Asiata is a perfect fit. Average player but cheap, durable and has displayed some ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and pass protect (Minnesota took AP off the field for Asiata on 3rd downs). I'd grab an Alfred Morris too but he's going to cost too much. Even players like Bernard Pierce, Bobby Rainey, and James Starks (although his fumbling problems worry me) are fine enough options to platoon. I firmly agree with you in never investing money in a runningback. People who want go throw big money Forte or Doug Martin are nuts IMO. You should cycle your runningbacks. Draft them, let them finish their rookie contract and then draft their replacement. It's not a position you ever want to give a second contract to outside of supreme AP or possibly Todd Gurley talents. There's very view cases where I'd ever give a back big money if any at all. We need to upgrade both our tackle spots if it's possible to do it in one offseason, if not move Giacomini inside to right guard and get a right tackle. Carpenter seems to be a good road grader and I think the offensive line run blocked a lot better than people give them credit for. Ivory is great into the second level but if the hole is closed where the play is designed for him to go he's dead in the water trying to run over a 300 pound defensive tackle whereas the better runningbacks in the league have the vision to make a play.
We lost that game because of 4 turnovers and shitty special teams. Ivory is good but his running style doesn't allow him to make it through 16 games and probably doesn't have that many years left altogether.
@JasonLaCanfora Jets negotiating with RB Bilal Powell, with two other teams in the mix as well. Ex-jet Chris Ivory reached terms with Jacksonville Tues
ill take a great kicker over a great back. especially factoring in salary. id take gostkowski over peterson for example. especially in the northeast/outdoors. running game is only as good as your offensive line anyhow. and you can be nearly/more productive offensively with a cheap 3 headed monster and a good oline as you can with some stud back. just look at our running game the last couple of years. 2 years ago our run game was just as productive as dallas with murray having a great season and us having a trio of ho-hum players. HB to me is the worst spot to invest money, and the deepest as far as capable starters. and i think you get the lowest return from an elite player at HB compared to other positions... i.e. an elite corner, qb, tackle, wideout, te help more towards winning then an elite back. id also argue that throwing short is a better idea then running the ball on running downs with todays rules. give me more powell/stacey/ivory/riddley/greene/whomevers over some top back also, its not just about who is more valuable... its what positions you can get away with not having good players. we all know the pains of not having a good punter. there is really no way around a bad punter. you are going to have to punt, and when your punter delivers a 22 yarder from your own endzone in a win to get in game... ouch. same thing with kicker... we have had good ones, we have seen the pats have great ones. you look at some teams with bad kickers and it has cost them. runningback i think you dont need good players. and unlike kicker, you can platoon at HB. you can have a short yardage specialist, you can have a blocker type, you can have a 3rd down pass catcher.... you can use them like a bullpen. with kicker the guy can either do the job or they cant. then you have to factor in the relative cost of the position. to me RB is the last spot i invest in
exactly. why spend money on forte or martin when you can get 2 guys who can combine to do the job at half the price and get you depth in the process? im not anti-run game... but if i want to bolser that im investing in the offensive line not the ball carrier. obviously someone like gurley is great, but if you want a game breaker you are better off doing that at WR.
Fair enough, I respect your opinion. Today's investment probably won't make you very happy. Just a question. I saw lots of backs signed today; any kickers signed????
bwahaha... WHAT?!? So a kicker can control the game clock.... particularly in shitty Northeast weather conditions?
They need to sign Asiata...cheap, proven, very different skillset from Forte/Powell. Replaces Ivory at the goal line and Bohannon at FB.
the Patriots got a first hand look at how Rex Ryan overlooked and misused Bilal Powell for years. I am not surprised they are interested.
i appreciate you not just flaming my opinion, i can respect that as well. i posted my thoughts on forte in the forte thread... but basically: -solid signing for a solid player. glad we went with that isntead of giving ivory 6M or miller/cj anderson bigger money -for this year i think it helps, im worried beyond that. he has had a pretty steady decline 3 straight seasons and has a ton of carreer carries I'd have preferred something like matt asiatta for what i assume would be less money and a longer tenure, but i dont hate the move like i would ivory at 6 million
