Blount Impacting 2011 Draft
March 6th, 2011
As a healthy American male, Joe can sit on his couch and turn on the NFL Network. What a simple pleasure some men choose to enjoy. Joe did just that before heading off to Derby Lane last night.
During some NFL Network chatter Saturday, former personnel executive and popular analyst Mike Lombardi talked about how the top running back in this year’s draft class, Mark Ingram out of Alabama, can move mountains during his upcoming pro day but it won’t help him overcome the LeGarrette Blount factor.
Lombardi made the point that Blount’s 1,007 yards as an undrafted player, on the heels of success by other late-round and undrafted running backs, will have a lot of teams hesitant to take Ingram early in the first round.
It’s a bit ironic that the great popcorn shoveler, Peter King of Sports Illustrated, thinks this could lead the Bucs to draft Ingram at No. 20.
While Joe’s not seeing the Bucs going anywhere near a running back in the first two rounds, Joe wonders what kind of chemistry issues could arise if the Bucs did grab a wide receiver or a running back in the first two rounds.
The reality is that Mike Williams and Blount will earn peanuts for at least the next couple of seasons. The high draft pick would earn a heck of a lot more, if there’s no rookie salary cap with the new labor agreement.
Assuming Blount and Williams remain the Bucs’ top dogs at their positions, it would have to be hard for them to have rookies alongside them earning monster paychecks. Yeah, they’re professionals, but that doesn’t always mean it’s easy.
March 6th, 2011 at 11:14 am
Blount only has one year left on his contract so he’ll certainly earn prime money after 2011.
March 6th, 2011 at 11:20 am
Joe here,
@Sander — Actually, here’s the need-to-know on Blount’s contract. https://www.joebucsfan.com/?p=40167
March 6th, 2011 at 11:38 am
It must be pointed out that Blount was undrafted because of behavior….not unrecognized talent…same w/ Williams
so an* must be used …it is flawed implication …
March 6th, 2011 at 11:57 am
The reality is the Bucs won’t go RB that early.
March 6th, 2011 at 12:36 pm
While the only offensive player I could see the Bucs taking in the first two would be a OL, Rastamon is right. These two guys had plenty of red flags going into the draft because of their personal decisions. If we picked Ingram in the first, I would think that would be motivatation for Blount. Keep working hard and earn his own big contract. There’s just no way we pick a RB or WR in the first 2 rounds IMO, so worries here.
March 6th, 2011 at 12:40 pm
*no worries
March 6th, 2011 at 1:01 pm
does anyone recall the back breaking plays RB’s made for the winning teams in last falls playoffs?….
We have Blount,give him a big raise in pay,
who is an incomplete RB…,I really like him,
an not another swinging dick @ the position
ewww….eeeeh….
fantasy geeks hooked on sacks
and highlight WR catches…
the interior line will be a strength,which will help out the DE’s already here…
LB’s is the weakest position on D
March 6th, 2011 at 1:09 pm
Peter King needs to eat more Corned Beef. No way Tampa will pick Ingram at number 20.
March 6th, 2011 at 2:48 pm
There are great running backs in the 4th round and later every single year. It’s not like Blount was the first. Smart GMs already knew long ago that taking a RB early was a wasted pick with horrible value.
March 6th, 2011 at 4:00 pm
“There are great running backs in the 4th round and later every single year. It’s not like Blount was the first. Smart GMs already knew” long ago that taking a RB early was a wasted pick with horrible value”
that statement can be made of every position on the field !
Historical odds favor selection order and ranking pre draft
March 6th, 2011 at 7:21 pm
No Rasta you really can’t say that about every position. There might be late round gems at other positions, but your odds of finding a pro bowler at QB or DT or CB are much lower than running back and safety. It’s not that hard to find a solid RB or S in the late rounds.
Plus RBs have the shortest NFL lifespan by far. The average RB has a career of less than 2 years as a starter. Why on Earth spend a top pick on a guy with such a short shelf life?
March 6th, 2011 at 7:29 pm
“Why on Earth spend a top pick on a guy with such a short shelf life?”
you answered your own question…
March 6th, 2011 at 10:37 pm
I like Ingram a lot but I don’t see it either.