Trent Richardson = Larry Johnson?
March 31st, 2012
Once upon a time not too long ago Larry Johnson was a manbeast of an All-Everything Penn State running back drafted by the Chiefs in the first round.
Kansas City used him sparingly before he tore up the NFL in his third and fourth seasons. Johnson carred the ball a whopping 752 times for a stunning 3,539 yards and 38 touchdowns in 2005 and 2006. Then Johnson was paid a king’s ransom, hurt his foot and never was close to the same.
So who cares, Joe?
Well, noted NFL Draft guru Wes Bunting, of NationalFootballPost.com, compared Johnson and Trent Richardson this week during an interview with Tom Krasniqi of WHBO-AM 1040. Bunting said the two had similar strengths, and speed.
“The biggest misconception with running backs that people think, and the average fan thinks, is that big plays and long runs are predicated off straight-line speed, which couldn’t be further from the truth.” Bunting said. “It’s a running back’s ability to make a man miss at the first level and/or break a tackle, which Trent Richardson does very well. I remember when Larry Johnson led the NFL in long runs, 20+ yard runs, when he was in his heyday with the Chiefs. The guy couldn’t break 4.6 [in the 40-yard dash], but he had good short-area quickness and was physical at the first level, broke a ton of tackles and accelerated quickly. I think Trent Richardson does that as well as anyone.”
Hearing this, of course, reinforced the fragility of running backs to Joe, as any memory of Larry Johnson would.
As loyal JoeBucsFan readers know too well, Joe wouldn’t touch a running back with the Bucs’ No. 5 overall pick for three reasons: the Bucs already have a talented beast of a running back, the Bucs can grab a stout complementary running back in the second or third rounds and a solid backup in free agency, plus the Bucs have built such a monstrous offensive line that the new stable of backs should have no trouble moving the chains.
What the Bucs can’t grab in later rounds is cornerback Morris Claiborne.
As for Bunting, after raving about Richardson left and right, he played Bucs general manager and said the Bucs should draft Claiborne because the position “is a higher priority” in today’s NFL and because Claiborne and Richardson scored the same grades on his draft board.
March 31st, 2012 at 10:04 pm
I hate saying this but I kinda want T-rich so the stadium will sell out so I can actually watch the games thats one of my big pros when I do my cons and pros on him being the bucs first pick but I would still rather see them win a superbowl than to watch them lose.Tampaaaaaaaaaaaaa Baaaaaaaaay
March 31st, 2012 at 10:13 pm
It just isn’t worth the investment. Kid might become great, or even the word people recently began throwing around with reckless abandon: “elite”.
I’d rather the chance of a healthy player the likes of Revis, Bailey, Asomugha etc. than an oft injured Larry Johnson.
March 31st, 2012 at 10:19 pm
Good take Joe. Hey can you find out what happened to the black jersey? They came out with an alternate in the stores in 2010 but we never wore it on the field. They looked clean!
March 31st, 2012 at 10:31 pm
It’s ok Joe the Buc’s won’t be lucky enough to get Trent. Thr Brown’s RB coach will make sure of that lol…The bucs should trade with the Vikes to get him,,his presence on this bucs offense makes them the most potent in the Nfl and this is the era of offense, isn’t it? This gives them the ticket to the playoff almost every year and I’d let Shiano and Davis figure out the defense. Now, you draft claiborne or anyone else, you might be better at a position but the influence of the team has not dramatically changed.
March 31st, 2012 at 10:36 pm
You know, I still like Claiborne at 5 if he’s there. Kahil would be a damn good pick too.
But Trent Richardson would be a very exciting pick. You can’t argue that. The fact that he doesn’t fumble and blocks very well doesn’t hurt either.
I doubt if it IS Trent Richardson at 5 there will be too much whining from the fan base and have to admit it would probably sell some more seats. I KNOW it would help the offense and #5 as well.
IT’S ALMOST DRAFT TIME!!!
March 31st, 2012 at 10:37 pm
Joe, I love what you do on this site and am very thankful for it…..but I think you may be overestimating Blount’s talent. Yes, he is a physical specimen and does some things a man of his size should not be able to do, but we really don’t know what he is like on a personal level. I have a sneaking suspicion his dedication isn’t going to match with the new coaching staff. A few years of TRich would be beneficial to getting this franchise back to where it needs to be.
March 31st, 2012 at 10:40 pm
Im with you Joe, RB is much deeper in the 2nd and 3rd rounds Than CB. We get Clayborne in the first if we can and get a RB in the 2 or 3rd round and both can contribute. You get a RB in the first and get a CB in the 2nd and 3rd rounds and the talent level really drops off. How have our “project players” turned out in the past? Larry Brackins , Dexter Jackson (the kr wanna be wr), etc. Then you have the players who are on their last chance, Haynesworth, David Boston. The draft depth lines up with our areas of need. We have to take Claiborne if he is there, i think all this Richardson talk is to hype him up and hope the Browns take him. They just spent a high draft pick on Haden, I think MN has to take the Tackle, i believe they are with out McKinnet Hutchinson and Birk now.If for some reason Clayborne is gone maybe you can trade down with Miami so they can get the a&m qb. You might be able to get a 2nd rounder and maybe one of the 3rd rounders they got from the brandon marshall trade. Even so you move there , draft Kuechly, Jenkins and one of the Rb;s in the 2nd round and you fill 3 needs. Im only for that if clayborne is gone.
March 31st, 2012 at 10:50 pm
If draft goes as expected with the first 3 picks, it will CLE on the clock with Blackmon, Tannehill, and MO available. After the Hayden pick, CB is not one of their greatest needs. I think their pick is Blackmon. That could leave us our choice in which I say MO without hesitation. However, if they take MO or Minn takes MO, we can’t let Trent out of our grasps.
March 31st, 2012 at 10:52 pm
First, TRich and LJ are 2 entirely different people as far as character persons. LJ was a griping, arrogant punk that produced 2 years. TRich is a good character guy, confident, a good team player, and a military-style work ethic drilled into him by Nick Saban. Also, We have 4 years on a rookie contract for TRich, and he will produce from the word go, especially with our OLine now. Third, LJ couldn’t pas protect, which does matter quite a bit, certainly on 3rd down.
They’re 2 different guys..
March 31st, 2012 at 10:54 pm
Claiborne would be my pick too if he’s there at #5. If he’s not there, I’m OK with the Richardson pick. I think he’s a very good RB. Strange he would be compared to Larry Johnson, my first thought was Ricky Williams and all the hoopla when he went to the Saints. Running style, build, hype, all reminds me of Williams.
March 31st, 2012 at 10:55 pm
Good to know if TR was drafted he will NEVER Fumble!! Pass protect. Blount 2 pressures on 58 pass block snaps. 97%. 2011 5 Fumbles all year.
March 31st, 2012 at 10:57 pm
@bubelvr – the Richardson-Johnson comparison is from when they were coming out of colllege. There was no such complaints about Johnson back then. He was out of this world in his senior season at PSU. You think he didn’t have work ethic under Paterno? Then we’re all in trouble since Schiano is a Paterno student and disciple.
March 31st, 2012 at 11:00 pm
@cmurda….
What happens if Vikings take Claiborne, Browns take TRich?….then what??…and then Dolphins know they don’t have to trade up from 8 for Tannehill? What do Bucs do?….take Blackmon?…
March 31st, 2012 at 11:15 pm
@Vince…
Perhaps story is also about that outta college, but Joe was also saying after he got his contract, never rehabbed his foot right, got paid, quit caring. That’s punk character. Plus, its a fact LJ didn’t do anything in his 1st 2 years, and we know that’s just not going to happen wherever TRuch goes, much less more here with us, OLine here, plus Schiano’s commitment to running.
Comparisons, definitely different…
March 31st, 2012 at 11:18 pm
T-Rich is a ballet, Mo is great too. Khalil would be sweeet or hell, even Blackmon or a trade down.
Gotta love the fact thy our first pick is better then atlanta’s and N’orleans.
March 31st, 2012 at 11:24 pm
If your argument is about fumbling, might as well pick up Green-Ellis. Dude hasn’t fumbled since he has been in the NFL. 536 career touches with no fumbles and 24 TDs in the past two years. That is far more impressive than any college stats.
March 31st, 2012 at 11:31 pm
If we got Kalil, it wouldn’t matter who was in our backfield. Lumpkin could put up a 1,000 season with 4.2+ ypc behind a line like that.
Now, imagine that line with Blount, the man that is second only to Fred Jackson in broken tackles per attempt over the past two seasons, finally being allowed to clear the line of scrimmage without being hit first……
That might see Buccaneer history in 2012.
March 31st, 2012 at 11:31 pm
So no one cares about the black jerseys?
March 31st, 2012 at 11:33 pm
draft claibourne first, if there… there are some really good running backs in the second and third rds… if claibourne is taken, i vote kalil…
if both are gone, try for a trade down……while i like richardson, at this point, we have too many holes…. and , in our division, secondary is a primary need.
March 31st, 2012 at 11:33 pm
bucbelevr we take matt kalil
March 31st, 2012 at 11:39 pm
Heck, in 2007 -2008 MJD fumbled 8 times. Blount has same average per rush.
This infatuation with Trent has more to do with the bad coaching of last season and the every year fascination with the newest RB in the draft. It was the same last season and the year before.
March 31st, 2012 at 11:56 pm
It’s funny that you bring this up Joe because I have always compared Blount’s running style to Larry Johnson’s – upright, more likely to drag a guy rather than run through him, and not a short yardage banger. TR reminds me of Race Rice or MJD. Claiborn or TR – we really can’t lose; however, I’m still holding out hope for TR because I don’t think we’re going to ask our CBs to run man-to-man as often as we’ll run C2.
April 1st, 2012 at 12:01 am
@ Have A Nice Day.
I am so tired of this Blount major fumbler crap. That is my point. 2011 He had 5 only lost 3. All 5 were in 3 games. What gives people the idea if we bring in TR he will never fumble!! The Coach came out and made a point about it. But, never said a word about 9 fumbles by Freeman in 6 games. I agree we need another RB to go with Blount. We do not need TR. Blount needs the coaching he has not had in the NFL.
April 1st, 2012 at 12:03 am
You are exactly spot on again Joe!
But they ain’t listening
April 1st, 2012 at 12:08 am
@bucfish agreed LJ is more like Blount!
I don’t see the comparison?Trent is more Ray Rice.
April 1st, 2012 at 12:09 am
Despite the blind love affairs, the anology is correct. Richardson is just like Larry Johnson. A big power back, lacking a high gear. He’s Gonba take a lot of hits, and accumulate a lot of hurts. Poor kid.
Claibourne will be in the ProBowl, still defining the position in Pewter and red,long after Trent has retired, and is walking gingerly.
You can put that in the bank.
April 1st, 2012 at 1:14 am
bucoooobruceAlstott:
Yeah, that’s pretty awful you hope the Bucs draft a player just for the remote possibility you don’t have to buy a ticket. Really weak man.
April 1st, 2012 at 1:17 am
Vince:
You do know what Johnson’s dad does — and did — for a living, right?
April 1st, 2012 at 1:45 am
He’s a good runningback , but do you want to use the 5th overall pick on someone who just had knee surgery. I like him I do he’s really good all the way around. It just makes more sents to trade down and gain another 2nd round pick. Then we can pick up Stephen Gilmore in the 1st then use two 2nd round picks the first on a Safety since Sean Jones is a FA and to pick that high in the 2nd we can get a good Safety like Harrison Smith. Then use the other on a RB like Lamar Miller/ LaMichael James. Then we can use the 3rd round pick for TE Ladarius Green and 5th round Drake Dunsmore he be a good FB to replace E.Graham and compliment E.Lorig and he played TE/RB so he can be used like a Mike Alstott type of player he can catch, block, and run.
April 1st, 2012 at 1:45 am
He’s a good runningback , but do you want to use the 5th overall pick on someone who just had knee surgery. I like him I do he’s really good all the way around. It just makes more sents to trade down and gain another 2nd round pick. Then we can pick up Stephen Gilmore in the 1st then use two 2nd round picks the first on a Safety since Sean Jones is a FA and to pick that high in the 2nd we can get a good Safety like Harrison Smith. Then use the other on a RB like Lamar Miller/ LaMichael James. Then we can use the 3rd round pick for TE Ladarius Green and 5th round Drake Dunsmore he be a good FB to replace E.Graham and compliment E.Lorig and he played TE/RB so he can be used like a Mike Alstott type of player he can catch, block, and run.
April 1st, 2012 at 4:29 am
bucbelevr Says:
March 31st, 2012 at 10:52 pm
“LJ was a griping, arrogant punk…”
In an earlier post I recalled that Curtis Martin was a true gentleman:
Polite, generous, humble and friendly.
Larry Johnson was the polar opposite:
Surly, selfish, arrogant and hostile.
I hope, for Trent Richardson’s sake, that he is NOTHING like LJ.
April 1st, 2012 at 5:23 am
“A big power back, lacking a high gear.”
——–
I really tried to stay out of this one, but this is complete BS. You have never even seen the kid play Capt.!!! You simply have no clue what you are talking about. Didn’t you at least watch the National Championship game? He turned the corner and ran right by Claiborne!!!! Left him completely in the dust like he was standing still. What the hell are you talking about, lacks a high gear? Can’t you at least go on freaking youtube and watch his highlights? Watch him consistently blow SEC corners and safeties completely off the damn screen.
April 1st, 2012 at 6:54 am
TR definitely has a high gear. He has never been caught from behind in a game.
April 1st, 2012 at 8:23 am
Hawaiian Buc,
The point here is there is nothing that T-Rich will do that we have not seen that would dispel the short shelf life of drafting a running back so high and 4-5 years later being in the same position. Versus drafting an potential elite corner back and having a mainstay for the next 8-10 years possibly. No one can doubt Trent Rich’s speed, power, vision, or production but from a schematic standpoint in today’s NFL the RB position is not as important. Even a dominant AP could not get the Vikings over the hump. But a dual threat in Jacobs and Bradshaw could win 2 Superbowl’s. Really think about this and you do realize the player that the teams usually talk about the most are usually not the one they are targeting. Right?
April 1st, 2012 at 8:30 am
Im with drafting either one, regardless both will help out this team.
April 1st, 2012 at 8:34 am
Yeah, 4,45 40 is not high gear. Do you really think Clairborne will significantly alter this defense?. How many years did,Faulk, AP, Fred Taylor, Eric Dickerson, Barry Sanders, etc play? These were,all thought of as,elite backs. The facts are, if he is a truly elite back like every expert is,saying he’ll play ten years. How many times have we drafted for need and the pick was successful? Gaines Adams anyone? Thats why there are busts in the first round, teams reach for a need and wind up with a Blane Gabbert. Sorry, Mo is not Deion Sanders, his highlight reel, DB wise is not incredibly earth shattering.
April 1st, 2012 at 8:36 am
Oh,and Big Ten running back = flop. Kijana Carter, Ron Dayne, John Cappeleti, Archie Griffin.
April 1st, 2012 at 8:47 am
@Chris – How was LJ a flop. The guy put the Chiefs on his back to the playoffs. …Cappeleti. Hilarious.
April 1st, 2012 at 8:49 am
Chris,
Your argument makes no sense. Go back and read my post. I stated that his potential and production no one can question but this is a throwing league and a quantity at RB has PROVEN to be better than one stud. When is the last time a great RB has won a ring? if you look at the league, alas our own division, you have to see the priority of defending Colston, Graham, Steve Smith, Roddy White, Tony Gonzalez, and more. Were you satisfied with Biggers, Mack, and Lewis last season?
April 1st, 2012 at 8:56 am
While quietly following this Richardson-Claiborne debate, I have been in the Claiborne camp because it seems to be the greater need and because I think Talib does not consistently play with heart plus he may be in jail this season. Having said that, after watching both players on YouTube, either player would be exciting. I love the way Richardson moves. He changes direction quickly and makes people miss and despite people on here saying he is slow, he sure seems to break away once he clears the line of scrimmage. I still think you have go with Claiborne though because we do have Blount and we need to strengthen the back 7 for any chance for a successful year. It doesn’t do much good to have an offense that can score 34 points per game if the defense gives up 37.
April 1st, 2012 at 9:06 am
Last time we picked a rb at 5 was Caddy. alstott was a 2nd round guy.With our line we can take pead/James in the 3rd and the fullback from Rutgers that coach loves(Maritek)? And we will be fine .Oh yeah this will allow us to get Claiborne and David and or D and O will be greatly improved.im not ready to throw Blount to the side yet
April 1st, 2012 at 9:15 am
::Love the Site_Long Time Reader::
Amen! Piratic and Hawaiian Buc.
It seemed to me the comparison was of athleticism and the ability to break the 1st level etc… but LJ lacks the physicality of TR – CLEARLY. And as stated by others, the MORAL COMPASS for the aforementioned backs seem to point in different directions – if you know what I mean.
TR’s a champion and does remind me more of a MJD, Ray Rice, or a Mr. Dillion (in his glory days).
April 1st, 2012 at 9:43 am
Horrible comparison…. The only thing in common they have is making the 1st tackler miss. There are dozens of other backs that you could make the comparison for but they would not fit the message they are trying to convey. To compare TR to Earl Campbell would hurt Joe’s argument of a RB not worth the pick. 9 of the top 10 RB’s in NFL history were 1st round picks. Injuries happen to players of any position but that does not mean a person is guaranteed to get severely injured just because of their position.
April 1st, 2012 at 9:46 am
Honestly, with the o-line we have… Brad Johnson could run the ball.
April 1st, 2012 at 10:18 am
@Bucbelevr. No, our pick would then be Kalil with a big potential to trade down and acquire more picks. If we don’t trade down, we would have the beastest O Line and that is a hell of a start to turning our luck around. I don’t like Blackmon and receiver is the least of our concerns. In my opinion, you rebuild from the lines out. We have done a phenomenal job greatly improving our O Line already this offseason. The D Line is built around young guys that need to develop and this is the time for McCoy and Price. They need to stay healthy. Talk is cheap. McCoy certainly shows his motivation but if he tears another bicep or whatnot, the end of the road could be near. We’ve all seen the talent if these guys are on the field at the same time. The problem is you can practically count on one hand how many games they have been healthy on the field at the same time. Clayborn is a stud and to date has been our best pick in the last 2 drafts. Bowers has been coming around just fine also. I expect him to get to the QB consistently now. We have to keep in mind that the coaching these guys have received failed them miserably. It stunted their production and now we will see what the Schiano regime brings. By all accounts, I expect a disciplined teaching machine. From what past Rutgers players have said and what Schiano preaches, he and this staff seem completely legit.
April 1st, 2012 at 10:46 am
Anybody that wants TR obviously doesn’t want to win. They just want to fall in line and agree with the writers that fancy themselves as experts.
Speaking of Larry Johson and the Chiefs… who was the better Chief RB? Former first round pick, Larry Johnson or the man he replaced, undrafted free agent Priest Holmes? Holmes wins in a landslide, further proving that great RBs can be found well AFTER round 1. WHy take a RB in round 1 when you can strengthen the roster in other areas that are harder to find talent in AFTER round 1 (unlike RB).
April 1st, 2012 at 10:50 am
JT Says:
April 1st, 2012 at 9:43 am
Horrible comparison…. The only thing in common they have is making the 1st tackler miss. There are dozens of other backs that you could make the comparison for but they would not fit the message they are trying to convey. To compare TR to Earl Campbell would hurt Joe’s argument of a RB not worth the pick. 9 of the top 10 RB’s in NFL history were 1st round picks. Injuries happen to players of any position but that does not mean a person is guaranteed to get severely injured just because of their position.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
And 8 of the top 10 RBs in history played in another era. Emmitt Smith and Marshall Faulk were the last of their kind.
Facts are facts, son. RBs careers as top players at their position are nearly half of that of other positions. Do you think Ray Lewis or Urlacher would still be the leaders of their teams if they were RBs? Patrick Willis’ career, if he were a RB, would be winding down. Injuries or not, 29 is ANCIENT for a RB in today’s NFL.
April 1st, 2012 at 10:59 am
call me crazy but if we got Larry Johnson type productivity out of TR id take it in a heartbeat.
Many scouting reports say Claiborne is not a good tackler, and is a bit undersized (needs to “beef up”), although a great cover guy and smart.
The last thing we need is a bad tackler. Already got plenty of those.
No guarantee with a corner……………..remember Rod “toast” Jones?
April 1st, 2012 at 11:13 am
Just not sure, Dom and co. would take Kalil at 5, assuming MO and TR gone. Kalil’s a good player, sure…but I think what Dom himself is probably working on most, IMO, in the next 3 weeks, is probably ALL the 1st and 2nd choices of teams #7-#15 want in the 1st round. As tough as that is. Bucs draft board is probably taking shape by now, few finer points.
But id Dom can reasonably predict what Jacksonville through Eagles want each as their first and second preference, at each pick 7-15, then he knows how much he can command to trade down into their spots. Like Jacksonville, maybe up ahead of Rams for Blackmon (if still there), or like Bills up ahead of Miami at 8 for Tannehill (if still there). Lastly, with Eagles at probably most obvious and desperate position of need in LT now, they are a HUGE unknown at 15 that we could exploit, especially given the Eagles historical aggressiveness on past draft days. IMO, this is where Dom will spend his next few weeks..
April 1st, 2012 at 11:16 am
I mean……IMAGINE, if Kalil were there at 5 for us, with TRich and MO gone, then the Eagles alarms would be going off like CRAZY!..They would probably trade next year’s 1st round, this year’s second, and 3rd round 2013 also, in addition to obviously swapping this year’s first round.
April 1st, 2012 at 11:20 am
Joe I love ya to death but let Claibourne go what good is having 4 corners if u have a d- line who can’t stop the run. If the Bucs wanted a shut down corner they could have offered the eagles a second or third for Asante Samuel. When Trent is leading the league in rushing and opening up play action passes for Jackson and Williams I don’t wanna hear u singing his praises
April 1st, 2012 at 11:20 am
And we still don’t have linebackers
April 1st, 2012 at 11:35 am
WORST comparison thread EVER!!! Seriously?! I don’t know which “Joe” thought this up, but he needs his @$$ whooped. SERIOUSLY?!
Claiborne or Richardson will be a good pick. But there are NO guarantees in football..period. Claiborne could be picked and suffer a leg injury. Then What? Same for Richardson. This #5 pick won’t make the BUCS SuperBowl bound either way.
No guarantee that Claiborne will become the over-hyped Revis, making QBs look the other way. Does that make him some bust of a CB from NFL’s past? No. And yes, having 2 or 3 years of “success” with a multi-year mega millions contract with NO SuperBowl ring makes you a “bust”.
If Richardson is drafted and puts up good numbers and asses in seats, the BUCS are WINNERS. PERIOD. All “holes” the BUCS need to address.
April 1st, 2012 at 11:59 am
@ Brandon
Your two points kind of clash…
First, you said, “Anybody that wants TR obviously doesn’t want to win” which, outside of being completely ridiculous, completely flies the face of your next comment, ” RBs careers as top players at their position are nearly half of that of other positions.”
Drafting T-Rich is the ultimate “win now” move: https://www.joebucsfan.com/?p=64144 Running backs historically come in and contribute immediately while corners usually take awhile to develop. Schiano/Dom aren’t worried about 5 years from now. They want to win today and one of the current formulas to do so is having an elite offense with just enough defense to make it to the Big Dance.
The fact of the matter is, Freeman is entering his 4th year. We have weapons galore on offense and a shiny new talented defensive coaching staff that is itching the put talented but young defenders in places to better maximize their potential (unlike the previous staff). There’s no mistaking that we’d have one of the top 5 offenses in terms of talent in the League if we pick up T-Rich.
In today’s NFL, elite offense (whether running or passing) and a pass rush is all you need to make the Dance.
April 1st, 2012 at 12:35 pm
agrees with @SensibleBuc.
April 1st, 2012 at 1:04 pm
@Sens In part I agree with you, but Superbowls aren’t won or lost on offense. The history still bears repeating. Even if you look at the Packers recent Superbowl win. Yes, they have a nasty offense, but it was their defense stepping up that walked them through the playoffs. The reason we were so competitive for several years and finally netting us a Superboal Championship was because of defense. We could plug and play players on offense but our defense was abusive in a good way. I love Schiano’s old-school philosophy AKA Tom Coughlin’s style. Smashmouth football with a vertical game and solid defense.
April 1st, 2012 at 1:11 pm
A nice complement of a running game could happen in the 3rd or later rounds. A premier cornerback who is lights out better than the next CB is pure freaking gold. I’m excited over T Rich’s potential and there’s no question he has the potential to be a stud but…. Stud Rb’s are far less of a commodity in today’s pass happy league which also emphasize’s how important a solid secondary is. If we have one reliable CB like Wright. He is by no means shutdown but with a good system and over the top help, he’s reliable. Imagine the things we could do on defense if MO is as advertised. All comparisons to a good D Line making the secondary better works in reverse too. If we get a promising safety along with Claiborne in the draft and definitely a LB, we could see some vast improvements on defense. Claiborne is more important to us then Trent. My opinion is based solely on that.
April 1st, 2012 at 1:43 pm
@ CMurda
Mo is an awesome player and we’d be lucky to get him but T-Rich (if he reaches his potential) will make a bigger impact immediately if we Draft him because RBs historically hit the ground running because it’s such an easy position to play.
T-Rich improves the running game (two headed monster backfield), pass protection (great student of the game/better pass pro than AP), receiving out of the backfield (more sudden and better hands than Blount), and the defense (by keeping them off the field).
Conversely, Mo (if he reaches his potential) shuts down ONE receiver or ONE half of the field at best. He can be marginalized by simply going somewhere else or running the ball.
Lastly, I think people have to realize that we’re not going to be able to fix this defense in one offseason. Our LBs are either going to be very young or average regardless of who we bring in because Black is going to start. Our secondary is going to be mediocre regardless of who we bring in because Talib, Ronde, and to a lesser extent, Biggers will still be around getting alot of snaps. We can address can put a bandaid on those issues this year (it’s easier to hide a corner on D than hiding a non-pass protecting running back on O) and fully address them next year. Great corners come out every year, running backs don’t. Revis was 14th overall. Asomugha was 31st overall. Brandon Carr was a 5th rounder and Cortland Finnegan was a 7th rounder. The starting corners in the Super Bowl were Corey Webster, Aaron Ross, Kyle Arrington and whatever cadaver they decided to put out there. My point? You don’t NEED to have a shutdown corner to make the Dance.
April 1st, 2012 at 1:59 pm
I’ll say this, at least the debate has helped make for an interesting offseason.
April 1st, 2012 at 2:12 pm
@Architek,
Actually , Capt Tim has constantly stated how slow Richardson is, although he’s never seen him play!? He just pulls stuff out of his arse to prove his point and put down other’s opinion.
Anyway, I get what you are saying about shelf life, and if you go with the percentages you will be right. However, I think with TR, he may be one of the exceptions. He has such strong work ethic. He lives in the weight room, similar to most of the elite backs of today and the past. It’s definitely a risk, but I believe in no risk no reward. I do, however, completely respect the opinion you have. I just don’t like to hear people spout out ignorant nonsense.
April 1st, 2012 at 2:17 pm
There is a strong possibility that the Browns trade spots with the Rams. The Rams go after Claiborne. The Browns take Tannehill. Then Dolphins could call us to offer the 8th and 42nd picks. This draft be the craziest ever.
April 1st, 2012 at 4:20 pm
Like I said in an earlier post…CB>RB. How many CB’s will go in rd 1 as opposed to RB’s? The value is greater because good corners are harder to find than good RB’s. With our O-line we should be able to run Brian Price and get 5 yds per carry.
April 1st, 2012 at 5:18 pm
@Bobby,
That’s a one or two year thing. Take away this year and last year and run the numbers. The NFL has been a passing game for much longer than 2 years, so I’m not sure if that argument holds too much water. There definitely has been an added value to the CB position lately as a result of the passing game, but I don’t believe that CB>RB. I do think the talent pool for RB’s has gone down as a result of so many colleges running the spread offense, which pretty much eliminates the true running back position (as far as how it is run in the NFL). As an example, if you watch Oregon play, it is incredibly difficult to know if LaMichael James’s game is going to translate to the NFL. They don’t run pro sets, and when he does run, he’s running against maybe 6 guys in the box. He won’t see that much open field at the next level.
April 1st, 2012 at 5:32 pm
If Kalil is there you take him. RB and CB are not positions you waste a Top 10 pick on, unless there is a Deion in it.
Every CB taken with a Top5 pick since 1990.
2011 #5 – Patrick Peterson
2003 #5 – Terrance Newman
2002 #5 – Quentin Jammer
1998 #4 – Charles Woodson
1997 #3 – Shawn Springs
1997 #5 – Bryant Westbrook
1992 #5 – Terrell Buckley
1991 #3 – Bruce Pickens
1991 #5 – Todd Lyght
Man there sure is a lot of Toast up there… Also that #5 pick has been pretty BAD for CBs at least ones worth the #5 pick.
For the Bucs to get the most Value out of this pick they need Kalil or to trade down for 3 High Picks.
April 1st, 2012 at 6:25 pm
I just thik Claiborne is too good to past up at CB, a position of great need in a passing league.
The running game can improve drastically with Blount holding onto the ball and drafting Miller or Wilson or one of the other top guys in Rd 2 to complement Blount.
Heck if they really wanted too, they could even grab LaMichael James or Rainey in round 5 (or 4 if they trade up or trade something to get there).
Drafting two backs is not out of the realm of possibility the way Dominick has operated.
April 1st, 2012 at 7:14 pm
“So no one cares about the black jerseys?”
Black Jerseys were never intended for game day, were strictly sales fodder. Nobody cares cause they will never be relevent to a game day discussion.
April 1st, 2012 at 8:27 pm
Hawaiian- sadly, again you allow your lil crushes to blind you to the truth.
I watched the kid play. I really stopped paying attention- once I saw the kid consistently run down from behind.
Watched his proday. 4.56. They echoed what I thought- showed film of him not being able to turn the corner. Being run down by the defense.
Lacking a top gear.
I realized he would have some fans proclaiming him a savior. Truth is- he’ll go in the late teens
And none of your feminine lamenting is gonna change that!
Go get yourself a Claibourne Jersey, throw out your “I love Talib” shirts, and get on with life. If you love Richardson that much, flitter over and see him in Cincy.
He’ll go higher than Ingram. But not much
April 1st, 2012 at 9:39 pm
Papawill, you just named 10 guys that in their prime would be our best CB. The top 5 in your list in that order are all solid CB’s. Totally disagree with your assessment of a CB not worth being a top 5 pick. RB is a lot more risky.
April 1st, 2012 at 10:52 pm
You are a horrible liar Captain Tim!!!! Absolutely horrible! What game? You know damn well you are reaching, but it’s truly pathetic. He has never been caught from behind. Show me proof. YouTube has every run. Put up or shut up! Why couldn’t Claiborne catch him? Answer that liar! I have no respect for liars.
You yourself has said last year that you don’t watch college football. U wanna deny that? Pathetic little boy.