Our RB's in 2013.......

[FrankRizzo]

• DuJuan Harris
• Cedric Benson
• Alex Green
• James Starks
• Ryan Grant
• Brandon Saine

Which of these RB's will log at least one carry for the Packers in 2013?

The book has to be closed on 2, 3, maybe 4 of them. Maybe even 5 of them, who knows.
And I believe the coaches and Rodgers really like Benson, and he'll be cheap with nobody else going after him so I see Cedric back for sure.

They used to have HIGH hopes for Alex Green.... rookie season, blown ACL.
Last year, he started to show some stuff, I remember in the home game against Minny he looked real good.
But then he "tired out".

Personally, I cross off Starks and Saine.
What good does it do to be big, yet never stay healthy?

Harris, Benson, and Green are the 3 I'd bet on, plus probably a rookie RB is taken. I'd like it to be a burner type if there are any.

 

[texaspackerbacker]

Harris, Green, Starks, and Grant in that order. I wish we would draft Montee Ball, and he would slide into a top two rotation with Harris, but I doubt that happens. I don't want any part of Benson, and Saine would probably be a victim of numbers. Grant probably gets cut also, but they keep his number handy in case of a rash of injuries again.

 

[HardRightEdge]

I assume we're talking about the opening day roster.

Harris and Green should be locks. Harris can actually run some. The people who brought us Brandon Jackson as #1 RB are not likely to give up on Green after one season of play.

The third spot should go to a rookie or FA. We might actually draft a known talent. Or TT might bring in 5 UFA's and 4 minimum salary vets and have MM pick one.

If they decide to go with 4 or if the rookie is a bust or gets hurt, next up is Starks if he can make it to the final cut without hurting himself again. This should be his last chance to stay healthy. He might not make it to opening day regardless.

Benson's a long shot. We don't even have him under contract, and don't seem to be in any hurry to do so. He could get an invite to camp under one of those one year vet minimum salaries and compete for the #4 spot if there is one. I doubt he'll be 100% recovered from his injury, but he could surprise.

Grant is another FA we're in no hurry to sign...gone. Saine would need a miracle; I can't recall if he has any PS eligibility left.

 

[13 Times Champs]

I think of all the ones mentioned Grant is the least likely to be on the roster. I agree Benson is a long shot as well. Probably Harris , Green and a rookie in that order as has been said will be our backfield.

 

[slaughter25]

I think of all the ones mentioned Grant is the least likely to be on the roster. I agree Benson is a long shot as well. Probably Harris , Green and a rookie in that order as has been said will be our backfield.

I agree Grant has to be at the bottom of the list. They didn't want him until they absolutely needed to have him on the roster. I can't see what he did last season to change their stance on that. Saine has never been anything special in my eyes so if we do draft a RB I could easily see him being the next guy out. 5% chance

Cedric Benson is a wildcard. Some say he didn't have much left in the tank last year. I disagreed. He came out and was OK before the foot injury. He only had 71 carries in 2012 about 150 less than average. Could he come back and give another 150 carries at or around 3.5 ypc. I suppose. But I think I'd rather get some new blood and fresh legs running the ball. 10% chance

Alex Green is not a guy I'm real high on. I just don't see the vision or the explosion required to be good in this offense. I can understand the explosion being a work in progress with the knee reconstruction. But vision shouldn't go with the knees. I think I saw him plow right into Sitton or Lang just as many times as he would find the cutback lane. Unfortunately he was drafted to high to not finish out his rookie deal and will get 1 more chance this season. His ypc was similar to Benson and he can only go up from here. One thing he does have going for him is he only fumbled 1 time last year and it wasn't recovered by the D. 90% chance


DuJuan Harris is the opposite of Green. This guy is full of explosion. Good hitter. I believe he will be given every chance to win the starting job, whatever that means in a team that doesn't hand the ball off much at times and often hands the ball off to several players when they do. I have high hopes for a good season for DuJuan if he hits 200 carries and 800 yds sprinkle in a handful of TDs and it would be a very very good year for him. Barring injury or natural disaster I'd say he will be on the roster week 1 95% chance

Rookie..... I'm really not sure how this draft is going to lay out and I have a feeling a lot of the common thoughts about who is going to be drafted where will be shaken up. Im going to say the packers take a RB in one of the first 3 rounds and that he will be the third RB they carry come week 1. 80% chance

To sum it all up..... what he said. lol

 

[13 Times Champs]

I agree Grant has to be at the bottom of the list. They didn't want him until they absolutely needed to have him on the roster. I can't see what he did last season to change their stance on that. Saine has never been anything special in my eyes so if we do draft a RB I could easily see him being the next guy out. 5% chance

Cedric Benson is a wildcard. Some say he didn't have much left in the tank last year. I disagreed. He came out and was OK before the foot injury. He only had 71 carries in 2012 about 150 less than average. Could he come back and give another 150 carries at or around 3.5 ypc. I suppose. But I think I'd rather get some new blood and fresh legs running the ball. 10% chance

Alex Green is not a guy I'm real high on. I just don't see the vision or the explosion required to be good in this offense. I can understand the explosion being a work in progress with the knee reconstruction. But vision shouldn't go with the knees. I think I saw him plow right into Sitton or Lang just as many times as he would find the cutback lane. Unfortunately he was drafted to high to not finish out his rookie deal and will get 1 more chance this season. His ypc was similar to Benson and he can only go up from here. One thing he does have going for him is he only fumbled 1 time last year and it wasn't recovered by the D. 90% chance


DuJuan Harris is the opposite of Green. This guy is full of explosion. Good hitter. I believe he will be given every chance to win the starting job, whatever that means in a team that doesn't hand the ball off much at times and often hands the ball off to several players when they do. I have high hopes for a good season for DuJuan if he hits 200 carries and 800 yds sprinkle in a handful of TDs and it would be a very very good year for him. Barring injury or natural disaster I'd say he will be on the roster week 1 95% chance

Rookie..... I'm really not sure how this draft is going to lay out and I have a feeling a lot of the common thoughts about who is going to be drafted where will be shaken up. Im going to say the packers take a RB in one of the first 3 rounds and that he will be the third RB they carry come week 1. 80% chance

To sum it all up..... what he said. lol

I was happy with Benson last year. I thought he was just finding himself and would have been a force for the Packers. The injury was a killer to the season for him and perhaps now. I agree with you on Green. He seems a bit lacking. Regardless, I think the pecking order is Harris, Green and someone else. I think it will be a rookie.

 

[HyponGrey]

Harris, Green, Starks. We haven't cut Starks yet, so one has to assume he'll play out the last year. Harris will probably get the nod over Saine, and Green is here to stay. I don't see them re-signing either veteran. Expect at least one pick.

 

[rodell330]

Dajuan Harris should be #1 on the depth chart going into the season imo. Starks deserves to be cut, Benson won't be bought back, and neither will Ryan Grant. I see Greene as the backup to Harris because he's not durable enough to be a starter in this league and Saine will round out the top three due to the fact that he's a good special teams player and probably the most complete back on the roster. I'd really like to see a guy drafted who can take a five yard hitch and turn it into a 80 yard touchdown.

 

[mayo44]

Harris, Green, Starks, and Grant in that order. I wish we would draft Montee Ball, and he would slide into a top two rotation with Harris, but I doubt that happens.

Former Badger RBs don't exactly have a shining record in the NFL. That's mostly because they're usually running behind a top 5 run blocking OL in college and it's easy to discount how much of that production is due to the OL and not the RB. I'd be cautious about Ball simply because he might be too much of a gamble at the position where he's likely to be drafted. I don't see TT doing that.

A lot of guys wanted John Clay a couple years ago. Well, he's a free agent, so...

I'd personally rather see us take a guy like Knile Davis in the 3rd or 4th round. Big, fast, strong and agile. Gotta like that combo. He's very similar to Ahman Green (if you want a Packer comparison). Could be an excellent mid-round steal.

 

[texaspackerbacker]

Former Badger RBs don't exactly have a shining record in the NFL. That's mostly because they're usually running behind a top 5 run blocking OL in college and it's easy to discount how much of that production is due to the OL and not the RB. I'd be cautious about Ball simply because he might be too much of a gamble at the position where he's likely to be drafted. I don't see TT doing that.

A lot of guys wanted John Clay a couple years ago. Well, he's a free agent, so...

I'd personally rather see us take a guy like Knile Davis in the 3rd or 4th round. Big, fast, strong and agile. Gotta like that combo. He's very similar to Ahman Green (if you want a Packer comparison). Could be an excellent mid-round steal.

I guess I should have specified, 3rd or 4th round for Ball. Clay was predictable to flop; Ball is a whole other player. I see him as having great NFL success - I hope it is with the Packers.

 

[NelsonsLongCatch]

This list makes me sad

 

[slaughter25]

I guess I should have specified, 3rd or 4th round for Ball. Clay was predictable to flop; Ball is a whole other player. I see him as having great NFL success - I hope it is with the Packers.

I dont think that purely as a runner he is that much of an improvement on anything we have now. His interview at the combine is what made me want him as a Packer. I know I know he probably wont be available in a spot with great value for us so it probably wont happen. But I like what he brings to the table as a complete player. He prides himself on his blocking and is pretty damn good in pass pro. Not to mention this guy is Mr Consistency... 942 carries and only 2 fumbles. The biggest thing I think he brings to the table is a nose for the endzone. You don't rack up 5000 yds rushing and score more TDs than any other player in CFB history on offensive line alone.

I expect he will have a good professional career. He isn't going to be AP or Chris Johnson. But I think his game should project well into an offense that doesn't need him to gain 1800 yds and 10 tds a year.

 

[TJV]

As a Badger fan I try to be objective in assessing how Badgers will project into the NFL. Even so I’m usually optimistic about their O linemen and other standouts. Ball certainly qualifies as a standout and I’ve heard some commentators – mostly in the Wisconsin sports media – predict Ball will be a very good NFL RB. I feel kind of bad I don’t agree. I think he’s a great kid with a great attitude and he’s smart. But I just don’t see which of his skills translate into making him an outstanding pro RB. I hope slaughter25 is right, I hope the “complete player” makes up for not having outstanding speed, being incredibly elusive, or being a punishing back in the NFL. (That is unless a division rival takes him.)

 

[texaspackerbacker]

I dont think that purely as a runner he is that much of an improvement on anything we have now. His interview at the combine is what made me want him as a Packer. I know I know he probably wont be available in a spot with great value for us so it probably wont happen. But I like what he brings to the table as a complete player. He prides himself on his blocking and is pretty damn good in pass pro. Not to mention this guy is Mr Consistency... 942 carries and only 2 fumbles. The biggest thing I think he brings to the table is a nose for the endzone. You don't rack up 5000 yds rushing and score more TDs than any other player in CFB history on offensive line alone.

I expect he will have a good professional career. He isn't going to be AP or Chris Johnson. But I think his game should project well into an offense that doesn't need him to gain 1800 yds and 10 tds a year.

I don't think he will be Emmitt Smith or Walter Payton either hahaha, but he IS that kind of back - great vision and ability to find the hole, a little bit of speed, a little bit of ability to break tackles, etc. That is what a team needs when their O Line doesn't exactly open a space for a truck to drive through. I don't see that vision in any of the current Packer RBs.

 

[mayo44]

I guess I should have specified, 3rd or 4th round for Ball. Clay was predictable to flop; Ball is a whole other player. I see him as having great NFL success - I hope it is with the Packers.

Okay, I thought you were talking about 1st round. But one of my dislikes about Ball is his lack of speed considering his size.

 

[HyponGrey]

I don't think he will be Emmitt Smith or Walter Payton either hahaha, but he IS that kind of back - great vision and ability to find the hole, a little bit of speed, a little bit of ability to break tackles, etc. That is what a team needs when their O Line doesn't exactly open a space for a truck to drive through. I don't see that vision in any of the current Packer RBs.

I dunno, Harris has some serious vision, though he doesn't have the same ability to break tackles. Ball has some lapses in his vision, but it's still what I would consider elite.

 

[adambr2]

Many (not all) Packer/Badger fans tend to overrate Badger prospects, which I guess is somewhat understandable. Some people wanted Kendricks in the 2nd round when he came out and thought he would be an immediate threat.

Like Mayo pointed out, Badger RB's historically have almost no success in the NFL. I understand each player should be judged on an individual level, but the trend would probably be enough to scare me away until someone bucks it.

 

[FrankRizzo]

You have some money to put down on just one of these guys getting at least 10 carries (and perhaps many many more, but for the purpose of this exercise, I say at least 10) for us this year. Which one is your money on? I'll come back to this during the season in September.

• Cedric Benson
• James Starks

My $ would be on Benson. I just remember hearing how excited McCarthy & Rodgers were starting to get with Benson. Before the typical Packer injury hit him.

 

[HyponGrey]

Many (not all) Packer/Badger fans tend to overrate Badger prospects, which I guess is somewhat understandable. Some people wanted Kendricks in the 2nd round when he came out and thought he would be an immediate threat.

Like Mayo pointed out, Badger RB's historically have almost no success in the NFL. I understand each player should be judged on an individual level, but the trend would probably be enough to scare me away until someone bucks it.

Very much the bold. Remember the system AR came out of

 

[HyponGrey]

You have some money to put down on just one of these guys getting at least 10 carries (and perhaps many many more, but for the purpose of this exercise, I say at least 10) for us this year. Which one is your money on? I'll come back to this during the season in September.

• Cedric Benson
• James Starks

My $ would be on Benson. I just remember hearing how excited McCarthy & Rodgers were starting to get with Benson. Before the typical Packer injury hit him.

Starks. I'd sooner put money down that Benson won't even be back.

 

[texaspackerbacker]

Starks. I'd sooner put money down that Benson won't even be back.

I HOPE Benson doesn't come back. I'd like to see a healthy Starks, but I'd sure never bet money on it. Harris and Green, probably in that order are the best bets.

Regarding Badger RBs, I could go back to Alan the Horse Ameche, but I guess that would be too far hahaha. It's true about the lack of success for Badger RBs in recent decades, however, Montee Ball doesn't really fit the mold of the others - either raw power or pure speed. I still say he will be a big success.

 

[FrankRizzo]

I always thought that Brent Moss had some good stuff in him.... but that went up in smoke.
Montee reminds me of former Michigan workhorse Chris Perry, who did nothing in the NFL.

 

[texaspackerbacker]

The guy I thought was great, and with today's emphasis on smaller speed backs in the NFL maybe would have a better chance, was Anthony Davis. He gave the Badgers a dimension they haven't had before or since.

I was trying to think of who Montee Ball reminds me of, and it goes all the way back to Leroy Kelly of the Browns long ago, a guy also with vision, but most of all a reputation for sticking real close to his blockers then making sharp cuts.

 

[ivo610]

Badger runningbacks are like USC Quarterbacks. High rate of success in college but rarely succeed in the pros

 

[slaughter25]

You have some money to put down on just one of these guys getting at least 10 carries (and perhaps many many more, but for the purpose of this exercise, I say at least 10) for us this year. Which one is your money on? I'll come back to this during the season in September.

• Cedric Benson
• James Starks

My $ would be on Benson. I just remember hearing how excited McCarthy & Rodgers were starting to get with Benson. Before the typical Packer injury hit him.

Going to go with Starks for the sole reason that he is still under contract here whereas Benson would have to be resigned to even be on the team and I just don't see us waiting around to find out how the foot has healed. I also think the packers will draft a young back in one of the first 3 rounds that they will be interested in getting reps this off season not just wasting them on another 1 year band-aid.