09-23-2020, 09:19 AM
(09-23-2020, 04:13 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: I think Zeke is a good RB, but it's hard to tell *how* good he is because he's always been behind an amazing OL.
The year before Elliott got drafted, Darren McFadden ran for 1,089 yards at 4.6 YPC for the Cowboys after averaging 3.3 YPC over the previous *three* years with Oakland... The year before that DeMarco Murray led the NFL in rushing with 1,845 yards at 4.7 YPC (also led in rushing TDs and total yards). He was Pro Bowl and All-Pro that year before leaving and was meh for a couple years before being out of the league before his age 30 season.
Doesn't help Elliott's case that his backup Tony Pollard last year had 455 rushing yards at 5.3 YPC as a 4th round rookie.
Zeke might just be a case like Bell where he's elevated by his OL. (Though while the Cowboys OL is just really good, the Steelers OL just get to hold all game long.)
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Side note: Looking up this stuff, I ran across a name I had forgotten in Joseph Randle. Holy shit did that guy explode his life.
I think Zeke could produce behind a crap OL, not as well of course but not be as shockingly terrible as Lev Bell is. A lot of the RBs that are very popular right now like Derrick Henry are complete products of the blocking in front of them. Some just flash more than others.
RBs are an interesting case to pay, especially when a lot of the championship winning teams simply did RB by committee. And not to mention every once in a while an UDFA is better than a lot of highly paid, highly vaunted prospect.
In my layman opinion, I think that paying one is fine if more important positions are on rookie contracts, there is a contract clause for injury and they are also part of the passing attack like CMC. What Mixon did the last two years behind our garbage OL is even more impressive. Hell, even though he hasn't been amazing he still is a top 10 running back in yards so far this year.
And yeah, RBs tend to have issues once they get out of the NFL. The most recent one I can think of is CJ2K looking good for some violence.
