Could Maroney pull a Benson next season? (1 Viewer)

[Alluro]

Laurence Maroney has always struck me as a guy with above average starter talent, but for one reason or another has held back. At 25 yrs old, and as a FA at the end of the season, I could see him going to another situation like a Green Bay or Washington and thriving. I will be the first to admit I chuckled when the Bengals acquired Benson and thought he was a complete bust. Then...he did what I didn't think he could do and became an impact starter. Does anyone else see this possiblity with Moreney or am I being too optimistic.

I seem to remember Mike Shanahan calling him the "steal of the draft" at the time and a lot "experts" from this very website were extremely high on him. He has even flashed the talent for stretches during his career but ...

No one looks good behind the denver O-Line this year..no one

Anyone keeping the torch lit with this guy? Or is better to cut bait and snag a guy like Anthony Dixon or Jonathan Dwyer and hope for the best?

 

[nola]

Its possible. Benson did it. Thomas Jones did it. Maroney has had some productive streaks...

but I'd probably invest in Michael Bush, a free agent after this season, or T. Choice, who should see carries 50/50 with Felix Jones next year- I assume Barber and his salary will be gone. I think you are more likely to get lucky with a guy who hasn't gotten a shot yet than with a guy who has failed several times.

 

[njherdfan]

I had always thought that Benson was an awful RB during his time in Chicago, and I'm trying to keep that in mind with Maroney. If I can get Maroney for cheap towards the end of the year, I definitely will try to on the hope that he finds a good situation next season and something clicks in his head.

 

[basher]

Gotta hope he goes to the Darren McFadden school of learning how to not dance and just go.

 

[John 14:6]

I drafted Benson and Maroney with my 1st round picks in back-to-back years in one league. At one point I cut Benson and was able to re-sign him at a reduced rate because no one else wanted him.

I don't think I'd be able to do the same with Maroney. I'm going to re-negotiate his contract at the end of the year and see where he goes. I definitely could see him turning it around on the right team...

 

[Mortimer Ichabod]

Maroney strikes me as a guy with the talent, but not the heart of a guy who really wants to be a football player. He always struck me as a guy during his time in New England as someone just happy to be there. You never heard stories of him going the extra mile or putting the extra time in to be truly elite.

 

[Adebisi]

Maroney strikes me as a guy with the talent, but not the heart of a guy who really wants to be a football player.

 

[Alex P Keaton]

Benson looked good at times in Chicago -- when the O-line gave him even a minimum of space to get started. I'm not a Bears fan, not in the least (grew up in Green Bay), but was forced to watch that team during Benson's first couple years because I live in Chicago. It was obvious to EVERYONE watching (which means obvious to opposing coaches too) that when Benson was in the game, that pathetic OC was runninng the ball. Benson faced 8 in the box constantly.....probably because of a combination of things, e.g., couldn't catch, couldn't block, etc. But it was never due to lack of talent.

Maroney hasn't exactly been faced with the same burdens. He's been given repeated chances to prove himself, and you could easily argue that he is a worse player today than he was as a rookie. Did anybody watch the Denver-Indy game this year? Maroney had a goalline carry (4th down, if memory serves) where he got absolutely stuffed by Gary Brackett. It was a play that probably 80-90% of starting RBs would have gutted it out and found a way to get in the endzone. But not Maroney.

He lacks vision, dances too much, plays soft, doesn't block very well, doesn't catch very well, appears to have lost some of his burst.

Can somebody tell me what specific observations make you optimistic about Maroney's chances for a rebound?

 

[Ariakis]

Well, he is only 25 and has a career 4.1 YPC. He's never had a legit shot starting many games and has been reasonably productive when he has seen the field until this season when noone's run well for Denver. He is absolutely worth rostering to see where he goes but not someone worth a 1st round pick anymore but even a late 1st is a flier and this guy is worth atleast that.

2010 Denver Broncos 3 3 29 56 1.9 13 0 4 50 12.5 28 0 1 0

2010 New England Patriots 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

2009 New England Patriots 15 5 194 757 3.9 45T 9 14 99 7.1 17 0 4 4

2008 New England Patriots 3 3 28 93 3.3 17 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- --

2007 New England Patriots 13 6 185 835 4.5 59T 6 4 116 29.0 43 0 -- --

2006 New England Patriots 14 0 175 745 4.3 41 6 22 194 8.8 31 1 1 1

TOTAL 611 2,486 4.1 59 21 44 459 10.4 43 1 6 5

 

[rzrback77]

Very liitle chance of him doing a Benson like turnaround in my opinion as I have bought him in most all of my dynasty leagues. I agree that his heart does not seem to be in it and even with talent, there are a lot of guys with quite a bit less and their work ethic and desire improve them considerably ahead of a talented guy without heart.

Alas, most of my RB stables are such that I continue to hold and hope, but that hope's candle is down to its last flcker.

 

[Cassius]

Well, he is only 25 and has a career 4.1 YPC. He's never had a legit shot starting many games and has been reasonably productive when he has seen the field until this season when noone's run well for Denver. He is absolutely worth rostering to see where he goes but not someone worth a 1st round pick anymore but even a late 1st is a flier and this guy is worth atleast that.

He was handed the starting job on a silver platter when Dillon left NE. He did not have the talent or consistency to keep it.

This guy stinks.

 

[dmac37]

Remember Benson looked very good as soon as he started for the Bengals back in 2008, he did not come out of nowhere last year. For Maroney it's now or never IMO.

 

[Mortimer Ichabod]

Remember Benson looked very good as soon as he started for the Bengals back in 2008, he did not come out of nowhere last year. For Maroney it's now or never IMO.

I don't think anyone would look good behind the Denver O-Line at the moment.

 

[bucsbaby]

I was watching Maroney last week or the week before and was really surprised at how scrawny his legs look compared to other RBs. It seems like he may have some speed, but very little power. I don't think he will turn around.