RB dept. : Zac Stacy ~ ~ ~

[kelly]

– Hoping for an opportunity at more playing time, Zac Stacy went from one crowded backfield to another one equally as crowded. Thing is that here in New York with the Jets, Stacy thinks he'll fit in just fine.When the St. Louis Rams made the surprise selection of taking Todd Gurley with the 10^th overall pick in April's NFL Draft, Stacy knew that his time with the team was likely coming to a close. His trade request was honored by the team as the Jets sent a seventh round pick for the 24-year-old running back, adding him to a unit that - on paper - was already quite strong.

 

Running back might be the deepest position on the Jets' roster. There is battering ram Chris Ivory, perhaps the hardest runner in the league this side of Marshawn Lynch. The Jets also re-signed Bilal Powell and brought in free agents Stevan Ridley and Daryl Richardson.“There's always competition everywhere but I think the move to the Jets was what's best for me," Stacy told Metro. "Coming into a system that obviously has competition going in but has good opportunities as well. Thought it was a best fit for me to move Jersey. At the end of the day it was the best decision for me.“With the situation, like I said this was the best, ideal situation for me in terms of opportunity. With the situation in St. Louis, I felt my opportunities were limited.

 

”Where all this depth on the Jets roster leaves Stacy is in a spot where he must exceed expectations to just make it to Week 1.He burst onto the league in his rookie season of 2013, running for 973 yards and seven touchdowns. But last year, his carries were cut by nearly three-fourths and his productivity went way down. Stacy has a low center of gravity and is thick in his build but he has good hands out of the backfield, something that can be an asset with the new spread offense implemented by offensive coordinator Chan Gailey.He will need to impress head coach Todd Bowles to make the 53-man roster, something that isn't exactly a given at this point. Ivory is a lock to make the team and Ridley, despite his torn ACL last year, would seem to be in the mix for significant carries this season. Then there is Powell, who was the first player the Jets re-signed when Bowles was named head coach.

 

So making the team, let alone getting reps in training camp, will be a difficult task for Ridley.“Right now I'm trying to establish a role anyway I can, running the football, being versatile, special teams, any way I can," Stacy said. "We have a horse here already in Chris Ivory, he's been great teaching me, showing the ropes. He's been great. We've got Stevan Ridley – man he has looked great. Bilal Powell, Daryl Richardson too is in here.“I feel like regardless with me being released or being traded, I have value," Stacy continued. "I think every team in the NFL saw that. Coach Bowles is a great coach, I faced him when I was with the Rams and he was the DC in Arizona with the Cardinals. He's a great coach. I love the playbook here, it allows us as runners to get downhill which is my style. We're asked to be versatile out of the backfield, get out there, run corner routes. Let's us be versatile.”

 

> http://www.metro.us/kristian-dyer/earning-starting-role-will-be-difficult-task-for-jets-rb-zac-stacy/zsJofc---yHHQSVhuZqhLU/

[BurnleyJet]

He's our receiving back this year, Marshall and Stacy for a 5th is insain business. Guy can catch out of the backfield.

[Matt39]

I think there's a decent chance he ends up getting the most carries this year.

[kelly]

more re our RB dept. -

 

~ ~  Lack of breakaway threat in Jets' backfield is a concern

 

Do the New York Jets have enough speed in the backfield  ?

 

It was a question at the start of the offseason, and it remains a question because the running backs they added -- Stevan Ridley and Zac Stacy -- aren't known as breakaway backs. Neither are the returnees, Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell. In fact, their four backs have combined for only eight runs of 40+ yards in their careers. That covers 1,943 rushing attempts.

 

New Jets running back Zac Stacy joins a deep backfield that averages a collective 4.29 yards per carry, but big plays might be in short supply.

 

 

 

So, no, we're not talking about a lineup filled with home-run hitters. And that's OK, according to offensive coordinator Chan Gailey."That’s not that big a deal to me," Gailey said recently. "I’ve had Emmitt (Smith), I’ve had (Jerome) Bettis and neither one of them are going to run 70 yards. You just adjust to what you have. You set it up to where you become an execution-oriented offense and don’t rely on the big play. If you get one, great, but you don’t rely on it on a consistent basis. Sometimes with certain types of people with certain types of backs, you say, 'Well, we’re going to get one the next time.' Well, you may not either."

 

Let's be clear: The Jets don't have any future Hall of Famers on the roster, but Gailey makes a good point. Consider :

The career yards-per-attempt for Ivory, Powell, Ridley and Stacy is 4.29. Now check out the averages for the past five Super Bowl champions :

 

2014: New England Patriots -- 3.94

2013: Seattle Seahawks -- 4.30

2012: Baltimore Ravens -- 4.28

2011: New York Giants -- 3.47

2010: Green Bay Packers --3.81

 

Obviously, these teams didn't have dominant running games, but they all received elite play from the quarterback position. Unless Geno Smith makes an enormous improvement in Year 3, the Jets won't have that dimension, making them a team that relies on defense and a strong rushing attack. The latter is imperative because, without a potent ground game to reduce the pressure on Smith ... well, you don't even want to contemplate that scenario.

 

The bottom line is, yes, the Jets can function with a 4.29 yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust running game, but it will require long, well-executed drives. The lack of a dynamic threat reduces the odds of a quick, easy score, adding more pressure on the entire offense. That could be a dicey proposition with a mistake-prone quarterback.

 

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/51739/lack-of-breakaway-threat-in-jets-backfield-is-a-concern

 

[#27TheDominator]

 

more re our RB dept. -

 

2013: Seattle Seahawks -- 4.30

2012: Baltimore Ravens -- 4.28

 

Obviously, these teams didn't have dominant running games,

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/51739/lack-of-breakaway-threat-in-jets-backfield-is-a-concern

 

 

 

Seriously?  Over the course of a career, those are HOF numbers.  Just ask Curtis. Seattle was in the top 5 in rushing that year. 

[NYJetsVets91]

Seriously?  Over the course of a career, those are HOF numbers.  Just ask Curtis. Seattle was in the top 5 in rushing that year. 

 

The article is written by Cimini... soooooo.

[kelly]

I think our fo will be on the " look-out " for a  " speed back "   

[kelly]

— With all the additions for the New York Jets, from a new coaching staff to a top-level receiver to a prized rookie defensive lineman to the return of one of the NFL's best cornerback tandems, the stable of running backs has been somewhat overlooked.

 

Considering that quarterback Geno Smith is in a prove-it third pro season, though, the importance of the guys behind him can't be overestimated.Incumbents Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell were joined on the field by former Rams Zac Stacy and Daryl Richardson during this week's minicamp. Free agent signee Stevan Ridley, who had to watch the Patriots win the Super Bowl while he was sidelined by a torn right ACL, hopes to be able to work when training camp opens at the end of July.It's a solid, experienced group that, operating behind a veteran offensive line, could take much pressure off Smith. Actually, it had better do so."It could be a great group," said Ivory, the hard-charging throwback power runner who also brings some burst to the field. "I like to fight for yards, but I am much more than that. I like whenever my number is called to make some plays."

 

His number was called 198 times and he rushed for 821 yards and six touchdowns. Ivory also takes some hellacious hits — and delivers same — so asking him to make another 50 or so carries this season might be his limit.But with the others on hand, that could mean the Jets match their No. 3 ranking of 2014 in rushing."When I saw they were ranked No. 3 last year, I was licking my chops," said Stacy, acquired in a draft-day trade with the Rams after St. Louis took Georgia's Todd Gurley in the first round — and Stacy tweeted "Yikes" when the pick was made. "I think we can be very balanced on offense, and each of us has something to offer at running back."

 

Ivory offers the power game. Powell has some power, too, and is the most versatile of the RBs. Stacy also has shown versatility, and he rushed for 973 yards for the Rams in 2013 despite being a part-timer for much of the season.Richardson had a big training camp last year for the Jets, but with Chris Johnson and his huge contract around, Richardson wound up on the practice squad."I just want to build on what I've shown," said Richardson, who averaged 4.8 yards a carry in St. Louis in 2012. "I want to help with the overall running game any way I can, running the ball, catching it, blocking.... That's the whole point of being a running back."

 

The wild card is Ridley, the most accomplished of the five RBs, but the least healthy right now. He said he's aiming to be a contributor by the season opener."I can't predict the future, but for me I've got to be ready for Week 1, and that's the goal," Ridley said. "When I do hit the field, I'm making an impact."Coach Todd Bowles explained the pecking order at the position for now, with a major caveat.

"There's Ivory, there's Powell. Richardson has been here, Ridley is not practicing, and Stacy just got here," Bowles said. So, as Stacy gets to know his (assignments), it's Ivory, Powell, Richardson, Stacy, and of course Ridley isn't playing right now."That remains to be seen because I don't know who can block and who can't block right now. That remains to be seen, so right now all three guys that are practicing are very similar, and then Stacy will make the fourth guy practicing. We'll see when Ridley comes back and that will be something that will be ironed out in camp."

 

Ridley was eager to talk about joining the Patriots' rival, and not so eager to be confronted with questions about the deflated footballs scandal in New England. When the first question was asked on that subject, he smiled, shook his head and said: "Here we go with this 'Deflategate.' "While admitting he had no inside information — or any info at all — about it, he did note that the Patriots won the Super Bowl and he got a ring. Then, of course, the Patriots let him walk.So when he mentioned the mistake New England made, he was asked if that referred to letting him leave, or to the deflated footballs used in the AFC title game.He made it clear he was talking about the footballs."Everybody has their flaws — me, you, everybody included. They made a mistake," Ridley said. "The best thing that can happen is that they deal with that on their own. That has nothing to do with the New York Jets, and this is where I am now."

 

> http://www.pro32.ap.org/article/jets-could-have-deep-stable-rbs

[TNJet]

We have a speed back his name is Bilal Powell. Never understood how people have never noticed his speed.

[#27TheDominator]

We have a speed back his name is Bilal Powell. Never understood how people have never noticed his speed.

 

Sarcasm? 

 

He is slower than Ivory.  Literally.  Richardson is a speed back.  He ran like a 4.45 or something, but he probably is just not very good.

[TNJet]

Sarcasm? 

 

He is slower than Ivory.  Literally.  Richardson is a speed back.  He ran like a 4.45 or something, but he probably is just not very good.

 

 

Sarcasm? 

 

He is slower than Ivory.  Literally.  Richardson is a speed back.  He ran like a 4.45 or something, but he probably is just not very good.

But he hits the hole faster and is quicker in his cuts. Just watch Powel's feet.

[Jetsfan80]

But he hits the hole faster and is quicker in his cuts. Just watch Powel's feet.

 

That's not a speed back.  He's not going to accelerate and get tons of yardage in the open field.  And that's OK.

[Long Island Leprechaun]

Never saw Powell as any sort of speed back, nor is he very impressive in his acceleration. He can be shifty and has good hands and blocks pretty well. He's a middling kind of back that has multiple skills but isn't a phenomenal pure athlete and not elite at any one thing.

[Jetmech]

Powell is like a utility player. They usually sink when their asked to be a starter. Nothing wrong with it either.

[BurnleyJet]

Speed back, what's Joe McKnight doing..

[kelly]

saw this..

 

~ ~ Ranking NFL backfields from No. 1 to 32

 

Few NFL position groups underwent more change this offseason than at running back.Philadelphia, New Orleans and Buffalo are just a few of the clubs that engineered massive makeovers at the position.Even though runners are paid like kickers and punters in today's game, good luck enduring the long season without a capable cast of backs. It's no surprise that 10 of the 12 weakest rushing teams from one year ago watched the playoffs on the couch.

 

With all the turnover, it's time to take a look at where teams stack up in the backfield. We've ranked all 32 squads from best to worst and reached out to a handful of NFL coaches and draft experts to weigh in on this year's cast of veteran and rookie runners.It's June, so ranking anything is a moving target. In this exercise, proven veterans earn more points than newbies yet to play. We also factored in strong offensive lines and quarterbacks who can hurt you on the ground.

 

Here's the list :

 

~ 20. Jets: Chris Ivory, Stevan Ridley, Bilal Powell, Zac Stacy, Daryl Richardson

 

»  The Jets quietly ranked third in rushing last season. There isn't a special runner on the roster, but this is a deep group. With Stevan Ridley still on the mend, Gang Green's current depth chart in Florham Park reads like this: Ivory, Powell, Richardson and Stacy. A healthy Ridley would give New York another physical back who can blast teams between the tackles.

 

rest of above article :

> http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000496901/article/ranking-nfl-backfields-from-no-1-to-32

[Integrity28]

Powell is the only RB we have that I have hope for... the other 4 guys were given up on by Sean Payton, Bill Belicheat, and Jeff Fisher. 

[#27TheDominator]

Speed back, what's Joe McKnight doing..

 

He was with the Chiefs last season, but tore his Achilles early on.  Not sure if he is still signed.

[kelly]

Question to Chris Ivory last week at the New York Jets' minicamp: How do you envision your role for the coming season ?

 

Ivory: "I'm not sure, man."

 

Welcome to the club.

 

There are many questions surrounding the Jets' running back position, which consists of five experienced backs -- Ivory, Bilal Powell, Zac Stacy, Daryl Richardson and Stevan Ridley. With a five-deep depth chart (if Ridley's surgically repaired knee is cleared for training camp) and no true star among them, it will be fascinating to see how their roles are defined. This much we know: Ivory will go into camp as the first-team back, according to coach Todd Bowles.Chris Ivory rushed for 821 yards in 2014.Beyond that, it's anybody's guess. Will Ivory split time with another back, as he did last season with Chris Johnson? Who will be the third-down back? What about short-yardage and goal line ?

 

Chances are it will be a committee approach, but the current size of the committee might be larger than what we see on Capitol Hill. Bowles almost certainly won't keep five backs, so someone has to go, maybe two. (For the purposes of this conversation, we're not including fullback Tommy Bohanon.) Thing is, it would be very hard to dress four backs on game day, especially when only one (Powell) figures to have a role on special teams.You don't see too many four-headed monsters in the NFL. In 2014, only one team had four backs who played at least 160 snaps -- the Tennessee Titans, who had Bishop Sankey, Leon Washington, Dexter McCluster and Shonn Greene. Obviously, it didn't go well; they finished 2-14.

 

Seventeen teams, including the Jets, had three backs in that category. The Jets split it up this way: Ivory 440, Johnson 398 and Powell 237. Three is manageable; four, not so much.What makes the current group so interesting is that it includes three backs that once led a team in rushing -- Ivory (New Orleans Saints, 2010; Jets, 2013-2014), Ridley (New England Patriots, 2012), and Stacy (St. Louis Rams, 2013). In other words, they're used to getting the rock, and now they'll be forced to share ... a lot.The other distinguishing characteristic about these guys is they don't have any distinguishing characteristics. Basically, they're tough, between-the-tackles runners, not breakaway threats. This will make it harder for the coaches to define their roles. In the end, decisions could be based on the nonscientific, hot-hand approach. Before we get into projections, let's compare :

 

Comparing running backs

Comparing statistics of Jets running backs Chris Ivory, Bilal Powell, Zac Stacy and Stevan Ridley from the 2013 and 2014 seasons.

Stat Ivory Stacy Powell Ridley Yards per rush (league rank) 4,35 (20th) 3.88 (34th) 4.01 (31st) 4.09 (27th) Yards after contact per rush 2.10 (5th) 1.77 (21st) 1.61 (30th) 1.53 (36th) Yards before contact per rush 2.57 (14th) 2.11 (33rd) 2.40 (21st) 2.57 (14th) Source: ESPN Stats & Information

 

 

Now for our fearless projections. It's important to note that new offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, based on his most recent track record, figures to rely heavily on a one-back formation. That could change, of course, in short-yardage situations.

 

Lead back : By any metric, Ivory is the best first- and second-down back on the roster, but that doesn't mean he'll be the workhorse. He's never had 200 carries in a season and he has a history of nagging injuries, and the new coaching staff will be mindful of that. Another question: How will he adapt to Gailey's spread system? Ivory isn't a play-in-space back because he's not a threat to catch the ball. When that was mentioned to him, he noted he played in a similar system with Sean Payton the Saints. That's true, but they also sent him packing, so there's that. If healthy, Ridley could be a nice sidekick to Ivory because, before last season, he demonstrated a little giddy-up. Stacy is a smaller version of Ivory, with less speed.

 

Third-down back : Powell is the clear favorite because he's the most experienced pass-catching back on the roster -- and that's not saying a lot because the others haven't done much at all. Powell won't scare defenses when the ball is in his hands, but he can pick up a blitz and block -- underrated skills for a third-down back. Bowles said he couldn't handicap this role until he sees them in pads, gauging their blocking ability. It will be an upset if Powell doesn't snag this job.

 

Short-yardage/goal line: Ivory and Stacy make sense because they're physical runners, but Ivory is attractive because he's a big body (6-foot, 222 pounds). He also has a proven track record, having converted 65 percent of his third-down runs over the last two seasons -- the fifth-best success rate in the league.This should make for an intense competition in training camp. There will be no shortage of motivation because Ivory, Powell and Ridley are in contract years."We have great depth," Ivory said. "That's one thing we definitely have, it's depth."

 

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/52020/five-running-backs-one-ball-how-will-jets-divide-workload

[j4jets]

He's our receiving back this year, Marshall and Stacy for a 5th is insain business. Guy can catch out of the backfield.

 

What would you give up for a guy thats never averaged 4 yards a carry and averages just over a catch a game?

[kelly]

When the St. Louis Rams selected Georgia’s Todd Gurley in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft, running back Zac Stacy asked to be traded rather than be trapped in a crowded depth chart. The Rams obliged and sent Stacy to the New York Jets—but they have a potential logjam at the position as well. Entering his third season in the league, Stacy is eager to separate himself from the pack and prove his worth to his new team.

 

Watch the video above to see Stacy (when he was still with the Rams) perform intense off-season training with Chip Smith. You'll see Stacy run through grueling speed drills aimed at improving his 40-Yard Dash time; hit the weights in the afternoon; and cool down with massage therapy at the end of the day.

 

video..

>  http://www.stack.com/2015/06/25/zac-stacy-works-to-get-faster/?utm_source=yahoo

[j4jets]

Powell is the only RB we have that I have hope for... the other 4 guys were given up on by Sean Payton, Bill Belicheat, and Jeff Fisher. 

 

Ivory was traded, not given up on, just like Revis.

[Jetsfan80]

Powell is the only RB we have that I have hope for... the other 4 guys were given up on by Sean Payton, Bill Belicheat, and Jeff Fisher. 

 

Not sure why Jeff Fisher is viewed as anything special.  Fisher has had 2 winning seasons in the last 10 years and owns a 5-6 career playoff record.

 

And while I don't think Ridley is going to do much of anything for us even when he's healthy (and he also won't have deflated footballs to carry around), it's hard to argue that we haven't gotten good value out of that 4th rounder we gave up for Ivory.  To average a little under 4.4 ypc in this putrid offense is a decent accomplishment.  He was cast aside by New Orleans because of how much draft capital they already had invested in Ingram as well as their cap situation.  Not because he isn't a good RB.

 

Powell is basically a JAG, and there's nothing wrong with that.  Ivory, meanwhile, has a skillset (I.E. the ability to push a pile and get an extra yard or 2) that our RB's over the years haven't really had.  Stacy....we'll see. 

[Integrity28]

Ivory was traded, not given up on, just like Revis.

 

Nothing like Revis. 

 

Ivory could barely get on the field. Revis is a stud.

 

Ivory got paid peanutes. Revis wasn't QB money.

 

Ivory got traded because the Saints moved on from him. Revis got traded because of money and egos.

[Integrity28]

Not sure why Jeff Fisher is viewed as anything special.  Fisher has had 2 winning seasons in the last 10 years and owns a 5-6 career playoff record.

 

And while I don't think Ridley is going to do much of anything for us even when he's healthy (and he also won't have deflated footballs to carry around), it's hard to argue that we haven't gotten good value out of that 4th rounder we gave up for Ivory.  To average a little under 4.4 ypc in this putrid offense is a decent accomplishment.  He was cast aside by New Orleans because of how much draft capital they already had invested in Ingram as well as their cap situation.  Not because he isn't a good RB.

 

Powell is basically a JAG, and there's nothing wrong with that.  Ivory, meanwhile, has a skillset (I.E. the ability to push a pile and get an extra yard or 2) that our RB's over the years haven't really had.  Stacy....we'll see. 

 

Jeff Fisher's win/loss record is about the least relevant thing you could bring up in the context of me pointing out he gave up on a RB. He knows a good RB when he has one, and knows how to get them on the field. 

[Jetsfan80]

Jeff Fisher's win/loss record is about the least relevant thing you could bring up in the context of me pointing out he gave up on a RB. He knows a good RB when he has one, and knows how to get them on the field.

Cool. What about Ivory?

[Integrity28]

Cool. What about Ivory?

 

Ugh. Look at the post prior to the one you just responded to.

[j4jets]

Nothing like Revis.

Ivory could barely get on the field. Revis is a stud.

Ivory got paid peanutes. Revis wasn't QB money.

Ivory got traded because the Saints moved on from him. Revis got traded because of money and egos.

You might be right about Ivory. He only averaged 5.1 ypc for the Saints. Fukcer couldn't hit that elite 7 yards per carry mark!

[Jetsfan80]

Ugh. Look at the post prior to the one you just responded to.

That post explains little about why you think Powell is the only back you have confidence in. In the same offense Ivory had 4.4 ypc compared to Powell's 4.0. I'd say both are more than useful backs, wouldn't you agree?

[j4jets]

That post explains little about why you think Powell is the only back you have confidence in. In the same offense Ivory had 4.4 ypc compared to Powell's 4.0. I'd say both are more than useful backs, wouldn't you agree?

Saints "gave up on Ivory" cuz he only averaged 5.1 ypc over 3 years n Peyton knows his RBs. So yeah, Ivory is technically garbage. Or so Mr. Integrity believes.

[Integrity28]

You might be right about Ivory. He only averaged 5.1 ypc for the Saints. Fukcer couldn't hit that elite 7 yards per carry mark!

Who cares what his YPC was? They didn't want him on the field for them.

[Integrity28]

That post explains little about why you think Powell is the only back you have confidence in. In the same offense Ivory had 4.4 ypc compared to Powell's 4.0. I'd say both are more than useful backs, wouldn't you agree?

It answered about Ivory, which was your question numb nuts. If you have a new question, that's fine, but don't pretend I failed to answer the new question by answering the previous one. Idiot.

[Integrity28]

Saints "gave up on Ivory" cuz he only averaged 5.1 ypc over 3 years n Peyton knows his RBs. So yeah, Ivory is technically garbage. Or so Mr. Integrity believes.

I never said he was garbage. I'm aware of his YPC in spot duty, the reality remains that he's one-dimensional. That's why the Saints traded him, and why we have to find two other RBs to do the things he can't.

I like Ivory. Just don't have confidence in him becoming an every down back.

Nice to see that you compensate for your weak arguments by bringing major gash hurt snoots.

[j4jets]

Who cares what his YPC was? They didn't want him on the field for them.

Who cares about his YPC? Perhaps, everyone in the NFL?

His talent was being wasted behind a stacked group of RBs. Sproles, Pierre Thomas, Mark Ingram, Chris Ivory. That's why he was traded, not released. Your argument is completely flawed, especially when you state Belicheat knows his RBs. If he had a half decent RB, he would've put up all pro type rushin numbers with one of the best QBs in the NFL history.

[j4jets]

I never said he was garbage. I'm aware of his YPC in spot duty, the reality remains that he's one-dimensional. That's why the Saints traded him, and why we have to find two other RBs to do the things he can't.

I like Ivory. Just don't have confidence in him becoming an every down back.

Nice to see that you compensate for your weak arguments by bringing major gash hurt snoots.

Weak argument? More like a slap in the face argument against a guy that wanted to tank the season for a higher draft pick, yet we ended up picking the top prospect. Keep it up, Mr. Integrity28.