Do we need to address the RB position
 

Guys we all have high hopes for Deuce, but we all know his return will be 50/50. I just dont think Thomas or Stecker can carry the load and fight for the hard 3 yards. I wish we could rely on Reggie but we all know he is not that kind of runner. Dont get me wrong, Ive seen Reggie pick up the hard yards before but the fact is we need a power back to help share the load. Basically I dont want to wait till the the last minute when its too late.

Re: Do we need to address the RB position
 

unfortunately yea dude...every saints fan loves duece....i know i do....he was the face of the franchise and really the only decent player for a long while....realistically we need to start looking for a RB tho because he isnt going to stay healthy forever...even if he lasts this season it wont be long before he gets hurt again

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Yes, we definitely need a power back. But even if McAllister doesn't make it back to form, I haven't given up on Pierre Thomas. I have high hopes for that kid.

Re: Do we need to address the RB position
 

I think we can go as is this year but its something that will be a concern this coming offseason if more things plague Deuce.

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i agree....duece will be our starter assuming he is healthy enough...i think that pierre thomas is a great addition to our backfield and i think he has the potential to step up and be a starter....i gotta say tho...the only consistency we have in our backfield is duece getting hurt and stecker stepping up to play....he needs a lot of praise for being able to step up year after year

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I don't expect Deuce to ever be 100% again. If he does, that will be a monumental blessing for us.

That said, I have no problems with us passing 50-60 times a game.

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The Raiders just released Dominic Rhodes. Perhaps we could have Rhodes and Shawn Alexander in here for a look see.

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i think that rhodes would be an awesome pickup....i think that shaun alexander is too hurt like duece...he would just take away cap room....alexander fell apart after the seahawks gave his lineman away....rhodes can be our guy b/c he hasnt had injuries like shaun

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I am pretty please with the news that Deuce is going to be back and healthy for us. Even at 90 percent we'll be fine and not worth bring in either of these guys. I mean we can only have so many bodies on the roster. At the start of camp if he isn't ready I am sure they'll go get someone but no cause of concern right now.

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ur exactly right....even at 90% duece can be an elite back....especially since he wont have to carry the whole load...i love that....if he is in fact going to be ready for the season...i say let him play

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Just like at tight end.....let's go with what we have for at least one more season. If it doesn't work out, then back to the drawing board on one or both of those positions.

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Disagree. I think we need to address the TE position. Although Shockey had his baggage, he got us excited about upgrading that position. Another RB or two in camp would not hurt.

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im kinda on the fence with u guys....i think that we could always bring in another RB cuz duece probly wont be back to his form...i like our TEs being able to block....they are much better blockers than shockey..but i think our spread offense that we run would utilize a recieving type better...shockey would step in and make pro bowl after pro bowl becoming drews favorite target

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I think health concerns for the duration of the season are the biggest concern here. With Duece and Reggie spelling each other, we don't need Duece at 100%. As long as Duece can still pound the middle and fall forward on 2nd and 3rd down, we'll be ok - we'll use Reggie for big play potential. Of course, this will make our play calling more predicatble.

The problem is Reggie is a bit too small to be an every down back for a running team (he'll end up hurt), and Duece's durability is a serious question mark. I like Thomas, but he isn't a fanchise back.

If I had to guess, by week 8 we'll be wishing we'd got ourselves an every down type back. Though we could do worse than Reggie and Thomas as our starting pair.

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I still think Reggie can be an every down back. He is no smaller or less ripped than Brian Westbrook. He just needs to learn HOW to run at this level. Last year when Reggie really commited to a hole he had a couple of decent games. When he started dancing the jitter bug and seeing holes that weren't there thats when he got in trouble. We should do the Broncos running plan and limit him to one cut per run.

Re: Do we need to address the RB position
 

I know you are joking about throwing it that much, but 5-10 more attempts a game would not bother me. Reggie is more explosive on a swing pass, and Drew used a ton of different receivers last year.

As for Deuce, no, he won't be the same, but neither was Bettis, and he was still effective. 26 is now a good player in a new role

Re: Do we need to address the RB position
 

Westbrook is a rarity (and maybe Reggie will be too), but I'd say the same thing about his size - too small for an every down back (on a running team). If we're going to pass primarily, maybe Reggie will be an every down guy - we're just going to have to emphasize the pass even a bit more.

I can't agree more with your idea of limiting cutbacks in our running schemes. However, forcing a player to change his style is no easy thing.

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I say run with PT till he shows he can not handle it.

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I am not sure if it was that he saw holes that were not there, to me it seemed like he would always outrun his blockers and wasn't patient enough to let the hole open up for him.

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If you want to replace Deuce that is more of a long term problem we will have to fix. Alexander or Rhodes is a quick fix. At this point you go with Deuce. You wait and see what happens in camp and then you either go for the quick fix or not. You get anyone one of these players you'll be looking in the draft next year for a top RB to come in long term.

Re: Do we need to address the RB position
 

i think reggies main problem was being too nervous.....i do think he needs to be more patient...its hard to be more patient when ur at the line before the lineman make their 3rd step tho....thats when they move the d-line....he does need to slow down and hit the hole...then turn on his running shoes....rhodes was an every down back for the colts....i think he could be a short term fix....definitly not a franchise back but he could fill duece's position if need be

Re: Do we need to address the RB position
 

i like this idea :)
too bad this was not the mentality last year...then we would know exactly what we got
many fans wanted to see him used more frequently

Re: Do we need to address the RB position
 

thats because the load last year was carried between stecker and pierre....its the way it had to be because neither one of them can be a feature back....stecker has made his name as a backup....and great backup...but a backup....pierre wasnt ready to handle the load so stecker had to step up like he does every year....Aaron is one of my favorite players for that reason....i like pierre but hes not ready to be the number one guy

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It looks like the Saints do not have much choice at this point, must move forward with the guys on the roster. Rhodes could possibly be a decent pickup. I think the smart thing is get a few extra camp body running backs, and see if a couple looks like they have the potential to pan out. Then put them on the practice squad as insurance. It's not a long term plan, but at least can keep the season alive if the injury bug hits again. For now I would give Pierre Thomas every opportunity to be the "MAN" if Deuce is unable to go.

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where is the love for my man aaron stecker?....as a captain doesnt he deserve some credit? i think depth at RB is a luxury for us....we have 4 great backs...5 if u include the most underrated fullback in the NFL in mike karney....i'd like to see what duece has left in the tank...if he cant do it ne more i think we should just go down the depth chart like we had to last season...reggie is second.....then stecker and pierre....give reggie his touches

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Yes, we need someone who can run between the tackles. I'd like to see 3rd and 1 not be a passing down next season.

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I love aaron. he is as solid of a back up RB in the NFL. Age will catch up with him soon.
Back to PT. Stecker was the man last year. He got 60% + of the carries up to the Chicago game. He blew the stadium up as we know. Then the saints fire the RB coach right after. Funny how quick they got rid of him. IMO the only reason PT was slide lined so much was because of the coach.
Duce will be around till he is done.
Riggie will tote the rock
stecker will be his dependable self.
I want to see this UDFA Olaniyi Sobomehin. 6010,230. he is one big kid. Hey any of ya'll living on the left coast every watch Portland State?

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I think Warren Dunn is the perfect example of a smaller back carrying the load. An awesome player. Reggie and PT could take his example. Reggie has to learn how to avoid direct hits like Him and PT needs to get the reps for his development if as I believe Duece will not have the explosiveness. McAllister was a Hell of a football player and I hope I am wrong about Him. If I am not wrong I think He will not and make the call on His own. I aslo think we will see another back in traing camp for competition.

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I pretty much agree with the comments on this thread but even if Duece stays healthy and returns to form this year, next year we need to start looking for a replacement. He is nearing that 30 year old mark and we all know what happens to RB's production at that age. Shaun Alexander is already there and his production was way down.

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I don't think Warrick Dunn is an every down back either.

Maybe the problem I'm having is this: sure there are smaller backs who can play every down, but the system needs to accommodate the fact that they just can't take a beating. This means passing more, more zone-blocking schemes, and more short yardage plays that don't rely on simply pounding it up the middle.

Can Reggie be our feature back? Yes.
Will that require us to pass a lot more, even on short yardage? Yes.
Is that bad? Not sure.

If Duece makes it back to even 70%, we'll be fine this year.
If Reggie starts playing like Faulk, Westbrook, or (maybe) even Dunn or Marcus Allen, we'll be fine for awhile. This will, however, require, more passing - which I think would be fine.

Re: Do we need to address the RB position
 

My thoughts:

Duece: Stay healthy. 10-12 rushes per game. 4+ YPC. I don't think he needs to be the feature guy anymore. The only problem with Duece is getting him to stay on the field.

Reggie: 10-12 rushes per game. 5+ YPC. Reggie needs to do two things, and neither of them is to be the feature back in the traditional sense. The first is to be productive when rushing the ball. Doesn't have to be a home run every time, just good positive yardage. The second is that Reggie is best as the X factor on the field. Put him all over the place and force the defense to account for him. Swings, flares, wheels, end arounds, off tackle, middle of the line, and everything else.

I think folks miss the fact that Reggie does all of these types of activities well. But since he doesn't tote the rock for 130 a game, it gets dismissed.

As his unofficial PR guy, I'd say that his goal should be a shatter the total yards record. One year of racking up a 170+ total yards per game should be enough to shut the critics down even if it's distributed as 75 rushing and 95 doing the rest.

PT23: Grow him into the position. Give him a minimum of 10 touches per game. See if he can keep that 5+ YPC average that we've seen from him.

Stecker: Utility guy. Spell Reggie. Spell Duece. Special Teams.

Everyone wants to have that guy that we pound into the line 25 times a game. Anyone who has watched Payton and the Saints over the last two years should realize that's never going to be our offense. The RBs need more than anything else need to serve as a counterbalance to Brees delivering the football down the field.

It's more important that our run game be reliable and consistent as opposed to explosive. If our 4 backs collect 200+ YPG total, then they've done their job.

SFIAH

Re: Do we need to address the RB position
 

It usually takes two years to recover from the kind of injury Duece sustained. And he had two knee surgeries...at best we should hope he's back by mid-season. I just don't see Deuce being am ajor factor next year. Our feature back this year will be Pierre Thomas. Bush will be Bush - Payton will use him to exploit mismatches on the D for big plays and use him as a decoy to keep the opposition off blance. Saints won't try him as an every down back again. Rhodes would be a good pick up. Stecker will come in to keep everyone fresh and maybe Jamaal Branch will get a chance. He can play. Is he still on the roster?

Re: Do we need to address the RB position
 

A running back .... what the hell is a running back ... do we need one? I thought we had one already .... Charles Grant!

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I do know that we are a passing team now but like SFIAH said, we need to keep em honest. Teams know we mostly pass but lets face it. If its 3rd and 1 I would rather pound the ball rather that losing 5 yards on the swing pass.

Re: Do we need to address the RB position
 

First of all, it only takes about 6 months now to recover from an ACL injury, and a bit longer for microfracture. Deuce will be healthy by camp.

Secondly, I completely agree with SFIAH, that Reggie can be great, but he needs to be used right. The play calling between last year and 2006 was night and day. In 2006, they used traditional play calling with Deuce, and kept teams off guard with Reggie. #25 will be at his best when opposing defenses don't know what's coming. In 2007, I knew what almost every play would be when Reggie was in there at RB (swing pass, screen, draw, or run off the tackle). A healthy Deuce means a more effective Reggie, and an unstoppable offense. Reggie can be this offense's featured weapon, but you have to use him right.

I also want to say I'm not sold on PT. I think he's a pretty good player, but I'm not ready to say he should be our feature running back next year because of one game against Chicago.

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Until this Defense can improve greatly (26th) last year we urgently need a strong running game to help with clock management. I think we've proven what happens when your D is crap and can't run the ball and keep the other teams offense off the field (hello 7-9). We desperately need our running back by committee to get it done this year if we hope for any chance at post season play.

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Re: Do we need to address the RB position
 

D. Rhodes
He was released by the Raiders today, should we bring him in for a visit

Re: Do we need to address the RB position
 

I didn't say he won't be a good player, I said I'm not sold on him yet. I think that's a pretty reasonable thing to say. It would be foolish to jump to conclusions and say that this guy is the future of our running game because of one game. Doesn't mean he won't be, but I'm saying that I'm not ready to say that he's "the guy." The only other game where he had 10+ carries last season, he averaged 2.7 a rush. I'm just saying, don't jump to conclusions yet.

Re: Do we need to address the RB position
 

he is one screw up away from a 1 yr. suspension. him in NO? LOL no way could he make it.