Houston the answer?

[JoeWillie]

Anybody else here think Cedric Houston can be our future back, especially behind a good "O" Line?

Displayed some explosiveness hitting the holes last season behind a crap front 6.

I'd like to see how this guy can pan out before we take a chance on a Lendale White, for instance.

Thoughts?

[CoachTsurfing]

I agree with you. I think he and Brooks did a nice job. I wouldn't take lendale or a QB with our first pick.

[Sperm Edwards]

I'd see how he does over reaching for a Maurice Drew or Brian Calhoun at #35. If White slips to us at 29, don't think about it - just draft him. He's just a kid & kids do dumb things. Only reason whatsoever that we have Justin Miller is b/c he was a jerk to the cops at his party a week before the draft. His immaturity is nowhere near as Randy Moss was at his age. Anybody here wish we had our current WR's instead of R.Moss/Coles?

[JoeWillie]

Sperm - Good points about the WR's.

Coach T - Agree about White and the QB.

I'd like to see Houston get a shot. Couple of TD's and 3.7 yards per carry on 80 or so touches ain't too bad, especially behind that line.

[ThunderbirdJet]

I think he "could" be. Let's throw this in the face of people who love to talk about Brady being a sixth round pick.... so was Houston.

He could be as good as Dillon, when healthy, or a Droughns. Maybe not a pro bowl guy, but solid, and good enough to be a feature back on a playoff team, certainly. He hasn't done anything to make me think any less of him. The fumble rap on him so far holds no water.... based on his carry/fumble numbers last year, he's average in that dept. Not bad, not good.

He isn't a guy that will rip off 70 yard TD runs, but those are few and far between. In addition, he was still recovering and getting his medication right for his very fixable thyroid condition.

Jet fans under rate this kids potential upside. He could be a Rodney Hampton type of guy. I'm happy with Martin, Houston and Blaylock for this year. Take an RB next year if need be.

[MikeJetsWord]

I don't think I have seen enough of him to give him my full judgement. That being said, I see him only as a change of pace back, at least for this season.

[PeterNorth09]

I agree with you. I think he and Brooks did a nice job. I wouldn't take lendale or a QB with our first pick.

Yikes! Can you say 5-11 for the next 3 years?

[slats]

A sixth round pick with a thyroid condition is the kind of player who's easy to root for. Houston played hard last year. He gave a gutty performance. It was nice to see. One of the few "feel good stories" in a miserable season.

No way in hell do I see him as a franchise back, though. I'd love for the Jets to draft one of those at #29 or 35.

[PeterNorth09]

A sixth round pick with a thyroid condition is the kind of player who's easy to root for. Houston played hard last year. He gave a gutty performance. It was nice to see. One of the few "feel good stories" in a miserable season.

No way in hell do I see him as a franchise back, though. I'd love for the Jets to draft one of those at #29 or 35.

Agree, the people here who don't think we need a running back are out of their minds.

[JoeWillie]

Agree, the people here who don't think we need a running back are out of their minds.

Only time will tell. We'll see.

[CoachTsurfing]

I just think Ced did a nice job behind a crappy line. Lets see what he can do behind a line that has some beef to it. I keep hearing we are going to get away from the zone blocking. And I didn't say we shouldn't take a running back. I just said not White. If DeAngelo falls to us at 29 I would take him in a heart beat.

[ThunderbirdJet]

Agree, the people here who don't think we need a running back are out of their minds.

Ah, the grotesque over staement. I don't think we need an RB for 2006. We aren't going to be very competitive this year. While I agree the O and D lines must be rebuilt, and that is the core of what makes a team, I also don't want to go with Ferguson at 4. That hardly means I don't want to rebuild the Oline and use some high draft picks for those open positions.

The single WORST way to rebuild a team is to do it around a running back. In the past twenty (20) years, no RB taken in the top five spots ever went to a super bowl with the team that drafted him. There is ONE exception to that FACT.... Tony Dorsett. The Cowboys lost the super bowl, took Dorsett with a traded pick, and won the next year.

RB's generally have short NFL careers. They should be the LAST piece, not the first. Twenty years of bad teams taking an RB in the top five proves the point.... a point that is COMPLETELY lost on people who want to WASTE a high draft pick on an RB this year.

[JoeWillie]

Curtis Martin was hurt most of last year and played behind one of the worse lines in the league, yet he still rushed for 5 TD's and almost 800 yards in only 12 games. The year before he was the NFL Rusing Champion. True, he'll turn 33 this year but I have to believe he's got at least 1 or 2 good years left in the tank.

No offense, but I think anyone who thinks we need to draft a running back this year anywhere in the first 3 rounds with all the other holes we have to fill are out of their minds.

Cheers.

[JoeWillie]

T-Bird - Well said. Couldn't agree with you more.

[CoachTsurfing]

I think if a guy like DeAngelo with top 15 talent falls to you at 29 you have to take him. For all those people that don't think we need a QB if Cuttler fell to 29 you would take him wouldn't you?

[Preston Howley III]

Agree, the people here who don't think we need a running back are out of their minds.

Pete, it's not that we're "out of our minds" it's just that we "need" more than just a running back.

We need alot of things. You know... Herm... Bradway... past 5 years? Ringing any bells?

[PeterNorth09]

Ah, the grotesque over staement. I don't think we need an RB for 2006. We aren't going to be very competitive this year. While I agree the O and D lines must be rebuilt, and that is the core of what makes a team, I also don't want to go with Ferguson at 4. That hardly means I don't want to rebuild the Oline and use some high draft picks for those open positions.

The single WORST way to rebuild a team is to do it around a running back. In the past twenty (20) years, no RB taken in the top five spots ever went to a super bowl with the team that drafted him. There is ONE exception to that FACT.... Tony Dorsett. The Cowboys lost the super bowl, took Dorsett with a traded pick, and won the next year.

RB's generally have short NFL careers. They should be the LAST piece, not the first. Twenty years of bad teams taking an RB in the top five proves the point.... a point that is COMPLETELY lost on people who want to WASTE a high draft pick on an RB this year.

I'm not saying build around running back. Drafting a running back at #29 or #35 in the draft could hardly be considered "building around a running back.

Look, you can say we won't be competitive next year, and if we follow your advice we certainly won't be. But Curtis Martin is old and approaching the end and we have no one waiting in line worthy to take over for him.

By the way, look at the two biggest turn around teams last year: Tampa with Cadillac and Miami with Ronnie Brown. They took the best players available and at 29 if White is there he is the best player available without a doubt.

[/

[CoachTsurfing]

That's were I disagree. I don't think White has the professionalism or the heart to be the 29th pick. I think he has some talent, but he doesn't even block that well. I'd rather have DeAngelo.

[The Troll]

We do need a running back, but we don't need a lazy, overweight one.

If either DeAngelo Williams or Maroney slips to 29, I don't think twice. If not, then hopefully, Addai or one of the second-tier backs slides into the third.

[CoachTsurfing]

I've been coaching for 16 years and I'd rather have the kid with a big heart and some talent over alot of talent that thinks they can do whatever they want when they want.

[Bugg]

Curtis Martin was hurt most of last year and played behind one of the worse lines in the league, yet he still rushed for 5 TD's and almost 800 yards in only 12 games. The year before he was the NFL Rusing Champion. True, he'll turn 33 this year but I have to believe he's got at least 1 or 2 good years left in the tank.

No offense, but I think anyone who thinks we need to draft a running back this year anywhere in the first 3 rounds with all the other holes we have to fill are out of their minds.

Cheers.

That's a HUGE BUT. 33 is like 40 for actresses. Injuires aren't an abberation; it's only a matter of time. What you can expect is that Martin will slow down, be more weakened to nagging injuies and generally decline. His whole cutback act is speed; when that goes(and he's slowed down a bunch already) he'll be done. He's never run over people like Riggins. He's going to start now?

I cannot say this enough-he's not as good as most of the historical backs he's compared with, and he's not better than any of'em. There's no reason to think he can be a top flight feature back at this age. In NFL history it would be unprecedented. Explain how he's better than Riggins, Harris, Smith or Payton. Because those guys couldn't do it at this age, and Martin's not as good as them. Thankfully we now have a staff that won't engage in that "warrior"/wishful thinking stupidity.

Running back isn't a huge need. But if a solid player falls into their laps at 35, thye should consider it. Blaylock/Houston/Martin might get you by.

[PeterNorth09]

That's were I disagree. I don't think White has the professionalism or the heart to be the 29th pick. I think he has some talent, but he doesn't even block that well. I'd rather have DeAngelo.

You know, I would take either Lendale or DeAngelo at 29 if one of them lasted to that point. I doubt that will happen though. Both will be good backs though Lendale has more upside.

[PeterNorth09]

I've been coaching for 16 years and I'd rather have the kid with a big heart and some talent over alot of talent that thinks they can do whatever they want when they want.

So you'd rather have Wayne Chrebet than Randy Moss?

[Boozer76]

So you'd rather have Wayne Chrebet than Randy Moss?

Moss is the best receiver in the league. Lendale will never be the best RB in the league even if he does pan out. A better comparison is would you rather have Chrebet over Keyshawn, to which my answer would be yes.

[ThunderbirdJet]

So you'd rather have Wayne Chrebet than Randy Moss?

You are on a roll here, Mr North. You take a comment, and do what you can to make an outlandish, extreme comparison. If your opinion was a solid one, and had a legitimate point, you would not have to resort to such silly analogies. Your opinion may in fact, be valid, but you trash it with this sort of stuff. Keep it in the real world. Extemeist stuff like this just makes your opinion watered down, to this reader. It's not about winning a debate.... it's about discussing.

I am still not in favor of taking an RB very high. I'd prefer to do what we can to fill the many other holes this team has first. If that goes well, and we have another high draft pick next year, that would be the ideal time to take an RB.

You seemed to object to my opinion that we will not be competitive next year.... I think this is a two year rebuild, and attempts to make this a .500 team in 2006 might actually be counter-productive as a part of that process.

Does anyone remember the **** Saban took last year when he said it wasn't about wins? It was about improving. That is exactly what the Jets should be concerned with this year. BTW, when Miami took Brown, they didn't have any RB at all. That is markedly different than the situation the Jets are in.

[Sperm Edwards]

Moss is the best receiver in the league.

He wasn't on draft day. He was just a rookie with tremendous upside. He wasn't even the first WR taken. Think the Titans/Oilers took Kevin Dyson ahead of Randy Moss.

[Kup DeVilles]

I agree that Houston can be that guy.. There is no way that we take White even if he falls to 35.. It's one thing to have problems after the fact but to invest in a guy who brings big baggage is just dumb. I don't see our Mr T screwing with chemistry. What do you think White would be like behind last years line? Let's get a line 1st and give our guys a shot.

[shutout]

I like Houston. As someone said earlier in the thread,a 6th round RB who's overcoming a thyroid condition is easy to root for. I do not think he's the answer though. Sure he was running behind a crappy line last year,but I still believe the Jet fans that thought he did good last year at the least believe that because they were happy to see someone other than Martin back there. He doesn't do anything great,he's just solid. Maybe I just haven't seen enough of him,but what I have seen of him leads me to believe he'll never be anything more than a good #2 back/spot starter who will never carry the load of 300+ carries a year.

[JoeWillie]

T-Bird - Dead on.

Kup- Agree with building both "O" and "D" lines first. Worry about a RB a year or two from now, when we know Curtis is done and we know if Houston doesn't pan out. Although, I would really rather see the Jets build a solid defense first with high picks in the draft, and try to build the O line in later rounds through FA.

Run the ball on offense ... Stop the Run on defense ... limit turnovers.

Consistent formula for winning football games.

[Kup DeVilles]

Solid formula JW.. based on that Mario would be the chalk pick.. but do you think he fits in a 3/4? Who would be better suited for a 3/4?

[JoeWillie]

Kup - If we walked away with Mario at #4 and either Carpenter or Lawson at #29, I'd be ecstatic. Key in the 3-4 is the nose. Can DRob cover 2 gaps consistently and free up the backers to make plays? Not sure he's the guy but let's hope so.

[Boozer76]

He wasn't on draft day. He was just a rookie with tremendous upside. He wasn't even the first WR taken. Think the Titans/Oilers took Kevin Dyson ahead of Randy Moss.

Not even close to true Sperm. Moss was unanimously agreed to be the best WR in the draft based on skill and on field talent. The only reason Dyson or anyone for that matter was drafted ahead of him was because he was a head case, which so far has still been an issue. But no doubt about it when he hits the field, he's the best WR in the game right now. Lendale may be a good NFL RB, but I don't think he will ever be the best, nor will he be top 5.

[124]

I'd love for the Jets to give Cedric a chance. I liked him in his rookie year a hell of a lot more then I liked Jordan. Everyone says Houston has fumble troubles. Well those can be fixed because we all know Jordan had them in his rookie season as well.

Anyways, F Jordan and we should get Cedric a chance. Giving him around 10 carries a game this year would show the road we'll have to travel down in the future at the RB spot.

[raffyD]

I watched Ced closely last year, in camp and on the field when Martin went down and I definitely saw a hard, angry running, potential starting RB. He ran strong fighting for every inch and you had to love watching him put his head down and put the hit on would be tacklers, so I say yes, he can be our feature back. My main point is why not find out before spending a first or second round pick on a rb when we need to get solid players for the oline, dline, lb'ing core etc. for THE LONG TERM. We're not drafting for depth at those positions, we're drafting for long term starters, which means invest your high picks in them.

Then again, maybe my judgment is clouded because Ced was a 6th rounder with a thyroid condition and I want to root for him.

[Boozer76]

I watched Ced closely last year, in camp and on the field when Martin went down and I definitely saw a hard, angry running, potential starting RB. He ran strong fighting for every inch and you had to love watching him put his head down and put the hit on would be tacklers, so I say yes, he can be our feature back. My main point is why not find out before spending a first or second round pick on a rb when we need to get solid players for the oline, dline, lb'ing core etc. for THE LONG TERM. We're not drafting for depth at those positions, we're drafting for long term starters, which means invest your high picks in them.

Then again, maybe my judgment is clouded because Ced was a 6th rounder with a thyroid condition and I want to root for him.

There's an even better reason to wait and see: RB is a position where a rookie can step right in and play at an NFL level. If Houston does not pan out, then we can snatch a RB in next year's draft that will be able to step right in. There will be plenty more Lendale White's to come. No need to rush and grab him this year.