The big three from 2006 bounce around year to year/ month to month -- but the that is my rank as of Oct. 08. Reggie and Mario are a close 1 / 2 -- Vince is obviously not in the neighborhood right now.
Exactly. He's definitely not a threat running unless the opposition is on the bottom tier of the run defense in the NFL. He's making a splash in the receiving game and had two big returns last night but let's not go overboard and call him a top player in the league.
I wasn't trying to compare Bush to LT or Westbrook by any means. I was using those 2 guys as examples of versatile backs who have similar skillsets that can do it all... line up in the slot... return kicks... catch passes out of the backfield etc. Of course Bush has a long ways to go at least in terms of rushing but I think it's fair to assess the 3 as having similar styles.
I don't know why people keep pointing out his returns as a positive for him being a star. When was the last time a star RB, or even a star WR for that matter, actually returned? Coaches care too much about their jobs to let these players get injured on special teams. The fact that Bush is a return man means he's not important enough to be off of it. IMO, Bush is a super-sub. He's not good enough to be a star RB, cause he can't run the ball well. But at least he's a "threat" to run unlike pure WR. He's not a star WR either, because he doesn't stretch the field WRs do. Maybe he can be, but he's shown to be more of a slot-receiver type who receives dump-down passes for the most part. Basically, the entire media and the NFL community were wrong on the kid. But at least he's not at Ryan Leaf level of bust.
That's fair, their styles are similar and when Bush cam out I even expected him to be a Westbrook-esque back in the NFL. He just needs to get the rushing part down and he's got it.
Good points all around. Randy Moss used to get some punt return duty in his early days because he was just that dynamic. I think the Raiders will probably do the same thing with McFadden. You put a guy out there that has a chance to make a play to get you a win. Reggie made 2 (almost 3) amazing returns in a row... but you draft a RB that high because you want a guy like LT, Westbrook, etc... someone who can do it all on a weekly basis, and Reggie just hasn't been able to run between the tackles for ****.
Your post is quite ignorant I must say. When was the last time a star running back or star wide receiver returned kicks? There's quite a few good players and borderline stars who return kicks and risk injury.... Jonathan Stewart...Santonio Holmes....DeSean Jackson....Ed Royal...Devin Hester... Antonio Cromartie... etc the list goes on and on. Perhaps the real reason why players like TO, Randy Moss, Andre Johnson Clinton Portis, ADP, Barber etc players you consider everyday "stars" don't return kicks is because they simply can't return at a high level or I should say higher level than other players on their team. That makes Reggie Bush all that more special. Also injuries happen all the time in football and I love how you make it sound like injuries only occur on special teams. And you say coaches care too much about their jobs to let his players get injured on special teams? LOL! Hysterical. You make it sound like the QB is returning kicks. Please... How was NFL media and NFL community wrong on him? He along with Drew Brees saved the city of New Orleans and that franchise all together. I have no doubt that Bush would be picked 2nd again if the Saints were to go back and pick again. I can mention a million reasons why but simply put he sells tickets. The only think Reggie Bush is guilty of is insurmountable expectations. The guy was a god at USC and people expected the same thing right out of him in the NFL. People expect him to Return kicks like Devin Hester.... Run like Walter Payton and catch balls like Jerry Rice. Hell I'm surprised some people don't expect him to cover receivers like he's Deion Sanders.
Umm... didn't you just prove my point? Unless you think these folks you mentioned are all stars on their teams and deserving of the #2 overall pick in a draft. Not to mention superstar money in terms of cap hit(which is ridiculously important in the NFL because of the hard cap). And please just mention RB and WRs please, because I do realize that there have been quite a few great CBs returning punts. That's why I didn't just say "stars" in a general sense. I will make an editing of my post though, because I forgot that Bush only returned punts(thanks to moestavern for indirectly reminding me). There is quite a bit of difference between kick returns and punt returns in terms of injury potential. So him not being a kick returner is significant. The gist of my argument does not change though.
Come on, he said stars.. what a top 3 pick is supposed to be.. Jackson is a rookie and would have been (and prob. will be) a #3 receiver this year when the injuries subside. He's good, and once he's a full-time starter (next year most likely), I doubt he'll be returning kicks. Hester, not even close yet to being an offensive star. He just started making catches 2 weeks ago essentially (not much as a WR last season). Eddie Royal, rookie, #2 WR who had a good week and a half in his career (ok maybe a bit more than that, but not even slightly close to star potential yet) Jonathan Stewart is in a full blown time share. And he's a rook. Cromartie is on the defensive side of the ball. I think that matters. They're not on the field right after the kick return, for one thing, so while they still have to deal with the injury potential, the team doesn't have to say "we need him to save his energy cause we need him on the field right away". They do make that call with offensive players who are absolutely essential.
Westbrook was really only a full time returner his first year. He has returned punts every year since then on a very limited basis and only as a last resort, when the Eagles need good field position or a score to win the game. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wziVV5p2tKQ&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wziVV5p2tKQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
In the last four years (2004-2007), Westbrook had 19 punt returns and 0 kickoff returns in 55 games... He did have 43 combined returns his rookie year, though (2003).
