Free Agency, Mock Drafts, Camps, Roster Predictions, 2018

Look, I agree with what you and Boone are saying about Rob. However, I can't disagree with this social media person either. Some of his old habits came out on Thursday night and I was outraged over it. Hope Rob can learn from those mistakes.
 
Burgundy Burner said:
It's not click bait. That is how we format many of our posts. I did such a format in my recent article.

Thanks for the nice words.
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Why would you format a list that requires the reader to click 5 or 6 times to see the whole list if it's not click bait? Juts offer up the list...unless you're fishing for more clicks.

Not saying I will do so with Riggo's Rag, but 99% of the sites I see that do this, automatically go in my "Never go to that site again" file.
 
Part of it is knowing that scrolling way down is so difficult for the WordPress format that is used. It's a huge struggle. The format I used for the latest article (roster prediction posted for tomorrow) is much easier and requires only one page. Earlier this week I needed several pages. If I had to format it on one page, it would've taken hours to get it just right.

We need to have room to allow for other article links and for proper advertisement formats, especially video and gifs. Most of these sites use WP because it is built specifically for these purposes. Our parent company (Time, Inc.) has looked at other solutions, but this is the best one overall. It allows for these formats, shortcodes, texting blocks, and an easy linking format.
 
One more before the day ends...

 
BB is posting tweets. One can choose to click and read more or not. It really shouldn't be a big deal since as far as a tweet goes, it's no different from posting a link to an article from BGO, which we do frequently. I agree with @Elephant that the format Riggo's Rag uses (as well as a lot of social media content providers) is one of the most annoying out there. It's a shame because I think many just aren't going to take the trouble to click 'next' 20 times. But that's really none of our concern here :)
 
Burgundy Burner said:
Look, I agree with what you and Boone are saying about Rob. However, I can't disagree with this social media person either. Some of his old habits came out on Thursday night and I was outraged over it. Hope Rob can learn from those mistakes.
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I wasn't able to watch the game, but I did hear he didn't play well. I'm not sure one can draw any conclusions from that especially given we weren't playing OL starters and it was a preseason game. I was okay with the tweet you referenced until he went there with the 'he's not an NFL running back' stuff. That's a ridiculous statement.
 
Boone said:
I wasn't able to watch the game, but I did hear he didn't play well. I'm not sure one can draw any conclusions from that especially given we weren't playing OL starters and it was a preseason game. I was okay with the tweet you referenced until he went there with the 'he's not an NFL running back' stuff. That's a ridiculous statement.
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I understand your desire to remain objective, but there is a lot more body of evidence to draw the conclusion that Rob Kelly is not a starting RB in the NFL, and we cannot rely on him to carry the load for 16 games.

We need to get a veteran and I'm not sure the only one I'd want is up to task...I think he said he retired, Demarco Murray.
 
I guess a second year guy like Perine can't improve?

Wasn't that the same logic used after Morgan Moses' first season?

I'd like to see what these backs could do with a fully healthy line.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but these backs rarely,if ever, had that luxury last season,right?
 
I have no desire to be objective - I disagree with your certainty. The guy has had one full season in the NFL. We were all over the map that year trying to prove Matt Jones wasn't a blown pick (he was). Rob didn't get to more than 20 carries in a game until mid-season, prior to that he barely got a chance. When he did carry it 20 or more times he averaged more than 100 yds/game. His 4.2 yds/carry average for that season is pretty middling. But a) he was a rook and b) half the season he barely got any carries and little opportunity to build as the game went on. He has broken some long ones in his brief time including a 66 yarder that year.

I've already said he is not a top tier RB. But 'not an NFL RB' is unfair. In my opinion, if he were our primary guy on 1st and 2nd down, he is a more than adequate back. One of our biggest problems has been cycling through numerous backs during games and never allowing any of them to get into a groove. I understand Gruden should and must get Chris Thompson his reps. But I think our best bet with the power rushing game is to pick a guy and stick with him. The 'running back by committee' approach doesn't work for the reason I already stated - the vast majority of RBs in the NFL need significant reps to find a groove, settle down, and play well.
 
Elephant said:
I understand your desire to remain objective, but there is a lot more body of evidence to draw the conclusion that Rob Kelly is not a starting RB in the NFL, and we cannot rely on him to carry the load for 16 games.

We need to get a veteran and I'm not sure the only one I'd want is up to task...I think he said he retired, Demarco Murray.
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So which promising young player on this roster should we cut to make room for a 1 season stop gap 'veteran'? Not trying to be dramatic - but the reality is, to bring in another RB, someone is getting cut. In a year where we have more talent on the bubble than we have in a long time - that's a tough sell. If you can't achieve decent rushing results with one of the best OL's in the league and Kelley, Chris Thompson, Perine, and Marshall in the backfield, the problem isn't RB talent - it lies elsewhere.
 
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Kelley is a good backup for what we have now. Watching him on Thursday night was painful. He was given the ball just outside the one yard line. Had he followed the blocking assignment, a hole briefly opened up between center and guard just as he took the handoff (enough to let him punch it in with a yard or two to spare).

What did Kelley do? He darted to the outside where he was met by an OLB, a corner, and two safeties. Sure, it looked good for a second, but those four defenders were there in a flash. He does not have the speed to make it to the corner of the endzone. Defensive backs (along with an OLB) will get him each and every time. He doesn't recognize blocking assignments in short yardage situations.

Trying to bounce it to the outside works on occasion as the Mikes and Sams could be pulling in a different direction, but that is usually the call coming from the center (blocking assignments) and quarterback (audible) at the line. Kelley still hasn't figured out how to attack with the blocking schemes in front of him.
 
Boone said:
So which promising young player on this roster should we cut to make room for a 1 season stop gap 'veteran'? Not trying to be dramatic - but the reality is, to bring in another RB, someone is getting cut. In a year where we have more talent on the bubble than we have in a long time - that's a tough sell. If you can't achieve decent rushing results with one of the best OL's in the league and Kelley, Chris Thompson, Perine, and Marshall in the backfield, the problem isn't RB talent - it lies elsewhere.
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Well, since we just lost one IR, we have a spot open. And Chris Thompson is the only RB we have who I think belongs. Byron Marshall has looked good against 2nd and 3 stringers in one game this pre-season, so I think he could be a 2nd or 3rd stringer, but Perrine, Bibbs, and Kelly should all be battling for 2nd, 3rd , and 4th stringers on the team. None of them is going to be starting on any team in the NFL.

And while I believe we have a good OL, it's because we have 2 of the best at their position in the league, and a very solid RT. The C and LG positions leave a lot to be desired, which is going to affect our run game as it has for a couple seasons. This OL is built to protect the pass, but that hole on the interior of that line will keep us from grinding off yardage with RB's who cannot follow the blocking.

And when you have the future of the position sidelined for a year, there is nothing wrong with bringing in a 1 year stop gap if they are better than anything you have on the roster.
 
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Well, I've said it before, and will continue to believe it until shown otherwise, that Jay Gruden wouldn't know how to use Jim Brown. Because his focus is dominated by the passing game. We don't run the ball better, because it's not his thing. It's an afterthought. He'd be happy as long as the run game isn't, horrible. Of course, Jim Brown would still be a bad ass with only 15 carries a game. Allowing Jay to pass it, even when he doesn't need to. I'm sure he was hoping Guice would have a 7+yd per carry average, on 15 plays per game. And, maybe he would. But for now, he's just another young guy with great potential. Nothing else. And, we have to wait a year to see if he's any good.

So, I don't believe we need to go looking for another back. If Gruden is going to continue with the RBBC approach, it just doesn't matter. The guys we have know the system. Our Oline, if healthy, can allow our backs to produce mediocre results, at worst. If Jay ever learns how valuable a clock eating running game can be, maybe more attention will be given to it in practice, and on gameday. He's said all the right things since the day he got the job. But it's mostly hot air.


Of course, even more pressure falls on Alex Smith now. He has to lead the team to victories.
This will lessen the panic over losing our rookie RB. Because God knows, if we struggle to run the ball, for another year, people will have Guice in the HOF, "if only."

I think Smith is up to the task.
I think our RB's are.
I think our defense will be.

As I said a couple months ago, I think Gruden is our weakest link.
And, I hope he shuts me up about it, ASAP.
 
FYI - Moses is fine.

 
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