Smoke Signals: Rock Cartwright needs to get over it edition

[SC Skins Fan]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

Keeping Mason over Dorsey or Aldridge still doesn't make sense to me. He's not a change of pace, he doesn't play teams, Betts is the 3rd down back, so when is Mason going to see the field??

Mason is on the the team to (maybe) take Betts' roster spot next season. From limited action I think it was clear that Mason was a superior back to either Dorsey or Aldridge. Yes, they could probably beat him in a foot race, but straight-line speed is not what separates NFL running backs. In my opinion the most important quality for a back to have is lateral agility. Everyone likes to talk about Darren Sproles or Leon Washington as "change of pace backs," and it would be nice to have a player like that on the team. But what makes those players special is not their speed, per se, but rather than dynamic lateral explosiveness. That is why those guys score touchdowns. If they were just fast guys they would not be dangerous (see Michael Bennett or Darren McFadden). Lateral agility is what made Tomlinson an all-time great in his prime, it is what makes Portis elite (even though he doesn't score 60 yard tds), and it is what separates Mason from guys like Aldrige or Dorsey. Sure, Mason is not a "change of pace" in that he can score from anywhere, but neither Aldrige or Dorsey was that player either (they were just fast, not dynamic). Mason gives the team a potential #2 back who can replace Betts and that is why he is here.