yep ... LJ's blocking is a huge problem


unlike Herm, most head coaches try and keep their QB's from getting killed.

I like Jamaal on the field, personally. But I'm getting a little sick and tired of hearing this poppy-cock about "we have amazing depth at RB". We have ONE proven RB, and that's LJ. And if he trully is declining, we have ZERO proven RB's. That does not DEPTH make.

The Colts have depth.
The Giants have depth.
The Titans have depth.

We have an over-the-hill RB and lots of young guys who greatest claim to fame is being as futile as LJ behind our putrid O-Line.

I hope Jamaal stays healthy and can string together big games, but right now, do we really have some great RB depth?

Yeah it does. We don't have a starting RB without LJ. Charles isn't durable enough to handle the role and neither is Smith. Remember, Smith missed time last year which is why Battle ended up starting a game or two. If we label Croyle as injury prone, we have to put the same label on Smith.
Further, Smith doesn't have the explosion needed to be an every down back.

LJ can be easily replaced.

The team is 1-9 does it really matter about the game in 3 days?

And 2ndly you don't want proven RB's, RB's have the shortest span of any career, you want young guys who play through 1 contract and are let go for more young guys.

The RB position should be looked at like college you get your 4 or 5 years with em then move on to the next young guy.

I would agree if we didn't have numerous other holes to fill. That was my point, we have too many holes to fill to create another hole by getting nothing in return for LJ. We MUST acquire the following: DE, MLB, OLB (2), OG (2), OT, CB, and QB. Creating another hole is not wise.

LJ can still be a productive back in this league. After missing 4 games this year, I'll go out on a limb and say that LJ still runs for 1000 yards this season.

LJ is way, way more trouble than he's worth. You could pick up an undrafted free agent and get the same production and a lot less bullshit to go along with it.

No you could not get the same production. You may get a better character guy, I'll grant you that, but you won't get the same production as LJ. I believe he'll rush for 1000 yards in 12 games this year. That's very good production.

Further, as I said, you can begin to mitigate the character issues by going after his money.

nobody is going to want to trade for LJ period. we would be lucky to get a bag of jock straps for him,let alone any draft picks....

You'd get a better character guy and you'd get a guy who could block and catch the ball. Basically, Larry Johnson wishes he was as good as Marion Barber in all three phases of his game.

1) Marion Barber was not a college free agent as you said we could get to replace LJ's production.

2) To get a guy like Barber, we'd have to draft one in the 2nd, 3rd or 4th round. AGAIN, we have too many holes to fill to create another one for our limited number of draft picks.

3) I agree LJ has demonstrated bad character, mediocre blocking (though he did pretty well against New Orleans) and mediocre pass catching. However, a RB's #1 priority is production with the ball in his hand. He still gives us value in that category.

4) As I stated before because of LJ's suspension we have a window to go after some of his guaranteed money. We should take advantage of that window to turn that money into incentive money based on meeting attendance and participation, off the field behavior, blocking grades and production. LJ is motivated by money, use it to our advantage.

Is this direckshun's alt?

Okay, let's use Willie Parker or even Ryan Grant instead of Marion Barber. The point stands, replacing Larry Johnson isn't that big of a deal. And I don't agree that Jamaal Charles couldn't do it anyway.

The only problem with that is that the Pats aren't idiots.

I think the most we're going to get is a conditional pick for LJ based on production.

It could go as high as a 2nd if he gets elected to the Pro Bowl (which I think he's still capable), or as low as a 6th if he doesn't even break 800 yards or something.