The Miami Dolphins will be faced with tough decision at the Running Back position in the upcoming 2008 season.
With Darren McFadden possibly becoming the best player available in the draft, the Dolphins may have to look elswhere to accomadate other needs.
Despite Ronnie Brown's injury this year, his approach will be questionable for 2008. But with reports that he is already walking on his injured leg, Look for Ronnie Brown to recover adn be back in 08. With that said, with Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams already on the current roster, the Dolphins already look stacked at Running back in 08.
Not to mention the most recent reports indicating the Phins want to keep Chatman. Chatman's performance this year had the Dolphins surprised and answered all the critics this year. When asked to play for the Injured Brown, he came in and did a fantastic job.
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.
So with Ricky, Ronnie, Chatman, Booker....the Phins look solid at Running Back, which also means it will be less liklely we draft McFadden.
What are we to do with our RB's in 2008?
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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 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...
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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. -
vt_dolfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member
I honestly see alot of Brian Westrook in Booker. I also expect him to bulk up in the offseason.
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I agree with the Westbrook similarity, we could only hope he could end up with the same productivity.
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He catches the ball somewhat better than Dunn. With added weight, Lo Book will be better suited between the tackles.
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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.
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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. :ffic:
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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.
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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.
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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. -
finfansince72 Season Ticket Holder Club Member
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.
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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
Last edited: Dec 31, 2007 -
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. -
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! :glare: -
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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. -
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...:wave: -
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. -
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finfansince72 Season Ticket Holder Club Member
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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
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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. -
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 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 -
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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. -
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. -
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He led the league in TOS by a mile.
Non factor my ***, why cant all the haters just admit they were wrong, christ.
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