Fencer
Pro Bowl Player
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2006
- Messages
- 14,293
- Reaction score
- 3,986
My concern is that these "replaceable" passing RBs take time to develop. Faulk took years to round into form. Vereen has only recently become reliable, in receiving and blocking alike, and he's still a so-so ballcarrier. J. R. Redmond, BB decided, would never make it, one outstanding Super Bowl play notwithstanding.
Other than Woodhead and some grizzled vets (Meggett, Centers), everybody has taken time. And Woodhead was so small that, despite apparently good technique, he was only so-so as a pass blocker, and pass-blocking is a huge part of the job.
I recognize that the Patriots want to pay only so much per each of 22 positions, and at RB they split that money a lot of ways. But either it was a mistake to lowball Woodhead or else the Patriots were right that Vereen would be better than he was. Perhaps Vereen, despite not being as good yet, should be regarded as still developing, and hence paid similarly to Faulk.
Other than Woodhead and some grizzled vets (Meggett, Centers), everybody has taken time. And Woodhead was so small that, despite apparently good technique, he was only so-so as a pass blocker, and pass-blocking is a huge part of the job.
I recognize that the Patriots want to pay only so much per each of 22 positions, and at RB they split that money a lot of ways. But either it was a mistake to lowball Woodhead or else the Patriots were right that Vereen would be better than he was. Perhaps Vereen, despite not being as good yet, should be regarded as still developing, and hence paid similarly to Faulk.