Sparano Hits It On The Head/ MIA Not Looking For "just a scatback"

Nah I've been spending the offseason watching Carolina games on Rewind. The dude is a monster.

[video=youtube;0Pzjv7P4Q2U]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Pzjv7P4Q2U[/video]

Notice, these are not well blocked plays for the most part. He's making shidt happen in a way we haven't seen here since Ricky first couple years down here.

 

Behind?

 

All this is great in theory, but you've done nothing to assign an actual value to Williams. Its still a game of limited resources, and maximizing those resources available.

How much would you guarantee Williams? $30M? $40M? Where does it stop?

 

+

Whoa. Well at least we agree that DWill is the best available running back .

 

I don't think we'll have to guarantee 40 million, given the dearth of teams looking for a running back this offseason. If we were trying to land Namsdi Asomuga then yeah, a bidding war might be necessary. But I can only think of a handful of teams who might be in the market for a top tier RB so I think we'll be in good shape.

 

Dang, not a DWill fan huh ? Michael Bush is the same kind of back that Daniel Thomas is, not sure he'd be a good fit here. Bradshaw is a good back, but I like Williams' explosiveness and vision more.

 

Injuries are always a concern. But the cynic in me suspects that DWill was overly cautious w/ his foot injury b/c a) his team sucked and b) he was due for a major pay day. He's only had 850 carries in 5 years, I think we can get 3 good years outta him.

IIRC Bush lost a couple seasons to a broken leg, and Bradshaw has had multiple surgeries on his feet and ankles. All three of them have injury concerns, but IMO DWill is the best of the bunch talent wise.

 

DeAngelo is 5'8 and 210 lbs, Ricky is 5'10 and 230 lbs.

 

Ricky isn't near 230 anymore. Probably closer to 215

 

There's no way to know if a particular player is over exaggerating. But certainly there are guys who use injuries, holdouts, etc to avoid playing. Jared Gaither's back "injury", Matt Roth's "sickness/ bad groin", I'm sure there are many more examples that go under the radar. DWill's injury was listed as a foot sprain. IMO he either had something a lot worse than that, or a decision was made that he and/or the team were better off not using him up on a lost season b/c who sits their best player for the year b/c of a foot sprain? I certainly don't think that a player declining to play b/c it might jeopardize his chance at financial security FOR LIFE is "silly". The NFL does a great job of portraying the Super Bowl as football's ultimate goal, but as the lockout demonstrates, its a business first and foremost.

You're right, Willians is the oldest, most carries, most game missed, most expensive, but for me it's, is he the best player? And does he check out medically?

 

To me it's a risk reward thing. He's already considered the top RB in free agency, there's nowhere to go but down IMO. If he had played he may have proven his toughness, he could also have suffered a more serious injury. I won't pretend to know how bad he was hurt or if he could've played or not, but I just find a guy missing 10 games w/ a foot sprain a little weird. I'm sure our medical staff will check him out and if he's good to go physically I'd love to have him.

 

I see where you are coming from, don't think that was the situation as heading into FA off of a injury plagued season is not a good way to increase value.

IDK, not a fan of DW, just something about his game/career that I do not care for tbh.

Like Bradshaw, he was staring at this long run he was making in the Giants Stadium Jumbotron as he was making the run, and a Defender caught him from behind and stripped the ball out, to me that speaks volumes about him and for me, just do not think he is worth the investment

[video=youtube;-IRSsCCfMNw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IRSsCCfMNw[/video]

 

So Bradshaw is the only runner ever stripped from behind? I don't buy he was staring at the Jumbotron. That's someone's opinion, but not mine, unless Bradshaw is directly quoted as saying so.

 

The announcers who were there at the time thought so, ymmv of course, I happened to watch that game know what I thought at the time, and still do now.

 

Like Slick said, was the Jumbotron on the sidelines? He never looks up, as if checking the Jumbotron at all. Agreeing with the announcers, sure is no guarantee one will be on the side of correct. You are right though in that MMDV.

 

Announcers said "cameras" I misremembered that portion of it.

Thing such as that, just bother me Mr C, if we sign either one and my fellow phinfans are happy for a change then I'd be all for that aspect.

One thing to keep in mind though, Ireland has no real history of signing skill position offensive players, TO in Dallas was Jerruh's move.

Would love to find a solid #2 Te in FA.

 

Charles Clay?

 

I don't think that is where he starts out at GMJ, for whatever reason he has not been at the Henne practices and the #2 Te, or any Te for that matter, has to know both routes, and blocking scheme, there is little chance he can be up to speed when Camp opens in full.

 

Not liking this Cedric Benson talk.

 

I hope to hell we stray away from Cedric Benson.
As I've said, I'd love Bradshaw (as a Marshall guy). I'd love Deangelo Williams.
I'm interested to see their "real interest in those guys". I don't see them making Daniel Thomas a feature back, but I know Tony loves those "pound 'em" types, especially in the 4th quarter, when the defense can "feel them". So, I just wonder if they view going after a guy that will be a relatively high price making sense. I still think they go after one of those 2nd tier guys, Michael Bush, Darren Sproles, etc.

 

OK. But whatever FA we could hypothetically sign isnt on the roster either. Over the past couple years we've taken guys off the street and put them into games as the #2 TE, guys like Kory Sperry, Mastrud, Epps, Shuler etc so I don't think it's a huge stretch to say that Clay can step in after a good camp and preseason. He may not know the whole playbook but he should be able to contribute.

 

I think Clay has the potential to move all around the place. I don't think he's going to be a typical #2 TE and line up there. I think you'll see him lined up at FB, TE, H-Back, even split out at WR a time or two. However, that's all potential. The guy was a 6th round pick for a reason. Let's hope he can pick the offense up quickly and make some plays.

 

If it works in our cap, I'd prefer to keep Ronnie Brown, and add Bush and go with Daniel Thomas, Ronnie Brown and Reggie Bush

 

Sparano is typically hesistant to play someone who is not fully versed in the playbook GMJ, as in, I've not seen it happen.

And I like Clay a tonne, just think this lockout, and his lack of participation in the Henne Workouts does not say "quick contributor" though to his credit he can play ST and FB as well as TE but that does not say "receiving threat".

 

Well, not for the one Sparano does things, Ced is a horse, a 300 plus carry running back, why sign him to carry the ball 200 times?

That makes little sense.

 

How long were Mastrud and Shuler on the roster before they played? The thing of it is, we fans do not know how much of the playbook ANY new player knows before he sees the field. Kevin Curtis played the week he was signed.

 

Because we can be very sure he can do it? Benson is likely to stay in Cincy, but if we signed him to be part of the RBBC with Thomas, I'd have no qualms about it.

 

Hey, no worries, the Bills had the worst run D in the league. We'll just ground and pound their asses till they quit. Oh, wait. We ran it 17 times and asked Henne to chuck it 45 times? Oops, silly me. Seriously, how often does a "running team" have it's two leading receivers w/ more catches (20) than their 2 leading rushers have rushing attempts (17), while playing a team w/ the worst run D in the league?


Henne regressed my ***.