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How concerning are Eddie Lacy's & Giovani Bernard's injury histories?


Lacy and Bernard are both projected high round picks for the Bengals. How concerned are you by their respective injury histories?  

9 members have voted

  1. 1. Would you draft Eddie Lacy despite his injury history?

    • Yes - his injuries won't be enough to negate his impact on the field
      9
    • No - he's already injury prone, won't see enough playing time on the field to make a difference
      0
  2. 2. Would you draft Giovani Bernard despite his injury history?

    • Yes - his injuries won't be enough to negate his impact on the field
      7
    • No - he's already injury prone, won't see enough playing time on the field to make a difference
      2
  3. 3. In your opinion, who has the worse injury concerns entering the NFL, out of Lacy and Bernard?

    • Eddie Lacy
      2
    • Giovani Bernard
      5
    • About Even
      2
  4. 4. Factoring in all of the above plus scheme fit and talent, if it came down to one of Lacy or Bernard, who would you pick?

    • Eddie Lacy
      5
    • Giovani Bernard
      4


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Whenever I think about running backs with past injuries.. I think of Adrian Peterson.... not that wither of these guys are him. It's just that it shouldn't take them off of the board.

And Chris Perry was never hurt at Michigan...

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Whenever I think about running backs with past injuries.. I think of Adrian Peterson.... not that wither of these guys are him. It's just that it shouldn't take them off of the board.

And Chris Perry was never hurt at Michigan...

 

And then there's Beanie Wells.  Often hurt at OSU, often hurt in the NFL.

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Very true.....but he was a pussy at OSU and still is...

I used to get so mad watching him... never liked him

 

 

 

GO BUCKS!!!

 

When he was healthy he was a beast.  He destroyed Meatchicken.  He also took over a game that OSU was losing until he got pissed off in the second half and destroyed the other team (I think it was MSU, but may have been Wisky).

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To me drafting Lacy is a no-brainer and here's why.

 

Our offense is the weak link of this team, during the last 3 games of the season they only scored 1 TD while Leon Hall scored two TD's and Dunlap scored another. If not for the defense and special teams this team would not have made the playoffs or had a winning record last year.  Of the 7 losses the Bengals had last year, opposing offense scored over 25 pts just 3 times, which say to me that if the offense could have shown up in those losses we are looking at one of the elite teams in the NFL and possible a playoff win or two.

 

It's clear to me that Dalton needs help, he needs some more playmakers around him to take some pressure off of him and give opposing defenses another player to gameplan against and stay up at night thinking about how they are going to take them out of the game. We already have a "nightmare player" on offense in AJ Green, that guy is a monster to cb's, but we need to have a balanced attack on offense. Our running game is the weak link on the offense, imo. Whether it's the OC's inability to call the right plays or the running backs inability to make big plays, it's clear to me that we need more big plays from our running game to take pressure off of our young qb and put some points on the board.

 

We signed BGJE last year from the Pats and made him our feature back, he responded by rushing for 1,094 yards and 6 tds, but failed to avg more than 4 ypc. BGJE is a solid player, but he's not a game-changing "nightmare player". Opposing defensive coordinators don't stay up at night thinking of ways to take him out of the game. He put some good stats while with NE, but he was also playing with one of the greatest qb's ever to play the game. Tom Brady can get to the playoffs and win consistently with a solid running back, Andy Dalton can not. That's not a knock on Dalton, he's just not at the stage in his career yet.

 

Lacy is the best back available in the draft and this years FA market is very weak for RB's with the best option, a banged up 29 yr old Stephen Jackson already signed to the Falcons. Marvin stated that he believes that you have to be able to run the ball effectively to win a championship in this league and he is right. The SuperBowl featured two teams who have elite backs in Ray Rice and Frank Gore and they use them often, the 49er's are a smashmouth team that ranked 4th in rushing and 23rd in passing. So while yes, it may be the vouge thing to pass the ball all over the field the 49er's proved you can win by running the ball in the modern NFL. As a matter of fact, the top 4 rushing offenses all made the playoffs last year but the top 3 passing offenses did not. The numbers show if you want to win, run the damn ball...looking at you Jay Gruden!!!! :45:

 

Now let's take a look at the myth of the value of the RB position, supposedly the RB is not as highly regarded as it used to be..but if you look at how the first round of the draft played out last year you would see that there where more RB's taken in the first round than OT's. Also only 4 of the top 12 rushers from last year were not drafted in the first round, so if you want an elite rb you have to take one early in the draft or hope you can get lucky with a guy who was drafter later on.

 

To me it's simple, drafting Lacy makes your offense better, helps the development of your young franchise qb and wr, and keeps the defense on the sideline. If he's the best RB available then take him and let him team up with BJGE to form a dynamic 1-2 combination. Besides BJGE is only under contract for one more year after this season so it's not like you have a long term commitment to him.  

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Even if you operate on the assumption that Lacy is the best back in the draft (of which I am not entirely convinced) that does not make him worth taking at 21.  Most of the rankings I have seen have him 30 or lower overall.  So he would not be a BPA pick.

 

Also, I'm not terribly convinced he would be that much better than a back we could get at 37.  So he isn't a great value difference.

 

Lacy also played behind an O-line that would be a good NFL line.  I know combine numbers aren't everything, but the line he played behind was so good it skews the comparison between him and any other back.  I would like to have seen him at the combine to show on a level field how athletic he is compared to the other backs in this draft.  I also think that there is such a collection of good talent at Alabama now (like there was at USC in the previous decade) that it makes everyone look even better than they are.  USC was so good in the 2000s, but few of their players have lived up to their pre-draft hype. 

 

I would much rather take the best player on the board at 21 and address RB in 2 with greater value that reach for "the best back in the draft" at 21 where he's not.

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Even if you operate on the assumption that Lacy is the best back in the draft (of which I am not entirely convinced) that does not make him worth taking at 21.  Most of the rankings I have seen have him 30 or lower overall.  So he would not be a BPA pick.

 

Also, I'm not terribly convinced he would be that much better than a back we could get at 37.  So he isn't a great value difference.

 

Lacy also played behind an O-line that would be a good NFL line.  I know combine numbers aren't everything, but the line he played behind was so good it skews the comparison between him and any other back.  I would like to have seen him at the combine to show on a level field how athletic he is compared to the other backs in this draft.  I also think that there is such a collection of good talent at Alabama now (like there was at USC in the previous decade) that it makes everyone look even better than they are.  USC was so good in the 2000s, but few of their players have lived up to their pre-draft hype. 

 

I would much rather take the best player on the board at 21 and address RB in 2 with greater value that reach for "the best back in the draft" at 21 where he's not.

 

Well most draft evaluators have Lacy as the best RB in the draft and whether or not he's a reach at 21 is all a matter of opinion. When it's three or four years after the draft it's easy to tell who was a reach and who was not but before the draft as even occurred it's hard to say this guy will be a reach because you don't really know how teams have the players ranked. If Kiper, McShay, or even Mayock who I respect the most of all the talking heads were so knowledgable they would be working for an NFL team so you have to take what they say with a grain of salt, as they say.

 

If you can get a guy who can start from day 1, put up good stats, and help you win games.... is that a reach? Also, I don't think you can call a player a reach because you don't know if he's going to be available when you draft again. Lacy will be a first round pick, why let a team like GB get him at the back end of the draft when you clearly have a need for a running back and you can get the best rb available when you pick at 21.

 

True Lacy did play behind a dominate oline, but they aren't better than our oline. I've seen Lacy play for the past two years and he's a very dynamic runner with a great burst and runs with brute force, similar to Marshawn Lynch or Adrian Peterson, plus he has the speed to make the big plays..something the Bengals haven't had in the running game since Corey Dillon and didn't Dillon win a SuperBowl when he left town...

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It wouldn't surprise me to see them taking Lacy at 21 if he's still there, I've been seeing some rumblings recently that Pitt might have their eye on him at 17 though, so we'll see....also, it's hard to really "reach" for someone when you're going to have about 30-40 guys all with very similar grades....the guy you get at 37 this year is really no different than the guy you get at 21....trading down would actually be preferable. 

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It wouldn't surprise me to see them taking Lacy at 21 if he's still there, I've been seeing some rumblings recently that Pitt might have their eye on him at 17 though, so we'll see....also, it's hard to really "reach" for someone when you're going to have about 30-40 guys all with very similar grades....the guy you get at 37 this year is really no different than the guy you get at 21....trading down would actually be preferable. 

Fwiw, Pittsburgh are also eyeing Le'veon Bell, another back that may fit.  Also, don't be surprised if they took Vaccaro at 21 if he's there.

 

I do agree with you that trading down a few places may be in our best interest.  I just don't see a logical pick at 21 that would fit our biggest needs on a value basis.  It truly is a bpa spot for us right now.

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If we only take 1 RB in this draft, which is the most probable scenario, I'm leaning more toward the breakaway guys (at least this year's version of them - they seem to be slower this year).  But I wouldn't want to take any above 2b.

 

My personal preference:

 

Franklin

Bernard

Michael (yes, I have a problem).

 

If we went with another bellcow early (Lacy, Bell, or Ball), then I'd still find myself yearning for a breakaway, scat guy, and I'd starting thinking about Zac Stacy or Dennis Johnson as value picks in rd 5 or later.  I still want our version of Ray Rice or Doug Martin.

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I think we'll draft two RBs.

Coaches want a second RB who can carry the load if needed. Plus a third RB who is more of an explosive threat and a receiver out of the backfield in third down passing situations.

Lacy would be a great pick for this team at #21 and I wouldn't be at all surprised if we jumped on him if he's available. Then probably pick up the change of pace guy later.
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Do any RBs go in 1st? Lacy only true foundation back. Is that enough to get him drafted in top 32? Perfect example of player all over boards

 

It's interesting discussion. Have teams gone too far, + overly devalued RBs? What happens when you need to run the ball? Just a thought.

 

 

Always felt people got too caught up w/speed when projecting backs. Way down my list. Lateral agility, short space quickness, natural power.

 

 

Had great conversation with NFL coach who told me people would be surprised how slow NFL players would run the 40. Not even relevant.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Lacy finally had his pro day and it wasn't very good...he could easily fall out of the first round after today's performance:

 

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/blog/rob-rang/22051749/2013-pro-days-bamas-eddie-lacy-clocked-at-458-462-

 

 

NFL scouts have been anxiously waiting to see whether Alabama running back Eddie Lacy would time faster than the 4.55-second estimate they'd given him based on tape.

 

He ran slightly slower Thursday, confirming he lacks the home-run speed some scouts believe is critical to warrant selection in the first round.

Representatives from the Senior Bowl tweeted that Lacy, 5-foot-11, 230 pounds, was clocked at 4.58 and 4.62-seconds in the 40-yard dash.

 

The time is respectable for a back of Lacy's size, but the rest of his workout wasn't ideal, either, according to former NFL scout Bucky Brooks, who tweeted that Lacy recorded a 32.5-inch vertical jump, a 9-7 broad jump, a 4.44-second short-shuttle and had a "disappointing" positional workout.

According to Brooks, Lacy appeared "out of shape" and "wasn't able to finish" the workout.

 

Lacy is NFLDraftScout.com's top-rated running back in the 2013 draft but isn't among my top 32 picks, and he's also a no-show in Dane Brugler's first-round projection. At least one running back has been selected in the first round of every NFL draft since 1963.

 

While Lacy's workout raises red flags about his conditioning, there is no question he possesses the talent to be a bell-cow back at the next level. Lacy is a powerful between-the-tackles runner who can knock defenders to the ground. He's also possesses very light feet and excellent balance, often slipping past would-be tacklers with a lethal spin move. Lacy is also a gifted receiver out of the backfield and has proven both alert and physical in pass protection, making it likely he'll be able to step in and contribute immediately as a rookie.

 

Lacy played well in spot duty over his first two seasons with the Crimson Tide and exploded in 2012. The junior ran for 1,322 yards on 204 carries (6.5 average) and 17 touchdowns, earning First Team All-SEC honors.

 

Scouts also like the fact that Lacy hasn't been worn down. He served as the backup behind Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson, each of whom, of course, wound up as first-round picks in the past two drafts.

 

Even with the less-than-stellar numbers, Lacy is likely to join his former teammates as the first running back selected in their respective draft classes.

While it may get lost in the hype of Lacy's numbers, the most important thing he may have proved Thursday was his health. A pulled hamstring kept him from participating at the combine or Alabama's previous Pro Day March 13.

 

A few other notable Alabama players also attended the workout. Right tackle D.J. Fluker weighed in at 337 pounds and posted a 27.5-inch vertical jump, according to the Senior Bowl. Tight end Michael Williams, safety Robert Lester and linebacker Nico Johnson were other former Crimson Tide standouts who mostly sat on their numbers from the combine but did positional workouts.

 

 

I'm still hoping he ends up on the Bengals, we can take him at #37.

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