Explain Something to The Rev

[The Rev]

Saban referred to missing key players like Ricky and Daunte which would greatly help the team. Now, when I heard this I thought two things:
1. Not a ringing endorsement for Ronnie Brown and
2. Does Saban think that Ronnie cannot carry the load.
Forgetting that arguemnt for a sec, I have a question...

Whom else (in hindsight) would have been a better option than Ronnie with the #2 pick last year? Was Merriman that spectacular coming out? Remember that I am not a draft expert.

Thanks for the help. :wink:

 

[CrunchTime]

I am of the opinion that you dont draft a RB with that high a pick.Their career are relatively short compared to other positions.

I was hoping we would trade down and draft Ronnie Brown because I thought and still think he was the best RB available.

IMO only a top franchise QB would justify the kind of commitment that would go with a No 2 pick.I thought Saban was going to draft Alex Smith but he was taken by the Niners.Smith has struggled but I think he will come around eventually.

Apparently there were no other teams interested in trading up after that because of the weakness of the QB class.

We may face the same situatioon this year.A top 5 pick but without a clear top franchise LT available which IMO is a dire need.

There are a couple of outstanding WRs but CJ will probably be the first pick taken and I dont think we will finish with the top pick.Most likely between the No 2 and No 5 range.

 

[GRT8]

I think Saban was misunderstood when he gave that statement......

but at that point in our draft he seemed like the safe pick. Ricky had trouble running behind a poor o-line and so does Ronnie.
It is the old question....does the line make the back or vice versa.....ask Baltimores back up RB Mike Anderson that one.
He needs more carries than 15 a game.Ricky saw that in the first half easy.Ricky went through a tough stretch during the season when he had a low avg. Just feed him the ball and he gets more opportunities. Ronnie is not hitting the hole hard, because of the inconsistent blocking. When becomes a problem is from a confidence standpoint, as soon as he gets the ball he is side-stepping people vs. hitting the line full steam ahead. the only way to improve on that is to mentally challenge yourself to hit the line hard. We will see more of that if he gets the ball more and we get a few leads vs. playing from behind so much.

I have alot more to say on the subject, but I will pass at this point" no pun intended"

 

[NJFINSFAN1]

Saban referred to missing key players like Ricky and Daunte which would greatly help the team. Now, when I heard this I thought two things:
1. Not a ringing endorsement for Ronnie Brown and
2. Does Saban think that Ronnie cannot carry the load.
Forgetting that arguemnt for a sec, I have a question...

Whom else (in hindsight) would have been a better option than Ronnie with the #2 pick last year? Was Merriman that spectacular coming out? Remember that I am not a draft expert.

Thanks for the help. :wink:

Well, while I can see what you mean, I think Brown is doing fine with the line we have, I think Suggs was a nice change of pace, not so sure about Morris doing that now.

I don't know how Saban would know if Brown can carry the load, he never has had a chance to do so.

Merriman, while great, could be suspended due to a steriod substance (depending his appeal), we needed a RB, and the only other choice would have been Caddy.

 

[MikeO]

I think after 23 games one thing is crystal clear.

Saban the Coach and Saban the GM are 2 different people that MUST be judged differently.

As an NFL coach I have confidence in Saban getting the job done. With Saban the GM of this team, I am very worried.

 

[FIN-IN-RI]

I think after 23 games one thing is crystal clear.

Saban the Coach and Saban the GM are 2 different people that MUST be judged differently.

As an NFL coach I have confidence in Saban getting the job done. With Saban the GM of this team, I am very worried.

I'll buy that a little. Not very worried yet, just worried. I mean, he has Mueller around for a reason. Yeah, Saban has all the power, but I;m sure Mueller tells him what to sign off on and what not to.

 

[Ohiophinphan]

The comments keep being made that Brown needs to get more than 15 carries a game. I agree but who is it that isn't giving Brown those carries? The coaching staff that Saban heads! How can you make a guy the number two pick, give him a ton of money and then not have the confidence in him to have him carry the load? Is a puzzlement!?

 

[finswin56]

Saban referred to missing key players like Ricky and Daunte which would greatly help the team. Now, when I heard this I thought two things:
1. Not a ringing endorsement for Ronnie Brown and
2. Does Saban think that Ronnie cannot carry the load.
Forgetting that arguemnt for a sec, I have a question...

Whom else (in hindsight) would have been a better option than Ronnie with the #2 pick last year? Was Merriman that spectacular coming out? Remember that I am not a draft expert.

Thanks for the help. :wink:

1. That was my initial reaction. Then I thought about it some more, and remembered that Saban seemed to always favor a two back system. But, that begs the question of why spend the #2 pick on a RB?
2. I don't know, and I won't even pretend to know that answer.

Ohiophinphan, don't get me started :tantrum:

 

[NaboCane]

We should've traded down.

Saban is big on "value," and rightfully so - you want the right return for the properties you own. But in these last two drafts, Saban has stood pat on picks while our division rivals have gotten fat on bodies from two talent-rich drafts.

Meanwhile, I agree with Crunch that Ronnie was the only back I wanted of the ones available, he wasn't worth a second overall pick. A RB rarely is.

We should've traded down - but if we absolutely couldn't, then we should've taken Antrel Rolle. There simply wasn't much value in a top-5 pick in '05, but Rolle is an awesome talent at his position, (a position of great value) while Ronnie is not an "awesome" back.

JMO.

 

[Mindwarp]

The probalem with trading down was, There were no takers. You can't JUST trade down, you need someone willing to come up and last year was a piss poor draft.

I think we took the right person. and I think he has confidence in Ronnie, just when you have a caliber RB like Ricky, like it or not your gonna miss him when he is not back there.

 

[finswin56]

The probalem with trading down was, There were no takers. You can't JUST trade down, you need someone willing to come up and last year was a piss poor draft.

I think we took the right person. and I think he has confidence in Ronnie, just when you have a caliber RB like Ricky, like it or not your gonna miss him when he is not back there.

Good post :up: I agree with every part of it.

I don't think Ronnie's lack of carries is from a lack of confidence.

 

[GRT8]

The comments keep being made that Brown needs to get more than 15 carries a game. I agree but who is it that isn't giving Brown those carries? The coaching staff that Saban heads! How can you make a guy the number two pick, give him a ton of money and then not have the confidence in him to have him carry the load? Is a puzzlement!?

well said

 

[The Rev]

Ronnie was a great choice. He needs more carries.

Just wondering if there was anyone else that we could have taken at #2.
Anybody worth that pick? I know Joe mentioned Antrel Rolle.

 

[GRT8]

We should've traded down.

Saban is big on "value," and rightfully so - you want the right return for the properties you own. But in these last two drafts, Saban has stood pat on picks while our division rivals have gotten fat on bodies from two talent-rich drafts.

Meanwhile, I agree with Crunch that Ronnie was the only back I wanted of the ones available, he wasn't worth a second overall pick. A RB rarely is.

We should've traded down - but if we absolutely couldn't, then we should've taken Antrel Rolle. There simply wasn't much value in a top-5 pick in '05, but Rolle is an awesome talent at his position, (a position of great value) while Ronnie is not an "awesome" back.

JMO.

jury is out......but he has a huge upside