burgold I think for what they want to do, it's possible McNichols and CRod are better backups than CRob.
I really think they like BRob, they just don't think he's a scheme fit.
I wonder.
Keim said before the draft (and he repeated this recently) that the two positions they were determined to draft players were O line and RB. Granted it didn't happen until the 7th but they did take one and Croskey-Merritt was linked to the team before
Rodriguez versus Robinson as Logan liked to explain the differences -- both power backs. Rodriguez the better pure runner as to making something out of nothing. Robinson the better pass catcher and more explosive -- while neither one was explosive. Hoffman threw some metrics that backed those points.
My point is Rodriguez isn't a better scheme fit if the idea is they are looking for better pass catching -- more explosion. I'd gather they feel Rodriguez is a better power runner -- and that easily mets my eye test and plenty of metrics too.
I am focusing on Rodriguez because I think that's the dude who likely cost Robinson the job, not as much Croskey-Merritt. But certainly both of them.
Rodriguez according to Keim among others had a bad camp last year. Conversely, he had a good camp this year.
Keim rarely mentions things for no reason. So when he talked about not seeing Robinson unlike some other players do the extra things before-after practice. then we got Standig who predicted this would happen weeks back, said on a recent podcast he's heard some things about Robinson but didn't want to share just yet what he heard,
The rest of my opinion on this is purely based on what I observe and take away from the games i watch. I got no beef with Brian. i liked the pick at the time. And he doesn't meet my eye test as for a good power back. Forget explosion. He's not that hot IMO in what he majors in which is power runs. To use a baseball analogy, he's a "power hitter" who knocks 12 home runs a season. It's "meh" in what he majors in. If power was his college major, he'd be a C plus as to his "wheel house". And he'd get a D-F for the rest of his courses.
I know you doubt Chris Russell, but Paulsen backed him saying he's heard similar things. If its 4th down and 2nd, I'd cringe watching the games saying out loud please don't give the ball to Robinson. If you guys had a different vibe watching the game, cool. But as I talked about in the off season, we can do so much better than him.
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