No Love for Ronnie Brown? (1 Viewer)

[Sultans]

Hey Football guys, why the lack of love for Ronnie Brown this year. They have a great coordinator and the best QB since Marino who is comfy throwing to RB's see Priest Holmes, LJ.

 

[wannabee]

Welcom to FBG. I think many question the Dolphin offensive line as a key factor. In addition, the I want to see how Trent Green performs at his age before thinking that the Dolphin offense will be balanced enough that Brown will excel.

Here is a valuable thread on Brown which captures many of the board members' thoughts: http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index...rown++spotlight

 

[Sultans]

Welcom to FBG. I think many question the Dolphin offensive line as a key factor. In addition, the I want to see how Trent Green performs at his age before thinking that the Dolphin offense will be balanced enough that Brown will excel.

Here is a valuable thread on Brown which captures many of the board members' thoughts: http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index...rown++spotlight

Thanks for the link. It just seems that a main lesson I have learned is a system can be powerful in determining performance. Lamont Jordan and Gore under Norv Turner. Joe Addai would be a bag of crap on almost any other team, I could rush for 850 yards in that offense. I feel Ronnie is ultra talented and Cam will make him a focal point, making him a choice as a late first rounder. Yahoo Funston is a believer as well. I guess we will see.

 

[Ed Wood]

I feel Ronnie is ultra talented...Yahoo Funston is a believer as well.

All the more reason to avoid him.

 

[Sultans]

I feel Ronnie is ultra talented...Yahoo Funston is a believer as well.

All the more reason to avoid him.

Very funny!!Brown was rated as having the best hands in his draft class, not just at RB, of all players. No one thinks we can catch 60 balls this season. Give me hope, I had Tiki Retire in my keeper league and Ronnie is my only hope to keep my team strong.

 

[BigRed]

Give me hope, I had Tiki Retire in my keeper league and Ronnie is my only hope to keep my team strong.

You may be in real trouble.Along w/the Fins' various team problems talent/depth/etc wise, I question if Brown can stay healthy. Actually when he Caddy and Benson came out, I questioned if any were elite talent and they haven't exactly eliminated those doubts. Brown has the best shot of the 3 tho.

 

[Sultans]

So Big Red you are telling me that you knew more then all the NFL draft experts that had that class of RB's graded out much higher than last years. You are a pure genius????

Get real. If Brown, Caddy played in New Orleans, Jacksonville and especially Indy or New England, do you really don't think they would be excelling. MIami and TB have putrid lines and putrid QB's, but you questioning whether they were going to be good. lol

 

[lions327]

So Big Red you are telling me that you knew more then all the NFL draft experts that had that class of RB's graded out much higher than last years. You are a pure genius????

Get real. If Brown, Caddy played in New Orleans, Jacksonville and especially Indy or New England, do you really don't think they would be excelling. Miami and TB have putrid lines and putrid QB's, but you questioning whether they were going to be good. lol

The bolded comment speaks for itself as to why people are questionable about Brown. Long term, I like him. This year, there are numerous questions, including the above mentioned offensive line issues and Green coming off a serious concussion and getting older. Besides that, you have a new offense, below average WR's and TE, and Browns own durability concerns. I really don't care how he was graded last year, it has no bearing on the current situation. This year there are too many red flags to ignore. The fact is, he plays for a team with a bad offense. Sure he may be ranked higher if he played for a better offense, but the fact is, he doesn't.

 

[jabarony]

So Big Red you are telling me that you knew more then all the NFL draft experts that had that class of RB's graded out much higher than last years. You are a pure genius????Get real. If Brown, Caddy played in New Orleans, Jacksonville and especially Indy or New England, do you really don't think they would be excelling. MIami and TB have putrid lines and putrid QB's, but you questioning whether they were going to be good. lol

He's just saying he thought it was a weak RB class (which so far he's right). Maybe he watched some Auburn football and realized they pulled a fast one on the NFL by padding their 2 rbs stats against inferior SEC defenses, who knows. And yes, he may be smarter than some NFL scouts. Right off the bat I can name 1 NFC North GM who is dumber than the majority of people on this board.And I respectfully disagree that Brown has any kind of Stud future. This is the same guy who was losing carries to Ricky Williams. If he (Brown) was really that good they wouldn't have even wasted any more resources on that hippie. I can't fault you for searching for the "love" of R. Brown though. People tend to get myopic about their own picks hanging onto inferior talent long after the jury is out. All the while longing for validation of said pick/player. Hell, I'm still waiting on Troy Davis to pan-out.Just my $0.02.

 

[Sabertooth]

I like Ronnie more than Caddy again this season. I think Ronnie is such a physical specimen that people underestimate him as a running back, if that makes sense. He's almost built so perfectly that people think he doesn't have any instincts or something. they are wrong.

 

[fruity pebbles]

I don;t like his lateral quickness and ability to create on his own. Strikes me as someone who needs a good line in front of him.

 

[The Man with the Plan]

Ronnie Brown was basically a top 10 back last year and that was with one of the worst offenses in the league. Offensively the Miami Dolphins have nowhere to go but up in my opinion. I think that the additions of Cam Cameron as the head coach and Trent Green as the starting quarterback certainly help in that regard.

I don't question his talent at all. The game he had against the Chicago Bears (190 total yards) last season showed me just how good of a player that Ronnie Brown can be. As for the durability concerns, he missed three games because of a broken hand. That's more of a fluke injury so I wouldn't classify him as any kind of injury risk really.

Last year he was generally an unproven player who got too much hype and was subsequently drafted higher than perhaps he should have been. Make no mistake however he played well under less than favorable conditions.This year it seems like you can get him with a late first round pick and that works for me. Anytime in the second round would be awesome in my opinion.

 

[DenverBroncos]

He's a must buy in dynasty leagues, people are crazy taking Addai, MJD, Maroney, McGahee over Brown. He has SJax like talent, if Miami's QB can get the done, Brown finishes top 8.

 

[phthalatemagic]

Offensively the Miami Dolphins have nowhere to go but up in my opinion.

A team can always get worse.

I think that the additions of Cam Cameron as the head coach and Trent Green as the starting quarterback certainly help in that regard.

Maybe, but a the team is still installing a new offense. There will be growing pains. You can't assume that the O will be better just becuase the guy was successful in San Diego, after all he had some pretty good ingredients there.

As for the durability concerns, he missed three games because of a broken hand. That's more of a fluke injury so I wouldn't classify him as any kind of injury risk really.

It could be a fluke, or it could be the tip of the iceberg. All we do know right now is that he missed some games last year. You can't just discard that.

 

[Mr. Pink]

Isn't Hudson Houck still the O-line coach there? Hopefully he can work with this unit, or else his reputation goes out the window.

 

[thecardiackid]

So Big Red you are telling me that you knew more then all the NFL draft experts that had that class of RB's graded out much higher than last years. You are a pure genius????

Get real. If Brown, Caddy played in New Orleans, Jacksonville and especially Indy or New England, do you really don't think they would be excelling. MIami and TB have putrid lines and putrid QB's, but you questioning whether they were going to be good. lol

I realize you're new here, and welcome btw, but here's some friendly advise:You'll create more relevant discussion and improve the overall thread by chosing to reply with FF related comments vs. attempting to call out someone who took the time to add their opinion to your post - with your creative version of And especially pointed @ someone whose member # here is 4+ yrs. and 27k plus higher than yours.

Differing opinions are fine - they keep things interesting here. I'm sure you'll come to appreciate that.

Re: Brown. He's a decent buy mid/low candidate for dynasty right now - just b/c Cameron should/might help his cause in the next few years. But I'd be concerned in a re-draft (having RB as my RB1) for this year due to the system change and overall weakness of the O in MIA. He's a solid option as a RB2 in any format with a decent upside and limited competition for touhes, though w/ serious questions about the talent surrounding him.

 

[The Man with the Plan]

Here's the thing though. Even while playing on a horrible offensive team Ronnie Brown has still proven himself to be a good running back.The Dolphins were ranked 29th last year. You can't go much lower than that. Unless the Dolphins offense falls to an Oakland Raiders level of ineptitude I think Brown at least maintains his current level of production which was pretty good.

Cam Cameron should help the offense but I think Trent Green will be the bigger addition this season. While Green has clearly seen better days I believe him to be better than Joey Harrington and an injured Daunte Culpepper were last season. And this can only benefit Ronnie Brown as well as the Miami Dolphins offense as a whole.

Don't get me wrong. I have no illusions of the Miami Dolphins becoming Chargers East or Ronnie Brown becoming the next L.T. However if this team can make a minor improvement offensively and goes up to 25th or 20th I think you'll see

Ronnie Brown have an exceptional season.

 

[gregjcross]

Here's the thing though. Even while playing on a horrible offensive team Ronnie Brown has still proven himself to be a good running back.The Dolphins were ranked 29th last year. You can't go much lower than that. Unless the Dolphins offense falls to an Oakland Raiders level of ineptitude I think Brown at least maintains his current level of production which was pretty good.

Cam Cameron should help the offense but I think Trent Green will be the bigger addition this season. While Green has clearly seen better days I believe him to be better than Joey Harrington and an injured Daunte Culpepper were last season. And this can only benefit Ronnie Brown as well as the Miami Dolphins offense as a whole.

Don't get me wrong. I have no illusions of the Miami Dolphins becoming Chargers East or Ronnie Brown becoming the next L.T. However if this team can make a minor improvement offensively and goes up to 25th or 20th I think you'll see

Ronnie Brown have an exceptional season.

Brown is very good but not great until he has some real holes to run through and ups his TD totals. EDITED TO SAY: My "very good" distinction for Brown would mean how he compares to the first year players on that list, each who had excellent/great production over their first two years, namely bettis, dunn, gore and marcus allen

Ive had him since day one and his TDs are not what they should be. If you compare him to other first round backs for production during the first two years, this is how it shakes out....

Player Games Rush yds Carries YPC TDs Rec'pts Rec yds APC Rec TD Total Yds Tot. TDs

Bettis 32 2,454 613 4 10 57 537 9 1 2,991 11

F.Gore 30 2,303 439 5 11 76 616 8 1 2,919 12

W.Dunn 32 2,004 469 4 6 83 806 10 3 2,810 9

Ma.Allen 24 1,711 426 4 16 106 991 9 5 2,702 21

**R.Brown 28 1,915 448 4 9 65 508 8 1 2,423 10

Cadillac 28 1,976 515 4 7 50 277 6 0 2,253 7

K.Byars 26 1,003 293 3 4 32 221 7 1 1,224 5

Cbenson 24 919 224 4 6 9 57 6 0 976 6

Ave First 2 years 14 893 214 4 9 30 251 8 2 1,144 5

 

[The Man with the Plan]

I think that touchdown production is more of a byproduct of good offense than talent. Good offenses score, bad offenses don't. Assuming the Dolphins offense gets better(which shouldn't be hard considering where they were last season) they'll score more touchdowns more than a couple of them run in by Ronnie Brown.

I don't see him scoring a ton of touchdowns, maybe 9-10 tops. The bulk of his scoring will still come from his good yardage totals. He averaged about 100 yards per game last season. If he maintains that production plus scores 7+ touchdowns I think he'll be a top 10 running back.

 

[Sultans]

So Big Red you are telling me that you knew more then all the NFL draft experts that had that class of RB's graded out much higher than last years. You are a pure genius????

Get real. If Brown, Caddy played in New Orleans, Jacksonville and especially Indy or New England, do you really don't think they would be excelling. MIami and TB have putrid lines and putrid QB's, but you questioning whether they were going to be good. lol

I realize you're new here, and welcome btw, but here's some friendly advise:You'll create more relevant discussion and improve the overall thread by chosing to reply with FF related comments vs. attempting to call out someone who took the time to add their opinion to your post - with your creative version of And especially pointed @ someone whose member # here is 4+ yrs. and 27k plus higher than yours.

Differing opinions are fine - they keep things interesting here. I'm sure you'll come to appreciate that.

Re: Brown. He's a decent buy mid/low candidate for dynasty right now - just b/c Cameron should/might help his cause in the next few years. But I'd be concerned in a re-draft (having RB as my RB1) for this year due to the system change and overall weakness of the O in MIA. He's a solid option as a RB2 in any format with a decent upside and limited competition for touhes, though w/ serious questions about the talent surrounding him.

Thanks for the advice Cardiac.

 

[Penguin]

I feel Ronnie is ultra talented...Yahoo Funston is a believer as well.

All the more reason to avoid him.

Very funny!!Brown was rated as having the best hands in his draft class, not just at RB, of all players. No one thinks we can catch 60 balls this season. Give me hope, I had Tiki Retire in my keeper league and Ronnie is my only hope to keep my team strong.

I think there's almost zero chance that he ends up with 60 receptions this year. I din't have him close to 60 prior to the draft, factor in Booker and I think he'll likely catch around 30.ETA: That's Lorenzo, not Marty

 

[The Man with the Plan]

I doubt that Ronnie Brown will have 60 receptions but is 40-45 really out of the question? In what can be considered limited time the last two seasons he's averaged 33 receptions. If he plays a full season I expect him to catch over 40 passes.

 

[TitusIII]

He surrounding cast is putrid. I think Ronnie Brown is a top ten talent, but it matters not at this point.

 

[Routilla]

Hey Football guys, why the lack of love for Ronnie Brown this year. They have a great coordinator and the best QB since Marino who is comfy throwing to RB's see Priest Holmes, LJ.

What can we expect from the MIA OL? That is my biggest question.

 

[benbadman]

As a Brown owner in '06 that elected to not use a keeper spot on him, going forward into '07 it will be interesting to see:

-how the offense performs w/ Trent Green

-if Green stays healthy

-how well Brown operates with a FULLBACK playing full-time this year (they brought in Cory Schlesingler from the Lions iirc)

Brown is a feature back talent and probably will get 80% of the carries in Miami. I doubt the Dolphins will be a team that averages enough TDs to get Brown into double digits.

Also, in FF I'd rather take an elite WR over Brown, who is an RB2 with valid questions at this point. He can be top10 but he can also be RB20+ like he was last year in 13 games.

 

[Sabertooth]

Brown is an enigma. Obviously you put him in New England and he's a top 5 performer. Buy Miami just ain't New England. The offensive line in Miami is a real question mark.

You have:

Projected Starters: LT Anthony Alabi, LG Rex Hadnot, C Samson Satele [R], RG L.J. Shelton, RT Vernon Carey

Backups: Joe Toledo, Chris Liwienski, Mike Rosenthal

Vernon Carey seems legit. He's not lighting the league on fire, but he's probably the best lineman down there. L.J Shelton is a journeyman. Samson Satele was selected in the 2nd round, which makes him probably a starter in the middle. This group is going to hinge on Hadnot (decent), and Alabi (who???).

So while this group is not known, remember that they have Hudson Houck down there and coaching is key to the line. San Diego supposedly had a horrible line before last season as well. So quick turnarounds do happen. Instead of horrible, I'd say this line is serviceable.

Which leads us back to Ronnie. Booker might steal some carries but let's not forget how elite of a talen Ronnie is. He's top shelf, as I mentioned earlier, he's probably better than 20 starters out there. I don't think his situation is going to hold him back too much.

 

[Yitbos69]

As a Brown owner in '06 that elected to not use a keeper spot on him, going forward into '07 it will be interesting to see:-how the offense performs w/ Trent Green-if Green stays healthy-how well Brown operates with a FULLBACK playing full-time this year (they brought in Cory Schlesingler from the Lions iirc)Brown is a feature back talent and probably will get 80% of the carries in Miami. I doubt the Dolphins will be a team that averages enough TDs to get Brown into double digits.Also, in FF I'd rather take an elite WR over Brown, who is an RB2 with valid questions at this point. He can be top10 but he can also be RB20+ like he was last year in 13 games.

How many players do you Keep? Who were the players you kept?

 

[JimboJim]

Hey Football guys, why the lack of love for Ronnie Brown this year. They have a great coordinator and the best QB since Marino who is comfy throwing to RB's see Priest Holmes, LJ.

Brown currently has an ADP of RB14. That's a top-tier second RB.What are you looking for here? If you're a believer in Brown and think he'll outperform some, if not all, of the RBs currently slotted ahead of him, take him in the first... wouldn't be a total reach.I'd have no issues taking him as my #2 RB.However, with the current state of the Dolphin's O-line (& offense), the fact he missed time last season due to injury, and that his highest final season ranking the last two years was RB23, I'd have a hard time passing up most of the slotted first round RBs for him.

 

[moleculo]

Here's the thing though. Even while playing on a horrible offensive team Ronnie Brown has still proven himself to be a good running back.The Dolphins were ranked 29th last year. You can't go much lower than that. Unless the Dolphins offense falls to an Oakland Raiders level of ineptitude I think Brown at least maintains his current level of production which was pretty good.

Cam Cameron should help the offense but I think Trent Green will be the bigger addition this season. While Green has clearly seen better days I believe him to be better than Joey Harrington and an injured Daunte Culpepper were last season. And this can only benefit Ronnie Brown as well as the Miami Dolphins offense as a whole.

Don't get me wrong. I have no illusions of the Miami Dolphins becoming Chargers East or Ronnie Brown becoming the next L.T. However if this team can make a minor improvement offensively and goes up to 25th or 20th I think you'll see

Ronnie Brown have an exceptional season.

Brown is very good but not great until he has some real holes to run through and ups his TD totals. EDITED TO SAY: My "very good" distinction for Brown would mean how he compares to the first year players on that list, each who had excellent/great production over their first two years, namely bettis, dunn, gore and marcus allen

Ive had him since day one and his TDs are not what they should be. If you compare him to other first round backs for production during the first two years, this is how it shakes out....

Player Games Rush yds Carries YPC TDs Rec'pts Rec yds APC Rec TD Total Yds Tot. TDs

Bettis 32 2,454 613 4 10 57 537 9 1 2,991 11

F.Gore 30 2,303 439 5 11 76 616 8 1 2,919 12

W.Dunn 32 2,004 469 4 6 83 806 10 3 2,810 9

Ma.Allen 24 1,711 426 4 16 106 991 9 5 2,702 21

**R.Brown 28 1,915 448 4 9 65 508 8 1 2,423 10

Cadillac 28 1,976 515 4 7 50 277 6 0 2,253 7

K.Byars 26 1,003 293 3 4 32 221 7 1 1,224 5

Cbenson 24 919 224 4 6 9 57 6 0 976 6

Ave First 2 years 14 893 214 4 9 30 251 8 2 1,144 5

RBrown hasn't scored the TD's we'd like, but I think that has alot to do with the play-calling. Rudnicki mentioned in pre-season last year that Mularkey would drive dolphin fans (and expecially RBrown fans) crazy with his goal line play-calling - and this was the absolute truth. I watched alot of dolphin games last year and I can't count how many times Mularkey got cute inside the 10 - he would line RBrown up @ FB and WR, Brown threw at least 1 incomplete pass from the one, lots of mis-direction/play action, etc. It was as if Mularkey felt that he had to do something special to close the deal and get the last few yards with a trick play, instead of simply pounding the ball in.RBrowns TD #'s have got to improve with anyone but Mularkey calling plays. Having the OC of the single-season TD record holder now calling plays should indicate a dramatic up-tick.

* Note - I am not comparing RBrown to LT here - all I want to point out is that the play-calling went from one of the worst to one of the best, in terms of TD production from the RB slot.

 

[benbadman]

How many players do you Keep? Who were the players you kept?

Keep 2 - 1 is a 'franchise' player, any player on your team at the end of the season, 2nd keeper is 'restricted' - a guy you drafted in rounds 7+ still on your team (or if you didnt keep anyone u drafted late anyone taken in the last 3 rounds)Kept Edge over Ronnie. Kinda a tossup, I think Edge has potential to be a true RB1, or a tweener RB1.5. Edge will get 350+ touches. Add Levi Brown + the Steelers coaches, overall I think Arizona offense is top15.

Miami's offense is bottom 10 in the league. Ronnie I see as a RB2, great yardage but poor TD totals. Ronnie will prob get 275 touches-325 max, imo.

2nd keeper is Reggie Brown... was going to be Chester Taylor until the Vikes drafted AD.

 

[ShadowMaster]

I think Brown can be a real good back, but his team will need to rebuild some before he will find the big holes and have the TD opps to produce the big numbers.

I see a long year for the fish with a very hostile crowd drilling the new staff...... :( :X

 

[evilempire]

Brown finished pretty strong, picking up three 100+ games in the final six, and there are some factors in his favor this year -- Cameron has been very good featuring RBs during his time as OC; Despite what folks say about Green, he's a big upgrade over what they had last year, and if he's healthy he has a chance to be a top 20 fantasy QB this year; the defense will be very good, allowing the offense to have a lot of possessions and thereby utilizing Brown quite a bit more; and last but not least, Brown has the talent to be a top 10 guy. He'll need some improvement from the guys up front, but a better QB -- one who knows Cameron's offense inside and out -- will help. I'm projecting 1200+ yards and 6-7 TDs against what amounts to a pretty easy sked against the run.

 

[mdog1967]

So Big Red you are telling me that you knew more then all the NFL draft experts that had that class of RB's graded out much higher than last years. You are a pure genius????Get real. If Brown, Caddy played in New Orleans, Jacksonville and especially Indy or New England, do you really don't think they would be excelling. MIami and TB have putrid lines and putrid QB's, but you questioning whether they were going to be good. lol

Actually, you give the so-called experts far too much credit. The fact is if you will watch the players in college or even when they get to the pro level, you will find that your eyes are just as good as any experts. Once you know what to watch for you will find that the experts are herd creatures. The most popular scouts set the tempo and all but a few will fallow the lemmings over the cliff. The experts do get it right many times; they get it wrong damn near as often. The same skill sets for grading out players are the same skills possessed by some of the country's top sports betting crews. You can spot talent and understand when you are watching greatness. The SO CALLED experts must pick someone every year, their jobs are on the line. I thought the class of RB that Brown, Benson and Caddy squirted from was overrated and under talented. I will go out on a limb and say that I think A. Peterson is the next Eddie George. I think Lynch will wind up the Next Priest, LT type back and Calvin Johnson will be a good but not great WR. I envision Johnson as a Hines Ward on Steroids. I think Brown will have a year or two of above average production. Caddy is a year away from bust status and Benson will lose the starting gig in Bear Country before the end of the Year. The dumb ### that said Joe Addai would be noting in any other offense is a meathead and knows absolutely nothing. I own Brown in one league and would be happy to trade Brown for Addai in 2 seconds, the owner of Addai is too smart to part with him for an average back.

 

[mdog1967]

Brown finished pretty strong, picking up three 100+ games in the final six, and there are some factors in his favor this year -- Cameron has been very good featuring RBs during his time as OC; Despite what folks say about Green, he's a big upgrade over what they had last year, and if he's healthy he has a chance to be a top 20 fantasy QB this year; the defense will be very good, allowing the offense to have a lot of possessions and thereby utilizing Brown quite a bit more; and last but not least, Brown has the talent to be a top 10 guy. He'll need some improvement from the guys up front, but a better QB -- one who knows Cameron's offense inside and out -- will help. I'm projecting 1200+ yards and 6-7 TDs against what amounts to a pretty easy sked against the run.

The problem is there are 32 other RB's in the NFL with the talent to be a top 10 RB, Brown is not more talented than 15 of those.

 

[mdog1967]

So Big Red you are telling me that you knew more then all the NFL draft experts that had that class of RB's graded out much higher than last years. You are a pure genius????Get real. If Brown, Caddy played in New Orleans, Jacksonville and especially Indy or New England, do you really don't think they would be excelling. MIami and TB have putrid lines and putrid QB's, but you questioning whether they were going to be good. lol

He's just saying he thought it was a weak RB class (which so far he's right). Maybe he watched some Auburn football and realized they pulled a fast one on the NFL by padding their 2 rbs stats against inferior SEC defenses, who knows. And yes, he may be smarter than some NFL scouts. Right off the bat I can name 1 NFC North GM who is dumber than the majority of people on this board.And I respectfully disagree that Brown has any kind of Stud future. This is the same guy who was losing carries to Ricky Williams. If he (Brown) was really that good they wouldn't have even wasted any more resources on that hippie. I can't fault you for searching for the "love" of R. Brown though. People tend to get myopic about their own picks hanging onto inferior talent long after the jury is out. All the while longing for validation of said pick/player. Hell, I'm still waiting on Troy Davis to pan-out.Just my $0.02.

I agree with you 100%, but using the word myopic was uncalled for.

 

[Yitbos69]

Ronnie Brown missed 3 games last year. Had he not missed those games he would have been a top 10 RB using FBG scoring at 194.6. The Fish will be a better team this year with Better QB play all phases of the offence should get an upgrade. I think Brown is a lock for the Top 10 with top 5 upside(he need to get into the end zone more for that to happen)! Brown is a steal with an ADP of 19. And I am not being myopic!

 

[DenverBroncos]

Ronnie Brown will finish as RB8 this year.

 

[Yitbos69]

Ronnie Brown will finish as RB8 this year.

OK how many carries, yards, TD's, catches will he have?

 

[lions327]

Brown finished pretty strong, picking up three 100+ games in the final six, and there are some factors in his favor this year -- Cameron has been very good featuring RBs during his time as OC

This is somewhat irrelevant since his RB was LT. I'm sure any respectable offensive coordinator would have done great with LT as his RB. I'm not taking anything away from Cameron, but come on.

 

[lions327]

Ronnie Brown missed 3 games last year. Had he not missed those games he would have been a top 10 RB using FBG scoring at 194.6. The Fish will be a better team this year with Better QB play all phases of the offence should get an upgrade. I think Brown is a lock for the Top 10 with top 5 upside(he need to get into the end zone more for that to happen)! Brown is a steal with an ADP of 19. And I am not being myopic!

Brown has the talent, and the play calling should be better, but his health is definitely a concern. Aside from that, Miami has not made any notable changes to the porous offensive line, they downgraded at TE from McMichael to Martin, the WR's are nothing to write home about, and most important, Green is getting up in years and is coming off a serious concussion. Green is a big risk in my opinion. Add to this the entire team has to learn a new offense. I see many red flags. While I believe Brown has top 10 talent, his situation tells me that he should be ranked about 15 or so.

 

[DenverBroncos]

Ronnie Brown will finish as RB8 this year.

OK how many carries, yards, TD's, catches will he have?

1200 yards rushing, 300 yards receiving, 10-13 TD's.

 

[moleculo]

link

Dolphins' Brown ready to bring more power to running game

Listen to this article or download audio file.Click-2-Listen

By JASON LIESER

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Sunday, August 05, 2007

DAVIE — This could be the Year of Ronnie Brown.

Brown said he enters every season with that mindset. But this season, with Cam Cameron's innovation, there's more reason to believe.

"The emphasis on running the ball is a little bit stronger in this offense than what we had last year," Brown said. "I'm excited because I've got a lot more to offer."

Quarterback Trent Green, who has spent most of his 14-year career in an offense similar to Cameron's, gave Brown a history lesson about the diverse group of backs who have flourished in this system.

"You're talking about Hall of Famers through the roof," Green said. "There's a track record of success in this offense, whether you're a receiving running back or a power running back."

Green cited versatile backs such as LaDainian Tomlinson and Marshall Faulk as well as others who have flourished in the same type of running game but with different styles: Priest Holmes, Larry Johnson, Emmitt Smith, Eric Dickerson and John Riggins.

"You can do so many things with it," Green said of the system, although he didn't offer more than a broad outline of it. "There's multiple shifts, formations, movements, protections - it's a high-volume offense."

In training camp, there is widespread optimism about Brown's role, but specifics are scarce and Cameron remains tight-lipped about his plans, saying he still is evaluating his pieces.

40-50 Power

Neither Cameron nor Green is about to open the playbook and divulge any secrets.

But Drew Brees will.

Tomlinson and Brees joined the Chargers together when they were drafted fifth and 32nd, respectively, in 2001. Cameron was named San Diego's offensive coordinator the following year.

Just two years removed from playing for Cameron - and 900 miles away at New Orleans Saints camp in Jackson, Miss. - Brees has some answers.

"Obviously LaDainian's a special guy, but Cam designed some great schemes," he said. "He was so creative with changing the formation of running plays in San Diego to create the best possible leverage. Cam will take a big, physical back like Ronnie Brown and get him into situations where he only has to make one guy miss.

"In San Diego, defenses knew what play he was going to run. Everybody knew when they were going to use 40-50 Power, but they couldn't stop it. The wide receivers and the offensive line knew how to block everything the defense could throw at them."

Brees explained that 40-50 Power - which Brown said is termed 20-30 Power in the Dolphins' playbook - is Cameron's favorite call. It's a gap-scheme, off-tackle run in which the back-side guard pulls and the runner has as many as three holes. Precise blocking from the tight ends and receivers is critical.

When the play was mentioned this week, Cameron froze ever-so-slightly, mimicking the countless linebackers who have failed to stop 40-50 Power.

Then he laughed.

"I think the most times we've called it in a row is 18," he said, beaming. "The tailback has a three-way cut: he can cut the back door, he can go straight ahead or he can bounce it. The really good backs have the vision to attack the entire formation with that play. That's why we like it."

Brown loves running the play in practice, even when Miami's defense knows the call.

"It's a power play, downhill," Brown said, rubbing his hands together. "They can know the play, but if everyone handles their job and executes it, then you've got an opportunity. That's one of those plays where you can hit them in a few different places depending on how everything works out."

The catch

If Brown avoids injuries - like the broken hand that cost him three games last season - he has a very good chance to top last year's total of 1,008 rushing yards.

At 6 feet and 232 pounds, Brown was the third-heaviest starting running back in the league last season. He may have come to camp heavier, but already is back to 232. He has shown his durability by taking a multitude of reps in the scorching heat.

But one of the key elements of Cameron's success in San Diego was using Tomlinson in the passing game, an area in which Brown has had little impact thus far. He caught just 25 passes as a senior at Auburn, and has averaged 2.3 receptions per game in two NFL seasons.

"I've been surprised these first few days how good of a receiver he is," Green said. "What Ronnie's comfort zone is going to be and how Cam chooses to utilize him remains to be seen, but his receiving skills have impressed me the most."

By improving as a receiver, Brown would give defenses more to worry about and might help create more running room. Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young, an analyst for ESPN, said versatility was central to Tomlinson's ground production.

"You knew LaDainian Tomlinson was in the backfield, but didn't know what he'd do," Young said. "Play-faking to LaDainian, handing it to LaDainian and sending him out to catch passes all demanded respect. Cam used them intertwined to give LaDainian more running room, and Ronnie Brown's going to find that out quickly."

His hand injury, inconsistency on the offensive line (which could be an issue again this season) and poor quarterback play limited Brown's receptions last year. Of the 22 running backs who ran for more than 1,000 yards last season, only nine had fewer catches than Brown's 33.

"There's a lot more emphasis on getting the running back involved in the passing game than there was last year," he said.

The breakthrough?

Since he was drafted No. 2 overall in 2005, Brown has been neither stud nor dud.

"I've got a lot more to prove on this level," Brown admitted. "That's one of the things that keeps you motivated. I still have a long way to go and a lot to learn."

Given Cameron's history - San Diego averaged 504 rushes per season over the last three years, fifth in the NFL - this should be Brown's best chance to showcase his ability.

"You want to find out how good you can be? You're about to," Young said. "Great systems bring out great qualities in good players. I think everyone believes Ronnie Brown is a dynamic back and this is the system to bring that out of him.

Cameron said there is "no magic" to his system.

"It takes a lot of effort on their part: running, staying in shape, being able to catch the football," he said of his running backs. "However, we've been able to get guys to believe that if they do the things I just talked about, they're going to be successful. After that, you get guys to block for them and let them do their thing."

Common logic

The Dolphins have missed the playoffs each of the past five seasons, but the years they came closest to the post-season were the ones in which they ran the ball most frequently.

Year W-L Atts. Rank Pct. runs Yards

'06 6-10 402 29th 40.5 1,673

'05 9-7 444 17th 44.4 1,898

'04 4-12 384 29th 39.6 1,339

'03 10-6 487 8th 52.0 1,817

'02 9-7 530 1st 53.8 2,502

Other Top Choices

Many people have criticized Ronnie Brown as unworthy of a No. 2 selection, though his draft class was one of the weakest of this decade. Here's a look at how he ranks in the context of the first running backs chosen over the past six drafts.

2001: LaDainian Tomlinson (5th overall) - Arrived in full force,

rushing for 24 touchdowns and nearly 3,000 yards in first two seasons.

2002: William Green (16th) - Oft-injured back missed nine games in '03 and had just 20 carries last year.

2003: Willis McGahee (23rd) - Returned from brutal knee injury to rush for 2,375 yards and 18 touchdowns in first two years.

2004: Steven Jackson (24th) - Averaged 5 yards per carry as a rookie and made the Pro Bowl with 2,334 total yards in '06.

2005: Ronnie Brown (2nd) - Shared backfield with Ricky Williams and ran for 907 yards as a rookie; topped 1,000 yards last year despite missing three games.

2006: Reggie Bush (2nd) - Hybrid back totaled 1,307 multi-purpose yards and helped the Saints go from 3-13 to the NFC Championship game.

 

[PatytonsGhost]

link

Dolphins' Brown ready to bring more power to running game

Listen to this article or download audio file.Click-2-Listen

By JASON LIESER

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Sunday, August 05, 2007

DAVIE — This could be the Year of Ronnie Brown.

Brown said he enters every season with that mindset. But this season, with Cam Cameron's innovation, there's more reason to believe.

"The emphasis on running the ball is a little bit stronger in this offense than what we had last year," Brown said. "I'm excited because I've got a lot more to offer."

Quarterback Trent Green, who has spent most of his 14-year career in an offense similar to Cameron's, gave Brown a history lesson about the diverse group of backs who have flourished in this system.

"You're talking about Hall of Famers through the roof," Green said. "There's a track record of success in this offense, whether you're a receiving running back or a power running back."

Green cited versatile backs such as LaDainian Tomlinson and Marshall Faulk as well as others who have flourished in the same type of running game but with different styles: Priest Holmes, Larry Johnson, Emmitt Smith, Eric Dickerson and John Riggins.

"You can do so many things with it," Green said of the system, although he didn't offer more than a broad outline of it. "There's multiple shifts, formations, movements, protections - it's a high-volume offense."

In training camp, there is widespread optimism about Brown's role, but specifics are scarce and Cameron remains tight-lipped about his plans, saying he still is evaluating his pieces.

40-50 Power

Neither Cameron nor Green is about to open the playbook and divulge any secrets.

But Drew Brees will.

Tomlinson and Brees joined the Chargers together when they were drafted fifth and 32nd, respectively, in 2001. Cameron was named San Diego's offensive coordinator the following year.

Just two years removed from playing for Cameron - and 900 miles away at New Orleans Saints camp in Jackson, Miss. - Brees has some answers.

"Obviously LaDainian's a special guy, but Cam designed some great schemes," he said. "He was so creative with changing the formation of running plays in San Diego to create the best possible leverage. Cam will take a big, physical back like Ronnie Brown and get him into situations where he only has to make one guy miss.

"In San Diego, defenses knew what play he was going to run. Everybody knew when they were going to use 40-50 Power, but they couldn't stop it. The wide receivers and the offensive line knew how to block everything the defense could throw at them."

Brees explained that 40-50 Power - which Brown said is termed 20-30 Power in the Dolphins' playbook - is Cameron's favorite call. It's a gap-scheme, off-tackle run in which the back-side guard pulls and the runner has as many as three holes. Precise blocking from the tight ends and receivers is critical.

When the play was mentioned this week, Cameron froze ever-so-slightly, mimicking the countless linebackers who have failed to stop 40-50 Power.

Then he laughed.

"I think the most times we've called it in a row is 18," he said, beaming. "The tailback has a three-way cut: he can cut the back door, he can go straight ahead or he can bounce it. The really good backs have the vision to attack the entire formation with that play. That's why we like it."

Brown loves running the play in practice, even when Miami's defense knows the call.

"It's a power play, downhill," Brown said, rubbing his hands together. "They can know the play, but if everyone handles their job and executes it, then you've got an opportunity. That's one of those plays where you can hit them in a few different places depending on how everything works out."

The catch

If Brown avoids injuries - like the broken hand that cost him three games last season - he has a very good chance to top last year's total of 1,008 rushing yards.

At 6 feet and 232 pounds, Brown was the third-heaviest starting running back in the league last season. He may have come to camp heavier, but already is back to 232. He has shown his durability by taking a multitude of reps in the scorching heat.

But one of the key elements of Cameron's success in San Diego was using Tomlinson in the passing game, an area in which Brown has had little impact thus far. He caught just 25 passes as a senior at Auburn, and has averaged 2.3 receptions per game in two NFL seasons.

"I've been surprised these first few days how good of a receiver he is," Green said. "What Ronnie's comfort zone is going to be and how Cam chooses to utilize him remains to be seen, but his receiving skills have impressed me the most."

By improving as a receiver, Brown would give defenses more to worry about and might help create more running room. Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young, an analyst for ESPN, said versatility was central to Tomlinson's ground production.

"You knew LaDainian Tomlinson was in the backfield, but didn't know what he'd do," Young said. "Play-faking to LaDainian, handing it to LaDainian and sending him out to catch passes all demanded respect. Cam used them intertwined to give LaDainian more running room, and Ronnie Brown's going to find that out quickly."

His hand injury, inconsistency on the offensive line (which could be an issue again this season) and poor quarterback play limited Brown's receptions last year. Of the 22 running backs who ran for more than 1,000 yards last season, only nine had fewer catches than Brown's 33.

"There's a lot more emphasis on getting the running back involved in the passing game than there was last year," he said.

The breakthrough?

Since he was drafted No. 2 overall in 2005, Brown has been neither stud nor dud.

"I've got a lot more to prove on this level," Brown admitted. "That's one of the things that keeps you motivated. I still have a long way to go and a lot to learn."

Given Cameron's history - San Diego averaged 504 rushes per season over the last three years, fifth in the NFL - this should be Brown's best chance to showcase his ability.

"You want to find out how good you can be? You're about to," Young said. "Great systems bring out great qualities in good players. I think everyone believes Ronnie Brown is a dynamic back and this is the system to bring that out of him.

Cameron said there is "no magic" to his system.

"It takes a lot of effort on their part: running, staying in shape, being able to catch the football," he said of his running backs. "However, we've been able to get guys to believe that if they do the things I just talked about, they're going to be successful. After that, you get guys to block for them and let them do their thing."

Common logic

The Dolphins have missed the playoffs each of the past five seasons, but the years they came closest to the post-season were the ones in which they ran the ball most frequently.

Year W-L Atts. Rank Pct. runs Yards

'06 6-10 402 29th 40.5 1,673

'05 9-7 444 17th 44.4 1,898

'04 4-12 384 29th 39.6 1,339

'03 10-6 487 8th 52.0 1,817

'02 9-7 530 1st 53.8 2,502

Other Top Choices

Many people have criticized Ronnie Brown as unworthy of a No. 2 selection, though his draft class was one of the weakest of this decade. Here's a look at how he ranks in the context of the first running backs chosen over the past six drafts.

2001: LaDainian Tomlinson (5th overall) - Arrived in full force,

rushing for 24 touchdowns and nearly 3,000 yards in first two seasons.

2002: William Green (16th) - Oft-injured back missed nine games in '03 and had just 20 carries last year.

2003: Willis McGahee (23rd) - Returned from brutal knee injury to rush for 2,375 yards and 18 touchdowns in first two years.

2004: Steven Jackson (24th) - Averaged 5 yards per carry as a rookie and made the Pro Bowl with 2,334 total yards in '06.

2005: Ronnie Brown (2nd) - Shared backfield with Ricky Williams and ran for 907 yards as a rookie; topped 1,000 yards last year despite missing three games.

2006: Reggie Bush (2nd) - Hybrid back totaled 1,307 multi-purpose yards and helped the Saints go from 3-13 to the NFC Championship game.

 

[Josh the FunkDOC]

Yes, the big problem here is that the offensive line looks to be even worse than last season. Damian McIntosh (sp?) was a good left tackle when he moved in for L.J. Shelton, but now he's in Kansas City. There are no real replacements that I can see.

As such, I'm basically staying away from the whole Dolphins offense this year.

-Josh

 

[Jon_Moore]

Bill Bellicheck compared Ronnie to LT.

Ronnie's 2nd season was comparable to Steven Jackson's 2nd season

If you prorate both to 16 games

Ronnie gets 1580 total yards at 4.2 ypc and 8.4 yards per reception

Jackson gets 1457 total yards at 4.1 ypc and 7.4 yards per reception

While not prorating the tds, Jackson had 10 to Ronnie's 5, but as stated before, it's something to be attributed to the offenses.

I like Ronnie for this year. I believe he can give you 1700 total yards and somewhere around 8-10 tds.

 

[Raiders Fan]

Last year in 1 of my keeper leagues I was stuck with Ahman Green and Tiki Barber going into the keeper selection. I made a move an even swap of Anquan Boldin for S.Jax.. Combined with Tiki I won it again. Stuck in another situation with Tiki retiring. I just now moved my 2nd for Brown. That's about my 7th in a redraft since every team keeps 5.. Though each team keeps a TM/PK.. Everything points to this year as the breakout year. A coach and QB that will feed him the ball either via run or air. I am on board with the Green dumps to his RB. I was a HUGE backer of Jordan the 1st year and think Brown has the same chances this year. I could see 50+ catches. If that OL is a bit better we have the making of a top 10 RB.. Nobody is questioning his talent.. Yet where he is going in drafts he isn't much of a bargin.. A 2nd rounder is either your 1st RB or your #2.

 

[Sabertooth]

Last year in 1 of my keeper leagues I was stuck with Ahman Green and Tiki Barber going into the keeper selection. I made a move an even swap of Anquan Boldin for S.Jax.. Combined with Tiki I won it again. Stuck in another situation with Tiki retiring. I just now moved my 2nd for Brown. That's about my 7th in a redraft since every team keeps 5.. Though each team keeps a TM/PK.. Everything points to this year as the breakout year. A coach and QB that will feed him the ball either via run or air. I am on board with the Green dumps to his RB. I was a HUGE backer of Jordan the 1st year and think Brown has the same chances this year. I could see 50+ catches. If that OL is a bit better we have the making of a top 10 RB.. Nobody is questioning his talent.. Yet where he is going in drafts he isn't much of a bargin.. A 2nd rounder is either your 1st RB or your #2.

Ronnie doesn't necessarily have a better coach. I don't understand where that talk comes in. Nick Saban was very highly regarded. That he kind of screwed the Phins doesn't mean he wasn't a good coach. Cameron is simply an unknown. He could be Mike Holmgren (great coordinator who became a great coach) or Norv Turner (great coordinator who is a poor head coach). So to say one of the positives for Ronnie is better coaching is really just a shot in the dark.There are many other reasons to like Ronnie though. Like I mentioned above, he's a prototype back. Big, strong, fast, powerful, good vision, and soft hands. Also Trent Green will help some. It will be his first year in the system though so don't expect him to just dive right in and click in week 1.

 

[Raiders Fan]

Last year in 1 of my keeper leagues I was stuck with Ahman Green and Tiki Barber going into the keeper selection. I made a move an even swap of Anquan Boldin for S.Jax.. Combined with Tiki I won it again. Stuck in another situation with Tiki retiring. I just now moved my 2nd for Brown. That's about my 7th in a redraft since every team keeps 5.. Though each team keeps a TM/PK.. Everything points to this year as the breakout year. A coach and QB that will feed him the ball either via run or air. I am on board with the Green dumps to his RB. I was a HUGE backer of Jordan the 1st year and think Brown has the same chances this year. I could see 50+ catches. If that OL is a bit better we have the making of a top 10 RB.. Nobody is questioning his talent.. Yet where he is going in drafts he isn't much of a bargin.. A 2nd rounder is either your 1st RB or your #2.

Ronnie doesn't necessarily have a better coach. I don't understand where that talk comes in. Nick Saban was very highly regarded. That he kind of screwed the Phins doesn't mean he wasn't a good coach. Cameron is simply an unknown. He could be Mike Holmgren (great coordinator who became a great coach) or Norv Turner (great coordinator who is a poor head coach). So to say one of the positives for Ronnie is better coaching is really just a shot in the dark.There are many other reasons to like Ronnie though. Like I mentioned above, he's a prototype back. Big, strong, fast, powerful, good vision, and soft hands. Also Trent Green will help some. It will be his first year in the system though so don't expect him to just dive right in and click in week 1.

Your right it won't happen instantly but watch preseason VERY close.. All the signs will be there. When Jordan broke out in his preseason games he was being fed the ball often via dumps. My thing about the coach has more to do with feeding the RB the ball and commiting to the run..

 

[moleculo]

Last year in 1 of my keeper leagues I was stuck with Ahman Green and Tiki Barber going into the keeper selection. I made a move an even swap of Anquan Boldin for S.Jax.. Combined with Tiki I won it again. Stuck in another situation with Tiki retiring. I just now moved my 2nd for Brown. That's about my 7th in a redraft since every team keeps 5.. Though each team keeps a TM/PK.. Everything points to this year as the breakout year. A coach and QB that will feed him the ball either via run or air. I am on board with the Green dumps to his RB. I was a HUGE backer of Jordan the 1st year and think Brown has the same chances this year. I could see 50+ catches. If that OL is a bit better we have the making of a top 10 RB.. Nobody is questioning his talent.. Yet where he is going in drafts he isn't much of a bargin.. A 2nd rounder is either your 1st RB or your #2.

Ronnie doesn't necessarily have a better coach. I don't understand where that talk comes in. Nick Saban was very highly regarded. That he kind of screwed the Phins doesn't mean he wasn't a good coach. Cameron is simply an unknown. He could be Mike Holmgren (great coordinator who became a great coach) or Norv Turner (great coordinator who is a poor head coach). So to say one of the positives for Ronnie is better coaching is really just a shot in the dark.There are many other reasons to like Ronnie though. Like I mentioned above, he's a prototype back. Big, strong, fast, powerful, good vision, and soft hands. Also Trent Green will help some. It will be his first year in the system though so don't expect him to just dive right in and click in week 1.

The problem with the coach wasn't Saban - it was Mularkey. While Mularkey is still around, Cameron will be doing the playcalling this year, which has to help things.

 

[Sabertooth]

Your right it won't happen instantly but watch preseason VERY close.. All the signs will be there. When Jordan broke out in his preseason games he was being fed the ball often via dumps. My thing about the coach has more to do with feeding the RB the ball and commiting to the run..

If they commit to Ronnie in the passing game and the running game, he'll break 1500 combined. TDs might be anywhere from 5-15.I think Ronnie is kind of a middle class Ladainian Tomlinson. He has a similar build and skillset. They were both high draft picks.