Will Redskins acquire a BIG back?

As far as Stephen Davis, well, Gibbs' past history will tell you he's a mastermind at revitalizing running backs' careers (George Rogers, Earnest Byner.) I always felt it was a dumb move getting rid of Stephen Davis. I understand that he didn't fit into the Spurrier project, but Davis could have lots of success under a Joe Gibbs system.

We're going to disagree here again, skinsguy. When he wasn't fumbing, I loved Stephen Davis, but he's past his prime now. He had a 3.1 ypc average this year with only around 800 rushing yards with Carolina. He had one good season after he left, but I think we got rid of him at about the right time. Davis simply cannot handle a 16-game season anymore. If he doesn't call it a career during this offseason, he's not far off.

We're going to disagree here again, skinsguy. When he wasn't fumbing, I loved Stephen Davis, but he's past his prime now. He had a 3.1 ypc average this year with only around 800 rushing yards with Carolina. He had one good season after he left, but I think we got rid of him at about the right time. Davis simply cannot handle a 16-game season anymore. If he doesn't call it a career during this offseason, he's not far off.

We wouldn't need him for a primary back, and I think that is where you have to understand where I am coming from. I'm thinking in more regards of a third down, short yardage back. The fumbling can be corrected - just look at Tiki Barbour! Portis is still our main back, but just as Betts and Cartwright have both been good change up backs to compliment Portis, I believe Davis could also be that back - but more in regards to short yardage plays. However, in terms of Davis being injury prone the past few years, I think we already have the backs we need. BUT - if we were looking for a bigger back, Gibbs knows what needs to be done to pump life back into a running back's career.

However, in terms of a big back, my point is that we should look seriously toward developing Nehiemah rather than look outside of the team.

Can we work Sellers into that kind of role? I would love to have a Bettis type of heart breaker and life taker, pounding the crap out of the opposition. Dude loves to get the ball and run over people.
However, as was mentioned in an earlier post, we have to have better run blocking. I have read about a thousand complaints about our Offense being to predictable, and the opposition knowing what we were going to do and thus stopping it. In Gibbs first tenure, EVERYONE knew we were going to pound your ass off with the counter tre'. The hogs just blew you off the line. Once you committed enough horses to the line to stop it, we dusted off a forty yarder downfield. It was an unstoppable combination, and will be again with some personnel help in the offseason

These whole discussion seems totally out of priority. We have plenty of other pressing concerns beside a "big back." I sure hope Gibbs and Co. aren't wasting time worrying about a larger RB.

Get the O-line in tip-top shape and it won't matter if it's Clinton Portis or Jerome Bettis or Jerome Bettis' 400lb aunt who can find a hole.

Stephen Davis could be our Gerald Riggs next year. Remember when it was goal situations in the early 90's who got the ball. Davis would be great doing that.

Davis will not be coming back. That would be insane.

Sellers is more than capable of short yardage and in knocking heads back. A lot of people don't realize he was a star RB in high school and (community) college, he just never gets the call in the NFL (two carries his entire NFL career).

6-3, 277 pounds? He's bigger than Alstott. I guaran-damn-tee he could punch it in if we gave him the ball.

I don't beleive a big back is neccasarily the answer for short yardage, 2 things have to happen, 1 our linemen have to be able to knock linemen backwards, or at least nutralize the point of attack, 2 our offensive game plan has to become more deceptive, we can't allow defenses to have a pretty good idea what's coming, no defense feared our run when it was 3rd or 4th and 2 or more.

I was watching what Seattle did when we ran the ball, they were sending 7 to 8 players right at Portis with no regard for any misdirection, pretty much what defenses have done to us for the past 2 years, we were able to back them off towards the end of the year, but as soon as we hit the Eagles that defensive game plan was back in play, and guess what? We didn't have an answer for it! Even Aikman said it looked like to him Seattle knew what was coming, where have we heard that before?

Big back's aren't going to make holes appear, run through D-linemen, and punch holes through a stacked box, they need help to.I think that was said about Washingtons D early in the game.

Have three people seriously called for the Skins to get Ron Dayne so far in this relatively short-lived thread? There must have been something in that tequila in Mexico, cause I think my eyes must be messing with me...

Actually I think we will lose Rock in FA this year which will allow Nemo to step up and play that short yardage role. We have other areas, like WR that are a MUST to be able to stretch the field outside of Moss and Patten. This offense with a proven #2 and #3 WR will be dominant...I'm talking 1992 dominant.

Have three people seriously called for the Skins to get Ron Dayne so far in this relatively short-lived thread? There must have been something in that tequila in Mexico, cause I think my eyes must be messing with me...

I concur. I don't see Denver giving up any of their RBs. Mike Anderson won't last forever, and Shanahan might see Dayne as his heir apparent.

Even so, I wouldn't want Ron Dayne anyway.