The Miami Dolphin's Running Back dilema of 2008

Run the hell out of em. With that kind of talent, we need not rely on our passing game, which will still be anemic in the upcoming season (hopefully I'm wrong).

 

i can't really see booker becoming any better than reggie bush

 

I think he was already playing close to Bush's level. I believe in this kid. I just want to see more of him. EDIT: He hasn't played as much as him but in the limited time i've seen of him. I like him as much as Bush...

 

exactly. but whatever potential bush has, so does booker

 

If we can get back Chatman and Gado inexpensively, we will cut ties with Ricky. With all the holes we have on this team, we will not draft a running back. Ronnie, Jesse, Samkon, and Lorenzo will be our backfield.

Lorenzo can be a nice role player in the NFL but will never be a 20-touches-a-game back. He has some great speed and moves in the open field, but every time he gets hit, he goes down like he was shot.

 

I honestly see alot of Brian Westrook in Booker. I also expect him to bulk up in the offseason.

 

I agree with the Westbrook similarity, we could only hope he could end up with the same productivity.

 

i dont think he has that ability between the tackles

he is more warrick dunn than brian westbrooke

 

booker also does a lot of east-west, not enough north-south. but i think proper coaching can help that

 

He catches the ball somewhat better than Dunn. With added weight, Lo Book will be better suited between the tackles.

 

Don't know if Ricky can ever be a Parcells guy, or whether he has anything left (he didn't set the CFL on fire), but why cut him now? Why not bring him into training camp to see what he has? There's no downside until he takes up a roster spot.

 

I think we are fine with RB, Chatman and Lorenzo Booker. I think McFadden will be an above average back in the NFL, but you can't waste a #1 overall pick on a runnng back. I think trading down makes the most sense, but if we don't get any takers after being on the clock for ten/fifteen? minutes, than we go with either Dorsey/Chris Long or Gholston. Then go with BPA after this....primarily defensive players. Then fill the holes with free agents. I can't wait for 2008.

 

we dont need mcfadden and if we draft him i actually will be upset. We have ronnie, ricky and lorenzo which is more then enough. Also, if jesse is back then we will be starting to go overboard. We have what we need.

 

And also at the least if we had just Ronnie and Booker I think we would be very well off. But one or two other proven backs never hurts either.

 

You do realize that Warrick Dunn is known as a between the tackles back, right? As a matter of fact, he has been that type of back since his days at FSU. Booker is more like Westbrook, because both are more of a dual rushing/receiving threat that are not capable of running between the tackles consistently (although Westbrook has gotten a bit better at that over the years).

Anyhow, someone earlier in this thread said that Booker would, at best, be as good as Reggie Bush. That's pretty damn good considering that Bush was the second overall pick in the draft.

Personally, I believe that Booker is much more elusive than Bush, but that's neither here nor there.

As for the main topic of this thread, you can never have too many running backs, so if it were up to me I would invite Chatman, Gado, and Ricky to camp so that they can compete for roster spots behind Brown and Booker.

 

I wouldn't call it a dilema, its a great situation to have. If Ronnie is healthy we have one of the top 5 backs in the league to be our workhorse, if he's not then Chatman/Booker and others can hold the fort down until he's back. As has been the case since Marino retired we have no Qb, thats the dilema.

 

Actually I think we move L. Booker to the slot as a receiver. This kid has GREAT hands and can make yards after the catch. He doesn't possess the power to be a legit back in this league however, lining him up in the backfield would only work for a short period of time before teams close that out.

With Ronnie and Ricky being the primary carriers, Jesse could easily fill the 3rd spot... I really think that even if the TUNA let's Ricky go, Jesse could fill in admirally...
We have NO NEED to fill at RB and I would REALLY question a pick for an RB above the 4th round...

 

I really dont see us adding another RB. If we did it would be a mauler type to complement Brown. I think Parcells and the coach decide who amongst R. Williams, Chatman, Gado and Cobbs stays. My bet is Cobbs may be let go and posibbly Ricky. You would think Ricky would be the fuirst to be let go but dont laugh, i think Parcells might actually get to like the guy. Who knows. I think a running back crew of MAUIA, BROWN, WILLIAMS, BOOKER, CHATMAN would be one of the better ones

 

We were 23rd in the league in rushing. Ronnie can't be counted on and I don't know who many ways to say that, apparently three years of him being a non factor means nothing to many. Ricky is full of question marks. And Booker...what? Compared to LT and Barry Sanders give me a break. We averaged about 13 points a game with Booker playing..most games he was in we were playing from behind. Gado and Chatman are serviceable but not game changers.

Now those are all facts. Why again should we not draft the best player in the draft who looks to be able to erase all the negatives of the above?

Look what Adrian Pederson did for the Vikings this year. It's worth the gamble.

 

Oh we have a dilemma!

I can't believe I have read through two pages of this thread and everyone failed to mention that Chatman is a free agent and he will get an offer that we will not match. Chatman is a goner folks! He won't be here next season. As for Ricky do we know if he has anything left. If he does can you trust him. Ronnie won't be ready to start the season and won't be back to the level he was at until late in the 2008 season. Lo Book is not an everydown back and certainly can't take the punishment that a starting running back can take day in and day out. That leaves us with Gado, a castaway that wouldn't even be on this team right now if it weren't for the Ricky injury. Cobbs is a small back who hasn't played and there is very good reason. He can't get it done either.

If this is not a dilemma then I sure don't know what is.

We got a big problem at the running back position people.

It is so damn obvious!

 

I think McFadden is the best RB in the draft, but not the best player. We need DEFENSE....how many times do you want to see our d-backs getting killed because we don't have any? We are losing NOT because we can't run the ball, but because we cannot shut anyone down on defense, and we have average QB's.

 

There is another thread that says Phins want Chatman back that mentions he is a Free Agent.

 

So no one is allowed to mention a topic more than once in multiple threads? That is ludicrous.

I personally think it is an oversight by blind fans who think our running game will be fine as is. Which is not the case.

 

I love how the ones that want McFadden paint such a bleak picture of the running back situation. Classic example of folks whose perceptions are warped by their own desires.

By the way, Minnesota got a Pro Bowl caliber season out of Adrian Peterson (as well as great production out of co-starter Chester Taylor) and still missed the playoffs.

Sound familiar? (2002 Miami Dolphins)

Meanwhile, several of the top teams in the league have platooned multiple running backs through the course of the season and do not have a "premiere" back, and yet are set to enjoy a bye week in the playoffs.

The Dolphins already have viable options at running back, but are in desperate need of upgrades on the offensive line, at quarterback, at wide receiver, at defensive line, and in the secondary. Besides, it's a well-known fact that running back is one of the easiest positions to fill and that even great backs have short shelf lives.

Going after McFadden would be a mistake at this point.

 

1st of all, Ronnie was leading the league in all purpose yards when he was injured... So why would anyone think that he is a NON-FACTOR is beyond me...

2nd - While Ricky has been, and will always be, considered a risk, his talent and abilities warrant consideration based on the price tag he has against the team next year... I really can't see how we can not use this guy...

3rd - While there was only 1 or 2 that compared L. Booker to a couple of notable players, I can see this kid having a BIG impact on this team in the future... He has GREAT hands and makes big yards after the catch...

Finally, I think Jesse has turned the corner in his career and is a legit back. He has done a nice job in filling the position after Ronnie got hurt...

Overall, I believe that we have all the talent that we need at RB. This position has all the talent that it needs... If the "D" stops the scoring of other teams, we will see exactly what we have in talent behind the line...

The RB position should NOT EVEN BE CONSIDERED in the draft... But that is JMHO...

 

NO....I am just saying that nobody failed to mention that he is a free agent in the 2 pages you read.....you just didn't do enough reading. I think most people here know he is a FA.

 

Well then prove our beliefs wrong. What arguement do you have to offer? You can't make statements like this without backing them up bro!!!

 

Go back and read BRO. I already stated my case. Clearly ANOTHER oversight!

 

Theres nothing obvious at this point in the offseason, no reason to go chicken little about the RB position. Ronnie's health is a question mark, Chatman is not going to get a huge offer he's not that great, Booker showed a lot of promise and Ronnie, when healthy is one of the best RBs in the league. Its not a huge dilema, we have no legit threats at WR to go with Ginn, holes on our offensive and defensive lines, holes in the defensive backfield, etc, the RB position has talent and promise. Its so damn obvious!

 

Funny how I never said I wanted McFadden although anyone who knows me here or at the chat know that I have tossed the idea around. I have made arguments both ways. I know we need defense desperately. You would have to be crazy to not open your mind to the possibility that we could take him. I'm on the D side of the fence these days though.


My point here is that the running back position is not in as fine shape as all would believe and there is a dilemma.

 

I think we might pick up Jones form dallas make him our back up to ronnie let chatman go even though they want him here and make L. Booker our 3rd RB so Ronnie would be our #1 Jones would be our #2 and Booker would be our #3

 

Ronnie will not be back to full strength till mid season at best if at all in'08. Now you say Chatman is not all that great yet we will get into a bidding war with some other team and win. Then sign him. What about all that defensive help we need eheh.

Ronnie is a really good running back but face it folks he has to be on the field to be a great one. He is injured! Behind him we have a 3rd down scat back (Who I like alot but can't be an everydown back). An ex star who hasn't played in three seasons and a bunch of castaways.

Booker shows promise and Ronnie has a lot of talent but neither will be the starting running back for the Miami Dolphins at the beginning of the 2008 season.

 

No oversight bro... I read your post before replying... I read all posts before replying. The argument that I have is with what you stated.

Now we can always agree to disagree and that is what this is... We disagree... However, you have not offered any proof that Ronnie will not be ready in 2008 when there are posts out here that states, with links, that Ronnie is already walking around...

True, Jesse is an FA, but to get Jesse back would cost a LOT less than a #1 draft pick.

L. Booker may not be the premiere back in the league, but this guy can be used as a slot receiver, and occassional back for options and other short down yardage plays...

Ricky is a force regardless of his past... For $730K, he is a guy that will require respect on the field by ANY defense and I just don't see another out there that could replace him for that money...

Now we come to Ronnie... This guy was leading the league in all-purpose yards, that is rushing and receiving, before he went down... To give up on this kid before he even has a chance to prove himself again, well that is just crazy in my book...

Now, you give all this to the TUNA and I will guarantee you right now that the earliest that we take an RB would be 5th round, if at all... And I am willing to bet we take no RBs in the draft...

 

I thought about that as an idea too and even mentioned it here but as one wise poster pointed out Julius Jones is going to want his payday and it would be foolish for us to invest in him with big dollars.

I see the only way we would venture into Jones is if they feel Ronnie's progess has been slow.So far from every indication that has not been the case

 

yea Ronnie's Progress has been ahead of time to

 

Then we have the late emergence of Lorenzo Booker. I'm beggining to think this guy could really turn out to be something. Maybe like the next LT or Barry Sanders, (Ok ok, i'm getting way to ahead of myself), but no doubt L. Booker has talent. He catches anything thrown his way and has the capability to break ankles. Channing Crowder was not kidding when he stated early in training camp that Booker would turn out to be something.

I would say L. Booker would fit parcells more as a Dave Meggett type player.

 

Exactly. I like Booker but the overstatement on this board is comical. Particularly the comparisons to Reggie Bush.

Bush's stock is down right now after an injury plagued year. Booker is the flavor of the moment after a few meaningless games. So that leads clueless handicappers to overreact to recency and link the two in ability level. It's very typical.

Booker has plenty of east/west moves that look flashy but if you evaluate them closely he's really not making anyone miss. He jukes several feet in front of them then they tackle him anyway. Reggie Bush at his best is nothing but air.

This will all settle down, as always. A year from now Booker will be a nice spot player and Bush will be an NFL star. Everything tends to drift back to the beginning. Always remember that line and you'll chuckle nonstop at the desperate overreaction to last week or last month.

 

I've heard the same thing but walking around is one thing and actually cutting is a different thing. I hope he does come back but being realistic it doe'snt seem possible for him to be back to full strength anytime before the middle of the'08 season.

Jess will leave. Someone will make an offer and we won't match IMO.Please tell me where I said we should take a running back with the #1

I agree!

But you just can't rely on him. Haven't we been through this before. But I agree he is cheap. He just makes me very nervous.Sorry I lost my faith a long time ago with Rick

Once again you are putting words in my mouth. I never said to give up on Ronnie Brown. That is ridiculous. I merely stated that he was injured and may not be back for the start of 2008. I also said we will need someone to fill the void. I don't think we need to replace him permanently! Thing that bothers me is that he has to stay on the field and that would be my only knock. I know what type of injuries they were too before you come back at me with that argument. Dude you are either on the field or not. I want him on the field as much as anyone!!!

 

Non factor? have you seen him play at all?

He led the league in TOS by a mile.

Non factor my ***, why cant all the haters just admit they were wrong, christ.