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Another Runningback to hit the Free Agent Market


Spor_tees

  

9 members have voted

  1. 1. What Should the Bengals Do?

    • Draft a RB
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    • Sign a Free Agent RB
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    • Try to keep the RBs they have Now?
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    • Talk James Brooks Out of Retirement
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So with all the crap that has happened this year with Peyton Hillis, the Browns have announced they will no longer pursue a long term deal and will instead let Hillis enter the free agent market.

So here is the question, do you thing the Bengals coaches could Hillis back on track? Can they get his mind back in the game? How great would it be to watch Hillis twice a year run all over his former team the Browns? He is the perfect AFC North type of RB, that bruiser fight for every yard type. He also has great hands.

IMO I would rather sign a guy like this and use the draft picks to sure up other positions like LG, LB, or S.

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I don't want Hillis. I feel like we're in good shape with Leonard filling a similar role. I want a back drafted, preferably within the first three rounds.

Leonard isn't the same type of back as Hillis. Leonard is a very good situational back, whereas Hillis is a bruising three down back. I think many of the problems with Hillis this year, has to do with his agent. It's a contract year and he has let his agent pull his strings. It has effected his play and his attitude. If he can be gotten for the right price, and not the Deangelo Williams price he was seeking, I think it would be worth a shot.

FYI I watched the battle of LSU and Alabama tonight, and I was not too impressed with Richardson's play. I know they were playing LSU, but he seemed to run into the backs of his blockers too many times, and take sidesteps into the running holes which left him vulnerable. He is also not a high strider which leaves him open to those dreaded 'shoe string' tackles. On the other hand I saw Jonas Gray tonight look like a good third round prospect from Notre Dame. The way he ran reminded me a lot of Terrel Davis who used to play for the Broncos. He runs with a low center of gravity, hits the hole hard, and has enough speed to take it into the second tier.

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Leonard is fantastic catching passes out of the backfield, but when he carries he ball he is a similar sort of bulldozer to Hillis I think. Yeah, he won't get as many opportunities as Hillis does, but I don't think Hillis would get as many chances here as he does in Cleveland. In my opinion, he's an inferior power runner to Benson, and would thus be an inadequate replacement. In a complementary role, I'd rather just stick with the current backups.

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Leonard is fantastic catching passes out of the backfield, but when he carries he ball he is a similar sort of bulldozer to Hillis I think. Yeah, he won't get as many opportunities as Hillis does, but I don't think Hillis would get as many chances here as he does in Cleveland. In my opinion, he's an inferior power runner to Benson, and would thus be an inadequate replacement. In a complementary role, I'd rather just stick with the current backups.

Isn't Benson in Cincinnati on a one year contract? So he would be a free agent as well, and there is no guarantee he will be back either.

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Yeah, that's what I mean. If Benson is gone, I think replacing him with Hillis would be a downgrade. I'd prefer a draft pick or Bernard over him.

as much as i like bernard scott - he doesnt have the power IMO to be the starter. I wish he s=could witstand that first hit or push the pile a bit. He gets taken to the ground pretty easily. At this point, great change of pace, but Im skeptical about him carrying the load.

Hillis has destroyed what little image he had this year. Flaked out big time. Not sure I want to deal with him in Cincy.

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No to Hillis. I want a guy that can turn this 5 yard runs into 50.

Forte will be franchise tagged.

If that was your first time watching Richardson then I advise you to watch again. He managed to squeak out 89 yards and some nice runs in a game where the opposition was a top defense and knew that he was going to have to be the guy to beat them. He also looked good lining up in the slot and making plays out there.

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No to Hillis. I want a guy that can turn this 5 yard runs into 50.

Forte will be franchise tagged.

If that was your first time watching Richardson then I advise you to watch again. He managed to squeak out 89 yards and some nice runs in a game where the opposition was a top defense and knew that he was going to have to be the guy to beat them. He also looked good lining up in the slot and making plays out there.

It wasn't my first time watching him, and the habits he showed in that game would get him killed in the NFL. A RB can't dance in a running lane, it closes too fast and it usually gets filled by a hard hitting LB that would lay him out. There are so many things that guys can get away with in college that just doesn't work in the NFL.

IMO he reminds me of Jones-Drew as far as his size and running style, but with some big differences. Drew runs with a lower point of gravity, he hits the hole fast and hard, and he rarely lets guys 'trip' him up. Richardson might be stronger, but he still lacks some of those intangibles that would make him a good NFL RB.

If we are going after a free agent, I say get Forte. But in general free agent RBs don't work out, so I say draft two RBs no earlier than the second round.

There are plenty of free agent RBs that have worked out. Benson was a free agent off the street. The Bengals haven't exactly knocked it out of the ballpark as far as drafting RBs. This year has spoiled some people to some extent. It's rare a team can draft a guy and he can come in and make an immediate impact. It's VERY rare that a team can do that with TWO rookies.

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I'd be all over bringing Hillis in. Chris Johnson(who may be cut) may be an option as well.

Chris Johnson would be a salary cap nightmare in 2 years. If Dalton and Green continue to progress, after next season the Bengals will be looking to sign them to contract extensions. When you take into account all the other young talent on the team and the guys already extended this year, there is no way they could afford him for more than one year, and you know he isn't signing anything short of a 4 year deal. Out of all the guys that might sign a short term contract, it would be Hillis. He is going to have something to prove after this year, and will not want to be handcuffed to a lowball contract. So he might be willing to take a one year incentive laden deal.

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If the Bengals get lucky and Richardson is still there when they pick, that's as close to a no-brainer as you can get. That said, there is no other back (as of yet) that really excites me enough, so i still say....GO AFTER JONATHAN STEWART....Carolina won't re-sign him, and they don't use their RB's enough (well, not anymore) to warrant signing him to a big contract when they just gave DeAngelo $43 million.......at 5'10" 235lbs, he has both Power and Speed....and he can catch the ball....I'd be damn happy with a Stewart/Scott/Leonard backfield...

...plus, that free's up another pick to shore up the O-Line, get help in the Secondary, or a Pass Rusher...

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