Our RBs - Who sticks???

In my opinion for the remainder of preseason we should only play Davis for the first series, or about 8 or 10 plays (whichever comes first). I like that they are being cautious with Foster and it would not bother me to keep him on the sideline until the opener. He’s had over a year now to absorb the system and we all know he’s got the goods . . . don’t risk it for preseason. This would give the remaining five men a better chance to be evaluated. It’s possible that only one of them will make the final cut and even two would be a tough call. I want everyone’s opinions on the remaining five guys:

Dee Brown – That fumble took a big chunk out of the lead that I thought he had based on a solid 2002.
Skip Hicks – I think he’s right on Browns fender and if he can get what looks like “the tired” out of his legs and churn a little more instead of just dropping on an initial wrap up he might pull ahead.
Rod Smart – It bothers me that he doesn’t seem to have much vision. A couple of times he just ran into a bank of blockers last night when a more “natural” back would have run for daylight. I think he’s a strong safety in a RBs body.
Michael Bates – I don’t get it . . . I thought we tired this experiment before back before he had lost that half a step. Personally I think we have enough return guys and gunners to make Mike expendable.
Nick Goings – Speaking of expendable, keep him onboard for a bit for insurance. When is the next cut?

How do you guys rank them? How many RBs do you see us carrying into the regular season? Etc Etc

 

Nick Goings is a Fullback. Casey Moore will have to beat him out.

 

Nah. Goings just isn't quite fast enough to be an RB or big enough to be an FB. I know he' had a few good games over the years (GB on Monday night included) but I don't think he fits anymore.(

 

Goings and Smart are gone IMO.

 

I think Bates and Goings are gone - Bates can't contribute regularly on the field at any position, whereas in a tremendous crunch, Smart can at least play RB.

 

Nah, Smart's too good on ST and he's showing some good RB technique too...(quote by Eugene Robinson: "I like the way he runs...he runs SMART!")

I really like Nick Goings, but it'd take a miracle for him to make the cut. I'm gonna hate it if he's gone. :shakehead: He's truly one of the good guys, but the competition is just too strong. Maybe he can beat Moore at FB, but I doubt it. I actually thought he'd be gone last year, but the Foster injury bought him another season.

 

Goings is history. Smart played a great game and has special teams going for him. Casey Moore will be the backup FB. I wouldn't be surprised to see Brown gone as well

 

I thought Smart's run where he bounced outside, and then cut real well to avoid some guys showed vision. I didn't notice that much on the other runs. Most of his were around the goal line, which limited his average. I definitely want to see more of him.

I agree on limiting Davis. I would get Foster some time, but not a lot.

I've seen all of Bates that I want to. At his age, you don't suddenly develop instincts. The gys is great at running in a straight line, whether that's track, returning, gunning, or trying to block a kick, but that's all. Hopefully they were playing him so early to give him every advantage in a last chance type situation, at least as a position player. I think he's fighting hard for a roster spot at all.

 

Take away the fumble, and Brown had as good a day as Hicks IMO, especially considering Brown faced a mix of first and seconds where Hicks had thirds. The fact that Hicks was in so late seems to say something. Had Hicks not faced the arm tackles of scrub players, he wouldn't have busted off the 20 yard run, but he was also playing with a lesser line.

Either way, if they'd not pulled Brown for Bates (unrelated to the fumble, assumably it was his turn), I assume we'd have scored rather than giving the ball to the Skins on downs. So I don't have a problem with Brown's day, and don't see him being cut for fumbling only - which was the only real complaint of his night. Hopefully we'll see some of Foster, get to know where he's at in all this, and Davis plus a combination of Foster, Brown, Hicks and Smart will back him up (Smart right now would probably make it rather than Hankton, carry 5 wides).

If Bates stays, it's as a returner. No need to waste blocking seeing if he can run it up the middle. I do somewhat hope he stays - he can be an asset in three phases of ST - but to be honest if Wilkins is primary returner, Smith gets a shot or two a game at it and the rest of KOs we use Brown (an average returner, good blocker) as the secondary guy, then we don't need Bates.

It kinda sucks to go about it that way, but I can't see us keeping both Bates and Smart, and therefore carrying 6 backs, not incl. FBs. I certainly don't want us to cut a good rusher and returner like Brown or a good backup like Hicks for someone who can't be an offensive backup.

 

Bates can contribute on kick returns, kick coverage and punt coverage, whereas Smart can contribute on kick coverage and punt coverage. I really don't see the decision being made based on who is the better #5 running back. Lets face it, neither wins that battle. Smart has played in 22 NFL games and has 8 yards on 3 carries. He, like Bates will be judged on two things, special teams contributions and second and what imho will carry Bates is leadership. What is making this team special is the mix of youth and veterans and the players who are emerging as locker room leaders. I believe Bates presense is important to the players in that locker room, much more so than Keith Smart, and I believe Bates will make a greater contribution on special teams. Time will tell, but that's just my take on it.