably get him cheap, and his reputation is that he’s a crazy-good blocker.

by Curly Lambeau on Jun 29, 2011 3:25 PM CDT reply actions

Portis is a vicious pass blocker

He really looks to hit and hit hard – a quality I love in a RB. He could definitely be a good 3rd down back. Williams is a much more exciting runner at this stage of his career, but I doubt he’ll be cheap enough for the Packers.

"I'm a relatively respectable citizen. Multiple felon perhaps, but certainly not dangerous."
— Hunter S. Thompson

by I voted for Kodos on Jun 29, 2011 10:37 PM CDT up reply actions

Time to look at FA?

We’ve been over this before. TT doesn’t USE FA that often.

Editor at BT Powerhouse, a Big Ten Basketball blog.
Author at Acme Packing Company, a Green Bay Packers blog
"If you don't tell him what he wants to hear, he's going to find you out. And when he does, they're going to tear your head off and throw your BODY OUT OF AN AIRLOCK!" - Number Six, "Bastille Day"

by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Jun 29, 2011 8:39 PM CDT reply actions