Rams in review: RB

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Tre Mason (179 carries, 765 yards (4.3 ypc), 4 TD, 16 catches, 148 yards (9.3 ypc), 1 TD): B-

Mason didn’t take the field until week 5, but when he did, he burst onto the scene with a needed injection of speed and energy for the running game. The Rams’ lone big-play threat in the backfield, he proved a threat to score from anywhere on the field, with an 89-yard TD run against Oakland. He had a half-dozen other long TDs for the taking; with experience, he’ll cash in on those. Blitz protection and ball security were issues, but minor enough to be coachable. Much more effective edge runner than a middle runner. My bet is the Rams ask him to get stronger this offseason so they can keep banging him up the middle (sigh) and also hold up better physically against blitzes. That hopefully will not cost him speed; he doesn’t have much competition for the honor, but Mason looks like the Rams’ best speed back since Marshall Faulk. As he matures and the Rams figure out how to use him, look out.

Benny Cunningham (66 carries, 246 yards, (3.7 ypc), 3 TD, 45 catches, 352 yards (7.8 ypc), 1 TD): C+

Quickly developing into a near-ideal third-down back. Very effective release-valve receiver and made big strides in blitz pickup. With Steven Jackson as the A standard for that, Cunningham’s a solid B. Cunningham got pretty good production out of the few carries he got and made some clutch catches in Ram wins.

Zac Stacy (76 carries, 293 yards (3.9 ypc), 1 TD, 18 catches, 152 yards (8.4 ypc) ): C

Stacy lost his job to Mason without really doing anything wrong. He ground out tough yards like last year and improved as a receiver. He just didn’t get a lot of touches (or blocking) in the early games before Mason hit the scene. Mason’s emergence also made Stacy’s shortcomings as a breakaway threat very apparent. Even after that, it’s surprising Stacy wasn’t used more in the power back role. He was active every week but one. The Rams took half the season even figuring out how they wanted to use their RBs, and once they did, Stacy drew the short straw.

Looking ahead: The Ram running game was a work in progress in 2014. The RBs had only two 100-yard games, both by Mason, and he had an 89-yard run in one of those. Several times the Rams had a critical 3rd-and-short and decided they'd be better off throwing than running. Unacceptable. The Rams don't need to change anything at the RB position for 2015, though. The backs are maturing into a very solid 1-2-3 punch and Mason appears poised for a breakout season. To improve the running game, the Rams first and foremost have to beef up their middle blocking. Schematically, Brian Schottenheimer seemed insistent that Mason and Cunningham are pile-moving RBs. They're not. Even once the Rams improve up front enough to run up the middle successfully, they should still get Mason outside more than they do. Changes up front and a tweak in scheme should maximize the Rams' ground game in 2015.

RamView's move: Don't mess with what looks like a good thing. You have a feature speed back, a power back, a third-down back and a couple of solid special-teamers (Chase Reynolds, Trey Watts). Bringing a merciful end to the Isaiah Pead Era is about the only move the Rams need to make at RB. Like I've already suggested, get them some blocking, get Mason outside more often and use Stacy more in power-run situations.

Shoot the moon: Even though this free agent RB class, led by DeMarco Murray, looks like the best free agent class ever in any sport, the Rams are so well poised for the future at the position that it's hard to come up with the realistically outlandish scenarios I try to throw out here. But, though this is a torch I should probably put down, if Stacy got so few carries because he's in the doghouse, and the Rams feel like they need a more reliable power back, it'd be about a wash salary-cap-wise to cut Pead and bring Steven Jackson back. It'd have to happen pretty late in free agency, once Jackson finds no one willing to put him in his familiar bell-cow role.

Rams prediction: Fisher annoys the bejesus out of me by giving Pead lots of reps in training camp, costing the Rams' other young RBs, before releasing him in final cuts. No other changes will be made.

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