You know what else is funny?

[YardRat]

Running backs are passe'. They've lost their value. They aren't worth big money contracts anymore.

And yet, other than Suh's and Revis' brief 15 minutes of shine, this off season coverage has been dominated by running backs. Completely.

[BillsImpossible]

Running backs are passe'. They've lost their value. They aren't worth big money contracts anymore.

And yet, other than Suh's and Revis' brief 15 minutes of shine, this off season coverage has been dominated by running backs. Completely.

Thank you, Marshawn Lynch.

[TacklingDummy]

Rather have a QB or pass rusher.

[Night Train]

Maybe football is cyclical and returning to more run oriented, with the speed in the D front 7 and expensive QB's getting killed. I can see it.

How many actual good ones (QB's) are there ? Less than 10.

[BillsImpossible]

The long ball is dead.

Manning, Brady, Brees...all once upon a time were famous for completing long passes.

"Wha' happened?"

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Running backs are passe'. They've lost their value. They aren't worth big money contracts anymore.

And yet, other than Suh's and Revis' brief 15 minutes of shine, this off season coverage has been dominated by running backs. Completely.

Teams forget lessons quickly.

[Mace]

It's probably funnier imho, that all the running back press will amount to nothing for no one with a new dazzling crop coming in as they do every year and teams winning huge via passing games using udfa backs.

[Jry44]

Teams forget lessons quickly.

Do they though? Or is this whole devalued RB trend a crock of BS that's just constantly regurgitated by the media? I'm leaning towards the latter....

[Jry44]

It's probably funnier imho, that all the running back press will amount to nothing for no one with a new dazzling crop coming in as they do every year and teams winning huge via passing games using udfa backs.

Who's winning big right now with UDFA backs? Each conference championship team had drafted backs on their rosters, 3 drafted in the first two rounds. This whole theory is bull****.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Do they though? Or is this whole devalued RB trend a crock of BS that's just constantly regurgitated by the media? I'm leaning towards the latter....

They say it because it's been holding true. In the last four drafts, teams have used only 5 first rounders on halfbacks and two of those were used on Trent Richardson. Most mocks predict only 1-2 this year. Compare that to the 5 seasons before that, when they used 17, five in one draft alone. Then look at the contracts: before this year the last halfback to get $10 million guaranteed in an FA period was in 2011 according to Spotrac's tracker. There are only 7 guys in the entire league with over 10 million guaranteed, the lowest of all the "skill positions."


Who's winning big right now with UDFA backs? Each conference championship team had drafted backs on their rosters, 3 drafted in the first two rounds. This whole theory is bull****.

Of the backs that took a snap in the CCG, the highest drafted one playing on the team that actually drafted him was Shane Vereen at 56th - with 1 carry, behind a UDFA on his 4th career stop. The highest drafted one that was actually his team's lead rusher that day was Lacy at 61st, and if you think Lacy is the reason that team succeeds then I respectfully disagree.

[EDS]

Running backs are passe'. They've lost their value. They aren't worth big money contracts anymore.

And yet, other than Suh's and Revis' brief 15 minutes of shine, this off season coverage has been dominated by running backs. Completely.

Copycat league, where the copycats almost always fail. Maybe everyone thinks that because Seattle can do it, they can as well. The problem with that line of thinking is that Russell Wilson has much more in common with a young Tom Brady than he has with any of the milktoast QBs other teams throwing big cash at runners have.

[BertSquirtgum]

Copycat league, where the copycats almost always fail. Maybe everyone thinks that because Seattle can do it, they can as well. The problem with that line of thinking is that Russell Wilson has much more in common with a young Tom Brady than he has with any of the milktoast QBs other teams throwing big cash at runners have.

That is
a colossal load of crap.

[feldspar]

If running backs have little value, I guess about half the plays are not important at all, maybe. The ability to run the ball is half the game, quite often. Yeah, just pick up any old running back here or there. No problem. I don't get the devaluation of them, particularly if a team can't find a franchise QB, which has a HUGE luck factor involved.

Like the Seattle Seahawks, who had the fewest passing attempts in the NFL last year and also had the second most rushing attempts. They ran it more than they passed it by a longshot. And they probably would have won their second consecutive Super Bowl had they ran the ball on the play we all know. This isn't singularly applicable to the Seahawks, either.

Just really dumb to devalue the running back position when you run the ball half the time or more. I guarantee the Bills are going to be one of the many, many teams that run more than they pass. Yet people say "pick one up in the third round" and such crap, as if they are created equal. They aren't.

How important is it to STOP the run?

[IlluminatusUIUC]

If running backs have little value, I guess about half the plays are not important at all, maybe. The ability to run the ball is half the game, quite often. Yeah, just pick up any old running back here or there. No problem. I don't get the devaluation of them, particularly if a team can't find a franchise QB, which has a HUGE luck factor involved.

Like the Seattle Seahawks, who had the fewest passing attempts in the NFL last year and also had the second most rushing attempts. They ran it more than they passed it by a longshot. And they probably would have won their second consecutive Super Bowl had they ran the ball on the play we all know. This isn't singularly applicable to the Seahawks, either.

Just really dumb to devalue the running back position when you run the ball half the time or more. I guarantee the Bills are going to be one of the many, many teams that run more than they pass. Yet people say "pick one up in the third round" and such crap, as if they are created equal. They aren't.

How important is it to STOP the run?

You're missing the point. How much of a successful running game is the backs vs the line? Putting expensive halfbacks behind bad olines is a losing proposition, and it's one that we have been repeating over and over and over. We've sent three different halfbacks to the Pro Bowl since this playoff drought started, and had three more who had a legitimate claim on it at one point or another. Yet we've barely broken into the top half of scoring offenses over that time.

Spend the money building an OL that jackhammers a defense and you can stick cheap, replaceable halfbacks behind it for years. Denver did it for almost a decade. The Jets have been doing it as well. I would much much rather have Iupati blocking for a 3rd round halfback than a 3rd round guard trying to block for McCoy, and it's not even close IMO.

[Cali512]

Players should be paid on a per play basis. So Wrs, CB, LBs, S who only make impacts on certain plays shouldnt be getting all this money. The lineman, QBs, and RBs should get the most money since they are in on every play of the game.

[feldspar]

You're missing the point. How much of a successful running game is the backs vs the line? Putting expensive halfbacks behind bad olines is a losing proposition, and it's one that we have been repeating over and over and over. We've sent three different halfbacks to the Pro Bowl since this playoff drought started, and had three more who had a legitimate claim on it at one point or another. Yet we've barely broken into the top half of scoring offenses over that time.

Spend the money building an OL that jackhammers a defense and you can stick cheap, replaceable halfbacks behind it for years. Denver did it for almost a decade. The Jets have been doing it as well. I would much much rather have Iupati blocking for a 3rd round halfback than a 3rd round guard trying to block for McCoy, and it's not even close IMO.

Blocking is important? Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle.

Case in point, though. Are you suggesting that you'd feel a lot better if the Bills picked up Mike Iupati instead of Lesean McCoy? They both have 5-year deals for $40 million. Get Mike Iupati and then just plug any old halfback into the system? Would that be better? Personally, I don't think so.

Do the Bills need to address the offensive line more. Yes, of course...and they will. But, at this point, I'd rather have Lesean McCoy instead of Mike Iupati if the idea is to lean heavily on the run game and defense. The guy can ball.

[Jry44]

They say it because it's been holding true. In the last four drafts, teams have used only 5 first rounders on halfbacks and two of those were used on Trent Richardson. Most mocks predict only 1-2 this year. Compare that to the 5 seasons before that, when they used 17, five in one draft alone. Then look at the contracts: before this year the last halfback to get $10 million guaranteed in an FA period was in 2011 according to Spotrac's tracker. There are only 7 guys in the entire league with over 10 million guaranteed, the lowest of all the "skill positions."



Of the backs that took a snap in the CCG, the highest drafted one playing on the team that actually drafted him was Shane Vereen at 56th - with 1 carry, behind a UDFA on his 4th career stop. The highest drafted one that was actually his team's lead rusher that day was Lacy at 61st, and if you think Lacy is the reason that team succeeds then I respectfully disagree.

We didn't draft marshawn lynch in the first round? Trent Richardson wasn't a top 5 pick that was traded to indy for a 1st, although he sucked?

It's bull****. All four teams in the ccg had backs that were drafted in the 3rd round or higher on their rosters! To say that teams, successful teams devalue that position is bull****! Hell, NE went out and resigned Blount for the playoff push. You still need to run the ball to be successful in the NFL. And you need talented runners to do that!

[better days]

They say it because it's been holding true. In the last four drafts, teams have used only 5 first rounders on halfbacks and two of those were used on Trent Richardson. Most mocks predict only 1-2 this year. Compare that to the 5 seasons before that, when they used 17, five in one draft alone. Then look at the contracts: before this year the last halfback to get $10 million guaranteed in an FA period was in 2011 according to Spotrac's tracker. There are only 7 guys in the entire league with over 10 million guaranteed, the lowest of all the "skill positions."



Of the backs that took a snap in the CCG, the highest drafted one playing on the team that actually drafted him was Shane Vereen at 56th - with 1 carry, behind a UDFA on his 4th career stop. The highest drafted one that was actually his team's lead rusher that day was Lacy at 61st, and if you think Lacy is the reason that team succeeds then I respectfully disagree.

Well the two teams playing in the Super Bowl, Blount of the Pats* has first rnd talent.

He was not drafted because teams were scared off because he is a loose cannon who hit another player during a game while in College.

Lynch was drafted in the first rnd by the Bills.

To say teams can win with undrafted free agents at RB is just not true unless those players have first rnd talent on the field.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Blocking is important? Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle.

Case in point, though. Are you suggesting that you'd feel a lot better if the Bills picked up Mike Iupati instead of Lesean McCoy? They both have 5-year deals for $40 million. Get Mike Iupati and then just plug any old halfback into the system? Would that be better? Personally, I don't think so.

Yes, I'm suggesting that. I said it explicitly. If we could swap those guys straight up right now I would agree before Arizona finished making the offer.

And I don't know why you think "any old" halfback is what I mean, I'm saying cheap halfbacks. Guys drafted outside the first round on rookie cpaped deals, or 2nd or 3rd tier veterans on discounted contracts. Halfbacks drop off faster than any other position, and they get injured at a pretty substantial rate as well. If you build around a superstar halfback, one awkward tackle and your whole offense collapses. If the backs are replaceable, you just plug in the next guy and try to play to his strengths behind your still strong line.


Do the Bills need to address the offensive line more. Yes, of course...and they will. But, at this point, I'd rather have Lesean McCoy instead of Mike Iupati if the idea is to lean heavily on the run game and defense. The guy can ball.

You are arguing based on what you think they'd do in the future, I'm arguing based on what they have done. If Whaley decides to let the season ride on Incognito, the 3 guys he drafted last year, and new coaching would you still be satisfied? I don't recall if they've even hosted another lineman yet.


We didn't draft marshawn lynch in the first round?

Yeah, we did. Not Seattle. Seattle got him off the bargain bin, the same as we did with Jerry Hughes. If we can pull a good halfback for cheap, like they did, I'm all for it. Also keep in mind that Seattle is a special case. When you can pull immediate franchise guys from outside the first, like they did with Sherman, Chancellor, Wilson, Wagner, etc then it gives you several years to throw big money around without feeling the effects. The Harvin disaster is the biggest, but paying Lynch is another. When they have to give Wilson 9 figures and Wagner gets $25 million guaranteed, that Lynch deal is gonna look real ugly.


Trent Richardson wasn't a top 5 pick that was traded to indy for a 1st, although he sucked?

Yeah, he sucked out loud and was benched for the CCG. What's your point? He was actively holding Indy back and the trade to get him was one of the worst moves that franchise has ever made.


All four teams in the ccg had backs that were drafted in the 3rd round or higher on their rosters!

The 3rd round is your cutoff for being considered "valued"? I would happily spend 3rd rounders on halfbacks. Even 2nd rounders if our roster was pretty solid.


To say that teams, successful teams devalue that position is bull****! Hell, NE went out and resigned Blount for the playoff push. You still need to run the ball to be successful in the NFL. And you need talented runners to do that!

Look how much they gave Blount! Two years, $1.75 million! That is less than their third string tight end!

C-H-E-A-P


Well the two teams playing in the Super Bowl, Blount of the Pats* has first rnd talent.

He was not drafted because teams were scared off because he is a loose cannon who hit another player during a game while in College.

Lynch was drafted in the first rnd by the Bills.

To say teams can win with undrafted free agents at RB is just not true unless those players have first rnd talent on the field.

And if you can get "first round talent" for less than $800K a year then I am all for it. Let's do that, instead of throwing valuable players and absurd contracts at it.