Rudi can't catch or break it outside.

[walzav29]

Great move by Marvin. He thinks he knows what he has in Perry, but Perry needs to prove it. I believe that Perry is faster and has better hands. If he can bang it inside and prove that he can handle a full NFL season Rudi will be gone.

[ShulaSteakhouse]

Perry has 4.5 speed, he can break it outside in college - but that style won't always work in the NFL as he showed in the preseason where I think his longest carry was for 3 yards. He won't outrun anyone at this level with that kind of speed. He has no 2nd gear either - his speed is gradual and picks up steam as he runs.

Funny people say Rudi can't catch, but they never throw to the RB in this offense so we really don't know.

Jerome Bettis can't break it outside necessarily nor catch that well yet he's an HOF back who took his team to the playoffs again this year and made the pro bowl.

Let me reiterate the fact that you need two good Rb's in the NFL and the fact Rudi hardly ever gets injured and rarely fumbles compared to the # of carries he gets should make for a good tandem with Perry, if Perry shows them something for once this year.

Again just because Rudi isn't a flashy 6'2" 240 pound back doesn't mean he isn't their best option.

There are a lot of good RB's in the draft this year though.

[jjakq27]

We have tight ends that can't catch either and that is their primary job function. Give me 1,300 yards rushing every year and I'll be happy.

[PalmertotheJohnsons]

I don't like the move to tag R-U-D-I unless we're gonna sign him to a LTC. We're now gonna be handicapped with his 6.3 million cap number to sign any free agents(Hayward, etc.)...I love having rudi as our featured back and all but runningbacks can be replaced very easily and we have two more than adequate replacements in k-wat and chris perry. I have a feeling that this move might end up hurting our chances for next year...

[skyline]

Let me reiterate the fact that you need two good Rb's in the NFL and the fact Rudi hardly ever gets injured and rarely fumbles compared to the # of carries he gets should make for a good tandem with Perry, if Perry shows them something for once this year.

I agree to some extent. That being said, our two good rbs can't be rudi and perry. There's too much money tied up there. You need 1 star and 1 solid-reliable 2nd option who doesn't have a problem making 2nd-tier money. I don't think Rudi or Perry will fall into that category.

[Niles]

Let me reiterate the fact that you need two good Rb's in the NFL and the fact Rudi hardly ever gets injured and rarely fumbles compared to the # of carries he gets should make for a good tandem with Perry, if Perry shows them something for once this year.

I agree to some extent. That being said, our two good rbs can't be rudi and perry. There's too much money tied up there. You need 1 star and 1 solid-reliable 2nd option who doesn't have a problem making 2nd-tier money. I don't think Rudi or Perry will fall into that category.

Exactly. Considering Perry missed most of the offseason last year for not getting a decent deal and now Rudi wanting big $.

[jjakq27]

For all of the Rudi-bashers, here is a stat I heard on the Lance McAlister show yesterday. According to Chick Ludwig of the Dayton Daily News, Rudi led the NFL in broken tackles with 54. That total was 14 more than Edgerrin James (40) and 39 more than Curtis Martin (15).

I'd like to know what Corey Dillon or Jerome Bettis' numbers were. If anybody in the Dayton area can find that article, please let us know. I'd love to see the whole list.

[walshfan]

did they also mention that Johnson led the league in stuffs with 42.. did they mention that he was ranked 26th in effieciency in the NFL for running backs..

did they mention that Bobbi Williams probably has as many moves as Johnson (none) and could get more yards running in back of our line? Our line got rudi the yards.. rudi creates nothing himself....

[DontPushMe]

Perry has 4.5 speed

That is only meaningful on draft day. Ask any of the coaches, or people who went to training camp, they have been very impressed by Perry's speed and quickness. He is way faster then Rudi 'run down from behind by a DT' Johnson.

[jjakq27]

did they also mention that Johnson led the league in stuffs with 42.. did they mention that he was ranked 26th in effieciency in the NFL for running backs..

did they mention that Bobbi Williams probably has as many moves as Johnson (none) and could get more yards running in back of our line? Our line got rudi the yards.. rudi creates nothing himself....

I did not see the actual article so if you can find it on the Dayton Daily News site, I'd love to see it.

So does your quote mean that the O-line will be listed in the record books instead of Rudi?

[Lionel]

did they also mention that Johnson led the league in stuffs with 42.. did they mention that he was ranked 26th in effieciency in the NFL for running backs..

did they mention that Bobbi Williams probably has as many moves as Johnson (none) and could get more yards running in back of our line? Our line got rudi the yards.. rudi creates nothing himself....

Hatred has eaten half of your brain.... Do you know the stuffing numbers for a RB is mainly because of the offensive line? Rudi had a very high stuffing number shows how average our Line was during last season. We also played against most of the top 10 defense team last season. And Rudi got the job done and broke Bengals season record. So I will not call Rudi "creates nothing himself". No matter you like it or not, Rudi will be our starting back for as least one year and I will enjoy that.

[DontPushMe]

did they also mention that Johnson led the league in stuffs with 42.. did they mention that he was ranked 26th in effieciency in the NFL for running backs..

did they mention that Bobbi Williams probably has as many moves as Johnson (none) and could get more yards running in back of our line? Our line got rudi the yards.. rudi creates nothing himself....

Hatred has eaten half of your brain.... Do you know the stuffing numbers for a RB is mainly because of the offensive line? Rudi had a very high stuffing number shows how average our Line was during last season. We also played against most of the top 10 defense team last season. And Rudi got the job done and broke Bengals season record. So I will not call Rudi "creates nothing himself". No matter you like it or not, Rudi will be our starting back for as least one year and I will enjoy that.

elite rbs make their money when the blocking isnt there, any RB on an NFL roster can run when there are good holes (see denver broncos), just because the middle is clogged up doesnt mean you have to just hurl yourself into the line and lose a yard like rudi does, an elite RB would use speed (something rudi doesnt have) to get outside and make something happen ON THEIR OWN

and Rudi will only be our starter untill perry takes over a few weeks in

[BengalPappaw]

[Q

I did not see the actual article so if you can find it on the Dayton Daily News site, I'd love to see it.

[chrishcovga]

Rudi isn't a finesse type of back anyways ! He's a downhill runner with power and just enough wiggle to consistently bounce off of tacklers.

* Rudi may not deserve a Brinks truck pulling up to his house, but anyone remember the stat about how his yardage went up each quarter of the season as the year progressed?

I think it was..

60 yards a game in September

70 yards a game in October

80 yards a game in November

90 yards a game in December.....

Want a way we can consistently pick up 3rd and 1s...? Stop loading up in that Jokers formation ( goal line ) and spread the field out in 5 wr sets and let Palmer push his 6'5 frame for a yard ! :player:

[OICanDoThat]

The whole concept of the term "downhill runner" has always both confused and tickled me. Isn't every runner a down hill runner? I know it is meant to describe a style, but is it not just saying the back has no ability to do anything but run straight, as if he were runing down a hill? It seems to be more of a slap in the face than a compliment. I refuse to pay 5-6 mil to a player who is really good at running straight, and nothing else.

And chris, I wonder if the stat is more a testament to the Oline starting to gel together than anything else. I don't know how you could prove it, but I am not sure it is all to Rudi's credit.

[jjakq27]

elite rbs make their money when the blocking isnt there, any RB on an NFL roster can run when there are good holes (see denver broncos), just because the middle is clogged up doesnt mean you have to just hurl yourself into the line and lose a yard like rudi does, an elite RB would use speed (something rudi doesnt have) to get outside and make something happen ON THEIR OWN

and Rudi will only be our starter untill perry takes over a few weeks in

So when Corey was here and got stuffed, was that his fault or the line's?

I seem to recall a stat where Corey and Barry Sanders were among the two highest every year in tackles for losses, yet they would have good games and good seasons. Rudi has a good year this year and it all because of the line? Perhaps it is a little of both. I think there are a lot of variables that go into it.

I will not put Rudi in the upper class of RB's with Tomlinson or Edgerrin James just yet, but to dimiss him as not being a good back is really not right either.

[2ndyearBengal]

I've been reading on this board since last offseason (when I became a bengals fan) but this is my first post. I think that all of bengaldom is anxious one way or another about our Rudi situation. The situation we have is that Rudi is a fairly productive, although somewhat incomplete back. We drafted Perry last year for just this situation, the problem is that because he was hurt we don't know exactly what we have in him. So I thought I'd go over my thoughts as to the pros and cons of this mess, and the possible solutions.

Rudi - Pros

Durable, holds onto the ball, young, excellent team attitude. Regardless of whether it was the O-line or him he did set the rushing record this year, which has to say something for him.

Rudi - Cons

Not a complete back, can't catch the ball, lacks high end speed, failed to convert on 3rd and short fairly often. Although he isn't complete he wants top dollar as though he is.

The way I see it these are the ways that our running back situation will pan out, from best to worst

1. Rudi signs the franchise tag and another picks him up, giving us 2 first round picks for him. This will not happen.

2. We work out a long term deal with Rudi in which he is paid around 4mil a year. He and Perry form an awesome tandem, and our backfield is set for years. Also not likely, Rudi (and his agent) want more.

3. Rudi signs the tag, we trade him to another team for defensive help, grab another running back cheap, and have Perry perform well as our featured back. Obviously there are a lot of "ifs" in this scenario, which is the whole problem in the first place.

4. Rudi signs the tag for this one year, we have both him and Perry in the backfield, and Perry proves that he can handle the load. Then we can either let Rudi walk, or sign him and trade him after the year.

5. We work out a deal where Rudi is paid between 4 and 5 mil. Although this limits our cap room, we do have a proven back and team player who is locked up for many years.

6. We pay too much for Rudi (in my opinion anything over 5mil a year) and it hampers our progress for years to come.

7. Rudi sits out the year, Perry keeps getting hurt, Randy Moss gets traded to the Ravens, and coach Lew goes to work for Romeo in Cleveland. Man, I hope not....