Which Reggie Bush scenario would you like to see happen?
 

Owing to Reggie Bush's recent tweets regarding the draft and the lockout, much speculation has been made in the media regarding his supposed desire to leave the New Orleans Saints following their first-round drafting of Heisman Trophy-winning running back Mark Ingram.

But what do you, the New Orleans Saints fan, like to see happen to Reggie Bush this year? Basically, there are five options to consider:

1. Reggie Bush stays with the Saints, as one of the lead running backs.
2. Reggie Bush stays with the Saints, as a situational running back only.
3. Reggie Bush stays with the Saints, and the coaches convert him into a wide receiver.
4. Reggie Bush leaves the Saints, in exchange for one or more draft picks in next years draft.
5. Reggie Bush leaves the Saints, in exchange for a player of the same caliber in a different position (offensive lineman for instance).


I know a lot of people believe that Reggie Bush is a "bust," but I would disagree with this. In his rookie year, he amassed over 1,300 yards from scrimmage with 8 touchdowns. Those are pretty awesome numbers. And that was when we still had a productive Deuce McCallister. Yes, Reggie became more of a situational player after we acquired Pierre Thomas and yes, he's had his share of injuries, but I think he would have had to do significantly worse than he has in order to qualify as a "bust." And let's not forget his incredible performances in the Super Bowl run of the 2009 season. You want bust? Jonathan Sullivan. Now there's a bust for you.

I realize that a lot of folks out there will probably look at my number three option - convert Bush into a wide receiver - and laugh. But I would argue that this is the correct option for four reasons:

1. Reggie Bush actually has more receiving yards than rushing yards in his NFL career. If you don't believe me, go to NFL.com and look it up.
2. Reggie Bush is still super fast and is hard to cover as a receiver.
3. Reggie Bush has a similar build to other wide receivers, like Devery Henderson, for instance
4. We need a breath of fresh air at the wide receiver position anyway and Reggie is already familiar with the Saints' offensive system and has chemsitry with Brees.

So I say let's keep Reggie Bush for around 2.5 million this season plus incentives and convert him into a wide receiver. He's always been a better receiver than rusher anyway!

1. Reggie Bush actually has more receiving yards than rushing yards in his NFL career. If you don't believe me, go to NFL.com and look it up.

Because most of his receptions are swing passes at or very near the LOS.

2. Reggie Bush is still super fast and is hard to cover as a receiver.

Yet he never outruns anyone and rarely catches anything downfield. Wake me up when he breaks a long run.

3. Reggie Bush has a similar build to other wide receivers, like Devery Henderson, for instance.

Agreed, but he's never played WR and its not an easy position to learn. Numerous WR's as fast as Reggie used to be, never make it in the NFL, and they've played the position for years.

4. We need a breath of fresh air at the wide receiver position anyway and Reggie is already familiar with the Saints' offensive system and has chemsitry with Brees.

Why do you think we need a breath of fresh air at WR? We're loaded at WR.

Bush does have experience being the dump-off option and receiving easy to catch swing passes but has never played WR. He couldn't beat out Arrington as our 5th WR. When's the last time you saw Reggie dive to catch a pass? Ever?


Reggie is a scat back, and not a very good punt returner. Its all he'll ever be.

I think Devery Henderson would have more success converting to our scat back RB than Bush would converting to a legit WR.

What Danno said.

If Reggie stays he will keep his current position. Not WR or CB or QB.
RB. He continues to get less touches each year when he's actually healthy so if the Saints can get something appealing from another team, reggiebushmustgo.com.

And I don't know many people that consider Reggie Bush a bust.

6. Reggie Bush gets cut.

I wanted to choose that one but I went with 4. The problem with moving Reggie to WR is that it's virtually the same thing with keeping him at running back. That's all he was doing running dump offs and making minimal gains out the back field... a poor slot receiver basically. Moving him outside in my opinion minimizes the "decoy" factor he has coming out the backfield. He then becomes predictable and immediately replaceable on our roster.

Reggie thinks he's under-utilized and better than he really is. Could he be? It's possible... and the only way for him to find out, is to go to a team where his touches will not be limited as it is here. We don't have a single player on our roster that dominates the ball offensively... and it won't happen anytime soon. Reggie has 4 or 5 more years in this league and he already has a SuperBowl ring. He's not looking for a 1 year contract where he won't be able to maximize his production earning him that one last big contract. While it's a nice idea to keep him around because of how "important" he is to our offense, a stretch to say in my opinion, drafting Ingram pretty much sealed his fate. There is nothing Reggie can do that replacing him with Thomas in all of his sets will cause us our offense to regress.. In all honestly, we'd probably be even more productive.

Some of his recpetions are swing passes. Many of them are down the seam.

Wide receiver is difficult to learn yet running back is not? Many tight ends in the NFL used to be running backs or wideouts. Some wideouts in the NFL used to be quarterbacks. Many cornerbacks in the NFL used to be wideouts and so on. I think someone can learn a new position, especially if he's already somewhat familiar with it.

Some of our wideouts are getting old. Some of them didn't perform up to expectations last year. Henderson and Meachem spring to mind. Both WR's had horrible drops last season. Meachem has had surgery for two years runnning and so has Colston. Henderson had sports hernia surgery last season. The only WR we have that I feel absolutely confident in to stay on the field is Lance Moore. And I wish we would try Arrington a few more times. He was very good in limited play during the season finale.

Bush dove to catch a beautiful pass in the playoff game against the Cardinals. I don't believe he should be doing kick returns anymore due to his propensity to fumble (see Cowboys, 49ers last season). If he were converted into a WR, maybe you would see him dive to catch more balls.

Regarding his ability to outrun anyone - this is exactly the point I'm trying to make. He doesn't work as a running back because when there's a row of defenders trying to stop him from running the ball, he becomes confused or he becomes too cute or he runs out of bounds. He wouldn't have that problem at wideout because he only has to beat one or two people. He is still exceptionally fast when he has an open field as evidenced in the playoff game versus the Cardinals. He basically missed all of last season, so there's really nothing from that season to talk about. He ran a 40 time of 4.38 and that's as fast as anyone else we have on the team.

Well said. Especially agree with the red I highlighted above.

6) Reggie gets cut & gets a job selling hot dogs in the dome. :)

Reggie broke off some nice runs in the final game of the year, when he wasn't competing with anyone else for carries. He is not an every-down back and never had been but I believe there is definite value in keeping him.

6.) Reggie gets cut...... "Welcome to the NEW McKenzie's Bakery, home of the Buttermilk Drops, Turtles, King Cakes and MMM MMM, Apple Pies"

Oh yeah, Mike McKenzie will re-open the local bakery.
http://cajunchefryan.rymocs.com/imag...nzies_Logo.jpghttp://chicksinthehuddle.com/wp-cont...e-mckenzie.jpg

Reggie stays as a situational running back and occasional slot receiver, as well as kick and punt returner. He takes a HUGE pay cut and keeps his mouth shut. Sounds like the perfect scenario.

Agree, except for the punt/KO returner. He not very good at it at all.

Actually, he's pretty decent on punt returns. As a kickoff returner, he's only ever done a couple of times I believe. His career average on punt returns is about 8 yards which is decent, if not spectacular, and he has 5 touchdowns as a punt returner. Not wonderful, but definitely not bad.

Reggie Bush stays with the Saints, as a situational running back only 7 58.33%

we wont get crap for him unless he signs a new deal to work a trade. No one is going to pay this thug 11 mil for at best 500 rushing and 500 reciving. I worry about the cap hit if we have to release him.

I still think that Bush will remain a Saint this year. He's under a microscope now more than ever so he'd better make this his best season ever.

If he thinks that he's suffering now, another mediocre season will break his heart.

Bush stays and is featured more as a slot receiver while still giving the change of featured RB looks he's given...

I still want him as a PR/KR; and while Devin Hester is the top guy, if you ask other teams, they don't kick to 'em...

Reggie Bush
2010, ranked 53rd overall (6.6)
(ranked 24th among "qualified" returners)

2009, ranked 63rd overall (4.8)
(ranked 27th among "qualified" returners)

2008, ranked 9th overall (13.5, his best year)
(ranked 3rd among "qualified" returners)

2007, ranked 64th, (4.0, but he only had 3 for 12 yards)

2006, ranked 45th in the NFL (7.7)
(ranked 24th among "qualified" returners)


2010 NFL average is about 10.4 Y/PR, which he only surpassed in 2008.

Dead last in 2010 was 6.1 Y/PR, which he only surpassed 3 times in his ENTIRE career.

His career return average of 7.8 (skewed by 2008 (7.7, 4.0, 13.5, 4.8, 6.6)) would have ranked 23rd in the NFL in 2010.

Remove his ONE good year and he'd rank 30th in the NFL.

Of course, they don't count east-west yards, only north-south.

Keep him as a primary reserve receiver/RB. He can't do either one great, but certainly good enough to win games. As a returner/gunner I'd say that should be a secondary role. The fumbles and tripping over his own feet on kick returns, especially at the worst possible time, has become more of the norm and I doubt it wil improve this late in his career.

I think it really depends on how much he is willing to play for...and if his recent tweets are any sign of what he expects, then he is a goner.

I don't think he will play for less money just to stay in NO, and if his agent tells him he can get more somewhere else, then that's probably where he will end-up.

I think it would be interesting to see what he can do if he were with a team that could give him creases to run through. If he gets into the 2nd level untouched he is very dangerous, but he doesn't make his own holes.

If he stays with the Saints, we all know what his role will be. If he moves on, I will follow his progress with great interest.

Even being ranked 53rd isn't that bad. Did you realize that literally HUNDREDS of players do punt returns on a yearly basis? Being ranked 53rd out of 200 is good. Being ranked 23rd is even better. And you can't remove his one good year - that one good year is PART of his career and can't be dislodged no matter how hard you try. By the way, did you bother to list how many attempts he's had in each of those years? You are cherry-picking data to support your conclusions. 7.8 yards is a good career punt return average no matter how you slice it. I could turn right around and say, "Reggie Bush has had good punt returns, except for the year 2009. If you take 2009 out of the equation, he's averaged 9 yards per punt return." And anyway, in 2008 he did 20 returns, which is a good amount of returns to do an average. He only ranks 9th because there are some returners who ran only 1 or 2 punt returns and had a really good runback in the one or two times that they tried.

Nice try though.

STUPID GAY POlls!!!

You can make stats anything you want them to be.

Fact - He isn't a feature back and never was.
Fact - being drafted #2 overall and you're ranked 53rd in any category... sucks.

I don't care what his stats are for being drafted #2 he hasn't lived up to what he was suppose to be. RB's in the NFL looks they they are running seam routes but what it really is in reality are check downs - flair outs then sit right where the LB's were who by that time has either dropped back into coverage or blitzing. He does have speed to get open from LB's.

53rd is terrible no matter which way you slice it. Did you read the stats?

And when you include eligible returners (which I did) he ranks near dead last as well.

Total Average includes attempts, so its apples to apples.

Even if you include EVERY SEASON, EVERY RETURN, his average would rank us 23rd in the NFL out of 32 teams.

Sorry, you can spin it all you want, that is NOT good by any standard.

Its amazing how people keep justifying his poor performances time and time again when the facts do not support it in any way shape or form. He has officially become Reggie Brooks.

LMAO. REGGIE BROOKS.

It is still happening after all this time and a SB victory. Posts always come back around to Brooks, LMAO.

I would even argue that a good punt returner is someone you don't have to hold your breath everytime you see him back to return a punt because you fear he is going to fumble it. No that isn't a good punt returner.

Don't get me wrong I think we need him and can very much use him as a 3rd down back and slot type WR. But not at 11 mil. And please lets home Patrick or someone else can return punts instead of Reggie.

Reggie stays with a reduced salary and plays basically the same role since he came here. He is better with a one two punch. I have mixed feelings about him as a return man though.

Why do you hate Reggie Bush so much? 7.8 yards per punt return is average it is not bad. Your original contention that he is a bad punt returner is simply wrong wrong wrong. What did Reggie Bush ever do to you? He had several incredible performances in the last season in which he was healthy 2009-2010 and he was absolute best in the playoffs and Super Bowl. This is not even in dispute. And then he had the misfortune of having a 250 pound idiot from the 49ers fall on top of him while he was on the ground which basically took him out of last season.

Btw, the average amount of punts that take place in an NFL game is around 5 or 6. That's approximately 2600 punts in a season of NFL football. About half of those actually get returned (there were 1262 punt returns last season). There are approximately 40 punt returners in the NFL who return punts on a regular enough basis to even talk about. Therefore, the rank of 23rd is not out of a pool of 32 NFL teams because some teams use more than one regular punt returner. The rank of 23rd is out of a pool of about 40 returners or possibly even more. That's perfectly average, not bad. Another point is that Reggie Bush's average of 7.8 would have put him in 20th position for the 2010 season (minimum 20 returns), which again is not bad at all.

And also, another category which must be considered is that Reggie Bush is on a very elite list of punt returners who have more than 3 punts returned for a touchdown. He has 4 during the regular season, which places him tied for 18th IN THE HISTORY OF THE NFL. That is out of thousands and thousands of punt returners. This once again defeats your contention that he is a bad punt returner. He is not a BAD punt returner. He is not a punt return specialist like Devin Hester. But to say that he is a bad punt returner is factually wrong.

I don't hate Reggie.

7.8 is bad for a punt returner (would rank 23rd in 2010). Why do you keep insisting that it isn't? 23rd out of 32 teams is bad. Our own Lance Moore has a better career average as a Saint than Reggie does, by almost an entire yard.

To suggest that Reggie isn't a bad returner is factually wrong wrong wrong IMO and backed up by facts.

As far as TD's go, 3 of his 4 TD's were all in 2008, and two were against the same team. Sorry, not impressed at all.

In 2008 he was GREAT, no question and anyone who says otherwise is foolish, but this leauge isn't about what you did 3 seasons ago, its about now.

But I'm sure he'll break a long one next year to go along with numerous bad ones (and a few fumbles) and the Reggie apologists will be in love with him all over again.

I'll leave it at this, Jim Henderson said it best...

Thats Jim Henderson, and he's certainly no Bush hater either.

Danno. I know you always come back to Lance Moore as being a better returner than Bush, but by 'almost' a yard? In my opinion if we're talking less than a yard, on average, the conversation isn't worth having.

Reggie should shoulder some of the blame because of his east-west tendency on returns, but the fact is our punt return unit as a whole sucked balls last year.

As was the case with Brooks, so many people developed tunnel vision and blamed him for everything, even the crappy defense we had during his tenure. The supporting cast does make a difference. Just ask Emmit Smith.

Nobody wants Bush back at 11 million, but both Brees and Sean speak very highly of Reggie's value to the team and the offensive scheme. Frankly, that's good enough for me.

Not quite following that one.

Are you saying that because I don't think Reggie is nearly as good as some claim, and I back it up with fact after fact after fact, that somehow I have "issues" with Reggie Bush and I'm stuck on tearing him down?

The only issues I have with Reggie are on the field during the games.

Care to elaborate? Because if I'm reading you correctly it sounds like an insult.

And WTF is up with the Downo comments Strat?

the way reginal bush is acting sounds like he just needs time out.except with the skipe ballsless tantrum thats all. i'm a team player. i believe we need him in our game plans to help out in situational plays no he don't have star nos# but he has star power which means in my book that he could go off on any given play and he has to be accounted for every play. now i did vote he gets traded, go figure what i know.

Why do you people wanna keep this guy? He has done NOTHING but get hurt since he has been in the league. He would not be worth 3 mil a year. I would rather have Roby or Moore returning punts and Thomas in on 3rd down.

I read what everyone said and all I can say is that I want him on the team. Reason why, Sean Payton wants him on the team and that all I need. You can argue stats and everything (in my view his stats suck), but if SP believe in him. I got to too. Who Dat!!!!!!!!

I got it all copied into an outlook draft. Its a simple copy/paste.

But I'll probably pop a cold one anyway. I'll drink one for you too.:D

Yet Payton seems to use him less and less, even when healthy.

I think Payton knows Reggie isn't all that good, but he's probably better than some 5th RB we'd carry.

Here I'll settle it...

Reggie is neither a good nor bad punt returner, he's just average...which sounds about right. Given his average yard per return numbers and his tendancy to muff punts, he's replaceable not only in the back field... but as a returner too. While many be at the edge of their seats when the ball is coming his way, I cringe.

Pretty much settles it, well except for the average part. He's a bit worse than average, but I'll ease up on the apologists for a while, they get their feelings hurt too easily.

They're probably watching way too much Housewives of <insert location here> episodes. ;)

I'll have you know I don't watch that show...but this year I am guilty of watching American Idol, and yes, I am ashamed... :(

Fear not fellow former-man, I too was roped into that by my adorable 10 year old daughter.

Sometimes we have to take a pointy-toed boot shot right to the jewels for the betterment of man-kind, errr... I mean person-kind.

I avoided it for a decade, but I tuned in to see what Steven Tyler had to say...it was anti-climactic for sure, but that one kid...what's his name <looking it up now>...one sec...

James Durbin

Yeah. That kid can rock. I hope he wins...

/hijack

Why do you keep ignoring evidence and logic. I look up all my statistics. You apparently do not. He's 23rd AMONG PUNT RETURNERS, not among NFL TEAMS. Can you get it through your thick head that each team can have more than one punt returner?

And actually, he has had a total of FIVE punt returns for touchdowns. If you include the playoff game. And it doesn't freaking matter if all three of them happened during one season. Does. Not. Change. Anything. Not. One. Thing.

There is no way on this earth you can say that someone who has five punt returns for touchdowns and someone who ranks 23rd out of hundreds of punt returners is a bad punt returner. You are just being disagreeable to be disagreeable. Therefore you are annoying.

And I'm not a Bush apologist. I know he's not the best running back on the team. I just hate it when people make sh*t up or ignore the facts.

Your problem is that you are selectively picking which data you like and ignoring the rest. You also stated that 2009 wasn't a great year for Bush. Well, we had a three-running back rotation that year and Bush did get well over 5 yards per carry, which is awesome - along with 8 touchdowns. That is great production from a back who is part of an equal three-back rotation. Why are you so obsessed with hating Reggie Bush?