Cadillac Is “Near The End Of The Road”
January 29th, 2011
He caught 46 balls, blocked like a champ, protected the football, and rushed for a whopping 6.4 yards per carry in the second half of the 2010 season, yet Cadillac Williams is just about washed up, so says BSPN NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas.
This take was floated by Yaskinskas during a live chat Friday on the website of the Bristol Soviets.
Robert (Arlington Tx)
Hey Pat…do u see Caddy staying Tampa next year? Or is he now considered a clunker?
Pat Yasinskas: Hate to say it because I respect Caddy as much as any player in the league, but I think he is near end of the road.
Joe might have agreed with this take if Cadillac, who turns 29 in April, hadn’t been completely healthy over the past 32 games and extremely productive in his role as third-down back and running backs mentor.
Of course, “near the end of the road,” can be interpreted in many ways. But Joe thinks that’s harsh to drop on the soon-to-be free agent, and it makes Joe wonder whether Yasinskas watched every Bucs game.
If the Bucs are playing for a Super Bowl run in 2011, then Cadillac is a critical piece to the puzzle.
If the Bucs are still building their hypothetical “lasting contender,” then, sure, Cadillac is expendable. They could always draft a running back in, say, the third round, use Earnest Graham more on third down, and give Kregg Lumpkin and Kareem Huggins more looks.
January 29th, 2011 at 6:11 pm
I didn’t watch no buc games (blackout+west coast) and I’m a sports insider and dedicated fan of bucs. If caddy played for belicheat, would he be washed up? Get it right pat.
January 29th, 2011 at 6:35 pm
He’s at “the end of the road”as a starting Running back. I think this season may have proved that. But he is still very valuable as a role player.
January 29th, 2011 at 6:36 pm
@Joe: There is absolutely nothing wrong with him saying that. I think he meant that he is done with starting in this league. I actually agree with him. I think we should draft a running back in rounds 5-7 as a backup to Blount. Possibly Derrick Locke from Kentucky, Da’Rel Scott from Maryland, Taiwan Jones from Eastern Washington, or Dion Lewis from Pittsburgh. All IMO would be an upgrade over Caddy right now…
January 29th, 2011 at 6:46 pm
Nope, lots of mileage left in our Caddy! 2011 will be his best yet!
January 29th, 2011 at 7:04 pm
yep….sad
January 29th, 2011 at 7:30 pm
I agree with you guys. Caddy is valuable on 3rd down. I also saw the Bucs cross the defense up by running Caddy on “passing downs.”
January 29th, 2011 at 7:35 pm
Heck No he is not done, WTF ?
January 29th, 2011 at 8:09 pm
I also think he will be more effective if he stays home in our system.
January 29th, 2011 at 8:29 pm
The Buc’s most likely will give him just enough to keep him happy playing in a 3rd down type role. They can barely afford the loss of any veteran leadership especially when he will come cheap. He will get a new short term contract commensurate with his role and productivity. Maybe even an incentive heavy deal in case someone else gets hurt and they need him to expand what his role is later in the season. In my opinion, he will stay.
January 29th, 2011 at 8:45 pm
Yet again Pat showing his stupidity and another example that he knows absolutely nothing and his view means nada
January 29th, 2011 at 8:48 pm
What Ash said
January 29th, 2011 at 9:12 pm
i think caddy will probably stay a buc for as long as he wants to so long as he never gets stupid with contract demands. way too good of a locker room guy to let walk as long as he doesnt get greedy.
January 29th, 2011 at 10:09 pm
I’m with Capt. Tim. Caddy was irreplaceable this season as a role player. He says he wants to test FA, so he must feel like he has some tread left. He won’t find bigger money than what the Bucs will offer him (if they intend to re-sign him). I say sign him to a two year deal and bring him back. I think that with the emergence of Blount, drafting a RB in the third round isn’t necessary. Capable RBs can be found in late rounds. Hell, undrafted free agent RBs seem to be all the rage these days (Foster, Blount). Defense, defense, and more defense in this draft! Maybe a OL in the mid-rounds to add some depth.
Go Bucs!
January 29th, 2011 at 10:12 pm
Cant blame the guy for wanting to test free agency, he has earned that right. Think he will test the market to set his value and ultimately resign with us
January 29th, 2011 at 11:30 pm
Ash- agreed and justified. Let him get a feel for his value, then come home and finish his days here. Love Caddy, wanna see him retire a Buc. Plus he still is a real asset for us. Off topic, put the trolls killed the original thread. Kind of interesting that with the biggest FA offering ever, the Bucs have the most money to spend. Last year, in the deepest draft, we had the most high picks. We used that to our huge advantage. Think we will use the FA agents to our or advantage? I really believe we will!
January 30th, 2011 at 1:54 am
Dude is just shy of 30, which is like 70 in RB years, and he has two rebuilt knees. I agree with Pat. His career is living on borrowed time. Running on fumes. ect ect
There are too many promising young RBs in the late rounds of this draft to keep both Graham and Caddie. Since Graham is under contract and Caddie is not, it’s time to move on.
Guys like Chad Spann or Allen Bradford could be had in the 6th round or later and would be some much needed youth to our backfield. Running back is a young man’s game.
January 30th, 2011 at 3:25 am
I hope he has some tread left… I wouldn’t wanna have to go get a new jersey if he leaves the team. :o)
January 30th, 2011 at 5:02 am
i still refuse to call him by that ghetto ass moniker. caddy’s were never fast, have sluggish handling, and never reliable. it doesn’t make sense.
January 30th, 2011 at 5:37 am
however him as a player i’d hate to see him go. he seemed to be Freeman’s right hand man last season. how many times did we see Williams up behind the O-line help set up plays before the snap with Freeman? Plus you just know that he’s an anchor in the huddle, bringing veteran experience to crucial moments in games.
Him coming back from two completely blown knees was something remarkable. He may not be the threat that the younger, bigger Blount brings, but I still think he can bring some to the table.
January 30th, 2011 at 6:59 am
SebringSmitty, not SebrindSmitty LOL
January 30th, 2011 at 10:31 am
I did name my cat after cadillac, so he needs to stay ! Dammit
January 30th, 2011 at 11:34 am
”caddy’s were never fast, have sluggish handling, and never reliable”
Sounds about right to me.
January 30th, 2011 at 11:35 am
Maybe Caddy is an Escalade and doesn’t need a road…. pop that Caddy in 4WD and let’s go off road….
January 30th, 2011 at 4:52 pm
I love Cadillac but Yaskinsas is essentially right. I don’t see him in the league past 2012 unless his he improves physically.
Caddy was running without much balance last year a la Mike Pittman, it didn’t take much to bring him down for tacklers and that wasn’t the case pre injury. This was likely because he couldn’t get to his spots without the same lean and effort that he now has to. Unless the balance and agility improve he’s become a marginal runner.
January 31st, 2011 at 10:39 am
Caddy has played every game the last two years. Once we got a decent line in front of him( last part of season), he averaged around 5 yards a carry. Looks to me like he’s hitting 3rd gear! With his knees, meybe not 30 carries a game. But at 15, he can still hurt a defense! We still need the Caddy!