Based on what? He's 5'8", 195lbs. You cannot send a guy that size into the line that many times, which is what a #2 or #1 back needs to be able to do. If you want to give him more receptions out of the backfield, great. If you want to split him out in the slot, perfect. Do you want to run the draw a few more times per game? Sure. You have to find a way to give him the ball without sending him into the pile. His best abilities rely on him being able to move in space. If you want him to be more effective then you have to give him the ball in space: in a screen, out of the slot, in the draw. If you want him to spend most of his remaining seasons injured, keep using him the way the Jets did last season.
He had 151 carries his rookie year and was fine. You should be able to see where I'm coming from: I think he will overcome this injury. If he does overcome it he can handle the same role that he had in the past. Opposing players can roll up onto anyone's leg and snap it on any given play, that's just bad luck. And nowhere did I say I want him running up the gut at the NT constantly. He's better off the edge (obviously). Greene will carry the load but I think Washington should get 100+ touches if he overcomes the injury (and I predict he will).
Anyone else think that IF we sign LT it could be a sign that we are willing to let Leon go ? (on tenders of course) I mean Leon and LT both will fit similar roles on our team. Good for only a handful of carries a game while getting some short passes in the flat. That way we can draft a power back with Leon and have the full trifecta ? Got our all purpose back in Greene, power back from the draft, then LT as our limited carries/flats passes/screens back ? Because LT is still a damn fine receiving back, only reason he didnt see many passes last year was SD was obviously passing the torch onto Sproles. The guy has started almost every single game over his career (think he missed like 3), hes used to getting 400 touches a year so he should have a lot more energy since odds are hell be getting maybe a 3rd of that, and hes never played with an offensive line like ours. I think this could bring good things.
I don't think anyone knows for sure how many carries Leon can handle, but that reasoning is pretty weak. Size doesn't always correspond with durability for a running back. There are plenty of big guys built like teacups and plenty of bowling balls. I think Leon's abilities serve the team better if he's a change of pace back/pass-catcher, but nothing we've seen has indicated he can't be a bowling ball. 100-130 carries is nothing.
Not exactly going out on a limb there. He's had 120+ touches every season except his injury year last year. The key part is the injury. It's a rather significant if at this point, although we're all trying to keep the faith.
When has he ever ran like that? Aside from maybe two runs at the goal line where he managed to bowl some defenders over, he has not played like a power back and he is not built with a power frame. Yes, he has incredible strength for his size but he does not have the body to absorb punishment like a power back, which is the style you are describing. Just because Jones-Drew can run way does not mean every HB that size can. Jones-Drew has an incredibly rare ability and body type for his size that allows him to run with such power. Leon is much more of a speedy/elusive player. His best comparison is probably Westbrook. Barry Sanders played in a run-and-shoot system that relied on stretching the defense out and letting him run around smaller defensive backs. Ryan and Schottenheimer are running a power offense that relies on carriers between larger LBs and DLine. Leon cannot run like Sanders did in this system. Hell, Sanders could not run like Sanders did in this system. 2006 - 151 carries + 25 catches = 176 touches 2007 - 71 carries + 36 catches = 107 touches 2008 - 76 carries + 47 catches = 123 touches 2009 - 72 carries + 15 catches = 87 touches He has averaged 93 touches a year up to this point, but I am not arguing against Leon getting the ball more. I'm arguing against Leon getting carries in a power offense like he did last season with a lot of inside carries, little to no screen passes, and very few targets out of the slot. Granted the circumstances of last season made the offense a little inflexible as far as how Ryan and Schottenheimer could use the RBs on the roster but no one seems to be acknowledging the fact that using Leon like that was part of what put him at risk for the injury in the first place. If the Jets keep using him like that, he is going to continue to have DLine and LBs landing on him in similar ways to the one that caused a double compound fracture last season. Leon's skill set makes him a great back in the slot or catching passes coming out of the backfield, either on wheel routes or in screens. We are not a finesse running team(zone blocking does not equal finesse) so using Leon like we were last year was a major misuse of his skills. He can be a great weapon if they let him carry the ball in space but running him between the tackles, or even off tackle consistently, could seriously jeopardize him. The way that Leon is used in this offense needs to change drastically next season.
then combine his size, his serious injury, him getting older, and the jets running style. hes not as you put it a "bowling ball". he should be used for screens and runs to the outside. not between the tackles which is how we run the ball in this offense.
If we sign LT, I believe part of the reason (other than his tutelage and whatever skill he has left) is for the Jets to bide their time until 2011, when they'll go out and Draft another RB. If we trade Leon and sign LT, then it gives us a legit back-up to Greene without having to draft a RB. If we keep Leon and sign LT, then we definitely don't have to draft a RB this year.
Call me crazy but I don't think he makes it out of NY w/o signing. There is obvious mutual interest and Woody is going to love having the name (not really the player he was 4 years ago) on the roster. LT has publically stated he is cool with his role and he doesn't have that Burt primadonna image. He will give Sanchize another reliable option to catch the ball and I don't think it prevents us from doing anything from what we planned on. We can still bring in another guy like Fargas or draft somebody should we choose. We played with a rookie RB last season, no reason we can't draft another in the same role Greene was in last year. I am very surprised he got out of Minny w/o a deal but I would be even more surpised if he was not a Jet by the end of the day.
Did we resign T-Rich? If not I was listening to an interview here in san Diego with Lorenzo Neal and he said the if LT asked him to come and play with him on a team he would do it for nearly nothing. Not sure about the nearly nothing part but I can see him coming here if we don't get it done with Rich. Not sure which one I would want but I always loved Neals running style when rushing or blocking for the run he knew how to make contact.
Have you watched him play? he's beenr eally successful up the middle his entire career, don't let one fluke injury sway your thinking.
I think The Jets have the edge over Minny for a couple of reasons and it could have made LT non committal during their meeting. First would be the uncertainty at QB with the Vikes. Second is that we know he wants a shot at a ring. He saw what the Jets could do personally and he can maybe picture himself a the missing piece of the puzzle because of that.
i think those are poor reasons to why we would have the edge over the vikes. if anything we have the edge by he will be familiar with the offense since it is similar to the one brian ran when he was there. also we will be playing in a brand new beautiful stadium next season. the best and most expensive training facility in the league.. and not to mention he would be playing behind the best offensive line in the NFL, also he may feel he will get more touches with playing behind a second year guy then playing behind AP. plus who doesnt want to play for rex?
Throw in that he might think he could to resurect his career behind our OL. He would be able to stick it to New England twice maybe three times year. One aspect to consider as well is that LT has done a nice job marketing himself and getting endorsments. He might be on the downside of his career but he is still LT, if he can get great deals in San Diego imagine what he could do in New York? The Jets are on the doorstep and the guy is going to want to play for a winner. he got to see first hand how much this team wants to win for Rex. He knows we are close and he might convince himself and (Rex might as well) that we are close to getting him to the title game. I also think he has to have an idea of Greene's injury history as well as Leon coming off a serious leg injury. He knows he's a lot closer to being the guy in NY then he would be in Minny. I don't think he'd be using us, maybe in the past but this team and this FO doesn't seem to be the type to put themselves in the situation to be made fools of. If he left Minny w/o a deal it's because they couldn't sign him. Like I said, I'd be very surprised if LT is not a Jet by days end.
