Twitter: Hightower - "I'm baaaaaaaack"

[SNF]

https://twitter.com/#!/Tim_Hightower/status/201835994398474243/photo/1

 

[Ax]

Cool beans!

Welcome home Tim.

 

[McD5]

Nice to see. He's a hard runner, and I'm happy to hear he is bouncing back from that injury.

Nice find SNF.

 

[SNF]

Another key piece. Great blocker, solid runner. Hope he's fully healthy.

 

[Elephant]

You just have to love this guys ability to block, kinda reminded me of CP on a couple last year. However, I am concerned about his knee and he seemed slower to hit the seem as Helu or Royster, instead choosing to try to hit the edge because he had some success with it early in the year.

Regardless, welcome back!

 

[isle-hawg]

Wonderful news, his addition gives us solid depth in the RB corps.

 

[GSF]

This is very good news.

 

[Jimbo]

I would assume this means he's healthy enough to resume workouts or at least WILL be healthy come Training Camp. I can't see the FO re-signing him unless that's the expectation.

In any event, this wll step up the competition a notch and will add better pass protection to the RB position since it means Helu and Royster will have to get better at it as well.

 

[Fear The Spear]

Don't forget the potential of Alfred Morris. This could be a crowded competition, and if anyone mentioned has to be the odd man out, I'm hoping it's Royster. I think he's the over-rated one among fans.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Morris will likely see time on the practice squad. I think Royster's PT last year makes him ineligible for the practice squad this year.

 

[Elephant]

Royster the odd man out? He churned off huge chunks of yardage when given the opportunity. He may not have the break away speed, but he sure chewed off a number of 12-15 yard runs, being quick enough to cut back at the right moment to hit a small hole. His time was limited but he averaged almost 6 yards a carry last year.

I bet Hightower is on the PUP list at the beginning of the season. We'll see.

 

[Henry]

This group sure stands in stark contrast to the Portis/Johnson/Parker corps of '09.

 

[Neophyte]

Yeah, I don't think Royster or Helu either one is out at this point. Hightower has to prove he is fit and whole while Morris is a rook. If all 4 are kept I can see Morris on the Practice Squad for a while. If one is cut I think Hightower is the likely candidate, more for health and fitness reasons than performance but let's face it, he didn't cover the ground like Helu or Royster did last year.

 

[Fear The Spear]

Morris could easily end up being swiped off the PS by another team because I see him as a sleeper who was underdrafted

 

[GSF]

Royster was too good last year to be the odd man out.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Keep in mind - Shanahan often has RBs that have a really good year, then kind of fade away. Tatum Bell was an example of this - Royster might fit into this category. I'm hoping he comes back and does well again, but it can't be counted on.

 

[McD5]

Keep in mind - Shanahan often has RBs that have a really good year, then kind of fade away. Tatum Bell was an example of this - Royster might fit into this category. I'm hoping he comes back and does well again, but it can't be counted on.

Ryan Torain is another. But I'm not getting that feeling with Royster.

 

[CounterTrey]

True LL but those guys usually fade away because they went to another team (cashing in on the payday MS gave them) or because of injury...right?

 

[Elephant]

Keep in mind - Shanahan often has RBs that have a really good year, then kind of fade away. Tatum Bell was an example of this - Royster might fit into this category. I'm hoping he comes back and does well again, but it can't be counted on.

Not sure where the fade away you're talking about was, but Tatum Bell got progressively better under Shanahan, each season running for more yards than the previous in 2004, 05 and 06. Then he was traded away to Detroit for Dre Bly and his production dropped off dramatically, understandably so because Detroit sucked so bad. When Bell came back in Shanahan's last season in Denver he had limited touches (they had 5 RB's all run for about the same yardage that year), but he averaged for 5.8 yards a carry.


He didn't fade under Shanahan, he was traded by Shanahan like Droughans and Portis before him while he had value.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Bell had 920 yards and 8TDs in 05, and 100 more yards but 6 less TDs in 06. I wouldn't call that improvement - it's a lateral step at best, but personally I would call 6 less TDs & almost a full yard less per carry a decline.