Wolf is reporting that Chauncey Washington will the #1 tailback this upcoming season.
"Chauncey has done a real good job to hold onto the leadership position there being the most savvy and most experienced he's done a nice job.''
Leadership is key. We had a lackluster running game last season and with Chauncey finally getting his time in the spotlight after being ineligible just focusing on the game may have been where his head was at. This season is different, this is his last shot and I'm sure he wants to go out with a bang. His seniority being in a leadership role may just the spark we need. Even with all the talent we have at the position there are ton of questions, after Chauncey who is #2? I would have liked Moody to be there but that ship has sailed. Gable is still nursing an injury so will that put Dennis and Reed in the rotation, barring injury of course. Is Stafon Johnson ready to step up and take control of the situation? Will Broderick Green get clearance and be the next "Thunder"?
That brings us to Allen Bradford? Is he finally going to stay on the offensive side of the ball? It looks like he has the right attitude as the competition has been heating up in training camp.
[...]"My Dad is just telling me to wait; he told me everybody waits their turn," Bradford said. "So I'm willing to wait and just go out there and perform when it's my turn, when I'm the man."
With Dennis, Reed and Washington all leaving after this season things will open up at the RB position, regardless of who Pete Carroll recruits in 2008. I think Joe McKnight is the wildcard here because he can be used in numerous ways. Bradford has the potential to be one of the more experienced backs next season and that could be a big difference when the competition heats up. I'm still not sold yet on Gable, he has some glimpses of doing some great things but he seems to be a little fragile but not on the level of Holland.
Back to Bradford; his exposure to the offense in real time last season I think gave him a leg up on Stafon going into camp. Stafon has made the necessary changes to really get noticed here in 2007. Depending on how much time Bradford gets this season it will set up a really big level of competition when camp starts in 2008. I think he has the right attitude but seniority is never a guarantee to be the lead dog. Washington's seniority coupled with his leadership in camp got him the starting job. I think we are good shape for the future at RB. There are some that feel we don't have a "proven playmaker" at RB, that may be but I think our depth will go a long way to finding that playmaker.
We have been spoiled with the likes of Bush and White and we will never see that type of talent again but that doesn't mean that we can't get results in the running game with what we have. Florida didn't have that type of RB playmaker in their offense last season, I don't consider Harvin an RB, but yet the still won. It is only part of the puzzle, it is important that is for sure but there needs to be other pieces in place to make it work. Just having a great RB isn't enough receivers are important as well, without some good receivers to make some plays it coul be easy for some defenses to stuff the box in order to contain the run so without other pieces in the puzzle in place I don't care how much talent you have at one position. I have also seen some comments that PC may have backtracked on his policy of `waiting your turn does not guarantee you playing time' but I will have none of it. Leadership is important and right now and Washington is bringing it. I expect him to make the most of it!