Ryan Mathews out all year.

[Crime Time]

Originally Posted by BoltBacker4Life

How is plugging a late round pick as your starter insanity when there are two guys in the top ten right now that are 6th round or UDFA?????

Besides picking up blitzes, the jump from college to pros is easiest for a RB to make, IMO. A late round pick can be plugged in right away on first and second down very easily in today's NFL.

You are right- you can definitely find late value at RB for many reasons. To run a full analysis, we'd have to look at how many RB's were selected in say the last 3 rounds, and what happened to each of them. In hindsight there will always be draft finds in the later rounds. But they are still the exception rather than the rule.

But my point is that if you really need a starting RB, drafting one in the 6th round to be your starter is mathematically questionable. Unless you absolutely locked onto this guy that you are sure about but everyone else has missed (just don't end up with the next Jacob Hester...)

The position of RB has not degraded to the point of a kicker or punter, where you draft a guy in the 4th or 5th round and fully expect that he will be starting for you next year.

We've had great results with Michael Turner and Darren Sproles for example. But we took a flyer on these guys late since we had LT. It's different if you are heading into a draft really needing a new starter (which your post was about.)

In our actual position, we sort of have an incumbent starter so I would be very hesitant to take a RB high. We actually are in the position where we can draft someone in the 4th or 5th, and then be pleasantly surprised if he were to replace Mathews at starter next year.

[Crime Time]

Originally Posted by WootMonkey

So what makes you think another team would give you anything of value for what you just described?

Yeah, not sure what GM is going, "unlike his past 6-7 years, next year is gonna be DIFFERENT!"

They are even less likely to want to take Mathews on, when he's on your team your position might be a little too close- you see how hard he works, the great abilities he does have, etc. so you take the optimistic view.

Another team will mainly see all the injuries first. He's not untradeable, but he's not going to get very good value.

[mason]

Originally Posted by Crime Time

Who actually thinks he has fairly good trade value? Who else doesn't know his injury history, and about his problems holding onto the ball?

He's likely worth more keeping him at this point, than whatever we could get in a trade.

I said that at the beginning of the year when he was out with his other shoulder injured and while we may not have been able to get much from him then we will get even less now. I say we cut our losses (finacially if nothing else) and escort him to the door. Had we cut him then we could have maybe picked up another RB on waivers. That new RB would only have to hold on to the ball and stay healthy to be better than RM....

[WootMonkey]

UTKevinAcee ‏@UTKevinAcee
Former Chargers Jacob Hester (1), Mike Tolbert (2) & Michael Turner (1) had as many rushing TDs today as Chargers have all season. True.

[TJ-Charger-Fan]

There are WAY more important holes to plug right now that I dont think it's viable to cut Mathews. Let him ride out his contract. Resigning Ronnie Brown just became a priority

[LongTimeOCBolts]

I don't understand why we haven't given Battle a bigger workload. Of course, we had no emphasis on the running game at all -- so I guess I just answered my own question. He seems like he'd be pretty good with a run-based team -- at least as someone to share the backfield.

[AFboltfan]

Originally Posted by LongTimeOCBolts

I don't understand why we haven't given Battle a bigger workload. Of course, we had no emphasis on the running game at all -- so I guess I just answered my own question. He seems like he'd be pretty good with a run-based team -- at least as someone to share the backfield.

Jackie Battle sucks... Thats why.

[Game3524]

Originally Posted by AFboltfan

Jackie Battle sucks... Thats why.

Pretty much this.

[LongTimeOCBolts]

Originally Posted by BoltBacker4Life

Arian Foster- UDFA
Gore- 3rd round
J Charles- 3rd round

And AP and LT are pretty much once in a decade type players. These type of guys are not coming out every single year.

Looks like his college coach did him no favors. None at all:

Foster's breakout junior season resulted in a second-round grade[11] from the draft advisory board and led him to consider leaving school. However, head coach Phillip Fulmer persuaded him to stay for his senior season, a decision Foster would later deeply regret.[12] Playing under the third position coach and offensive coordinator of his tenure,[5] Foster was utilized in a rotation following the installation of a new offensive scheme that the Tennessee coaches thought was a better fit for some of the other running backs on the roster.[7] For his part, Fulmer would attribute Foster's diminished workload to knee and thigh injuries which would later be disputed.[5] In the end, Foster compiled just 570 yards on 131 carries with only one touchdown in his senior season.[7]
Foster's subpar senior campaign caused his draft stock to plummet, as well as scouts' concerns about his below-average pass-blocking, issues with ball security and the less-than-stellar reviews from Tennessee staff members that portrayed him as selfish and hard to coach.

Lots of lessons there. Fist and foremost, it's about opportunities. How many good, and even great players -- never got a decent chance, in a system that favors their skill set?

[BoltsDynasty]

Originally Posted by Totally Bolted

Maybe Ryan just needs to ignore the coaches and just start running how he wants to. Sort of like Marcus Allen did. No, no comparisions here friends, just a thought that part of Ryan's problem may be he is not being himself. I like the kid. So I hope he really blooms for us next year.

You bought the jersey didn't you? It's ok. Mine looks great on the wall right next to Jackson's.