If there's a situation more polarizing than the Cle running back situation this year I dont know what it is. Seems to me there are some clear lines being drawn between the Hillis believers / nonbelievers but we really should be talking more about probabilities.
Hardesty simply cant get healthy. The Browns spent a lot to get him but for now he's not in the equation. That leaves Hillis and the newly signed B Jackson. You dont have to be a Jackson believer to know that he signed where he thought he'd get the best chance to start. And it's hard to find a guy behind the 2 of them that looks to be a threat this year. One thing is for sure and that's whoever runs behind that off line should do pretty well.
I personally dont believe a RB in a fullbacks body can stave off the competition for long in todays NFL. The need for speed is too great and seems to get lost in the discussion here.
While I wont be drafting Hillis I will be looking to get Jackson somewhere after round 10 as the backups are being sniped. Simply put, his probability is higher than most backups. Now you believers dont have to agree to that but you should go into the draft aware that there are many guys who feel the same as I do. As far as I'm concerned Jackson is just a notch below Michael Bush and Tolbert. But way in front of a guy like Gerhart.
You really don't like white running backs, do you? WHY would you think of Toby Gerhart, who is locked into an impossible situation behind AP? How is a career mediocrity like Jackson "way in front" of a guy who was a tremendous college RB and hasn't had any chance to show what he can do yet in the NFL? Btw, how did you complete your post without taking a swipe at Danny Woodhead? FYI, and the edification of those not versed in racial codewords, I bolded the other particularly offensive and ridiculous parts of your post.
The doubts surrounding Peyton Hillis are 100% related to the fact he happens to be the first white RB in 25 years to gain 1000 yards in the NFL. If ANY black RB had the kind of season he did last year, the jock sniffers on ESPN and every fantasy owner in the world would be drooling over him. They'd point out that he accomplished all that in spite of the horrendous offense he played on. Btw, the Browns' offensive line is not the 1970s Miami Dolphins' unit. They have a great left tackle and very good center. Unless they improve the right side of the line, they are only an average unit overall. Again, there is a clear effort on the part of everyone to credit someone else for Hillis' performance last season. If that line was so great, how come Harrison sucked before he left and the legendary Mike Bell couldn't do anything behind it?
Those who ignore the herd mentality, which is to wildly underrate Hillis, will profit handsomely from grabbing him at a spot where he'll vastly outperform those being selected around him.
Wow. I was fully aware that I might get some blowback for my opinion on Hillis because i've seen the charges of reverse discrimination on just about every discussion before now. But this is undoubtedly the most charged up I've seen.
I'm not sure this deserves an answer but I'll try. I dont dislike white running backs but Gerhart has been put in an impossible situation. Behind arguably one of the best RBs of his decade. I could name a lot of starting RBs that would languish behind Peterson. In fact, the other top 5 Rbs in the league would all be benchwarmers behind this guy. Who would get a sniff of the field? Maybe Chris Johnson. No one else.
Woodhead? Good value at his ADP. Draft away.
As far as Hillis, hey, lots of respect for what he did last year. And he could do it again if the new staff gives him the chance. But we need to keep in mind one thing. Guys that have a fullback build and get tons of contact per run dont tend to last in the league. Regardless of race. Nobody is stopping you from drafting for that value.
So get him.
But blasting away with wild charges is really uncool.
MY mantra is always probability, cost and value. That's all I consider when handicapping. My opponents dont care who I beat them with in the final analysis. And I dont care either.
Is it really that hard to type "you"?
Seems like PH should be a top 10 back again
The haters are trying hard but aren't putting forth any good arguments. He's got NO competition for carries this year.
