Vinny tips his hand on the final 53

[12thMan]

Really, you guys don't think Mason will make it. Or are you including Mason?

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by 12thMan

Really, you guys don't think Mason will make it. Or are you including Mason?

Mason doesn't add any value. He runs with decisiveness and decent elusiveness, but not moreso than Portis and Betts. He's not faster than Portis or Betts, he's not more powerful than Portis or Betts, he can't run block like Sellers, he's not a better pass protector than Portis or Betts, he's not a better receiver than Portis or Betts, and he's not a better special teamer than Rock is.

He adds nothing to your roster. Decent player but that's why he has no shot.

Alridge at least can offer a major upgrade in terms of breakaway speed over Portis and Betts.

Portis
Betts
Sellers
Rock
and if there's a 5th: Alridge

[FRPLG]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

Mason doesn't add any value. He runs with decisiveness and decent elusiveness, but not moreso than Portis and Betts. He's not faster than Portis or Betts, he's not more powerful than Portis or Betts, he can't run block like Sellers, he's not a better pass protector than Portis or Betts, he's not a better receiver than Portis or Betts, and he's not a better special teamer than Rock is.

He adds nothing to your roster. Decent player but that's why he has no shot.

Alridge at least can offer a major upgrade in terms of breakaway speed over Portis and Betts.

Portis
Betts
Sellers
Rock
and if there's a 5th: Alridge

I think so. Mason isn't making the team. There's just no role for him.

[dmvskinzfan08]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

Mason doesn't add any value. He runs with decisiveness and decent elusiveness, but not moreso than Portis and Betts. He's not faster than Portis or Betts, he's not more powerful than Portis or Betts, he can't run block like Sellers, he's not a better pass protector than Portis or Betts, he's not a better receiver than Portis or Betts, and he's not a better special teamer than Rock is.

He adds nothing to your roster. Decent player but that's why he has no shot.

Alridge at least can offer a major upgrade in terms of breakaway speed over Portis and Betts.

Portis
Betts
Sellers
Rock
and if there's a 5th: Alridge

Dude did you jsut ay he is not faster than Betts? LMAO..

My list

Portis - The unquestioned starter
Betts - Godo pass receiver..average back..Knows the system
Sellers - Awesome fullback who can catch the ball.
Mason - Good vision and decent speed and decent pass receiver
Aldridge - Good speed


Jsut because a player went to teams that were loaded with rbs doesn't mean he isn't good.

Baltimore - Mcgahee, Rice, McClain
Jets - Jones, Johnson, Chatman

* Keep in mind that all of the players above were with there teams since OTAs last year and knew the offense. Compared to someone coming in right before the start of the season.

I would take Rice and Johnson over Betts and defintiely McCalin over Rock.

So make your comparisions. If we have inuries to our running backs this year. You are going to wish we dropped Rock and Kept Aldridge & Mason.

Our ST sucks. So stop using that as an excuse to keep Rock. I love my Skins. Saying that. I am not going to let one unproductive player make us lose two running back prospect because he is on special teams and can't perform as a starting RB.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by dmvskinzfan08

Dude did you jsut ay he is not faster than Betts? LMAO..

My list

Portis - The unquestioned starter
Betts - Godo pass receiver..average back..Knows the system
Sellers - Awesome fullback who can catch the ball.
Mason - Good vision and decent speed and decent pass receiver
Aldridge - Good speed


Jsut because a player went to teams that were loaded with rbs doesn't mean he isn't good.

Baltimore - Mcgahee, Rice, McClain
Jets - Jones, Johnson, Chatman

* Keep in mind that all of the players above were with there teams since OTAs last year and knew the offense. Compared to someone coming in right before the start of the season.

I would take Rice and Johnson over Betts and defintiely McCalin over Rock.

So make your comparisions. If we have inuries to our running backs this year. You are going to wish we dropped Rock and Kept Aldridge & Mason.

Our ST sucks. So stop using that as an excuse to keep Rock. I love my Skins. Saying that. I am not going to let one unproductive player make us lose two running back prospect because he is on special teams and can't perform as a starting RB.

You might love your Skins, but you sure as hell don't understand them or the game of football very well.

You get rid of Rock and you have to replace our best tackler on punt coverage, our best tackler on kick off coverage, and our best kick return man.

[dmvskinzfan08]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

You might love your Skins, but you sure as hell don't understand them or the game of football very well.

You get rid of Rock and you have to replace our best tackler on punt coverage, our best tackler on kick off coverage, and our best kick return man.

You obviously don't know football. Lets add some things up. So maybe YOU can understand...

1. What happened last year when CP and Betts got hurt? Where was Rock?

Oh we went and got a Shaun Alexander aka tip toe burgular..

2. He has returned one kick for TD..I think it was in 2006. Our special teams sucks. So to say he is the best tackler on special teams and thats the reason you want to keep him is frankly assinine.

3. Rock is 29 years old about to be 30 and so is Betts.

We have two RBs that have different type of styles to offer that would be more productive than Rock.

- So by your football knowledge. We have no one else that can return kicks.

- We have no one that can tackle besides him on special teams and he makes every tackle on special teams? lol Dude please.

- We should learn from our mistakes in 08. By not keeping a RB that can contribute if Betts and CP get nicked.

We have Moss, Betts, Thomas and other that can return kicks plus have more than one duty on the team.

If Danny Smith is such a good ST coach (not). He should prepare all of his players to be good tacklers on ST.

But you right. I know nothing about football.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by dmvskinzfan08

You obviously don't know football. Lets add some things up. So maybe YOU can understand...

1. What happened last year when CP and Betts got hurt? Where was Rock?

Oh we went and got a Shaun Alexander aka tip toe burgular..

2. He has returned one kick for TD..I think it was in 2006. Our special teams sucks. So to say he is the best tackler on special teams and thats the reason you want to keep him is frankly assinine.

3. Rock is 29 years old about to be 30 and so is Betts.

We have two RBs that have different type of styles to offer that would be more productive than Rock.

- So by your football knowledge. We have no one else that can return kicks.

- We have know one that can tackle besides him on special teams and he makes every tackle on special teams. Dude please.

- We shouldn't learn from our mistakes in 08. By not keeping a RB that can contribute if Betts and CP get nicked.

We have Moss, Betts, Thomas and other that can return kicks plus have more than one duty on the team.

But you right. I know nothing about football.

Wow, belligerent. I'm not sure whether to ream you out or admire you.

But seriously, you're vastly underestimating the importance of special teams. Rock didn't just return a kick for a TD, he ranks in the top 5 or 6 in the NFL in average yards on kick returns. The dude's legit.

But I do think we have other players who could adequately replace him on kick returns. Where I'd be much more concerned is punt and kick coverage, considering we already lost two out of our three best special teams tacklers in James Thrash and Khary Campbell. Losing Rock, the last of that coverage trio, would be a loss too great to bear. You'd be screaming at your TV in frustration every time we gave up a long return.

As for the injury risk, you're basing most of your argument on the anectdotal evidence from last season, when Betts got hurt and Portis "wore down." First off, Portis's drop off last year had more to do with a decimated offensive line than it did with his own drop off. But that notwithstanding, assuming that both of your top two RBs will be injured at the same time for a prolonged period is nothing short of retarded. Think about it, how many times have we needed to rely on Rock Cartwright (our #3 RB for the last 7 or 8 years) for more than a single game at a time?

The benefit Cartwright brings on special teams far outweighs the value Mason brings. Mason can't play teams, and he's no faster than Portis, Betts, or Cartwright. If you're going to mount an argument for any back over Cartwright, it definitely shouldn't be Mason. It should be Alridge, because at least he has a chance of breaking a gigantic play a la Darren Sproles.

Mason is completely ordinary. He can find holes and run with authority, that's about it. But he's a liability in pass protection so you can't put him on the field on 3rd downs. He doesn't have breakaway speed so he's not a fit as a change of pace back. And as discussed ad nauseum here, he can't play teams. He might be a decent back with a decent future ahead of him if he can improve on key areas, but we need other skill sets. We're all taken care of in the decent RB department, we've got two of them already. And to sacrifice a key special teams player for the sake of excess insurance at RB is, well, stupid.

[Southpaw]

Originally Posted by 12thMan

Really, you guys don't think Mason will make it. Or are you including Mason?

Yeah, I don't really get why so many people don't think Mason is worth a roster spot. A lot of people use the "he's playing against 2nd and 3rd string guys" argument, and yet a lot of those same people are in love with Marko Mitchell.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by Southpaw

Yeah, I don't really get why so many people don't think Mason is worth a roster spot. A lot of people use the "he's playing against 2nd and 3rd string guys" argument, and yet a lot of those same people are in love with Marko Mitchell.

Because what the heck does Mason give you that you don't already have in Portis, Betts, Sellers, and Rock?

There's no exceptional speed, no special teams skills, no significant run or pass blocking ability...

He's merely a decent runner. But we have that in Portis and Betts.

[Southpaw]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

Because what the heck does Mason give you that you don't already have in Portis, Betts, Sellers, and Rock?

There's no exceptional speed, no special teams skills, no significant run or pass blocking ability...

He's merely a decent runner. But we have that in Portis and Betts.

I generally agree with your comments, but I'd rather have a decent runner with fresh legs when Betts inevitably goes down with an injury and Portis is wearing down towards the end of the season, rather than a guy who's ready to be put out to pasture like Shawn Alexander.

And I personally haven't seen enough from Alridge to think he's a better option than Mason.

[celts32]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

Because what the heck does Mason give you that you don't already have in Portis, Betts, Sellers, and Rock?

There's no exceptional speed, no special teams skills, no significant run or pass blocking ability...

He's merely a decent runner. But we have that in Portis and Betts.

I agree completely...the only job that Mason should even be in the running for is Betts and that doesn't even seem like a possibility. He can't take Rocks job because he can't play ST and he doesn't fit as a change of pace back as well as Alridge or Dorsey would.