SB Nation - Omar Cuff

FA Profile: RB Fred Taylor

NESilver — Mon, 25 May 2009 00:01:15 -0000

Date of Birth: January 27, 1976 (1976-01-27) (age 33)
Place of Birth: Pahokee, Florida
Height: 6 ft. 1 in.
Weight: 228 lb.
College: Florida
High School: Glades Central HS (Belle Glade, FL)
NFL Draft: 1998 - 1st Round - 9th overall
Experience: 12th season
Jersey Number: #21
Contract Details: 2 years, $5 million. Includes $1.45 million signing bonus and base salaries of $1.55 million (2009) and $2 million (2010).

Fred Taylor has spent his entire career in the NFL playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Up until now, that is. After visiting with the Buffalo Bills and the New England Patriots, Taylor ultimately chose to come play for Bill Belichick and the Pats as he enters the final stages of his illustrious career.

This is old news at this point, considering his signing came way back during the early days of free agency, but there's still plenty to be excited about.

First and foremost, the guy is an established veteran (and we know Bill likes his vets), who's hungry for a Super Bowl win. Sounds like he'll fit right in. Here's what Taylor had to say back when he was still a free agent:

“I want to play in a Super Bowl so bad, and the Super Bowl’s down here in Miami next year. I want to be in that game. Two years ago, Plaxico [Burress], my child’s godfather, won the Super Bowl. This year, my little cousin from Belle Glade [Fla.], Santonio Holmes, was the MVP in the biggest game in the world. My taste for that game is getting stronger and stronger. And honestly, I feel fresh. I get inspired by young guys and showing them what I can do. There are a lot of young guys I’m still quicker than. God gave me a lot when he was handing out ability. I still have a lot.”

This is ultimately what attracted Fred Taylor to come join the Pats - a chance for a ring (I mean... I can't imagine it being the weather, can you?). Taylor helps to fill the void left by Lamont Jordan's departure and joins a stable that already consists of Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Omar Cuff, and Eric Kettani (as recently outlined by MaPatsFan here). The Patriots like to employ a RB-by-committee approach, so the depth is important, as we witnessed last year when injuries hit. Taylor shouldn't have any problem splitting the carries; he shared the load with RB Maurice Jones-Drew the last few years in Jacksonville, and the two were quite the 1-2 punch during his time there. Adalius Thomas agrees:

"I'd hate to be on the other side," said Thomas. "You got Kevin, you got Sammy, you got Laurence, you got BenJarvus Green-Ellis and you got Fred. If all the guys are up, by the fourth quarter nobody is really tired. You're kind of fresh. It might not play off the first game, but when you get to Week 10, 11 or 12 and people are starting to wear down I think that, barring injury, that can definitely be a great asset with the different ways you can use them."

I'll be quite frank and say that I'm really excited about having Fred Taylor in New England. The guy can flat out run. However, whenever I'm looking to have my enthusiasm tempered about an incoming free agent, I normally ask myself, "why is this guy available in the first place?" In this case, the Jaguars were looking to get younger and they weren't ready to deal with the $6 million cap hit that would've come along had they kept him.

He is also statistically coming off one of his worst years as a pro. In 2008, he had 143 carries for 556 yards rushing (3.9 yards per carry). Those numbers aren't necessarily his fault considering Jacksonville's injury woes last year. They were decimated with injuries to their offensive line, and Jones-Drew was affected as well by seeing his yards per carry drop to 4.2. Without any real threats at wide receiver, the opposition was allowed to crowd the box and stuff the run. The Jags consequently finished their season at 5-11.

Still, he is only two years removed from an All-Pro season in 2007, and he's motivated. Did you know that he's 16th all-time in rushing yards with 11,271? One of Taylor's goals is to pass Jim Brown before he retires. He only trails him by 1,041 yards, and he's already passed former New England favorite Corey Dillon on his way there. Taylor is also the 5th best all-time in yards per carry with 4.6, behind only Jim Brown (5.2), Barry Sanders (5.0), O.J. Simpson (4.7) and Tiki Barber (4.7). That's impressive production for a guy once labeled as "fragile."

Best of luck to you in New England, "Fast Freddy!"

Fred Taylor Links
Pats Pulpit - Interview: New England Patriots RB Fred Taylor
Reiss's Pieces: OTA Video
Shalize Manza Young: Fred Taylor elated to be learning playbook
Reiss's Pieces: 3 with Fred Taylor
Reiss's Pieces: Kyle Brady talks Fred Taylor
YouTube: Video Highlights (props to MaPatsFan for finding this one)

Patriots changes by position: Running Back

MaPatsFan — Sun, 24 May 2009 15:24:21 -0000

via sports.espn.go.com

View full size photo »

When I do Q&A's with other bloggers, I'm asked two questions almost every time: a) how is Tom Brady and b) who will start at running back. The first question is a bit of a dance as there's very little information on Tommy Terrific, but the second question, the running back question, I always feel more confident to answer: Laurence Maroney. As you may know, I'm not a fan of the term "starter" especially with our backfield. When you breakout how many snaps a player may play compared to others at his position, his contribution to the team becomes more apparent. Laurence may, more than likely, play more snaps than his counterparts. But I believe we will have a "backfield by committee". It appears each RB has a special skill that is tailor made for certain situations and Belichick is a master at using his tools, isn't he? With that said, let's get started.

Laurence Maroney - I have been critical of Maroney. Living up to expectations in 2006, he's had issues ever since. Overall, I find him "bouncing" off of the line and not deciseively slicing through holes, or finding holes for that matter. His colleague, Sammy Morris, has this ability but at 32, may be approaching the time when the gas in the tank is dwindling. Laurence's lack of decisiveness showed itself in 2008, especially in Week 5 versus the 49ers. He was IR'd after that game and we have since found out it was due to a broken bone in his shoulder. I won't touch on the controversy swirling around this injury (ie: Patriots concealed the injury), but I will say I have renewed respect for the man and I'm a little miffed he had to conceal it. All along, I've been unfairly labeling Laurence as "soft". Had I known about the broken bone, I could have given him a fair shake. That being said, Maroney is the guy who will line up by default and get the most snaps, in the beginning that is. It's his job to lose and I'm really pulling for him to knock it out of the park.
Sammy Morris - For lack of a better term, I view Morris as Maroney's backup. Having the ability to rotate in Sammy gives everyone a fresh set of legs and that's important. I've also felt Morris is a very productive running back and a good guy to depend on when you need the yardage; he always finds a way to break through the line and get what you need. If Laurence can stay healthy, I believe we'll have an excellent set of "everything backs" in Maroney and Morris.
Kevin Faulk - Faulk, labeled as a third down specialist, showed us true grit in 2008. With Maroney out after Week 5 and LaMont Jordan injured as well, Faulk had to take more snaps and he showed us why opposing teams sigh in disgust when he's in. The guy is simply clutch. Checkdown, slot, option, run, it doesn't matter. And when he IS called upon in third down, defenses have to respect him and keep close tabs, because he has the hands to move the chains. With a rejuvenated backfield, I think we can move Kevin back to third downs for the most part.
BenJarvus Green-Ellis - "Law Firm", initially assigned to the practice squad in 2008, grew up fast when Maroney and Jordan were hurt and I think he did a really good job. More importantly, he got what many rookies need to do well: reps. It was baptism by fire for BenJarvus, but he got valuable experience at an NFL level and showed his stuff. I hope he's kept in the rotation and allowed to use those young legs to contribute.
Omar Cuff - Cuff hails from Delaware and was a productive "everything" back in college. There's little scouting information on Omar, so it's hard to tell where he'll fit in the roster.
Eric Kettani - Belichick has an affinity for the Naval Academy. His father coached there for many years and son Bill spent a great deal of team at that institution. Academy graduates with "special skills" can take advantage of shorter service times after graduation (because the academy is free, graduates normally "owe" the government five years of full service).
Fred Taylor - I like Fred and not just because he gave the Pulpit an interview, although that certainly doesn't hurt. ;-) I like Fred because he's all about hard nosed football. To say Taylor has moves is not giving him credit for what he can do. He also has a ridiculous after burner and can outrun DBs. Most importantly, Fred will be a great mentor for Laurence. Early in Taylor's career, he went through many of the same issues Maroney is facing. Maybe this was the main reason Belichick picked up "Fast Freddy".

Is this a good crew? I'm incredibly stoked to see Maroney come out and silence the critics; that would bode well for the future of our franchise. Morris as a another "utility back" is pretty darn good, too. Faulk is just, well, Faulk. He's a dangerous weapon in the backfield, especially when Moss and Welker are blanketed by coverage. Omar Cuff is a wait and see prospect as is Eric Kettani. Fred Taylor could be the wildcard in all of this. His highlights show a guy who can juke and jive with the best of them, has great downhill speed, and is not afraid to dish out some punishment to an unsuspecting DB. If we can balance out the aerial assault with a solid running game, the New England Patriots will be tough to beat.

Poll

Are you happy with the current running back crew?

Yes

477 votes

No

23 votes

Wait and see

71 votes

571 votes | Poll has closed

Chiefs-Chargers Week in Review

Chris Thorman — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:42:37 -0000

via NFL.com

I feel like it's been a haphazard week of coverage here at Arrowhead Pride so I wanted to take a minute to recap all the going ons of this past week. We've had roster moves, injuries and all that other good stuff to talk about. Here we go...

Injuries

I'm sure you saw Kolby Smith go down in last Sunday's game clutching his knee and it turns out he is done for the season and has been placed on injured reserve.

LB Derrick Johnson strained his hamstring against the Bucs and is out for this weekend's game.

S Jarrad Page (groin) and CB Pat Surtain (quad) both did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday. Surtain has already been ruled out for Sunday's game and the team has left open the possibility of Page playing.

S Dajuan Morgan tweaked his leg a bit in yesterday's practice, prompting Herm to say, "We’ll see where he’s at." Finally, DE Turk McBride is also listed on the injury report with a shoulder problem and both are questionable to play this weekend.

Roster moves

Because of recent issues with corner back play, the Chiefs signed CBs Richardo Colclough and David Macklin this week. They also added RB Omar Cuff to the practice squad and DE Wallace Gilberry to the active roster.

WR Kevin Robinson and TE Michael Merritt, both 2008 rookies who have yet to see the field, were activated this week. Merritt was placed on Reserve/Non-Football Injury on August 30th, while Robinson had been on Reserve/Physically-Unable-To-Perform since August 26th. Merritt won't play this week but may get a chance later on in the season. Robinson is currently third on the depth chart for the kick return position, making the possibility of him taking the field small.

To make room for these new additions, the Chiefs cut P Steve Weatherford, because Dustin Colquitt will play this weekend. TE John Paul Foschi and WR Nate Hughes were let go as well. Finally, just-signed CB Tyron Brackenridge was let go and DT T.J. Jackson was put back on the practice squad after spending time on the active roster.

For a full list of recent transactions, click here.

Depth chart

With Kolby Smith out for the rest of the season and Larry Johnson suspended this weekend, Jamaal Charles steps into the starting role, with Dantrell Savage backing him up. Right before last week's game against the Bucs, RB Jackie Battle was promoted from the practice squad which now makes him the #3 running back.

The full depth chart is here.

The Chargers

The 3-5 San Diego Chargers are coming off of a bye week and Chris Jenkins of the San Diego Union-Tribune gives us a quick synopsis of what's happening in San Diego:

The location of the bye week couldn't be any better, what with the Chargers precisely at the halfway point of their season, coming off two straight losses, road-weary from a trip of more than 11,000 miles across eight time zones. They've used the break to install a new defensive coordinator, Ron Rivera, and get themselves back into their best physical health of the season.

The Chargers literally are in the best team health of the season, with only WR Chris Chambers and CB Antonio Cromartie limited in practice and their center is out with an illness. Both Chambers and Cromartie are likely to play on Sunday.

Of course, the biggest news coming out of San Diego over the bye week was the hiring of inside linebackers coach Ron Rivera as defensive coordinator. The Chargers' 25th ranked team defense caused former Charger DC Ted Cottrell to be fired after giving up 37 points in Week 8 to the New Orleans Saints.

Quick look at the Chargers:

Team Stats - Game Averages

	Pts	Yrds	Pass	Rush
Off	28.0	343.0 (12th)	246.4 (7th)	96.6 (24th)
Def	24.9	371.6 (26th)	265.1 (32nd)	106.5 (16th)

Misc News and Notes

Last night on Thursday night football, the Broncos defeated the Browns on the strength of three 4th quarter touchdown passes by Jay Cutler.

I have to feel for the Broncos as a Chiefs fan when I read that they will likely place their 4th running back on injured reserve this season.

If you've got time today, check out this CBS preview of the game this weekend.

Wow, 19 rookies on the Chiefs' roster right now.

That's what I've got for this morning. The Kansas City Chiefs play a rare 3:15 PM central time game this weekend so make sure you come by for the open thread.

Cleveland Browns Add Seven to Practice Squad

Chris Pokorny — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 15:30:47 -0000

After signing offensive guard Scott Young to the 53-man roster last night, the Cleveland Browns named seven players to their practice squad today. I'm pleased with several of the players that we were able to stash away:

BROWNS THAT MADE PRACTICE SQUAD

WR Steve Sanders
WR Lance Leggett
DL Melila Purcell
S Travis Key

OTHERS THAT MADE PRACTICE SQUAD

RB Omar Cuff
OL Christian Gaddis
LB Titus Brown

That means the Browns have one spot remaining on the practice squad -- one that you would expect to go to OG Nate Bennett in a day or two.

Here is some quick background information on the new players, courtesy of the OBR:

RB Omar Cuff (5-10 and 195 lbs): "Was an undrafted rookie free agent out of Delaware who spent training camp with Tennessee. Cuff ran for 4,364 yards and 65 touchdowns during his collegiate career at Delaware."
OL Christian Gaddis (6-4 and 300 lbs): "Spent last season with the Buffalo Bills and appeared in one contest. Gaddis was originally an undrafted rookie free agent with Buffalo in 2007 out of Villanova. He spent ten weeks on the Bills practice squad before being signed to the active roster on Nov. 14, 2007. "
LB Titus Brown (6-3 and 245 lbs): "Was an undrafted rookie free agent out of Mississippi State who spent training camp with the Miami Dolphins. Brown was a four-year letterman at Mississippi State with 170 career tackles and 18.5 sacks."

Players who did not make the Browns' practice squad (and who were considered potential candidates) include DL Chase Pittman, RB Travis Thomas, LB Chase Ortiz, and DB A.J. Davis.