- 3 days ago
Washington has a group of young running backs that could take major steps forward this season in the David Blough offense.
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00:00I think when you talk about this running back group, there's a lot to like.
00:04Bill had a really productive rookie season.
00:09He's an explosive back that I think in a kind of outside zone will thrive, frankly.
00:17If you go back and watch the tape from the Giants game, when he hit that corner, one cut, go.
00:24He's got speed. He's got quickness.
00:27Last year, in 17 games played, only seven starts, Bill finished with a little under 900 yards from scrimmage.
00:36On the ground, he had 175 carries for 805 yards and eight touchdowns.
00:43He averaged 4.6 a pop, which is strong.
00:48He had a long of 72. He broke some long ones.
00:53I think Bill, again, gives you all that production.
00:57I think what Bill needs to be better at is when you talk about the pass game, it's not just
01:02catching passes.
01:03It's one, being a plus in pass protection, and two, understanding conceptually where everything's going.
01:10Because it's going to be a new offense.
01:12You're not going to be side-by-side with Jaden in the pistol, and then you just drift out three,
01:18four yards for a little dump-off.
01:20It's going to look different. It's going to be play action.
01:22You've got to be able to sell those fakes.
01:25Bill has very real running back talent, but he's got to learn to be a running back.
01:32There's a lot more to it than just getting the ball in your hand and making a guy miss and
01:37going.
01:37The blocking scheme, he needs to know that by the back of his hand.
01:41And become a vital part of the passing game.
01:45Because if he does that, people won't be able to prepare for them.
01:51Like last year, when Bill went in the game, they knew basically 90% of the time he's running the
01:56ball.
01:56Or they're running the ball, some type of way.
01:58If he can go in the game where he can be an out-the-back-field type guy, the guy
02:03checking down over the center,
02:04or those type of things, you make it more difficult for a defense to game plan.
02:10But he's going to have to learn.
02:11But you're right.
02:14Being a running back is not just running the football.
02:16The most important thing is passing.
02:19In a pass-protection game, we'll make sure you know who to pick up if they're coming for the quarterback.
02:25Totally.
02:25Bill also put the ball on the ground a couple times.
02:29And that's got to stop.
02:30I mean, that's why he only started seven games.
02:34There was that period where he had some fumbles.
02:37And nothing will land a running back on the bench faster than putting the ball on the ground.
02:43Whether you recover him or not, that's just how that goes.
02:47When you saw his carries kind of dwindle, there were back-to-back games.
02:54Week 5 in L.A. against the Chargers, which he was great, but lost a fumble.
02:58And then week 6, the following week, against the Bears, lost a fumble.
03:02Yeah, it comes to the point where he has to understand the NFL, people tackle the ball.
03:09The first guy is trying to secure you.
03:13That second guy is coming for the football.
03:16The peanut punch.
03:17Yeah, the peanut punch.
03:19And like with Bobby Jackson, I would say, ball protection is job.
03:24Ball security is job security.
03:25Right.
03:26If you don't protect the football, you will not have a job.
03:29Point blank.
03:30But I remain optimistic on Bill.
03:32I think.
03:33I do, yeah.
03:34I think especially him as a rookie that hadn't played in a year.
03:38Hadn't played over, yeah.
03:39He missed his whole year before he came here.
03:42So he had a lot of stuff to get back to, but he showed what he's capable of.
03:47And just, he has such a positive attitude and outlook that like, I feel anyway, and we'll
03:54learn over the next few months, but I feel like he will put the work in to make his game
04:00better.
04:01I agree.
04:02All right.
04:03In the offseason, I don't know.
04:05W, look this up.
04:06Has Eckler formally retired?
04:08Do we know?
04:09I don't think he has, and then there's like the actual paperwork process.
04:13I don't think he's filed any of that stuff, but Eckler's not part of the organization
04:17anymore.
04:18He has not retired.
04:19Okay.
04:19Stepping into that role of kind of the past catching back, I think will be Rashad White.
04:25Yeah.
04:25And for all the talk of Brandon Ayuk and Jaden Daniels' friendship going back to the Arizona
04:32State days, Rashad White was there too.
04:34Yeah.
04:35And when Rashad White showed up in Ashburn for his introductory press conference, he said,
04:38yeah, Jaden's my best friend.
04:40I just don't go talking about it all the time.
04:42Like that's a deep, long relationship.
04:45In the last four seasons in Tampa, Rashad White was very good.
04:49He got unseated by Bucky Irving, who looks like a ferocious young running back.
04:55But White in four seasons in Tampa has over 4,100 yards from scrimmage with 25 touchdowns.
05:03That is a lot of productivity.
05:07Last year when Irving arrived, his numbers dipped down about 800 yards from scrimmage.
05:13But in 23 and 24, he went over 1,000 yards from scrimmage each season and had nine touchdowns
05:19both years.
05:20Like extreme productivity.
05:23And I think what has impressed me watching him in person, now granted, there's no pads
05:30on yet, speed.
05:32Like he's quicker than I thought and faster than I thought.
05:36So I think, you know, you start to envision what this is going to look like.
05:39I do think it's going to be a committee.
05:41Like I have fantasy people texting me about the running back room, how it's all going to
05:44shake out.
05:46I think everybody's going to have a little bit of a role.
05:49The kind of the wild card in this conversation is the newest rookie, Katron Allen, the fat
05:56man.
05:57Yeah.
05:58And Anthony Lynn told me, yeah, for that kid, we got to see once we get pads on.
06:05And Allen, fat man had a tremendous line when I asked him about that.
06:09He's like, yeah, once the pads come on, that's my kind of party.
06:12Yeah, I just like some guys, their strength is when everyone got the pads on, when the
06:19power's out there, where the guy that pumps the legs constantly and get that extra two
06:24yards or so, get that extra inch to get a first down.
06:27The guy that when there's fourth in inches, you know he's going to go get the inches.
06:32Yeah.
06:32He's not going to be in the backfield pitter paddling, trying to decide how he's going
06:35to bounce it outside.
06:36No, if you're in the hole, whether you're his offensive lineman or a defensive lineman,
06:42he puts his helmet in your back or in your chest.
06:44Right.
06:44That's the type of running back he is.
06:47What I noticed watching him, again, no pads yet, but he does a really good job of squaring
06:53his shoulders to the hole, regardless which hole it is he's trying to get to.
06:57And you see some guys, if they're going off tackle, they kind of stay at that angle and
07:02don't square up.
07:03Like, he is squared up preparing for contact regardless of position, regardless of the gap
07:09he's running through.
07:10Yeah.
07:10And I think that's how you can envision a real power guy like that.
07:15His last two seasons at Penn State, in 24, he went for 1,200 yards, 10 touchdowns.
07:21This is from scrimmage.
07:22Honestly, I mean, two years ago, Penn State had 18 catches for 153 yards.
07:27I think the hands are there should they want them.
07:30I don't think that'll really be his role, but two years ago, 12, 60, and 10.
07:35Last year at Penn State, 13, 71, and 15.
07:40Listen, I just think any running back...
07:42Averaged over 100 yards per game on the ground last year.
07:45Never let the coach have the mindset that I can't have him in the game during the passing
07:49game.
07:50You want to always show them that you can catch the ball.
07:53You know, every once in a while, I would...
07:56If the quarterback is in there, I'll be telling the running back coach or another person that's
08:00staying around, when I come out the back, they'll throw me the football.
08:04If I know they're going somewhere else, you throw me the football.
08:06And all of a sudden, you'll see a coach going, oh, he can catch the ball.
08:09You know, you want to find a way that they think you can do it all.
08:13Because you don't want to be that one-dimensional guy where every time you're in the game,
08:16the defense knows what's going to be happening.
08:19So you do have to replace Chris Rodriguez from last season.
08:23Rodriguez had 500 yards rushing, six touchdowns.
08:27C-Rod averaged four and a half yards per carry.
08:29He was largely kind of their power guy.
08:32And I think you're hoping Fat Man can be that.
08:36I don't know if that yardage total is going to be that significant.
08:39Because C-Rod had much more of a timeshare with Bill than maybe Fat Man will.
08:44But you also wonder...
08:45Well, we never know until they get out there.
08:47I know.
08:48Yeah.
08:48That is a hole that you do have to replace.
08:51As he told you, when they get the pass on, that's his kind of party.
08:53The other guy that doesn't get talked about in the conversation is Jeremy McNichols.
08:58And McNichols, there are few players better on third and 12 at getting you 13 than Jeremy McNichols.
09:06He has an uncanny ability in these long shot third downs to produce first downs.
09:12The stats don't jump off the page with J-Mac.
09:14He had 417 yards from scrimmage with a touchdown.
09:19But this stands out to me, B, if you look at his receptions, he had 25 catches on 31 targets.
09:30Of the 25 catches, 10 of them went for first downs.
09:37I find these numbers remarkable.
09:39I'm not making up the first down stuff.
09:41He had 44 rushes.
09:4344 carries for 221 yards with a touchdown.
09:47Of the 44 carries, 13 of them went for first downs.
09:51And J-Mac's not getting a lot of third and twos.
09:53I know.
09:56So, I feel like you were that kind of player.
09:59Like, how does a player zero in on that skill of just moving the chains?
10:04See, he comes in the game when the defense that's presented gives you that opportunity.
10:11But, once you see McNichols get the football, he doesn't think about it.
10:17You know what I'm saying?
10:18Yep.
10:18Some guys get it.
10:19They turn around.
10:20It's innate.
10:21Still in one position.
10:22When he gets the ball, he's upfield trying to go for where he got to get.
10:26And, I think he has that special teams mindset where it's second and six.
10:31I caught the ball.
10:32He may already have the first down, but he's going to try and run six more yards.
10:36You know what I'm saying?
10:37Totally.
10:38That's the mindset.
10:39Always try that.
10:40Once the ball is in your hand, get the amount of yards that are needed for the first down.
10:44Whether you caught it at four and it's second and five.
10:47You run four more.
10:48Guess what?
10:48But, you got it.
10:50Now, they also have an undrafted back on the roster in Robert Henry.
10:54Played at University of Texas, San Antonio.
10:58He looks good.
10:59He's intriguing, dude.
11:00And, shout out to the caller that, like, three months ago called in asking about him.
11:05We all sat and watched it.
11:07His tape against Texas A&M that was one of the best defenses in all of college football.
11:12I mean, that tape was really impressive.
11:15And, we'll see if that translates.
11:18Now, we've now talked five running backs, right?
11:21Yeah.
11:21Between Fat Man, Bill, Robert Henry, J-Max, Rashad White.
11:25They're not four, right?
11:26Yeah.
11:26They also signed Jerome Ford.
11:29Ford's dealt with some bad injuries, but that's been a highly productive player at various times in his NFL career.
11:38Ford for the Browns.
11:39I mean, there was a period of time in...
11:41I remember in the preseason game a few years ago.
11:44Oh, with the Lightning.
11:45He was...
11:46No.
11:46Yeah, that game there.
11:47Yeah.
11:47He was the returner, the running back.
11:51He was doing every damn thing.
11:53I liked him then.
11:55In 2023, which was probably that year we were out there, he went for 1,100 yards, nine touchdowns.
12:03Never been all that explosive.
12:04Last year, the numbers really dipped.
12:06He didn't get a ton of work.
12:08He only had 24 carries.
12:09Average only three yards per carry.
12:11Looking at this right now, I would guess Ford is probably on the outside looking in, but that's why they
12:18play the games.
12:18I don't know.
12:22I don't know.
12:22My guess is on the final 53, it's three backs on the roster, and my gut is Bill, White, and
12:30Fat Man.
12:31I would be shocked.
12:34Legit shocked.
12:37If McNichols isn't signed to the practice squad and then plays half the season as a bet, you know, called
12:43up Saturday night or somebody gets hurt.
12:45See, McNichols does it all.
12:46He does.
12:46He's running back.
12:47He's a special teams guy.
12:49He brings a lot to the table.
12:52So, I don't know what that means for Ford and for Robert Henry.
12:56You know, Henry's an undrafted rookie.
12:59Generally, that path involves some bouncing around.
13:02We'll see.
13:03Maybe he sticks.
13:03I don't know.
13:04Maybe he's a practice squad guy, too, and they work on his long-term development.
13:08It's interesting.
13:10Watching Henry, I don't know his backstory, but he's a 24-year-old undrafted rookie.
13:20That only played three years of college football.
13:24So, like, obviously, COVID did a lot of weird stuff where, you know, guys were or weren't able to play.
13:34Maybe there's some JUCO there before he got to UTSA.
13:39Could be.
13:40I don't know.
13:40I also don't know, like, if his eligibility was expiring or something because I don't know why he wouldn't play
13:46a fourth season.
13:48Because, like, it's not like you were going to be a draft pick.
13:51So, I just find some of that curious.
13:55Not in a good or bad way.
13:56I'm just curious how it all shook out.
13:58Maybe we'll find out during training camp.
14:01How do you feel about the running back room overall, Brian?
14:03I'm cool with it.
14:04I just think that, you know, I'm looking at Bill with one more year in this thing.
14:08He now understands a little bit more about the running back position in the NFL.
14:15I've told you I've liked Fat Man since he was at IMG, you know.
14:20And then Rashard White is as good as any when it comes to being a third down back, catching the
14:24ball at the backfield and things of that nature.
14:26But Jerry McNichols is a guy who you know can do it all.
14:32He can be the guy running the football.
14:33He can be the guy coming out the backfield.
14:35He can be a special teams guy.
14:36So, if you've got four guys of that caliber, you're good.
14:40And then you've got two other guys sitting behind that, you know, like you said, be on a practice squad
14:46where you should feel comfortable with them.
14:48One of them is a rookie.
14:50You say you kind of are intrigued by why it took him so long to get to the league.
14:56But the other has success in this league.
14:59You want to just make sure when you have guys that are backing up.
15:02But, you know, when you're backing up someone, you're not going to get the exact same thing.
15:07But you want to be able to make sure you have enough to where it's not just falling off the
15:11cliff when it comes to that level of talent.
15:14Yeah, I think if you look league-wide.
15:17And I, listen, man, like this group does not have Saquon or Derrick Henry or Bijan or something like that.
15:26So, but I think you're better off looking at the entire room because that's how it'll be deployed rather than
15:32looking at just individual talent.
15:35I don't think they're a top 10 running back room across the league.
15:39But I think they could be about middle of the pack.
15:42Like, I think.
15:43Yeah, they may not be a top 10 running back room.
15:45But the thing of it is we don't know who's going to emerge.
15:49You know, I was thinking about this when I saw Ryan text him something morning.
15:54When I got to the league, it was Ernest Bonner, Gerald Riggs, Reggie Dupart, Tom, I forgot Tom, Tom Brown,
16:02I think his last name was.
16:03Uh, uh, Calvin Bryant was here too, you know.
16:09But then as those year two, year three, year four came, I ended up being in the backfield a lot.
16:16Nobody thought I would be getting in the backfield.
16:18You get what I'm saying?
16:19Because I was drafted as a guy that going to make the team as a kick returner.
16:22But in practice, as I kept saying, I had people throwing me a football when the quarterback was throwing it
16:27to somebody else.
16:29And I became the third down back.
16:33I don't know what everybody else would be thinking, but if you're getting 300, 400 yards receiving, you're getting running
16:38back room, you're doing something on special team, you make yourself very valuable to your team.
16:42One of those guys can do the same thing.
16:43But I just want to go with the crew because they're like, ooh, I wasn't even telling you.
16:43And I look at it and see you inside.
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