Betts Is Still Far From Head of Class

[bulldog]

from today's Post:

"Kenny Watson remains ahead of rookie Ladell Betts, the club's second-round draft choice, as the Redskins' No. 2 tailback behind Davis. . . ."

In the early stages of camp and the preseason Betts looked like he was running in slow motion against NFL competition. In the last preseason games he merely looked like a typical backup running back crashing the line for 2 or 3 yards and catching a few short passes for minimal yardage.

At no point did he show any real flash of being a top 50- something player from the most recent NFL draft

There was no spark in him as we saw from a Clinton Portis or DeShaun Foster (before he got hurt).................

no playmaking ability.

I found it hard to distinguish him from a look at Jason Brookins from the Ravens last year.

Betts, like Ron Dayne with the Giants who seems to have some of the same limitations at this level, is going to have to make major improvements over the next year or so to validate the high pick that was placed on him by the Redskins.

Kiper had Betts as a late third or early fourth round selection. Others had him going as late as the fifth round.

The Redskins have made hay with recent #1 and #2 selections and no one maintains an unblemished record on draft day for long , but in the case of Betts that selection and a strategic move up a few spots from where they were originally picking could have netted the team a starting caliber candidate at guard or a capable DL prospect.

Betts starting the season as a clear #3 back has to be a disappointment to the team.

Based on what YOU saw in the preseason, would you necessarily have kept Betts and put him ahead of Watson or Gillespie?

To me he made the least plays of any of the backs in camp, except for Jimmy Watkins.

And we know he didn't make the final roster or the practice squad.

[Art]

I'd have kept my sister ahead of Gillespie. I think you are too easily won over by the beauty of a nice catch and run. There are more aspects to the game than just catching the ball as a third down back. Gillespie would get our QBs killed because he simply has no clue how to block. Seriously, I'd rather have had any of the running backs we cut before I'd put Gillespie in there because Gillespie is dangerous to have on the field when it matters. Until he learns how to block he can't play in this league. Period.

Betts was admittedly taken back by the speed of the game and he did get better as the preseason wore on. I didn't see the same burst as Foster or Portis but I think both were gone before we had a chance to get them and I think we wanted Portis. Betts is a back similar to Davis. He has to grow into the role and learn to set up his blockers, burst when open and take what is given. I think it's far too early to worry one way or the other about Betts.

Don't you?

[Atlanta Skins Fan]

Like you, I was surprised and disappointed the team picked a RB in round two. Especially Betts, who was a weak hedge against Davis leaving or becoming injured.

However, I haven't been as disappointed as you and others have in his preseason. He's shown good versatility and speed, with a couple of power runs carrying tacklers, some speed at the edges, good hands catching the ball, good swivel after the catch, and good acceleration after the catch. This is not earth-shaking stuff, but about what I expected.

Where people see him falling down, in my view, is as a power back. It's true that he hasn't shown a lot yet in this area. But he has shown a couple of good power runs, which indicates his potential. (Remember it took Davis several years to become our go-to power rusher.)

More than anything, I think the offensive line hasn't given him any holes between the tackles. People perceive a weakness in Betts for inside-the-tackles runs, where I fault the line. It takes an elite back to make something from nothing inside the tackles, and even Davis looked bad there for much (but not all) of the preseason.

Davis will provide a good benchmark this year for what we can expect from a good power rusher. And Watson will provide a good benchmark for what we can expect from a good speedy guy. Then when Betts gets some carries and catches, we'll have a more accurate set of expectations to work with.

Don't give up on Betts. He might still be our #1 guy in a year.

[Zen-like Todd]

Wow bulldog, that's exactly how I feel about Betts right now. All the way down to this reference...

I found it hard to distinguish him from a look at Jason Brookins from the Ravens last year.

I'm actually kind of amazed, because I mentioned to someone else that Betts reminded me of Brookins. Not a good sign, ya know?

[TennesseeCarl]

With the possible exception of Stephen Davis, quality RBs in the NFL show it right off the bat. Unlike WR or QB, the running back position is one that seems to be instinctual. Either you can do it or you can't.

There have been very, very few running backs who come into the league, look mediocre and then blossom after a few seasons. Our own Stephen Davis is the sole exception I can think of (and keep in mind who was making decisions about personnel getting playing time).

What I saw of Betts in the first week of camp was a kid who ran straight up and displayed no moves. If he's a terrific blocker, that's a great asset (Art's right on about that - guys who don't like blocking need to be elsewhere). He seems able to catch a swing pass, but I don't know about anything more than that.

If he had it, he'd have already shown it.

[Atlanta Skins Fan]

Originally posted by TennesseeCarl

If he had it, he'd have already shown it.

See, I think he *has* shown it. Not to be a great back, but a serviceable back who can run inside, outside, catch passes, and turn short passes into longer gains.

I wasn't expecting the second coming of Marshall Faulk. What I was expecting was a guy with multi-dimensional skills (power, speed, pass catching) but with overall talent between #4 and #10 in his position in the draft. That's what I think we got -- a guy who could replace Davis in a pass-first offense, but who will never make us forget Davis and who isn't even a strong argument for losing Davis.

What he hasn't shown is consistency as a power rusher when given little or no hole by the OL. (Though I've seen him carry tacklers for several yards, so he has it in him.) Elite backs can create something from nothing. Davis usually adds two yards to whatever he's given by the OL. A guy like Barry Sanders can take *no* hole, cut back, and end up with 10 yards -- or a loss. Betts hasn't shown the determination/power of Davis or the creativity and explosiveness of Sanders. Again, not a surprise.

If I were the Redskins, I'd work with Betts on his power rushing and blocking. With a year of work, he should be ready. Not to be great, but to be good enough -- while the team figures out whether Davis is coming back, and works on more critical failures like LG.

[Atlanta Skins Fan]

Originally posted by Art

I think we wanted Portis.

Portis fumbles too much. He's had multiple 3-fumble games. He's a coach's nightmare -- talent and fumbles.

[matty dread]

I think it's still way too early to write off Betts as a disappointment. If he doesn't show any improvement by this time next year, yeah it may be time to move on. But not every rookie RB comes in and lights things up.

[laurent]

With that many backs (Levens, Watters, Anderson etc.) you seriously have to question drafting a RB in the second round when it's clear that there are for more pressing needs that this team had to fill.

It's funny, almost anybody on this board was pleased with the draft with the exception of that second round pick. Why in the heck was it so hard for the front office to make the right decision?

[redman]

I'm on the record as being supportive of the Betts pick in light of Davis' contract situation, not to mention our general lack of depth at RB in the absence of Betts. I've always said, however, that my support is predicated on Betts becoming a solid NFL RB who was worthy of his draft position. If we misjudged, then at least in hindsight it's a bad pick.

I also agree with TC in the idea that generally RB's tend to shine as early as any player in the NFL. What I would point out though is that Betts has arrived here as the #2 RB (just like Davis did BTW) which has reduced his practice and game-time reps, and also that the good RB's still tend to show improvement no matter how good they were right off the bat. With the skill positions other than QB, there seems to be an approximately 3-year learning curve before you can expect to see a player performing at his peak. I'd just like to see Betts perform a little more before I write him off as a poor draft pick.

Finally, additional food for thought is that our starting o-line will not have played together at all before this Sunday, and even that may change if the starter for that game is beaten for week 2 out by the other guy that we rotate into the LG position, whether that be Loverne or Tucker. The constant state of flux during the preseason at the two guard positions, and at LT, can't have been good for the development of a young RB.

[ChrisFul]

Originally posted by TennesseeCarl

There have been very, very few running backs who come into the league, look mediocre and then blossom after a few seasons. Our own Stephen Davis is the sole exception I can think of (and keep in mind who was making decisions about personnel getting playing time).

Ahman Green is another. When watching the draft, i was scratching my head when the Skins picked Betts. You know, i think that if they wanted a backup runner with good 3rd down skills, they should have given Ricky Watters a call instead of Betts.

[redman]

Chris, I think the point of picking Betts over someone like Watters was that they could be a long-term replacement for Davis in the event he doesn't fit well with Spurrier's offense, or simply is too expensive to resign. Watters, to the extent he can still play, doesn't fit that bill.

[ChrisFul]

True, but you don't need Davis' successor now, and would have made more sense to address RB in next years' draft, when the crop available would likely be better than what was left when the Skins were picking in the 2nd round.

[Atlanta Skins Fan]

Some interesting stats from the preseason:

Total Rushing/Receiving Yards:

Player 1: 148

Player 2: 120

Player 3: 89

Rushing:

Player 1: 21 rushes, 103 yards (4.9 avg), longest 17

Player 2: 16 rushes, 74 yards (4.6 avg), longest 19

Player 3: 18 rushes, 57 yards (3.2 avg), longest 15

Receiving:

Player 1: 7 catches, 45 yards

Player 2: 5 catches, 46 yards

Player 3: 4 catches, 32 yards

----------------

Player 1: Betts

Player 2: Watson

Player 3: Davis

In sum, Betts rushed more times for a higher average than either Watson or Davis. He also led the three in number of catches.

Obviously this doesn't by itself qualify Betts as a better RB than Davis or Watson. But it should be a corrective against those who thinks he sucks. I'll take anybody who can rush for a 4.9 avg behind our mixed-up OL, and lead the backs in catches as well!

Stat source: preseason gamebooks from NFL.com

[redman]

Originally posted by ChrisFul

True, but you don't need Davis' successor now, and would have made more sense to address RB in next years' draft, when the crop available would likely be better than what was left when the Skins were picking in the 2nd round.

Perhaps . . . but that's where depth this year comes in, as that too was a need.

Also, to the extent that Betts proves himself this year as a candidate to be a long-term starter for us, we aren't so beholden to Davis when it comes time to discuss re-signing him. That means that we have less desperation that might translate into a worse cap situation for us, and more bargaining power with Davis.

Look, there's a very good argument to be made that we should have drafted an o-lineman like Funoti or Gurode with our second round pick. What I happen to like about what we did was that we'll have a very good idea what our RB situation looks like for next year by the end of this season, which can only work to our advantage.

Plus, (and here's where ASF chimes in ) I continue to believe that while we had a few bad breaks during the preseason that slowed the process down, we still have managed to put together guys who will form a credible and competent interior line. To me, in the salary cap and FA era, you just don't blow your higher draft picks on guards unless you truly don't have any other needs, which is virtually an impossibility.

[Atlanta Skins Fan]

Originally posted by redman

Also, to the extent that Betts proves himself this year as a candidate to be a long-term starter for us, we aren't so beholden to Davis when it comes time to discuss re-signing him. That means that we have less desperation that might translate into a worse cap situation for us, and more bargaining power with Davis.

This is a critical point, and the obvious reason for drafting Betts (aside from Davis injury insurance for 2002).

If Davis wants to leave, he's gone. The financial incentives for him to leave are too strong for the Redskins to compete.

But if Davis wants to stay (he says he does), the presence of Betts is huge in negotiations to restructure Davis's contract. The presence of Betts (assuming some good production by Betts this year) might shave $1M/year off Davis's revised contract. That's $1M/year we can put to great use in extending other contracts or signing free agents.