Fearless prediction: Williams doesn't make the team, Ellington starting by Week 5

[Jetstream Green]

Between Stepfan Taylor and Ellington, Stepfan Taylor starts before Ellington. In fact, I believe Taylor will be our starting RB week 1 of the 2014 season.

This

 

[Goldfield]

I like how Taylor runs. I can't believe we got two quality backs in suck low rounds.

 

[Garthshort]

I agree with CardsSunsDbacks. There was a reason why the team drafted Taylor ahead of Ellington. Feel pretty confident both will make the team.

 

[HotSauce]

I bet that Mendenhall starts until he gets injured or something. He's by far the best back, IMO.

Can't judge the guy completely by his 40 time. It's not like his 40 time was a whole lot different than Arian Foster who ran a 4.71 at his Pro Day--yet Foster has managed to be pretty productive.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe that Foster was 100% at his Pro Day.

 

[Duckjake]

I agree with CardsSunsDbacks. There was a reason why the team drafted Taylor ahead of Ellington. Feel pretty confident both will make the team.

Probably because they forgot about Ellington. Then somebody noticed him and went "holy cow I just noticed Andre Ellington hasn't been drafted." I wouldn't be surprised if that happened more than we'd think. With so many players available I can see that happening.

 

[machgman]

Wasn't Wiliiams the first player Arians spoke highly of when he was hired? I don't see him being viewed as a mistake at all. He is undoubtedly injury prone, he wasn't even healthy for those 6 games either. I think he comes back healthy this year, and the focus will be on whether he gets his moves/confidence back, and if he can stop fumbling. I wonder how we always get RBs with fumble problems. Makes me wonder if the awful coaching, or awful line had anything influence. I hope he can come back strong though. I thought he had a lot of potential, and he was a super cool kid when I met him. Just a jacked short ball of muscle too. Surprised me about his injuries, he seemed to be among the best conditioned Cardinals at the time

BA also stated the Brown was the best O-Lineman on the roster, but that was before the draft and the signing of other FA O-linemen. When you look at Brown's performance record, its a wreck, but when compared to the rest of the horrible Cards O-line of the past few seasons, Brown still is the "best" of the terrible bunch (remember when there was a camera iso on Baptiste who lined up to block the DE only to go double team the DT with Colledge at the snap, thus allowing the DE to hammer Skelton?)

Williams was the best RB on the roster before the draft and FA signings. Now Williams isn't. BA likes to talk in that type of code where he says one thing and means another.

Now, when you factor in skill and durability, William Powell has Ryan Williams all beat since Williams lack of durability really equals zero contribution. When you also take into account Williams lack of any real on the field performance (when he could play) that changed any games into the Cards favor, there was none so Williams just did not produce when he played. Of course Williams lack of durability and his lack of any positive on the field performances has not been lost on the Cards or BA and that is why they signed Mendenhall and drafted two RBs. Actions always speak louder than words by new head coach.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Probably because they forgot about Ellington. Then somebody noticed him and went "holy cow I just noticed Andre Ellington hasn't been drafted." I wouldn't be surprised if that happened more than we'd think. With so many players available I can see that happening.

They are human after all so I wouldn't be shocked if there was an occassional oversight like that, but it is hard to imagine all 32 teams doing it.

 

[Duckjake]

They are human after all so I wouldn't be shocked if there was an occassional oversight like that, but it is hard to imagine all 32 teams doing it.

Not really after reading that article about the Cleveland Browns K9 posted. I can see all the teams getting focused on certain players and overlooking others in the process.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Not really after reading that article about the Cleveland Browns K9 posted. I can see all the teams getting focused on certain players and overlooking others in the process.

I think when a player falls way farther than they should it is likely a mixture of teams overlooking them and teams that just don't have interest in them. But it would be highly unlikely IMO that it is purely all 32 teams just flat out overlooking them. I'm sure some teams get a little locked in to specific players as the draft progresses and causes some oversight.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

The trajectory of the running back in the 2010s seems to be that you get re-signed, or you're out of the league.

+1

All you have to do is look at the current free agent lists to back that statement up.

Might I add that free agency seems like it will have two periods of relative high action. Pre- and Post- draft.

I.E. if Michael Turner has not been signed by now it is pretty unlikely he has a job in 2012 unless he is signed after week 1. At which point he is on the level of practice squad players.

 

[Duckjake]

+1

All you have to do is look at the current free agent lists to back that statement up.

Might I add that free agency seems like it will have two periods of relative high action. Pre- and Post- draft.

I.E. if Michael Turner has not been signed by now it is pretty unlikely he has a job in 2012 unless he is signed after week 1. At which point he is on the level of practice squad players.

There are also a lot of RBs who have a season or two going over 1000 yards and then never even come close to it again over 3,4,5 more years in the NFL.

 

[SeattleCard]

I think Ryan Williams will be a beast this year. Finally

 

[Goldfield]

I think Ryan Williams will be a beast this year. Finally

I was a big fan of his after we drafted him. But at this point I wouodnt be surprised to see him released.

 

[joeshmo]

We will keep 4 RB's so he will still make the team. To low of a salary to not just keep him, even if he were to surprisingly be 4th on the depth chart.

 

[Duckjake]

We will keep 4 RB's so he will still make the team. To low of a salary to not just keep him, even if he were to surprisingly be 4th on the depth chart.

True. His competition is Alfonso Smith and William Powell and it's hard to imagine that he can't beat out those two. Though I really like Powell.

Of course Williams may be done like many other twice injured players. RB will be an interesting competition over the next 3.5 months.