Perry Will Surprise

[walzav29]

It seems there is 0 pressure on Perry. I think as fans we have already given up, considering that we think her hurt his abdomen again, are past 1st rnd running backs, and they signed Rudi to a long term deal, but damn. He was hurt. I think with the spotlight completely off of him he will be a pleasant surprise.

[Kirkendall]

Great. I hope he does.

PS, ripping Perry has nothing to do with him being a former Wolverine, nothing. Nothing at all. Nope.

[glnwf]

YEs I also think that Perry will be a fine addition to our team this season, another spot the Bengals will demonstrate improvement this season Runningback corp. Perry will add that additional demonstion this season of speed, catching ability out of the backfield. Help close down the D some more and free up room for the other team mates to further shine. "Watch" SWEET! :player:

We had the best off season moves in along time this year, Marvin further demonstrated his committment to winning, a postive diresction continued from his past seasons with us.

GO! :player: Go! Marvin :player:

[DontPushMe]

Wont be a suprise to me. The only way he can suprise me is if he doesnt take over the starting spot form RJ by midseason.

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

The only thing that will surprise me about Perry is if he gets on the field at all.

[turningpoint]

wel you both r retarded.

anyways Perry ill be the 3rd down back and we will see him in some packages,where he and RJ will be incorperated....also i expect him to win up at wide ou in some packages,despite our huge amount of depth there.

[HoosierCat]

I have no doubt Perry will do fine. Whether he was the first-, second-, or third-ranked RB in the draft last year (opinions vary) there is no doubt he's a top-caliber prospect. If he realizes even half his potential, backing up Rudi will be a snap.

Can he displace Rudi as the starting RB? Well, that will depend on a couple things. First and foremost, how well both he and Rudi perform, and second, how willing the Bengals are to demote Rudi and his big contract if Perry plays better.

Personally, I think that if Perry plays up to his abilities, he will be a far better back than Rudi. But that's up to him.

[jditty47]

I have no doubt Perry will do fine. Whether he was the first-, second-, or third-ranked RB in the draft last year (opinions vary) there is no doubt he's a top-caliber prospect. If he realizes even half his potential, backing up Rudi will be a snap.

Can he displace Rudi as the starting RB? Well, that will depend on a couple things. First and foremost, how well both he and Rudi perform, and second, how willing the Bengals are to demote Rudi and his big contract if Perry plays better.

Personally, I think that if Perry plays up to his abilities, he will be a far better back than Rudi. But that's up to him.

agreed.

[WHO DEY AGAIN?]

The surprise will be his health. If healthy, he might contribute, if he learns to be patient when finding a hole. In other words, he developes RB vision, he had 0 in the pre-season.

I look at it this way. He had a medical red shirt last year. Will he take advantage of the knowledge learned or will he trip over his dick trying to prove he's the man?IMHO, I think he will trip over his dick....but, I hope I'm wrong. :player:

If he does learn how to tote the rock he will end up with 3,000 yards rushing for the season. I mean... if Rudi could get the yardage he did with no skills, then Perry will be cutting it up like OJ.

[HairOnFire]

If he does learn how to tote the rock he will end up with 3,000 yards rushing for the season. I mean... if Rudi could get the yardage he did with no skills, then Perry will be cutting it up like OJ.

Great point. We all keep reading about how limited Rudi is supposed to be and how superior Perry's skills are. Seems like a good bet that Perry would "shatter" Rudi's team rushing records if he could somehow keep his groin from bubblin' up. Or tweaking his hamstring. Or somehow dinging his wrist even when he was being held out of practice. (Yeah.) Or getting a rash from spending too much time in the whirlpool tub. Or....what day is it?

Potential is all well and good, but don't ask a Perry backer to bet on their boy becoming the starter because right now none of them can bring themselves to pimp him without offering the mandatory excuse about his health.

And last, backing up Rudi isn't a very great accomplishment in my book. Seriously, what kind of scraps from the table are we talking about? Assume for a moment that Rudi continues to stay healthy while playing at his current level. Now make an even bigger assumption that 2-Carry Perry can stay healthy. Kinda hard to do, isn't it? Regardless, how many carries does Perry get in a season where Rudi is still producing at a team record setting pace?

25? 40? 60? 80?

Scraps from the table, right?

[HoosierCat]

Potential is all well and good, but don't ask a Perry backer to bet on their boy becoming the starter because right now none of them can bring themselves to pimp him without offering the mandatory excuse about his health.

Barring some bizarre non-football injury (say he decides to take his hot new bike into the local community college parking lot and do some wheelies into the shrubbery) I've no concerns about Perry's health.

Funny how Perry has a hernia and he's a bust...yet I don't hear anyone calling for Bill Cowher's head because they spent a first-round pick on a guy with a hernia. That Cowher, what a dope, eh? Wouldn't want him coaching my team, he sucks...

Speaking of idiots who take their hot new bike into the local community college parking lot and do some wheelies into the shrubbery, said idiot has 50 yards on 5 catches for an NFL career -- what, about 10 more yards than Perry on fewer plays -- yet up to said shrubbery incident no one was calling Shrub Boy a bust.

Unless Rudi turns up lame in camp, Perry has no chance of winning the starting job going into week week, simply because of the big coin they dropped on Rudi. No performance, no matter how dazzling, would be enough. "It's only preseason" after all. "He's just facing vanilla defenses," right?

It occurs to me that this discussion is strangely familiar. Ah! Yes! We had it once before, a long time ago. Akili Smith's first season, if I recall correctly. Cut short by injury, turf toe, I believe. I had the temerity to venture that his inability to play a whole season called into question his durability; he might be injury-prone, I said. A stance with which you took great exception. The one innury had no bearing on whether he was injury-prone, you said. I was leaping to a ludicrious conclusion.

Well...as it turned out...Akili never could stay healthy. So I suppose, from our current discussion, you took that lesson to heart, and now I find myself in your place, arguing that Perry's hernia, complicated by poor medical advice on the Bengals' part, is an isolated incident and not representative of the rest of his career. Very well. I'm good with that. Of course, the "if you can't make it through your first year without getting hurt" school of thought has rather poor implications for our starting QB, too.

[HairOnFire]

Unless Rudi turns up lame in camp, Perry has no chance of winning the starting job going into week week, simply because of the big coin they dropped on Rudi.

So now you're going to add Rudi's contract to the list of excuses attempting to explain why Chris Perry won't win the starting job. Well let me remind you that contract was awarded due to past performances produced and future performances expected. And the Bengals wouldn't have dropped big coin on Rudi if they'd had enough faith in Perry. Simply put, Rudi's contract is ample proof that faith in Perry doesn't exist.

Nor should it. He's proven NOTHING...including whether or not he could stay healthy OR produce at even a fraction of the level that Rudi Johnson has.

[HairOnFire]

Barring some bizarre non-football injury (say he decides to take his hot new bike into the local community college parking lot and do some wheelies into the shrubbery) I've no concerns about Perry's health.

Bull. You had so little faith in Perry's ability to stay healthy you spent an offseason promoting the idea of signing Lamont Jordan, Travis Henry, etc. So spin it anyway you wish but the idea of counting on Perry was as unacceptable to you as it was to me.

In fact, the only real difference in our two positions is I'm comfortable with the franchise record holder continuing to carry the rock while you fantasized about getting somebody else for half of their true market value.

[HoosierCat]

He's proven NOTHING...including whether or not he could stay healthy OR produce at even a fraction of the level that Rudi Johnson has.

Nor will he have the opportunity to do so...conveniently for you. After all, "it's just preseason," right? As for staying healthy, let's not forget that Rudi might be a 2-full-season starter except for a thigh bruise. Injuries do happen...

Bull. You had so little faith in Perry's ability to stay healthy you spent an offseason promoting the idea of signing Lamont Jordan, Travis Henry, etc.

...ah yes, and I was so faithless that I offered to bet you a bottle of very expensive scotch that Perry would surpass Rudi's numbers were he to be the starter opening day. Yes, so little faith. Alas, barring injury, money makes that impossible now. Were the Bengals to do as I had counseled and let Rudi walk, invest that $5 million on defense, and put Perry out front...ah...then I would have been tested.

But for the record, should something unfortunate befall Rudi before the season starts and Perry tumble into the starting job, I look forward to sipping your scotch!

And for the record II, Jordan would have been fine by me...at about 1/2 the price the Raiders' signed him. Travis Henry...? I think that's the first time I've ever typed his name.

[vman1186]

I still think the Bengals should have drafted Tatum Bell in the second round and used that 26th pick on Chris Gamble. I have nothing against Ratliff at all, but Bell's outside speed would have been the perfect complement to Johnson's power running.

One more thing. Rudi Johnson will always be underapreciated. He can't block, he can't catch, he can't carry an offense on his back, he can't run to the outside. But he STILL gets the job done. Perfect for an offense that is going to be pass first like ours. I says he's a great back.

Perry will never find a role on our team. He's not the kind off back you use once in a while. And he's slow too. I say trade him if he stays healthy this season.

[HairOnFire]

So I suppose, from our current discussion, you took that lesson to heart, and now I find myself in your place, arguing that Perry's hernia, complicated by poor medical advice on the Bengals' part, is an isolated incident and not representative of the rest of his career. Very well. I'm good with that.

I haven't seriously claimed that Perry is a bust. What I've said repeatedly is that he couldn't be counted on...an opinion you agreed with the moment you started pimping the signing of FA running backs this offseason.

I've also stated flatly that Perry hasn't proven himself to be worthy of comparison to Rudi Johnson, a damn fine running back that deserves more respect than he sometimes gets around here. And if that lack of respect prompts me to mock your opinions in response, so be it. You should know it's my favorite way of dealing with this sort of debate. However, you should also know by now that I'll take things more seriously the moment you present a better argument.

[HairOnFire]

And for the record II, Jordan would have been fine by me...at about 1/2 the price the Raiders' signed him. Travis Henry...? I think that's the first time I've ever typed his name.

Then forgive me for including Henry. I was working myself into a lather and had no notes to consult.

However, the fact that you underestimated the market price for Jordan means you wouldn't have signed him. Thus, no cheap upgrade to sign in favor of Rudi....making thousand of offseason keystrokes totally pointless. So with your fantasy bubble popped...why not support the player capable of breaking the franchise rushing record? Why move on immediately to the next fantasy bubble? Are fantasies based upon pure speculation so much fun that you can't embrace record setting production?

[HairOnFire]

...I offered to bet you a bottle of very expensive scotch that Perry would surpass Rudi's numbers were he to be the starter opening day. Yes, so little faith. Alas, barring injury, money makes that impossible now. Were the Bengals to do as I had counseled and let Rudi walk, invest that $5 million on defense, and put Perry out front...ah...then I would have been tested.

First, had the Bengals listened to you and let Rudi walk they would have been forced to follow your other suggestions by signing another FA running back or trading for one of the franchised tagged backs. That would have eaten into the 5 million dollar cushion a little bit, don't you think? In addition, had the Bengals listened to you they would have kept increasing their bid for Jamie Sharper until they got him signed and 10 days later would have drafted an injured Heath Miller with their 1st round pick.

Oh my.

[HoosierCat]

I haven't seriously claimed that Perry is a bust. What I've said repeatedly is that he couldn't be counted on...an opinion you agreed with the moment you started pimping the signing of FA running backs this offseason.

All the FA RB's I've been "pimping" -- for the record there were two, Jordan and Anthony Thomas -- I was touting as backups to Perry and fallbacks should he not pan out. Nowhere have I said I'm uncomfortable with Perry as our starting RB. He has as much chance of succeeding -- perhaps more so, given he isn't changing positions -- as the ballyhooed David Pollack.

I've also stated flatly that Perry hasn't proven himself to be worthy of comparison to Rudi Johnson, a damn fine running back that deserves more respect than he sometimes gets around here. And if that lack of respect prompts me to mock your opinions in response, so be it.

Mock my response all you want...but you take great delight in mocking Chris Perry as well. Must I go get your "KFFL 2007" post from another thread to prove it? In regards to Perry, you've been little more than the antiDPM: whereas he passes up no opportunity to boost Perry, you pass up none to tear him down. His injury was as much the fault of his continued determination to practice and the Bengals' lack of an accurate diagnosis as anything else, yet for this he is derided and dismissed. I fail to see what he has done to earn so much disdain from Bengals fans.

why not support the player capable of breaking the franchise rushing record?

Why not? Because our defense sucked too much last season too afford it. It's nothing against Rudi, he's a fine back. But like you, I fear a team that gets caught up in building the "perfect offense." And yes, I would have thrown what it took to get Pat Williams (or possibly Corey Simon, via trade for Warrick?) and Jamie Sharper here versus Rudi.

10 days later would have drafted an injured Heath Miller with their 1st round pick.

Well, since Bill Cowher didn't have a problem taking Miller in the first, feel free to vent your spleen on him. Me, I think I would have taken the rumored two second rounders for our first trade...but if I'd gotten my DT and OLB in FA and had to pick at 17, I would have taken Mark Clayton. And if I hadn't already done something with Warrick I then would have done something by the end of day 1.

[HoosierCat]

Perry will never find a role on our team. He's not the kind off back you use once in a while. And he's slow too. I say trade him if he stays healthy this season.

Aside from the "too slow" comment, I'd say you may eventually be proven correct. His value as trade bait may come to outweigh his value as a "change of pace" back. Otherwise, we may end up in a situation like the Jets did with Lamont Jordan, watching him walk away for nothing.

[schweinhart]

Perry will never find a role on our team. He's not the kind off back you use once in a while. And he's slow too. I say trade him if he stays healthy this season.

It's too early to say trade him. But his work is cut out for him. He's got to beat out Kenny Watson first just to get on the field.

Perry's best feature is his versatilty as a potential all-downs back, which makes him capable to back-up Rudi as the featured runner and Watson as the back for passing downs.

It's a long season and depth is good.

[jditty47]

if hes healthy he doesnt have to beat watson out at all. lewis will give him a chance. he'll just have to perform to stay ahead of him.

and trading him would be retarded. if we trade anyone it would be rudi.

[HairOnFire]

Mock my response all you want...but you take great delight in mocking Chris Perry as well. Must I go get your "KFFL 2007" post from another thread to prove it? In regards to Perry, you've been little more than the antiDPM: whereas he passes up no opportunity to boost Perry, you pass up none to tear him down.

So what's the problem? If most of my criticism of Perry is offered in the form of jokes that are easy to spot then you're free to laugh along with me or ignore the attempts. C'mon, there was a reason I added the date 2007 to my would be funny. Doing so makes it impossible to ignore that I'm not being the least bit serious in those posts. But when the time comes for serious yammering it should be just as easy to discern a change in my tone.

For example, during the Rudi negotiations I made my real "two-fisted" feelings known. The short version goes like this. Rudi the intended starter all along. Perry drafted for depth and for the complimentary role he could play in the offense right away. In response I was informed by others, yourself included, that teams don't draft 1st rounders for these purposes...opinions I promptly rejected. More importantly, I continue to reject those opinions now that Rudi has signed a contract that you feel dooms Perry to the very role I always believed he was drafted to fill.

Ignoring the fact that I'm still laughing, can you see the difference?

Sure you can...because it's deliberately obvious. One style of HairOnFire posts offers sound feetball opinions that I can easily defend in goofy debates while the more obvious "antiDPM" posts are just for my own amusement. And if they happen to tick you off a little because of the lack of respect they show Chris Perry then so much the better. Just think of it as well deserved payback for your constantly dinging the player who made Dillon an afterthought.

[HairOnFire]

why not support the player capable of breaking the franchise rushing record?

Why not? Because our defense sucked too much last season too afford it. It's nothing against Rudi, he's a fine back. But like you, I fear a team that gets caught up in building the "perfect offense." And yes, I would have thrown what it took to get Pat Williams (or possibly Corey Simon, via trade for Warrick?) and Jamie Sharper here versus Rudi.

I'm not sure how long we can debate the merits of deals that weren't made and quite possibly would never have been made despite best intentions. All I know is that I felt re-signing Rudi was absolutely critical and I loudly applaud the Bengals for getting the job done. Casting him off as a way of solving other problems was a strategy I had no love for from the beginning and I share no disappointment that things played out the way they did. In fact, if I have a problem with the moves the Bengals have actually made they begin and end with the selection of Perry.

But you already knew that, right?

[Kirkendall]

Why do some of you rip on Rudi? I don't see the point.