Carolina RB battle (1 Viewer)

[mightyeskimo]

Now Shelton is impressing again:

Shelton is impressive at scrimmage

Running back Eric Shelton gave an early boost to his chances of making the roster with an impressive showing during Saturday's Fan Fest scrimmage.Running behind the second-team offensive line against a starting defense expected to be one of the NFL's best, Shelton gained 4, 4, and 5 yards on consecutive running plays and caught a 12-yard screen pass. He also was held to no gain on another running play.

It was perhaps Shelton's most impressive showing since training camp opened last week. The Panthers are hoping Shelton can show the promise that led them to draft him in the 2005 second round. He had a disappointing preseason last year and spent the season on injured reserve.

Shelton said he hopes Saturday's showing was the start of something good.

"I'll be able to look back on this day and (say), `I can produce in the NFL against the No. 1 defense and be successful,' " he said. "I've got confidence in myself. I think I put confidence in my teammates and my coaches, as well, that I can produce."

Coach John Fox watched Shelton with keen interest.

"Just by the naked eye, watching what was going on, he was productive," said Fox. "He ran hard. He's a big, physical guy."

Quarterback Jake Delhomme said it was good to see the second-team offensive line block effectively against the starting defense.

Shelton praised his blockers, saying: "Just because I was behind the twos doesn't mean nothing. Those guys are just as good as the ones. They work hard just like everybody else."

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/spo...rs/15210130.htm

That's all well and good because Shelton is fighting not for a starting role or even a backup role. He is fighting to make the cut. It's going to take a lot more for him to move up to fantasy consideration.

Come on, you have to admit that if they did KEEP him, its not for special teams purposes . . .if he makes the team and he's active, the guy is going to get some goal line looks . . .

He may get goal line carries. But, only if Foster and Williams show they are unable to put the ball in the endzone. Shelton, at best, is a plan B in development.

 

[duaneok66]

Now Shelton is impressing again:

Shelton is impressive at scrimmage

Running back Eric Shelton gave an early boost to his chances of making the roster with an impressive showing during Saturday's Fan Fest scrimmage.Running behind the second-team offensive line against a starting defense expected to be one of the NFL's best, Shelton gained 4, 4, and 5 yards on consecutive running plays and caught a 12-yard screen pass. He also was held to no gain on another running play.

It was perhaps Shelton's most impressive showing since training camp opened last week. The Panthers are hoping Shelton can show the promise that led them to draft him in the 2005 second round. He had a disappointing preseason last year and spent the season on injured reserve.

Shelton said he hopes Saturday's showing was the start of something good.

"I'll be able to look back on this day and (say), `I can produce in the NFL against the No. 1 defense and be successful,' " he said. "I've got confidence in myself. I think I put confidence in my teammates and my coaches, as well, that I can produce."

Coach John Fox watched Shelton with keen interest.

"Just by the naked eye, watching what was going on, he was productive," said Fox. "He ran hard. He's a big, physical guy."

Quarterback Jake Delhomme said it was good to see the second-team offensive line block effectively against the starting defense.

Shelton praised his blockers, saying: "Just because I was behind the twos doesn't mean nothing. Those guys are just as good as the ones. They work hard just like everybody else."

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/spo...rs/15210130.htm

That's all well and good because Shelton is fighting not for a starting role or even a backup role. He is fighting to make the cut. It's going to take a lot more for him to move up to fantasy consideration.

Come on, you have to admit that if they did KEEP him, its not for special teams purposes . . .if he makes the team and he's active, the guy is going to get some goal line looks . . .

He may get goal line carries. But, only if Foster and Williams show they are unable to put the ball in the endzone.

[That's the only way he makes the team . . . if he can't do that, they have no other use for him . . .

 

[kupcho1]

Unfortunately, DeAngelo Williams ain't no Clinton Portis

Yeah. He's better.

didn't know this was a comedy board . . .

I think this response is an example of perfect 20/20 hindsight. Clinton Portis, when he was drafted by Denver in the second round in 2002, was not considered a can't miss prospect. He was consistently rated behind Duckett, W.Green, Foster and sometimes even L.Gordon. As an example, CNNSI graded him out at 3.75 behind those 4 RBs; not a bad score but not a can't miss player. NFL.com had him 4th behind Green, Duckett and Foster. Profootballweekly had Portis 6th, behind the guys mentioned and Luke Staley. CNN commented on him:"Does not translate his stop watch speed onto the football field; can not bounce it to the outside, run to daylight nor does he show a burst. Best between the tackles but may not have the size to take an every down pounding. Very productive and a runner who will produce if put in a rotational system that shuffles its backs in and out of the lineup."OTOH, CNNSI graded Deangelo out as a 4.24 "occasional pro-bowl prospect." To flippantly say it is "comedy" when someone views Williams favorably to Portis, merely because Portis has exceeded expectations in retrospect, is pretty arrogant. You have no better idea than anyone how Deangelo compares to Portis.

very

The fact that the "grades" had Portis behind such luminaries as Green and Gordon would seem to indicate that those grades aren't worth all that much. So why put stock in them for Williams?The grades are nice when you are comparing two rookies and have nothing else to go off, but saying that Deangelo Williams is as good an NFL back as Clinton Portis is is ridiculous. Portis has done it on the field, Williams hasn't. Yet. He may or may not turn out to be a good RB, but there are so many other factors than what the grades evaluate that it isn't even worth talking about them in the context of comparing Williams to a successful NFL runningback.

 

[JohnnyU]

The fact that the "grades" had Portis behind such luminaries as Green and Gordon would seem to indicate that those grades aren't worth all that much. So why put stock in them for Williams?The grades are nice when you are comparing two rookies and have nothing else to go off, but saying that Deangelo Williams is as good an NFL back as Clinton Portis is is ridiculous. Portis has done it on the field, Williams hasn't. Yet. He may or may not turn out to be a good RB, but there are so many other factors than what the grades evaluate that it isn't even worth talking about them in the context of comparing Williams to a successful NFL runningback.

The point is that no one knows what DeAngelo Williams will be, just as a lot of folks didn't think that highly of Clinton Portis at the time of his draft. Sure it's easy to say how much better Portis is than Williams at this juncture of DeAngelo Williams' career, lol

 

[redman]

That is the standard company line and I think you're buying into it a little too much and it's negating your future vision. If you get around the standard line you will see that the Panters expect Williams to push for the job. Sure they haven't announced a battle or given him the job outright but he's there as a 1st round pick and he will push Foster for the job. The gear lugging article means nothing. He's a rookie and all rookies do something like that in one form or another.

This year Foster will start, and barring injury, be the feature RB. This is a team many expect to go deep in the playoffs, and Fox will stick with his vets. Could Williams earn time this season and challenge for the starting role in a year or two? Absolutely. I am certain they drafted him for that purpose, but anyone in Charlotte who knows anything about the team will echo my statements.

This argument makes the best sense to me so far. Carolina is on the short list of NFC teams expected to contend for the conference championship. While there are worse positions to have a rookie in, the fact is that a team in their position that has a skilled veteran already in place is not going to entrust Jake Delhomme's blind side to a blitz pickup by a rookie. I'm sure that Williams will get some work spelling Foster given that Fox wants him to learn the offense and also keep Foster healthy and fresh, but I'm having trouble imagining this team supplanting Foster as the starter with Williams during this year absent injury.

 

[sholditch]

Has anyone around here actually seen a practice or scrimmage or anything? Was hoping that some actual info might make its way into this post.

 

[duaneok66]

Has anyone around here actually seen a practice or scrimmage or anything? Was hoping that some actual info might make its way into this post.

Preseason is right around the corner . . . I hope you have NFL Network . . .

 

[Warpig]

Has anyone around here actually seen a practice or scrimmage or anything? Was hoping that some actual info might make its way into this post.

I was thinking the same thing. It's been what...2 weeks of camps now? Hasn't Foster been injured yet?

 

[sholditch]

found this board:

http://www.panthersfanz.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=8176

that had this post:

Observations

• Rookie running back DeAngelo Williams, the Panthers' first-round pick, looked very quick and effective on a pitchout to the right. Running behind the starting offensive line against the backup defense, he gained 7 yards. He also had a 4-yard carry and a 3-yard loss. It was the first time Williams has carried the football in an NFL stadium.

you really have to weed through a lot of crap to get to anything substantial.

 

[BigJim®]

The fact that the "grades" had Portis behind such luminaries as Green and Gordon would seem to indicate that those grades aren't worth all that much. So why put stock in them for Williams?The grades are nice when you are comparing two rookies and have nothing else to go off, but saying that Deangelo Williams is as good an NFL back as Clinton Portis is is ridiculous. Portis has done it on the field, Williams hasn't. Yet. He may or may not turn out to be a good RB, but there are so many other factors than what the grades evaluate that it isn't even worth talking about them in the context of comparing Williams to a successful NFL runningback.

The point is that no one knows what DeAngelo Williams will be, just as a lot of folks didn't think that highly of Clinton Portis at the time of his draft. Sure it's easy to say how much better Portis is than Williams at this juncture of DeAngelo Williams' career, lol

Thank you. Anyone who wants to say "Portis is a more proven RB" is master of the obvious. Point remains it is not "comedy" to have seen DeAngelo and consider him to have better RB talents than Portis. Much like it would not have been comedy when LT was entering the league for someone who had followed him in college, and was a believer in his skills, to suggest he had better RB skills than Eddie George. The actual comedy is those who would have considered it blasphemy to compare the proven Eddie George to some schlep like LT, who never played a down in the NFL. I mean, alert the media: Rookies come into this league every year and some of them get the opportunity to show they are better players than established NFL players. Talent plays a huge role in that, opportunity plays an equally large role. DeAngelo Williams well could be one of those rookies. Reggie Bush could be one of them. Lawrence Maroney could be one of them. But no, none of them should be taken ahead of Portis in a redraft, and none of them are.

 

[Buckychudd]

Has anyone around here actually seen a practice or scrimmage or anything? Was hoping that some actual info might make its way into this post.

I have, and I'll keep echoing what everyone else has been saying.Foster is the undisputed starter. Williams is running #2, Shelton #3 (if they actually got down to the #3 again this year, Goings might be in again). Williams will not start unless Foster goes down with an injury. Williams is looking to be the kick returner this year (which should be good news to Smith owners). They are working Shelton hard, this is make or break time for him....expect to see a lot of him in the preseason games.