RB William Green attempting a comeback

[Ickybaluky]

Apparently, he has found God and wants to play again:

LINK (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=jc-greencomeback031708&prov=yhoo&type=lgns)

I'm always skeptical of these guys that bomb out in the NFL and then attempt to come back after a couple years, but Green is intriguing. He was a great player at BC, I got to watch him carry that team up close. If he has his head on straight, he can be a lead runner for some team, and at short money.

He is 28 now.

[Mr. Miyagi]

He can get in line behind Shaun Alexander and Kevin Jones. There's a long list of guys before his name is called.

[B-DON]

i would take a chance on green before alexander. Green will come much cheaper and is younger with less wear & tear. Alexander is clearly done and will come at a much steeper price.

[Jaybird]

butch davis drafted him a head of Portis, the same portis that played for him at the U..............stupid move!

[YardRat]

Good luck to him.

[Tatonka]

what could it hurt to give the guy a chance in camp? i'd do it in a second.

[Mr. Pink]

LOLOL

William Green wasn't that good to begin with, and now he wants to come back after years away from the game? Good luck with that.

If he gets an invite to anyone's training camp, it would shock me.

[Scumbag College]

CFL.

[Tatonka]

what does it hurt to bring him in as camp fodder? i am all for bringing in 1st round busts in the off chance that you find the one guy who has the talent and finally figured it out

[Ickybaluky]

William Green wasn't that good to begin with, and now he wants to come back after years away from the game? Good luck with that.

If he gets an invite to anyone's training camp, it would shock me.

I understand, as a Brown's fan, you are bitter. Green was a bust. He smoked his way out of the NFL and didn't put in the effort.

All I am saying is he was a very good player in college. At BC, the kid was a bellcow, one of the best RB in the country. He may not be the fastest runner, but he had great run skills. He knew what to do with the ball in his hands. He was a talented kid.

Granted, most of these reclamation projects don't work out. I'm just hoping he does get a shot because he really is a talented kid, despite his bombing in Cleveland. His problems revolved around his maturity as much as anything, but if he matured and is committed to his conditioning he can play the game. From the sound of the article, he is at least working on the conditioning part.

At any rate, with BC's Pro Day being today, we'll get a chance to see how he tests.

[Iehoshua]

All I am saying is he was a very good player in college.

So was Kijana Carter...

...and Rashaan Salaam.

...and Lawrence Phillips.

[Ickybaluky]

So was Kijana Carter...

...and Rashaan Salaam.

...and Lawrence Phillips.

Carter's problems were injury. Salaam and Phillips were thugs. That is why they failed.

I'm skeptical as well, because Green was immature. However, if he has matured (and it is not beyond the realm of possibility) he can play. His game translates well to the NFL, if he has his head on straight and is in shape.

We'll see how he does at BC's Pro Day today.

[Ickybaluky]

Mike Mayock said Green was in great shape, but then he ran a 4.85 in the 40.

He did bench 225 25 times and jumped 42 inches in the vertical, but no NFL RB is going to get a job if he runs a 4.85.

[Oaf]

Sorry to be ignorant for a sec, but Shaun Alexander of the Seahawks got the axe?! After leading the league in 06 in rushing?

[Ickybaluky]

Sorry to be ignorant for a sec, but Shaun Alexander of the Seahawks got the axe?! After leading the league in 06 in rushing?

Not yet, but he will reportedly be a cut after June 1.

As for Green, the papers today said he slipped during his 40 (http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2008/03/19/eye_formation/?page=2):


Former BC running back William Green attempted to jump-start a comeback into the NFL at Pro Day. While he struggled in his 40-yard dash after slipping at the start, he impressed with a 42-inch vertical jump and 25 repetitions on the bench press (225 pounds) ...

That would help explain the slow time, although you think he would get a chance to run again. The 42-inch vertical is pretty impressive.

Charles Robinson reports Green ran (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=cr-ryan031808&prov=yhoo&type=lgns) 4.65-4.68, in 2 attempts:


Working out at Boston College’s pro day, Green arrived in peak physical condition and showcased some explosiveness in the vertical (42 inches), broad jump (11 feet), 20-yard shuttle (four seconds), three-cone drill (6.67 seconds) and bench press (25 reps at 225 pounds). All those numbers compare very favorably with the top running backs in this year’s draft. Only a pair of slips during the 40-yard dash left something to be desired, as he ran between 4.65 and 4.68 seconds on his two attempts. Green said that he ran a pair of sub-4.4 second 40-yard dashes while working out in Arizona prior to his day at Boston College.

Again, he probably has blown his shot and will fade into oblivion, but I hope he goes to camp with someone. I really liked watching him run at BC. Hopefully, he really has his life back together.

[Ickybaluky]

Here is another article (http://www.cleveland.com/sports/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/120626252522660.xml&coll=2) on Green's comeback attempt.

[YardRat]

40 times are over-rated. I hope someone gives him a chance.

[Tatonka]

i still dont see how it could possibly hurt to bring him to camp for scrub money.

[Mr. Pink]

What would be the point of bringing a guy who isn't even a hasbeen, he's more a never will, in for a look?

Especially when he hasn't played in years, has horrible character, limited speed and isn't a good back at the NFL level.

[Ickybaluky]

What would be the point of bringing a guy who isn't even a hasbeen, he's more a never will, in for a look?

Especially when he hasn't played in years, has horrible character, limited speed and isn't a good back at the NFL level.

The guy had enough talent to carry BC. He was their best player when he was there. Based on that, he was drafted in the first round. I watched him play at BC, he wasn't some fluke. The guy could play.

Unfortunately, he was also immature, didn't prepare himself and smoked his way into a suspension and out of a job. As a Brown's fan, I'm sure you are a little bitter.

However, he seems to have his life together. If you read the article, you hear Brett Fischer rave about his peformance in his conditioning program. Fischer has a reputation as a tough guy who doesn't let guys take the easy road, and Green has stuck with it for the long term. Further, Green's agent has said he realizes he isn't going to get any guarantees in an offer, and is willing to take the minimum to get into a camp. The risk is minimal.

Personally, I hope the guy really has himself straight and gets another shot. I realize that these reclamation projects rarely work out, but when it does it sometimes pays off big. Cris Carter comes to mind.

[Mr. Pink]

The guy had enough talent to carry BC. He was their best player when he was there. Based on that, he was drafted in the first round. I watched him play at BC, he wasn't some fluke. The guy could play.

Unfortunately, he was also immature, didn't prepare himself and smoked his way into a suspension and out of a job. As a Brown's fan, I'm sure you are a little bitter.

However, he seems to have his life together. If you read the article, you hear Brett Fischer rave about his peformance in his conditioning program. Fischer has a reputation as a tough guy who doesn't let guys take the easy road, and Green has stuck with it for the long term. Further, Green's agent has said he realizes he isn't going to get any guarantees in an offer, and is willing to take the minimum to get into a camp. The risk is minimal.

Personally, I hope the guy really has himself straight and gets another shot. I realize that these reclamation projects rarely work out, but when it does it sometimes pays off big. Cris Carter comes to mind.

You fail to mention that when William Green was on the field he wasn't all that good in the NFL. Rashaan Salaam, Curtis Enis, Blair Thomas were all great in college too. What did that get them in the NFL?

[Ickybaluky]

You fail to mention that when William Green was on the field he wasn't all that good in the NFL. Rashaan Salaam, Curtis Enis, Blair Thomas were all great in college too. What did that get them in the NFL?

You don't think injuries were a factor in those players not contributing? Or maturity? Each case had various factors to them not living up to their billing. Salaam had a drug problem. Enis had maturity issues and wrecked his knee. Thomas probably was drafted a little high on hype, but he was on his way to being a decent NFL player before getting hurt.

I watched Green play in BC, and he was good. He had the kind of quick feet, vision and run skills that would have translated to the NFL if he paid the price. I realize he didn't perform well in Cleveland, but you don't think his drug issues and lack of maturity were factors? Do you think he got himself in great physical condition?

Ultimately, he didn't play well. He wasn't ready. However, if he really has matured, is in shape and will play sign for the non-guaranteed minimum, why wouldn't a team give him a shot? What is the risk? IMO, it could pay off pretty big. There is general consensus that he is in great physical condition. He didn't run a 40-time that impresses, but there are other factors. A 42 inch vertical and 11 foot broad jump are indicators of some athletic explosion.

Why completely write the guy off?

[Mr. Pink]

You don't think injuries were a factor in those players not contributing? Or maturity? Each case had various factors to them not living up to their billing. Salaam had a drug problem. Enis had maturity issues and wrecked his knee. Thomas probably was drafted a little high on hype, but he was on his way to being a decent NFL player before getting hurt.

I watched Green play in BC, and he was good. He had the kind of quick feet, vision and run skills that would have translated to the NFL if he paid the price. I realize he didn't perform well in Cleveland, but you don't think his drug issues and lack of maturity were factors? Do you think he got himself in great physical condition?

Ultimately, he didn't play well. He wasn't ready. However, if he really has matured, is in shape and will play sign for the non-guaranteed minimum, why wouldn't a team give him a shot? What is the risk? IMO, it could pay off pretty big. There is general consensus that he is in great physical condition. He didn't run a 40-time that impresses, but there are other factors. A 42 inch vertical and 11 foot broad jump are indicators of some athletic explosion.

Why completely write the guy off?

Because he's a bust.

He stole his money, he sucked, he faded away into obscurity. That's where the story should end. He should die laughing to the bank that he ripped the Browns and NFL off.

By your logic...

Let's call up David Klingler, Todd Marinovich, Dan McGwire, Heath Shuler, Andre Ware, Akili Smith, David Klingler, Enis, Salaam, Lawrence Phillips, Reidel Anthony, Peter Warrick, etc etc etc...

They all had issues with maturity, drugs, not being ready...they're all older now and maybe they grasp it now too.

[Ickybaluky]

Let's call up David Klingler, Todd Marinovich, Dan McGwire, Heath Shuler, Andre Ware, Akili Smith, David Klingler, Enis, Salaam, Lawrence Phillips, Reidel Anthony, Peter Warrick, etc etc etc...

They all had issues with maturity, drugs, not being ready...they're all older now and maybe they grasp it now too.

Many of those guys did get second chances (I'm a little surprised, as a Brown's fan, you left Tim Couch off the list). Why not Green?

Those comparisons are no more valid than Cris Carter, Vinny Testaverde or Steve Young or Tyrone Wheatley. Heck, for that matter the fact that ex-Brown Antonio Bryant is getting another shot shows Green should at least be brought to camp.

The majority of reclamation projects don't work, but occasionally they do, and Green may fall into that category. It is noteworthy that he has by all accounts committed himself toward his conditioning and has kept himself clean (he has to continue to pass drug tests to get back in the NFL). He is willing to sign for the minimum with no guaranteed money.

I hope he gets his shot. If he does, I wouldn't be surprised to see him make a team.