I disagree with almost everything in your response, but that's okay as I understand where you're coming from. It just seems like we differ on the perceived talent of a lot of the RBs in question, which will obviously skew our views of things quite a bit and we probably won't be able to convince each other differently.
If our eyes see things differently, that's just the way it is. However, I also try to rely heavily on what I can infer from the actions of NFL teams. For example, you are quick to shrug off the fact that a new coaching staff came into Tampa, saw a team with a ton of holes and still was willing to trade-up to get back into the 1st and draft Doug Martin. Sure, it was a late 1st, but that is still a pretty significant investment in a RB. If they were actually high on Blount at all, no way they make that pick. They could have used help at TE (Fleener), CB (Jenkins), DE (Upshaw), etc. but instead chose to trade up and get Martin.
		
		
	 
I'm not quick to shrug it off, but we've both seen first round picks bust (or take a couple years to develop). Martin doesn't even have to bust in 2012. He could play pretty well and still not be as effective as Blount. And I've heard the argument before stating they didn't trade all those picks not to play [insert name here], but ultimately you play to win the game. If Blount is running for 5.0 ypc next year and Martin is putting up 4.2 ypc then who do you think will be getting carries in week 14 when it really matters to us?
If Blount still can't pass block or hold onto the ball, who do you think will be getting the carries in week 14 when it really matters?
	
		
	
	
		
		
			Similarly, you can make all kinds of arguments for Hillis' talent based on injuries, YPC, etc. However, he was a FA this offseason and every single team in the NFL could have made him an offer. The best he could do was a 1 year offer for about $2 million. That's a pretty good indicator of his market value. I'd argue that my perception of his talent level is more in line with that of NFL professionals who evaluate talent for a living than yours is...
		
		
	 
We can speculate on what really happened all day. Maybe Hillis didn't like the longer offers he was receiving and Daboll said, come to KC with me and let's win some games in 2012 and get you the contract you deserve in 2013. Stranger things have happened. Randy Moss was once traded for a 4th rounder. Roy Williams was once traded for a 1st, a 3rd, and a 5th. Don't place too much value on contracts and trades unless it makes you feel better about your own assessment.
Thanks. Feel free to come up with conspiracy theories about Hillis' contract if it makes you feel better about your own assessment. And examples where teams made mistakes pretty much prove you're definitely correct that everyone is wrong again here and you're smarter than then NFL GMs.
	
		
	
	
		
		
			As for some of your other points...Cleveland drafted Mitchell Schwartz at the top of the 2nd round. He was considered to be the best RT in the draft and an instant plug and play starter who excels as a run blocker. Cleveland now has a stud at LT (Joe Thomas), a stud at C (Alex Mack) and have upgraded RT, their weakest OL position last year. Their OGs aren't great, but to me OT and C are the 3 most important positions on the OL. Again, they've invested significant resources (2 1st rounders and an early 2nd rounder) into getting somve talented run blocking OL. As to your point about Shurmur, he gave SJax a ton of touches as OC in St. Louis. I think Richardson at his age is a better talent than Sjax was in his 8th year and that Cleveland's OL is better than that STL O Line. I'll take Richardson in the 2nd round all day. I wonder what you see in Seattle's offense that makes it so much more attractive than Cleveland's...
		
		
	 
Robert Gallery was drafted at the top of the 1st round and was considered to be the best LT in the draft and an instant plug and play starter, but we all know how that worked out. Let's not book Schwartz a ticket to Hawaii yet (wait, isn't that cancelled anyway?). For the run game, I think the OG position is more important than OT and C. At the very least, they are on par. And relying on a rookie tackle is risky. I'm not feeling as confident in the Cleveland OL as you are.
That's fine if you don't feel confident in the Cleveland OL. I'll take it over the Seattle OL that you seem to think is star studded.
	
		
	
	
		
		
			With regard to the Bengals v. Pats offensive discussion. There are benefits and drawbacks to different offensive schemes. Sure, against the Pats teams have extra DBs on the field and have to focus on the pass. On first glance, that should make it easy for the RBs to dominate. However, BJGE was also running behind an OL that excelled as pass blockers, not run blockers (tall skinny OTs, undersized but quick C, etc.). He had a finesse move TE in Hernandez out there instead of a bruising FB. He had undersized WRs like Welker who didn't exactly block great. In Cincy, he'll be behind an OL that is built to run the football. The right side of the line for example has RT Andre Smith, a recent top 10 draft pick who is really coming into his own and is a hell of a run blocker. RG Kevin Zeitler, a mauler from Wisconsin, was just drafted in the 1st round. The Bengals have a bowling ball of a FB in Chris Pressley (another Wisconsin guy). And their slot WR is likely to be Mohammad Sanu, who is a huge, tough, physical blocker. Maybe the Ds will be more focused on stopping the run (though Green's presence keeps them honest), but the offensive talent is also more geared towards excelling in the run game as opposed to a spread, shotgun, pass-first offense. There may be 7 in the box instead of 6, but that's not the only variable in the YPC equation.
As far as  scoring chances, the stats have been posted on here in other threads, but the Bengals had more RB rushing attempts inside the 5 yard line than the Pats did last year, despite the rookie QB vs. Brady's historic season. Not sure why that should change. And I like BJGE's chances of getting the majority of those chances vs. the Pats RBs possibly sharing them.
		
		
	 
This sounds like a whole boatload of conjecture. I don't have the time to fact check all this about the NE o-line being tall and skinny or that Welker is a poor blocker. But I will question a rookie slot receiver's effectiveness. That you are even throwing that out makes it seem like you are grasping at straws. Additionally, the fact that the Bengals had more rushing attempts inside the five and only came away with 9 rushing TDs (I know a few of them had to be outside the five) can't be a good sign. Should they shift towards passes to Green/Gresham then BJGE's value further diminishes.
The point about a FB vs. a flex TE and big physical WRs vs. tiny guys like Welker shouldn't be real difficult to understand, but I guess it went over your head...I still haven't seen anything from you that makes me think BJGE's production is going to fall off a cliff in Cincy as you originally claimed, I guess we'll see. I think he'll put up pretty solid low-level RB2 #s or better (like every Cincy starting RB for the past decade) which is where he's being drafted. I'd take him over Blount, the NE RBBC, etc. that you seem to be so high on. The Cincy offense should be improved overall and BJGE should at least match Benson's production (Benson was terrible on short yardage, a big reason why he wasn't asked back.).
I did a quick check, and according to 
these stats, NE ranked 2nd in run blocking while Cincy ranked 20th. Getting rid of BJGE just might bump NE to #1 this year.