So with our current RB stable, which I assume is the same as we ended with last year, we've got issues. I pose a question to the guys on this board: If the worst comes out of this DUI situation, and for some reason or another Ronnie Brown can not go at any point in the season, either due to suspension/jail/injury, does Ricky Williams have enough tread on his tires to carry the load yet again? I mean, I have confidence in our backups, as they have shown flashes of promise(especially Hilliard with his downhill run you over style), but aren't we riding the horse that is Ricky a little to dependently? I'm am not one to draft a RB high(1st/2nd) this year as I truly believe our situation dictates we draft LB/NT/FS, but I think we should somehow(FA/draft/trade) hedge our bets? Agree? Disagree?

Ronnie and Ricky are your #1 and #2.....Hilliard, Cobbs, and whoever else we have in camp will fight it out for #3. With Polite as our FB. Those are your 4 active running backs on a game-day 53 man roster.

I think its pretty clear. With Ronnie, Ricky, Cobbs in a contract year those guys will play their tail off for their next big contract. Worry about the RB position in a year. We got 3 hungry for a contract guys and Hilliard who is trying to prove himself!

We are set at the RB position

You didn't answer the question. Assume Ronnie isn't a go.

Then Ricky is the #1 and we move everyone up a spot

Ronnie is a go though. This was his first offense, worse case is he gets a game or 2 suspension but odds are he won't get anything. Plus his foot is healing on schedule.

So in your estimation, Ricky can go through another 1000+ yard season without issues? I'm a little skeptical.

odenn, it's not just Ricky, you have Cobbs and you have Hilliard. Is this a hypothetical that we can only carry 1 back (R Williams), and can he carry the load? No. We lost Ronnie and Cobbs last year and didn't panic, why panic now?

no he can't but with so many other holes we can't sit and worry about the 3rd or 4th string RB position.

I mean some areas you just gotta roll the dice on. You can't have 3 or 4 levels of depth at one position and not have starters at others (FS) or only 1 guy at others (NT).

NO team has depth, let alone 3 or 4 levels at depth at RB.

It is what it is, and you just gotta go play with what ya got

dolphaholic Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> odenn, it's not just Ricky, you have Cobbs and you
> have Hilliard. Is this a hypothetical that we can
> only carry 1 back (R Williams), and can he carry
> the load? No. We lost Ronnie and Cobbs last year
> and didn't panic, why panic now?

No, it's more a question of do we have a person on the roster that can not only hold the majority of the load, but produce in that position as well. I'm a firm believer that without a threat at the RB position, our passing game will suffer even more.

I think they have a lot of faith in Cobbs myself

without the RONNIE & RICKY tandem...we are mediocre. Cobbs and Hilliard are decent backups at best.

Now that RICKY is looking for a Drew RosenCONTRACT he'll wont be doing anything to jeopardize his future, like risking injury.

I hope you like COBBS and HILLIARD because they're all we'll have in 2011, if we dont act!

"Don't tell me about the pain, show me the baby." - BP

Ricky proved last year that he could not handle the load of being the #1 RB. He wore down significantly, and it was very noticeable with how he could no longer hang on to the football. They need to be concerned with keeping him at 10-15 touches per game, at most.

dolfanmark Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ricky proved last year that he could not handle
> the load of being the #1 RB. He wore down
> significantly, and it was very noticeable with how
> he could no longer hang on to the football. They
> need to be concerned with keeping him at 10-15
> touches per game, at most.

The injuries on the O-Line were no help, of course. Ricky already experienced being the ONLY RB on our team. He doesn't want to go through that again. If Cobbs is healthy, I could see Ricky/Cobbs alternating, with Hilliard in the mix as well.

We'll be taking a RUNNING BACK early this year.

We aren't carrying 5 RB's on an active roster. Polite counts as a RB so that means Hilliard or Cobbs will be gone. Can't keep both

MikeO Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We aren't carrying 5 RB's on an active roster.
> Polite counts as a RB so that means Hilliard or
> Cobbs will be gone. Can't keep both

We carried 5 last year (Ricky, Ronnie, Cobbs, Hilliard, Polite), why not now?

Hilliard was on the practice squad till Cobbs went down I believe

DaytonaDolfan13 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We'll be taking a RUNNING BACK early this year.


I find that very hard to believe

Yeah, I'm with Mike on this. No way we take one early, sorry Chyren.

---------------------

"When you suck long enough, you get a Hickey"

MikeO Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hilliard was on the practice squad till Cobbs went
> down I believe


Nope. Hilliard was on the roster from day 1.

I stand corrected.

Ronnie is on schedule to return in time for camp. Worst case scenario, Ronnie gets 4 game suspension (prob more like 2)...So Ricky carries the load for 4 weeks then Ronnie takes over.

Cobbs tore his ACL around Oct 13. He may not be the same player until later in the year. He is rumored to be on schedule but those injuries can take up to a year and sometimes more for a player to get his confidence back. Maybe he goes on PUP and we go into the year with Hilliard. LH averaged 3.9 yard per carry last year. He is a good backup but will probably never be anything more.

I don't think we will get anything more than a 5th rounder for Smiley but we could end up with the 136th pick which I would use on a player like Deji Karim who could be a great change of pace back with sub 4.4 speed.

.....................................................................................
“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

I don't think Ronnie will get suspended.

1st time offense for him

eesti Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ronnie is on schedule to return in time for camp.
> Worst case scenario, Ronnie gets 4 game suspension
> (prob more like 2)...So Ricky carries the load for
> 4 weeks then Ronnie takes over.
>
> Cobbs tore his ACL around Oct 13. He may not be
> the same player until later in the year. He is
> rumored to be on schedule but those injuries can
> take up to a year and sometimes more for a player
> to get his confidence back. Maybe he goes on PUP
> and we go into the year with Hilliard. LH averaged
> 3.9 yard per carry last year. He is a good backup
> but will probably never be anything more.
>
> I don't think we will get anything more than a 5th
> rounder for Smiley but we could end up with the
> 136th pick which I would use on a player like Deji
> Karim who could be a great change of pace back
> with sub 4.4 speed.

If Ronnie and Cobbs are expected to come back, it makes more sense to pick up a FA RB rather than draft one. Not sure how well a rookie would fair.

true but I think things may get tougher for players and DUI's. Too many are getting them and they need to send a message.

We now have two PB caliber (morons) starters with DUI's. Both coming off injury...Unreal.

.....................................................................................
“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

they may get tougher but not this year in a year when they are working on a CBA. They don't want to poke the union with a stick and get them going

Assuming we don't take an RB 1 or 2 I hope we draft Gerhart, Hardesty, or Tate and add Clay Harbor as an H back/TE

I salivate at the possibility of getting Gerhart. Dude is a straight beast.

I have seen Toby play since he was a kid , he is the real deal, he will work his butt off to show those that doubted him. He already did this to Pete Carroll who recruited him heavily but wanted him to play FB, which with Seattle's RB being smaller guys I really feel he will go there with their second round pick. They could land McCoy , Mays(or Bryant or Tate) and Gerhart


The only concern is the level of beating backs with his style take, that why it makes sense to rotate 3 backs these days. He could be the next Diesel.

I like cobs and so does sparano. I'd bet you see him backing up and playing more each game.

This think is concerning, but to put it in perspective ... less so than at least 4-5 other positions.

I don't know how well Cobb's rehab is going . But he could be the one I see as the "odd man out" if we do draft a rookie in the mid-rounds or if Hilliard continues to improve. Or if is rehab is slow