Another reason to stay away from RBs in the 1st two rounds this season

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

From Sando's Blog at ESPN:



GM profiling: Graves and the running backs

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March 20, 2009 5:22 PM

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
The Cardinals would like to find a potentially dynamic running back in the upcoming draft, as we have discussed.

Their general manager, Rod Graves, will guide decisions on the matter with input from college scouting director Steve Keim, head coach Ken Whisenhunt and presumably others in the organization.

For perspective on decisions the team might make in the 2009 draft, I've singled out the halfbacks Graves' teams have drafted since 1993, when Graves was with the Bears. His teams also drafted fullbacks Joel Makovicka, Dennis McKinley and Ron Janes, but halfback is the position we'll consider for this exercise.

None of the players listed in the chart became long-terms starters for Graves' teams. Raymont Harris started most of three seasons for the Bears.

With that in mind, I checked the Steelers' drafting history at running back during the years Whisenhunt was an assistant for them.

Willie Parker was undrafted. Jerome Bettis entered the NFL with the Rams. The Steelers did not draft a running back before the fifth round (166th overall) while Whisenhunt was with the team from 2001 to 2006. The team did draft fifth-rounder Verron Haynes and seventh-rounders J.T. Wall, Noah Herron and Cedric Humes.

Perhaps the Cardinals and Whisenhunt can start a new tradition drafting for the positon in Arizona. Tim Hightower showed some promise as a rookie in 2008, but not enough to keep the starting job.


GM profiling, Rod Graves, Willie Parker, Jerome Bettis, Noah Herron, Cedric Humes, J.T. Wall, Ken Whisenhunt, Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, Thomas Jones, Rashaan Salaam, J.J. Arrington, Michael Pittman, Raymont Harris, Rod Brown, Josh Scobey, Michael Hicks
Read comments or leave a comment

 

[Second Deck]

Even tough I did not care for Thomas Jones I think he has done well for the Bears and Jets. Our Oline being so poor has had a lot to do with the failure of our RB's. I think we are improving in that area so if we Moreno is there at 31 I bite.

 

[Buckybird]

Yeah, but that didn't include passing on a potential HOF'er in Adrian Peterson. Maybe that says something about the decision makers drafting those RB's. TJ was never used here and Michael Pittman has had a 10 year career.

 

[Mulli]

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

Graves has gotten better value in later rounds, but overall his draft history with RBs is less than stellar.

 

[the_future23]

All it takes is one. Just because in the past it hasn't worked out, doesn't mean you just stop trying.

 

[Shogun]

I don't understand the point you're trying to make. We should stay away from them because the Steelers draft scrubs in the second day and rely on veteran backs via FA....? Or we should avoid them because the Cardinals have made poor selections in the past...?

 

[bg7brd]

Fix the line and good running backs will follow.

 

[1DS]

I don't understand the point you're trying to make. We should stay away from them because the Steelers draft scrubs in the second day and rely on veteran backs via FA....? Or we should avoid them because the Cardinals have made poor selections in the past...?

I think he is suggesting the Cardinals apply the George Costanza theory of doing the opposite to their thinking.

Makes sense to me..

 

[nidan]

TJ had one agenda

Get out of Arizona

 

[Zeno]

Whatever BPA with a slight thought to need (meaning no WR or QB) if its a RB so be it.

You can't draft or not draft based on other teams busts.

 

[Skkorpion]

Worst job of reseach I've ever seen Sando do. Graves has run our draft only since 2003, picking a total of 2 RBs in those 6 years. JJ Arrington in round 2 in 2005 and Tim Hightower in 2008.

I believe Graves had some say in the 2002 draft when we picked RB Josh Scobee in round 6 but I can't prove it. I'm pretty sure it was in the summer of 2003 that Graves got to remake the scouting department because that's when Jerry Hardaway was demoted from scouting director and reassigned to regional scouting.

So Arrington and Hightower are invalid arguments fot not drafting a round 1 RB.

If Rashaan Salaam is on Graves, oh my. One of the lousiest RB busts of my lifetime.

Thomas Jones was on Vince Tobin. He wanted him. Nobody else did.

There is no doubt in my mind we'll take a RB in the first two rounds. It's a must-have needs pick.

 

[overseascardfan]

What is the health status of Deuce McAllister? I know one of the reasons he was cut because he was going to cost NO $7M this year if he wasn't cut but is he hurt? There has to be a reason to why he still is unemployed, the Cards should be him in if they can get him cheap.

 

[binkar]

Worst job of reseach I've ever seen Sando do. Graves has run our draft only since 2003, picking a total of 2 RBs in those 6 years. JJ Arrington in round 2 in 2005 and Tim Hightower in 2008.

I believe Graves had some say in the 2002 draft when we picked RB Josh Scobee in round 6 but I can't prove it. I'm pretty sure it was in the summer of 2003 that Graves got to remake the scouting department because that's when Jerry Hardaway was demoted from scouting director and reassigned to regional scouting.

So Arrington and Hightower are invalid arguments fot not drafting a round 1 RB.

If Rashaan Salaam is on Graves, oh my. One of the lousiest RB busts of my lifetime.

Thomas Jones was on Vince Tobin. He wanted him. Nobody else did.

There is no doubt in my mind we'll take a RB in the first two rounds. It's a must-have needs pick.

I agree. The list isn't even that terrible. He was way he makes it sound is that Graves has wasted several early picks on RB's who have not done anything. Even if Graves was responsible for all these picks (which he wasn't) it's not THAT bad of a record. Rashard S. was obviously terrible, but T.J. wasn't and isn't a terrible back he just didn't want to be here. There are also some decent late round picks there that contributed about as much as you would expect or more for a late pick to produce.

It's not an impressive list, but it's not a disaster either. This is a pretty pathetic attempt at twisting weak facts to support a weak argument.

 

[perivolaki]

What is the health status of Deuce McAllister? I know one of the reasons he was cut because he was going to cost NO $7M this year if he wasn't cut but is he hurt? There has to be a reason to why he still is unemployed, the Cards should be him in if they can get him cheap.

I've heard he is pretty much done. To many injuries over to many years.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

TJ was never used here

?????

What are you basing that on ?

 

[Crazy Canuck]

?????

What are you basing that on ?

I seem to recall that TJ, in his last season, was leading the league in rushing after a few games and then suffered a high ankle sprain. It took time to heal, as they always do, and everyone started to pile on.

He was a malingerer, malcontent, etc., according to most, and then there was the telephone incident.

At that point he just wanted out.

Despite the naysayers, he's proved himself to be a tough, durable back.

 

[JeffGollin]

Sando runs the risk of falling into the "past pattern trap" (i.e. the Cards drafted RB's badly in the past, so why draft one early now or they drafted Hightower in the 5th round, so they should always wait until the late rounds to draft a RB").

Let me draw for you an analogy: "The Cards once blew a high pick on WR Clyde Duncan. So does that mean that since they drafted Q in the second round and blew the 1st round pick on Bryant Johnson, they should never draft a WR in the 1st round? I give you one Larry Fitzgerald (drafted #3 over all).

My point - Good teams evaluate each player and situation as unique and base their decisions on "what they know"; not on past patterns.

Rusty Lisch was a QB and Cardinal draft bust who went to Notre Dame. I guess that means the Niners were wrong to draft Joe Montana.

If the right RB is available early late or sidewise and represents the pick at that point who can best help our team, we should leap on the dude regardless of when or where.

 

[earthsci]

Sando runs the risk of falling into the "past pattern trap" (i.e. the Cards drafted RB's badly in the past, so why draft one early now or they drafted Hightower in the 5th round, so they should always wait until the late rounds to draft a RB").

Let me draw for you an analogy: "The Cards once blew a high pick on WR Clyde Duncan. So does that mean that since they drafted Q in the second round and blew the 1st round pick on Bryant Johnson, they should never draft a WR in the 1st round? I give you one Larry Fitzgerald (drafted #3 over all).

My point - Good teams evaluate each player and situation as unique and base their decisions on "what they know"; not on past patterns.

Rusty Lisch was a QB and Cardinal draft bust who went to Notre Dame. I guess that means the Niners were wrong to draft Joe Montana.

If the right RB is available early late or sidewise and represents the pick at that point who can best help our team, we should leap on the dude regardless of when or where.

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[WildBB]

Rashaan Salaam, [URL="http://myespn.go.com/blogs/nfcwest?tag=[/COLOR][/URL]

Boy there goes the argument for a 1st round back, unless your positive he can bring it.

 

[binkar]

Boy there goes the argument for a 1st round back, unless your positive he can bring it.

Come on. So we are going to not draft a RB if a great one is available because of another organizations bust nearly 15 years ago? That seems a little dramatic.

 

[WildBB]

Come on. So we are going to not draft a RB if a great one is available because of another organizations bust nearly 15 years ago? That seems a little dramatic.

As I said unless he can bring it. That would include Wells and Moreno. McCoy and Brown have a lot more questions surrounding them for a 1st round selection. IMO. We could trade down if we want one of them.

 

[Buckybird]

?????

What are you basing that on ?

in his 3 seasons in AZ his most carries was 138. If I'm not mistaken, only 1 time did TJ carry the ball over 20 times in a game and he ripped Seattle apart that day for about 150 yards. I wish I could pull up more stats on him but I cant find individual games on him with the Cards anymore. In my opinion Rugby, he was never given a chance to show what he could do in AZ.

 

[splitsecond]

lol, rashaan salaam. second dumbest draft choice out of CO, and you all can probably guess who the first was.

 

[WildBB]

lol, rashaan salaam. second dumbest draft choice out of CO, and you all can probably guess who the first was.

Daniel Graham?! Don't know , I give up.