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Posted by nickeatman at 3/31/2011 12:21 PM CDT on truebluefanclub.com
At this point, I think all of us will be surprised if Marion Barber is back with the Cowboys next season. It’s not really anything the Cowboys have hinted at, it’s really just an overwhelming suspicion that most of us have in regards to Barber’s future with the team.
While I think he can still be productive and would like to see what happens with a rebuilt offensive line, it’s unlikely Barber’s production will ever get back to even ground with his contract.
So, if Barber is indeed out of the picture, we might actually get that indication on draft day, if the Cowboys pick up another running back.
Personally, I think the Cowboys need someone like Barber, or at least someone like the Barber of old. If the Cowboys go with the services of Felix Jones and Tashard Choice, that would probably suggest Choice will be the team’s short-yardage and goal-line back. While I think he can hold his own, it wouldn’t be the worst idea to pick up a third back, and one with the some beef on him.
The guy I keep thinking about in the middle rounds is LSU’s Stevan Ridley – a 6-0, 225-pound bruising back that ran well in the SEC. Last year, Ridley scored 15 touchdowns, so it’s likely he was LSU’s back of choice around the goal line.
Maybe a guy like Clemson’s Jamie Harper (5-11, 235) could fit. Although he’s bigger, he’s a better option than Ridley in the passing game.
Of course, don’t forget about Wisconsin’s John Clay, who pushes 255 pounds at 6-1. He’s like another Ron Dayne but he has scored 41 touchdowns in three seasons, not to mention about 3,330 rushing yards.
More than anything, this third back will likely have to help out on special teams, so that might be a huge factor in this. That's why I'm not really mentioning some of the better big backs in this draft like Kansas State's Daniel Thomas or Mikel LeShoure from Illinois, or of course, Mark Ingram, who is likely to be a mid-first-round pick.
But if Barber is out of the equation, then the Cowboys need to at least think about finding some better goal-line options.
At this point, I think all of us will be surprised if Marion Barber is back with the Cowboys next season. It’s not really anything the Cowboys have hinted at, it’s really just an overwhelming suspicion that most of us have in regards to Barber’s future with the team.
While I think he can still be productive and would like to see what happens with a rebuilt offensive line, it’s unlikely Barber’s production will ever get back to even ground with his contract.
So, if Barber is indeed out of the picture, we might actually get that indication on draft day, if the Cowboys pick up another running back.
Personally, I think the Cowboys need someone like Barber, or at least someone like the Barber of old. If the Cowboys go with the services of Felix Jones and Tashard Choice, that would probably suggest Choice will be the team’s short-yardage and goal-line back. While I think he can hold his own, it wouldn’t be the worst idea to pick up a third back, and one with the some beef on him.
The guy I keep thinking about in the middle rounds is LSU’s Stevan Ridley – a 6-0, 225-pound bruising back that ran well in the SEC. Last year, Ridley scored 15 touchdowns, so it’s likely he was LSU’s back of choice around the goal line.
Maybe a guy like Clemson’s Jamie Harper (5-11, 235) could fit. Although he’s bigger, he’s a better option than Ridley in the passing game.
Of course, don’t forget about Wisconsin’s John Clay, who pushes 255 pounds at 6-1. He’s like another Ron Dayne but he has scored 41 touchdowns in three seasons, not to mention about 3,330 rushing yards.
More than anything, this third back will likely have to help out on special teams, so that might be a huge factor in this. That's why I'm not really mentioning some of the better big backs in this draft like Kansas State's Daniel Thomas or Mikel LeShoure from Illinois, or of course, Mark Ingram, who is likely to be a mid-first-round pick.
But if Barber is out of the equation, then the Cowboys need to at least think about finding some better goal-line options.