bigger role for Betts this year?

[SBXVII]

Originally Posted by 30gut

Those backs that were brought in are long shots to even make the team, much less become a featured part of the offense.

When you speak about what the team is apparently thinking i'll take me ques from the OC:

"The guy that's been standing out to me is Ladell Betts," Smith said of the running back who serves as Clinton Portis's backup. "To me, he's stepped his game up. He's preparing like he's a starter. He's taken a leadership role, which I'm not saying he wasn't a leader before, but I just think he's a very good player. He's jumped out to me.

Redskins Insider - Smith: Offense Up To Speed -- And Watch Betts

Interesting.....so since Zorn spoke highly of Mason last night in interviews saying that he has great talent and he wished he didn't let him go last yr...does that mean he's a shoe in since Zorn is above the OC?

[53Fan]

Originally Posted by SBXVII

Interesting.....so since Zorn spoke highly of Mason last night in interviews saying that he has great talent and he wished he didn't let him go last yr...does that mean he's a shoe in since Zorn is above the OC?

That's true, but to be fair, he also said that it was a good position to be in to have to cut good players. Apparently they think there is a lot of talent at that position and we can't keep them all. I would think Sherman Smith and Stump Mitchell would have a lot to say about it.

[SBXVII]

Originally Posted by 53Fan

That's true, but to be fair, he also said that it was a good position to be in to have to cut good players. Apparently they think there is a lot of talent at that position and we can't keep them all. I would think Sherman Smith and Stump Mitchell would have a lot to say about it.

I'm just poking fun. Honestly does anyone even think the Coach's would put anything less then the best player on the field. I get uptight sometimes when people slam Mason or say he "did it against 2nd stringers" but I know out of all the RB's he was let go for a reason. Perhaps the talent level was just so good they had to pick the RB with the least talent or the one not performing several duties. I don't know. What I do know is they kept him and put him on the practice squad for a reason. They had to let someone go in order to bring someone else in at another position. Then we lost him. I'm sure he's gratefull to be able to have a second chance at making the team and I hope he does well. Plus I would like for us to get younger as well as have a RB being developed for the future. One Portis can work with. Although the other two are vetrans they are older then Portis and I can see all three retiring at the same time causing us to have to find a replacement. It would be nice to have that replacement learning already. Maybe even getting a play here or there.

As far as the speedsters....I believe we need atleast one of them. Call it what ever you want but we have not had a RB that could take it to the edge in a long while. Years. We need someone who can do that.

[30gut]

Originally Posted by SBXVII

Interesting.....so since Zorn spoke highly of Mason last night in interviews saying that he has great talent and he wished he didn't let him go last yr...does that mean he's a shoe in since Zorn is above the OC?

You really know how to take a statement and run wild with it huh?

I was responding to a poster that was saying that Aldridge and Dorsey were brought in to become the 'change of pace backs'.

i was just pointing out that for me, i'll look to the player the OC likes to become a 'change of pace back' rather then a couple of longshots


Yeah, sure, of course it means that Mason is a shoe in to start.
-JK

Zorn also said that when you have to cut good players like Mason it speaks highly of the talent already on the team.

[Meks]

yea i wasnt .... exactly serious .... but partially lol.

[53Fan]

Wasn't sure where to put this and didn't want to start a new thread for it so I'll put it here. I was watching Sportsnite tonight and they were talking to Jason Reid of the WP. Seems there were reports of Portis calling Zorn out in front of other players during OTA's. Reid said he called a couple of players and was asked why it was a big deal. They said they didn't see it, but everyone knows Portis doesn't like Zorn because he holds him accountable. When the reporter commented that there wasn't much Zorn could do because of Portis's contract and his relationship with Danny, Reid said what he can do, and what he thinks he will do, is tell Portis they are going to play guys who are going along with the program. Reid said he expects to see a lot more of Betts this year. He said everyone knows Zorns job is "shaky" and if he goes out, he'll go out swinging. I'm just reporting what I heard. I don't know how shaky Zorns job is, but I think this is an important year and the offense should show a lot of improvement for Zorn to be retained. If these reports are true, I'm behind Zorn all the way.

[sportscurmudgeon]

53fan:

You have identified THE most important issue that the Skins face this year with regard to their offense. The OL may not be fixed; the WRs may still be mediocre; Jason Campbell may not improve by leaps and bounds. So what? Here is the BIG ISSUE:

Will Clinton Portis become the Washington version of a diva a la T.O and/or Chad 85 and/or Plaxico Earp?

If he does, none of the other things matter even a little bit.


Clinton Portis is a damned good RB. Over the last year or two, he has also become a hell of a diva. If you listed the top 5 divas in the NFL, he would not make everyone's list, but he'd be on some of them; if you listed the top 10 divas, he makes every list there is. At least part of that " 'tude" comes from the access to Danny Boy that he has had as one of "Danny's Boys". If Portis decides to play his cards against Zorn, look for all of this to blow up in the team's face sometime around Halloween - - Thanksgiving at the latest.


What Portis seems not to realize is that if he wears out his welcome here, there is NO other owner in the league that is going to pay him like he's paid here in Washington AND coddle him as he has been coddled here in Washington. He may succeed in gettng Zorn fired, but if a Super Bowl winning coach comes here to replace Zorn (Shanahan, Holmgren, Cowher, Gibbs) and Portis tries his diva act with the new coach, it will be like the title of the movie from a year or two ago:


There Will Be Blood

[MTK]

Originally Posted by 53Fan

Wasn't sure where to put this and didn't want to start a new thread for it so I'll put it here. I was watching Sportsnite tonight and they were talking to Jason Reid of the WP. Seems there were reports of Portis calling Zorn out in front of other players during OTA's. Reid said he called a couple of players and was asked why it was a big deal. They said they didn't see it, but everyone knows Portis doesn't like Zorn because he holds him accountable. When the reporter commented that there wasn't much Zorn could do because of Portis's contract and his relationship with Danny, Reid said what he can do, and what he thinks he will do, is tell Portis they are going to play guys who are going along with the program. Reid said he expects to see a lot more of Betts this year. He said everyone knows Zorns job is "shaky" and if he goes out, he'll go out swinging. I'm just reporting what I heard. I don't know how shaky Zorns job is, but I think this is an important year and the offense should show a lot of improvement for Zorn to be retained. If these reports are true, I'm behind Zorn all the way.

I know people hate this source but take it for what it is:

ProFootballTalk.com - Portis Becoming A Major Problem For Zorn

My 2 cents, yeah CP can be a pain in the ass. It would be stupid to deny such at this point. But in the end the guy does go balls out on game day. Nobody can dispute that.

I don't see him blowing up into a major problem, but it's probably something to keep an eye on.

By the way, anyone else get a little kick out of Riggo calling someone else a headache? In many ways Riggo and CP are the same kind of guy. A bit of an enigma off the field, nothing but a baller on it.

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

I know people hate this source but take it for what it is:

ProFootballTalk.com - Portis Becoming A Major Problem For Zorn

My 2 cents, yeah CP can be a pain in the ass. It would be stupid to deny such at this point. But in the end the guy does go balls out on game day. Nobody can dispute that.

I don't see him blowing up into a major problem, but it's probably something to keep an eye on.

By the way, anyone else get a little kick out of Riggo calling someone else a headache? In many ways Riggo and CP are the same kind of guy. A bit of an enigma off the field, nothing but a baller on it.

This was linked on that PFT post - pretty funny:

Anatomy of a Rumor: Favre-to-Redskins | Mr. Irrelevant

Anyway, I'm really disappointed if this is true about Portis. The guy is coming off a year where he was 4th in the league in rushing, despite an awful passing attack and a beat up O-line, and I'd say both of those areas are improved. So what the hell is his beef? I think at this point it's on Danny to get his pal Clinton in line here.

[GTripp0012]

Portis could very easily be the Edgerrin James to Zorn's Ken Whisenhunt.

[sportscurmudgeon]

GTripp:

That's fine if it gets the team to where James/Whisenhunt got last year...


However, it could also be Chad 85/Marvin Lewis...

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by sportscurmudgeon

GTripp:

That's fine if it gets the team to where James/Whisenhunt got last year...


However, it could also be Chad 85/Marvin Lewis...

Well, I think that will rely on Campbell becoming Warner, which would rely on Zorn becoming Whisenhunt.

Or some other really strange circle of events.

[warriorzpath]

First off, I think Portis is not going to be a major distraction. Zorn will play him because he knows, whether or not they get along, that Portis will give him the best chance to win and is what's best for their offense.

Second, I think Betts would be the starter and/or major contributor for any other team in the nfl. He's no hall-of-famer, but he's good. So yeah, playing him more would benefit the team in two ways - you would get another guy out there with fresh legs that would be able to exploit the defense in a different way (in part because of his perspective on the sidelines) and it would keep Portis healthier and less worn out.

And lastly, from what I've seen of Mason - he has great talent. He has great vision and makes great decisions on the field. To hell, with all of the naysayers that say that he was playing against inferior talent - a great move is a great move and great instincts are great instincts no matter who you're playing against.

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by warriorzpath

First off, I think Portis is not going to be a major distraction. Zorn will play him because he knows, whether or not they get along, that Portis will give him the best chance to win and is what's best for their offense.

Second, I think Betts would be the starter and/or major contributor for any other team in the nfl. He's no hall-of-famer, but he's good. So yeah, playing him more would benefit the team in two ways - you would get another guy out there with fresh legs that would be able to exploit the defense in a different way (in part because of his perspective on the sidelines) and it would keep Portis healthier and less worn out.

And lastly, from what I've seen of Mason - he has great talent. He has great vision and makes great decisions on the field. To hell, with all of the naysayers that say that he was playing against inferior talent - a great move is a great move and great instincts are great instincts no matter who you're playing against.

To the first point in bold, I don't think that's accurate if the stories we're reading are true. If he's calling out the coach in front of others players, then it's already a major distraction. I see this issue being nipped in the bud sooner rather than later, but the way Portis is allegedly behaving is unacceptable.

I also disagree with the second point in bold. There a few teams he may start for, but not many. Off the top of my head, for sure in Seattle, Tampa Bay, and Cleveland, and maybe in Green Bay, Cincinnati, and Detroit. He'd get carries for the Pats as well, but they use so many RBs, no one is really the starter. Every other team in the league has at least one RB on their roster better than Betts, IMO.

Denver is one exception here, although given the success of rookie RBs lately, I think that job is already Moreno's to lose.

[53Fan]

Zorn will still play Portis, of course. But I think it will be more on Zorns terms and Betts will see more time whether Portis likes it or not.