he did pretty damn good in his rookie season with an OL that cant run Block. If we Draft or sign a couple of OL in this off-season we would be set at runningback and washington could easly get over 1000 yds and would be a good RB for us. Washington has the endurance. RB is not really a need. OL and DL are the biggest needs.
Here here! I also believe that leon has what it takes to be a starting RB in this league. He's got the speed, moves, and shiftiness to get it done. I'd say he would just need to maybe bulk up a little more and he would be perfect. And even if he can't take all the carries, it would be a great idea to pick some one up (around the 3rd round) that's a power back to compliment him. Leon taking 70-80% of the carries.
Didn't you just say you wanted the Burner in your Poll/Post? At any rate, I totally agree with the lines being our biggest needs and should be addressed first. I don't want to see us trading or using anything higher than a 3rd for any back. I won't be upset if we don't pick a back in the draft at all. I think Leon should be given a chance to carry the load, and lets see what Barlow can do when he's 100% healthy. We did trade a 4th for him after all.
Well the more and more i think about i dont want turner. it is a Lamont Jordan thing all over again but only we are the team getting the RB. The Chargers are being dicks for wanting him for a 1st rounder. he is a fucking back-up for god sake. How many 1st round picks are they going to want for LT 10? it is not worth it. There is nuthing wrong with leon washington.
I agree that the O-line is a bigger need than RB but we cannot count of Washington being "the guy" going into next year. He only had 150 carries this season, how would he hold up if that doubled? However you slice it, we will need another back along with him. I am not a huge Houston fan and the other two guys are pretty much out of the equation at this point. They need to bring somebody else in.
He hasn't shown anything when given the opportunity that says he's anything more than a one-dimensional scat back. Not that that is a bad thing, he can be a valuable member of the team for a long time, but he has a lot of work to do if he wants to be a starter. The only time he's had any success running up the gut is on the draw. That is a major problem if he's going to have 300+ carries.
Depends on just how fast you want to build a legitimate SB contender. It won't matter much WHO is our starting RB if our defense isn't top calibre and we're a ways from that level as of today. Washington has the moves and the speed, but without a HUGE OL he's very limited in what he can do. He's not gonna break tackles nor will he move the pile. Unfortunately for us, neither will anyone else running for this team as of COB 2006. While I agree that RB shouldn't be the first need addressed this offseason, its not for the same reasoning you guys have. We need dominant lines on both sides of the ball first and foremost. Why not sign a Jordan on the cheap if possible or simply continue on with the RBBC until the lines have been completely rebuilt.
You only have to look at the New England playoff game to see why we need a bigger back in there. We had something like 3 drives in the red zone where we couldn't get touchdowns. We need a running back who can pound out 5 yards a carry inside the redzone. Between the 20's Washington isn't a bad option but once we are inside the 20's we need a better RB to get some tough yards.
Exactly. Little Leon can be a valuable member of the team, but quite frankly, I don't see him as an every down back.
To win the the AFCE, we have to consistently beat the Patriots. We can't run on the Patriots without a physical attack, and the only back we ran successfully on them this season was freaking Barlow. Their linebackers are huge and fast, and they make a lot of holes irrelevant. If you watched the New England/San Diego game closely, you saw how a very physical running game in Tomlinson/Turner was able to move the ball effectively on the ground against them. We need a player that is fast enough to hit the holes and strong and aggressive enough to break tackles when the holes aren't there or close quickly. Leon has all of that except the physical capability to break the Pats' tackles. I don't know if the Jets are really interested in Turner or if it's a smokescreen for something else, but I think we need a more physical presence in the backfield. Leon is our home-run hitter.
At one point I thought the exact same thing. Washington has a great build for his size with some room for muscle growth. He runs compact, and he's very explosive as well as quick. Guys like him take time to develop though. Tiki and Westbrook had their best seasons in their 3-4 seasons. Do fans here think the media and fans are going to wait that long for him to develop into a starting RB? Yes, having an offensive line would help him immensely, but little things like getting stronger and being able to handle a full load would take a while for him to develop.
but i also have doubts and i think the jets do as well. If the New York Jets thought that Washington could withstand a full-season and be a successful back, then why are they interested in tradering are 1st rounder for turner?
We shall see, I'd like to believe that the flashes of electricity I saw from Leon are glimpses of the future, but it's a guessing game now and I'll reserve judgment. But if the Jets should run out and get a Michael Turner or some sort of equivalent, I think their opinion on the matter would be obvious.
Yeah, I definitely do not want to see them spend our first rounder on a RB, whether that be Turner or a rookie. But I just don't feel comfortable going to 07 with the same stable of RBs.
I would have NO objections with Leon Washington as our starter in 2007. I'd be fine with Leon taking 7/10 carries and Cedric taking 3/10.
phew , reality at last. Little early for the koolaid isn't it? As much as I love leon he isn't an every down back no matter how many big O linemen you stick in front of him.
