Back-ups for Morris

Morris will be the starter, barring injuries next year.

The question is who will be his regular backup. I suspect Helu will be back to share duties with Royster. I like that setup. I don't particularly want to see Hightower back on the team. He appears to be the most injury prone of all the 3 backs.

Thoughts.

Royster was so bad this year that we were pleasantly surprised when contributed positively I think we should cut our losses. If Helu can prove to be healthy (big if) we need a 3rd guy that is specialized because Helu has the be ability to be the change of pace.

I like the idea of Helu being so different than Morris, we get that true thunder/lighning combo that keeps defenses off guard. Couple that with Helu being awesome catching out of the back field I see it as one more component teams have to consider. Not digging Royster and I just don't think we need THT

We hope it is Helu because when he is 100% he's better than anybody else we will find. He is the ultimate change of pace back behind Morris. Speedy shifty. Morris is a bruiser.

I wish Hightower could stay healthy, he's the type of player you want on this team.

I'd like this line-up, Almo...Helu...THT...plus RGIII ...Oh boy...We'll be awesome, assuming everybody is healthy.

I think Helu is the perfect complement, especially in this offense. The fact that he is still unable to sprint though is very concerning. If he can't get on the field we're going to need to bring in someone else. Hightower is still young and perhaps he will be back this year. He would definitely be an excellent 3rd down option for us as well.

Backups should be Helu and whatever late-round "nobody" Shanahan digs up.

I say go out and get Chris Rainey..he was let go by the steelers

Helu will be great change of pace back. I don't think Royster has been great on blitz pick-up/blocking assignment, and I think a blocking back who can catch would be best for 3rd back.

hasn't that guy Tristan Davis done well in preseasons?

I wonder about the complaints about Royster. I mean he came in on 3rd down, non-run situations mostly. That means he was there for blocking and pass catching. If he wasn't good enough why not leave Young in there?

Helu Jr is the perfect option if healthy. Regardless, we should still get us another HOF running back with one of our 7th round draft picks just to be on the safe side.

Helu is dangerous when he is 100 healthy!!!!

It would not surprise me to see Shanahan trade Morris for an elite player at another position (CB, FS, etc). He has a history of finding RB late in the draft that fit perfectly into his ZBS. I can see him leveraging Morris' success (sell high) into an elite player at a position of need. I am not advocating for such a trade but would not be surprised to see it happen.

To answer the question in the OP....a tough, durable, one-cut-and-go RB that fits the Shanny system is the perfect back-up for Morris. Look for us to draft a late-round RB that few people talk about to fill that roll.

Rainey is a Good call....we need a third down scat back and he's got speed.

I say go out and get Chris Rainey..he was let go by the steelers

Agree. I think Rainey would be a great number 3 option and insurance if Helu is unable to go.

Helu will be great change of pace back. I don't think Royster has been great on blitz pick-up/blocking assignment, and I think a blocking back who can catch would be best for 3rd back.

---------- Post added January-12th-2013 at 06:39 PM ----------

It would not surprise me to see Shanahan trade Morris for an elite player at another position (CB, FS, etc). He has a history of finding RB late in the draft that fit perfectly into his ZBS. I can see him leveraging Morris' success (sell high) into an elite player at a position of need. I am not advocating for such a trade but would not be surprised to see it happen. [ ]

hasn't that guy Tristan Davis done well in preseasons?

I wonder about the complaints about Royster. I mean he came in on 3rd down, non-run situations mostly. That means he was there for blocking and pass catching. If he wasn't good enough why not leave Young in there?

I don't think Royster was nearly as bad as advertised. He had all of 23 carries this season. He was mostly used as a third down back blocking and catching a few passes.

Royster is the type of running back that does well when you give him 20+ carries. He isn't a change of pace game breaker type that you design a few plays for and see if he can take one to the house. When you get a guy like Helu Jr. healthy you can use Morris as your feature back and Helu Jr as your third down pass catcher/change of pace guy. Royster plays ST and sits on the bench unless Morris goes down and then he steps in as the every down back with Helu remaining in the third down role.

That isn't to say that we couldn't/shouldn't bring in competition for Royster or Helu Jr. for that matter, but I think Royster has a role on this team and it isn't necessarily what we saw this year.

Ray Graham or Knile Davis in the 5th is the ticket, whichever is available.

Helu is a great change of pace back if he is healthy. Another thing he does well is catch passes.

Roy Helu is still the best receiving back on this team, he'd be the best best option on 3rd down.

Helu is a Sproles type back, and I think he has the potential to be every bit as good as Sproles is for the Saints.

He was who teams were fearing at the beginning of this year before Morris made his rise. Everyone was asking "How are you going to stop Helu? Expect him to run all over you when you play the Skins."

I cant wait to see Roy Helu in this offense. I think people are sleeping on him.

I say go out and get Chris Rainey..he was let go by the steelers

No thanks, he's down in Gainesville fighting w/ his girlfriend over a phone? Besides, he was part of that 8 T/O debacle Steelers put up against the Browns. I'm hoping Helu can cone back 100%. Shanny likes THT. If he's suks on the guy then I'm buying it.

I cant wait to see Roy Helu in this offense. I think people are sleeping on him.

I agree. He could be a tremendous asset, provided he can come back healthy from the turf toe that's apparently been giving him a ton of problems.

We hope it is Helu because when he is 100% he's better than anybody else we will find. He is the ultimate change of pace back behind Morris. Speedy shifty. Morris is a bruiser.

I wish Hightower could stay healthy, he's the type of player you want on this team.

You read my mind. I was really worried about this position coming into the season. If we had Morris, Helu (healthy) and Hightower it would be a pretty formidable set of backs.