Utah Posted December 23, 2002 Share Posted December 23, 2002 Q: Can you talk about Ladell Betts and Kenny Watson and if Stephen Davis will play next week?A: Well, both of them ran well, Watson and Ladell Betts, and certainly we plan on using them both very similarly next week. The thing with Stephen, what he said to make salary cap and this, that and the other, it's something our management will certainly have to look at. Not sure what to make as to Spurriers feelings on having Davis comeback, but it does solidify that Spurrier will not have one of his top paid players on his team be the RB. He wants to use the money elsewhere. Like a WR. My feeling is that Spurrier would like to have Davis back. In fact, I think he really wants Big Country back, its just that he won't budge on his belief that the RB in his system should not be making that kinda of money. If Davis wants to return, its on his shoulders to be willing to make a HUGE cut in his salary to save the Cap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoCalMike Posted December 23, 2002 Share Posted December 23, 2002 I really like Davis, I think he is a class act. However, we have TWO younger, faster, backs. I don't doubt Davis's desire to win, however I saw some cutbacks by both Watson and Betts that Davis is just incapable of doing these days after all of his surgery. They remind me of Davis from 1999/2000. If Davis somehow did manage to come back, what exactly would we do with the trio of Betts/Watson/Cartwright....I mean that is just too much young, hungry talent to have rotating the bench. Unless Davis reconstructs HEAVILY, I don't think he will be back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeathByLinebacker Posted December 23, 2002 Share Posted December 23, 2002 I'm not sure that it's a case of not being willing to have the RB be the highest paid player as not being willing to have the RB be paid more than the next 2 highest paid players combined. If I'm reading the salary table I have correctly, Davis is scheduled to make more than Champ and Big Daddy (another possible casualty) combined in base salary. The table hasn't been updated for Jansen's extension. Signing bonuses aren't really important because that money is already commited one way or another. The thing about Spurrier and Davis is that Spurrier wasn't here for Davis' best seasons. What he's seen in this one season is a pretty good back who isn't a homerun threat, who has fumbled too much, who's missed approximately 4.5 games with different injuries and who has an attitude with his offense and playcalling. He's seen a power-back who has been stuffed many times in short yardage situations. In the long run, Spurrier's opinion might not even be that important. The front office drafted a RB in the 2nd round last year for a reason and it wasn't because they owed a favor to the Iowa Mafia. The writing's been on the wall for a while and I doubt it's going to change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Mike Posted December 23, 2002 Share Posted December 23, 2002 DBL, you forgot one more thing he's seen from Davis. Fumbles at the worst posible time. Sorry Utah but I don't think Spurrier wants Davis back at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kleese Posted December 23, 2002 Share Posted December 23, 2002 Davis could offer to play for FREE next year, and I still wouldn't want him back. He gave us his all (at least before this year), he was many times our brightest spot, he had some nice, but he was also part of the problem many times. He can help some other team, and I wish him the best, but it's time to move on. Time to exorcise the ghosts that haunt us-- hard to do if they're still lingering around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurent Posted December 23, 2002 Share Posted December 23, 2002 NoCalMike, exactly what surgeries are you referring to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonjeff Posted December 23, 2002 Share Posted December 23, 2002 Davis is history. I wouldn't be surprised if he doesen't even dress for the final game. Spurrier wants to see Ramsey, Watson, Betts and Thompson perform. They seem to fit his offensive scheme much more than Davis does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted December 23, 2002 Share Posted December 23, 2002 I'd really like Davis against Dallas. Dallas seems to be much better at stacking the line than Houston was. Watson/Betts/Cartwright won't be seeing the same holes they had. WBC, inc. looked really good when they had holes. (Perhaps better than Davis would have: That was some nice-looking running.) But, I think Davis is better when there aren't any holes. (I keep hoping Cartwright could do that: But I suspect I'm still just fantasizing about Joe Morris.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redskin56 Posted December 23, 2002 Share Posted December 23, 2002 I was extremely impressed with Betts. Watson was very good too, but IMHO Betts was the brighter star yesterday than Watson, by a hair. I am a big Stephen Davis fan, I have liked the guy since he was at Auburn and I was thrilled when the Skins drafted him. However, Houston has a pretty darn good defense. For those two inexperienced backs to rack up that kind of yardage makes me feel like we have not one back capable of replacing Davis, but two. I would love to see SD restructure and come back, but if he doesn't I don't think we will have a sharp drop off in the backfield. Yesterday's game made me more comfortable with the thought of not having Davis back there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex Posted December 23, 2002 Share Posted December 23, 2002 IMHO Davis is as good as gone. Very few RBs IMPROVE after age 27/28 so his skills will go nowhere but downhill from here. With TWO young RBs in the stable behind him his fate is sealed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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