Top 5 UFA RBs: 1 - DeAngelo Williams. Most dynamic runner available and legitimate 1,500-yard threat, but injury issues are likely to make staying in Carolina his best bet. 2 - Cedric Benson. Revitalized his career in Cincinnati and is reportedly in the best shape of his life. 3 - Ahmad Bradshaw. Excellent breakaway threat can score from anywhere. Can also fumble from anywhere. 4 - Darren Sproles. Receiving threat par excellence, but will get you almost nothing if needed in feature-RB role. 5 - Joseph Addai. 15 TDs in 2007, 13 TDs in 2009, so he's due for another big year.Top UFA fullbacks: 1 - Jason Snelling. Best receiving fullback in the league. 2 - Vonta Leach. Effective goal-line weapon. 3 - Le'Ron McClain. Big problem is that he doesn't really want to be a fullback. 4 - John Kuhn. Uncanny nose for the end zone. 5 - Naufahu Tahi. Good old-fashioned slobberknocker.
Sleepers: Brandon Jackson, Jerious Norwood. Norwood's a dynamite change-of-pace back capable of scoring any time he touches the ball. He's also capable of getting injured any time he touches the ball. Jackson's a young 24, has flashed good receiving and rushing skills and picks up the blitz well, but has never really settled into a role in Green Bay. Removed Willis McGahee, who is not a free agent
Out of the running: Pierre Thomas (re-signed with New Orleans), Leon Washington (re-signed with Seattle), Derrick Ward (re-signed with Houston), Danny Ware (re-signed with the Giants), Michael Bennett (re-signed with Oakland), Rock Cartwright (signed with Oakland)
Voting present: Clinton Portis, Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, Mewelde Moore, Cadillac Williams, Brian Westbrook, Julius Jones, Jerome Harrison, Mike Bell, Michael Robinson, DeShawn Wynn, Patrick Cobbs, Tony Richardson, Ahmard Hall (fb), Lawrence Vickers (fb), Quinton Ganther, Jackie Battle, Heath Evans (fb), Willie Parker, Sammy Morris, Deon Anderson (fb), Kolby Smith, Clifton Smith, Tim Castille (fb), Korey Hall (fb), Kyle Eckel (fb)
7/26/11 - removed Michael Bush (RFA)
The doctor will see you now: Kevin Faulk, Fred Taylor, Kevin Smith, Jason Wright, Justin Griffith, Ladell Betts, Kareem Huggins
Gawd no: Brian Leonard, LenDale White, Laurence Maroney, Garrett Wolfe. Wolfe just got arrested in Miami for walking out on a $1,600 bar tab (charges were dropped). Maroney's ties to St. Louis would be hard to resist if he hadn't been arrested here in January for possession of marijuana. White's probably violated all of Steve Spagnuolo's pillars, probably does most weekends. Leonard was actually ok for the Bengals at fullback last season but is always going to be a carrier of Scott Linehan anti-mojo. Late entry to the list: Tiki Barber. What's he been doing the last four years, just screwing around?
RamView's move: The Rams are obviously set at starter with one of the league's best players in Steven Jackson. Jackson's reaching the stage of his career, though, where there really needs to be a credible backup behind him, both to give the Rams a change of pace and to save Jackson some wear and tear. Famously, though, the Rams have never put a credible backup behind Jackson, (unless you count Kenneth Darby, which, don't) and once again this draft, managed to avoid drafting a RB for the job. It's even as if the Rams are trying to take backup away from Jackson. They didn't tender Darby or fullback Mike Karney. Karney should be adequately replaced by midseason pickup Britt Miller, but all that's behind Jackson right now are 2nd-year rookie free agent Keith Toston and 2010 practice squad pickup Chauncey Washington. Unless Billy Devaney knows either of those two is about to turn into Arian Foster, he'd better do some damn work filling in the roster at RB this offseason.
RamView thinks Packers RB Brandon Jackson would be a good candidate for the #2 role. Unless there's a Super Bowl premium, he should be a fairly economical pickup. He's just 24 and should be a solid fit here as Josh McDaniels' Kevin Faulk-type third-down back. He's a good receiver, ran well at times in an offense that, let's face it, wasn't very run-oriented, and he picks up blitzers well. I don't think Green Bay was ever able to commit him to a defined role. If you do that here, I think he'd thrive. Plus he's young enough to be a potential starter if the Rams have to bridge the gap at the end of Steven Jackson's career.
Shoot the moon: Free-agent RB would be a great expense for new Rams owner Stan Kroenke to throw his formidable checkbook at. My top three RBs are all guys who are going to command starting roles, but Sproles or Addai could be potent performers here and excellent fits in the new offensive scheme. If he's still at the top of his game at age 28, Sproles would give the Rams a threat to score from anywhere as a third-down back and could potentially also contribute as a kick returner. Sproles has been an excellent receiver and would flash some sick speed on the Dome turf. He might take some snaps from Jackson, but I can't see him taking any carries. He's been completely ineffective in recent years in situations where the Chargers had to use him as a feature back. You're not going to establish a running game with him if you have to. I'd sooner have Addai, who's the same age but substantially bigger, a better rusher and would be a perfect receiving back in the McDaniels third-down role. He's also probably the best back in the league at blitz pickup, so the Rams would be buying insurance for Sam Bradford at the same time. Super-smart player with a lot of Marshall Faulk in his game and his approach to the game. Shooting for the moon, I'd love to see the Rams steal Addai away from the Colts. Reggie Bush deserves mention in the moonshot range as well, but he'll probably be expensive to trade for, and less-than-thrilled to be in Jackson's shadow.
Prediction: So of course I'm guessing somebody else. I like the Cadillac Williams idea the more I hear of it. Great receiver, good blitz protector if I remember right, and what's more, he was the best third-down conversion back in the league last year. His knees have to be a big question mark, though. If not him, then how about Mewelde Moore, who's been an excellent third-down receiving back in Minnesota and Pittsburgh and has always seemed to step up when injuries force his team to put the rushing load on him. I'll predict Devaney FINALLY fills the #2 RB position with either of those two guys. Sproles is a very popular choice around here for that role, but Williams or Moore would still get you the receptions, with a credible rushing component added, at what's likely to be a much more economical price.
Heh, aren't I calling these "micro"previews? Up next, probably late tonight or tomorrow: wide receivers.
Photo: San Diego Chargers
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