Mcdermott's thoughts on Bills aging backfield.

[HOUSE]

1 hour ago, Shaw66 said:

Shady only dances when there isn't a hole. He danced a lot lastnyear because there were no holes.  Ivory's production was down for the same reason.  

 

Shady doesn't dance when he has any room to run.  He hits the hole and goes. 

 

I agree he's the same back he has been.  And that's why McD kept defending him at the end of the season when reporters asked if Shady was done.  

 

If the oline produces this year, Shady will be fine and he will sign an extension.  

 

 

 

 

Not sure about that one Shaw.

[Beast]

The only potential issue I see is you don’t play backs like Gore or McCoy in the pre-season. 

 

If, by chance, the rb’s they do play look good in the pre-season, and then Gore and McCoy look so-so or worse, how long before you pull the plug on two vets? 

Edited March 26, 2019 by Binghamton Beast

[billsfan1959]

2 minutes ago, CommonCents said:

I don’t think that’s true. What’s the benefit of depending on two old guys at RB? It’s a bad decision for a few reasons. First and most importantly is the chance they are both productive and healthy with the amount of mileage on those legs. Second, even if they can manage that, what happens next year? Does Beane and McD tempt fate again and then it finally bites them?

 

I just think it’s always better to be a year early than a year late. The position needs to be addressed. If they draft a young guy and mix him in, then I’m on board. If they go into the season with Shady/Gore and a scrub RB then the backfield has a good chance of being this years Peterman.

 

Not that Shady or Gore are a Peterman level of bad, just that it would be a head scratching decision from otherwise sound decision makers. 

I am fairly certain the Bills are not going to go into the season with McCoy and  Gore as the only running backs on the roster. It is a little premature to comment on what Beane and McDermott are thinking about the position as a whole as free agency hasn't finished, the draft has yet to be held, and there will still be cuts from other teams.

 

Regardless, the team can not address everything at once and finding the long term solution at running back is down the list of priorities at the moment. Build a decent o-line and the running game will be fine this year with those McCoy, Gore, and whatever other backs are on the team.

[Shaw66]

2 minutes ago, HOUSE said:

Not sure about that one Shaw.

I think that if Shady runs well this year, he will want to keep playing for the Bills, because he likes the coach, the attitude, the quarterback and the chances to win a championship.  

 

I think the age thing is overblown.  These guys stay in great shape, and they aren't asked to have 30 plus touches every week like in the old days.  Barry Sanders retired at 31 and had a lot left in the tank. Marcus Allen started double digit games every season from age 33 to 36.  Adrian Peterson.   Frank Gore.  Walter Payton rushed for 1300 yards at age 32.  

 

Do I think the Bills need young blood at running back?  Sure.  But I'm firmly in the running backs are a dime a dozen camp.  Bell is great, but I wouldn't pay big bucks for him.  Keep filling the spot with young talent from the draft and free agency, and eventually you will get lucky.  When the right guy appears in the first round, take him.  When a Philadelphia calls and offers you a HOF back for a skinny linebacker, do it.  

 

Frankly, when you don't have your QB, the best running back won't save you.  When you do have your QB, the best running back is a luxury and not essential. 

[Shaw66]

9 minutes ago, Binghamton Beast said:

The only potential issue I see is you don’t play backs like Gore or McCoy in the pre-season. 

 

If, by chance, the rb’s they do play look good in the pre-season, and then Gore and McCoy look so-so or worse, how long before you pull the plug on two vets? 

Right.  Bills will have at least a few RBs in camp and the old guys will be watching a lot.  If a youngster emerges, he could quickly become the backup if one of old guys has lost it.  

 

Plus, the plan might turn out to be that Gore is the third down back.  In that case, a shifty rookie might spell Shady.  In that case it would look like running back by committee.  

 

Someone said he'd rather give up talent a year to early than a year too late. I generally agree.   But ask Drew Brees about Darren Sproles.  I think when you're talking HOF talent like Gore and Shady, or a guy like Sproles, in each case a guy who has shown he can do things practically no one else can do, that rule doesn't apply.  You'd rather carry an over the hill an extra year than watch him put up 1000 yards for someone else.  Imagine how the Dolphins will feel if Gore has 1000 rushing and receiving.   Tomlinson had a decent year with the Jets.  They kept him for the next season, when he ran out of gas.  I don't fault them for that.  

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

4 hours ago, #34fan said:

 

"Iron sharpening iron" ??? -Really?

 

 

he said that last season and the season before, and he'll say it again next season 

 

4 hours ago, LeGOATski said:

That's a frequently used proverb

almost as much as

 

trust the process 

[Bob in STL]

3 hours ago, Doc Brown said:

Marcus Murphy had a decent year last year when he got his chance to play.  I'd rather have him than Ivory as the 3rd back if we don't draft anybody.

 

Except Murphy cannot pass block. This was a liability last year.  Maybe he can improve this facet of his game, otherwise his presence is limiting. 

 

I think we draft at least 1 RB in rounds 4 or later. 

[YodaMan79]

A lot of Shady love here.  He'll be three years removed from the player a bunch of you remember him to be at the start of the season.  His YPC in 17 wasn't anything great.  Was his production last year on the O-Line?  Yes, partly.  But not all of the blame goes on them, he's lost a step, too.  I'm more confident in what Gore can bring vs McCoy at this stage.  Last year he was better than McCoy has been the past two years.  I see a younger 2nd-3rd round option taking McCoy's place and the Bills pushing his cap savings to next year.  Gore will mentor him.  

[BuffaloMatt]

Might as well throw 34 out there with 22. That would be fun!

[oldmanfan]

I think Gore averaged over 4 yards a carry last year.  And I think he's being brought in not only because he's still productive but because he can show some younger guys what being a professional is all about.

 

I do think they will have a younger guy in place and that Ivory will be gone as well. 

[H2o]

McCoy only had 161 carries last year. By far it was his lightest workload since his rookie year. When the line was opening lanes you could see the burst was still there. I expect him to have a solid bounce back this year totaling over 1,300 total yards with the OL improvements made. 

[Captain Hindsight]

Frank Gore averaged 4.6 yards per carry last year. He was keeping Kenyon Drake on the bench.

 

I'm not worried

[Ramza86]

4 hours ago, TaskersGhost said:

Just one more sign that maybe McD/McBeane don't understand offense very well.

 

Shady's & Gore's past performances are irrelevant going into this season.  I'd be highly concerned if I were him about relying on a 31-year old RB that saw a significant diminishment in play last season coupled with a 36-year old RB being used to spell him.

 

I don't see that working out the way that McD apparently sees it working out.

 

In that case we can drop their age in the equation. 

 

Ole Franky was very productive in Miami. He can still get ya 4 yards a carry and hes fantastic in blocking. 

 

Shady may have looked slower...but lets be real. Our line last year may have been one of the worst run blocking units in Bills History. Im willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

 

ANDDDDD......you think we arent going to bring in about 4 or 5 other guys in for camp?

Edited March 26, 2019 by Ramza86

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

3 hours ago, HOUSE said:

Frank Gore will make a lot of teams feel foolish before seasons end. Brandon Beane is not stupid. Could have signed any number of Running backs.

But Frank Gore was one of the first signings of free agency, that should tell you something...

Buffalo has 2 future hall of famers in the same backfield. I see nothing to complain about.

 

 

.

 

Especially if it’s 2013! 

6 hours ago, #34fan said:

 

"Iron sharpening iron" ??? -Really?

 

 

 

With age, wear, pounding and exposure to the elements iron gets rusty and brittle...  maybe it’s time to use a diamond analogy? 

[FeelingOnYouboty]

Frank Gore is still really good. LeSean McCoy will bounce back I'm sure. Still would like to add a Day 3 RB to the fold. Let a young pup learn from these two seasoned vets.

[ProcessAccepted]

4 hours ago, nucci said:

I'm guessing they'll draft a RB

I'm hoping that it's Bryce Love. We can give him the time he needs to heal with Shady and Gore

[Uncle Joe]

1 hour ago, Bob in STL said:

 

Except Murphy cannot pass block. This was a liability last year.  Maybe he can improve this facet of his game, otherwise his presence is limiting. 

 

I think we draft at least 1 RB in rounds 4 or later. 

 

A big reason we adding Gore, IMO.

[Cotton Fitzsimmons]

4 hours ago, Doc Brown said:

Marcus Murphy had a decent year last year when he got his chance to play.  I'd rather have him than Ivory as the 3rd back if we don't draft anybody.

 

Doc Brown, my good friend... YE OLE felt that Ivory was pretty effective last year and definitely our best RB. This may be an unpopular opinion, but that’s just YE’s 2 cents. That said, the overriding sentiment that we can plug and play a decent RB from the draft in the near future is probably accurate.

[eball]

5 hours ago, TaskersGhost said:

Just one more sign that maybe McD/McBeane don't understand offense very well.

 

 

I think it's reasonable to wait out this season before coming to that conclusion.  The free agency activity this year doesn't support your hypothesis.

[MAJBobby]

6 hours ago, #34fan said:

 

"Iron sharpening iron" ??? -Really?

 

 

McDermott loves his coach cliches