NFL Running Backs With the Most to Prove for the 2007 Season
With the NFL season opener quickly approaching and teams putting the final preparations together to place them in the most optimal position to succeed. Many teams are placing a lot of hope into one position they feel will lead them to the promise land. Unfortunately it is not the quarterback or the offensive/defensive lineman that they have invested million of dollars. The position many team are counting on producing the opportunity most to succeed is the running back. This position always has the most hype and is part of more discussions of Fantasy Football aficionados around the country.
Since this position receives the most attention and a serious amount of pressure to help a team succeed, there exist three specific running backs that I believe that are under the most pressure to perform this season. In fact all but one of these players will definitely face unemployment if they don’t meet the expectations that they currently face. The nominees are:
#1- Cadillac Williams – After having one of the best starts for a rookie running back in NFL history, Cadillac has faded from being the best ever, to a potential bust. Having produced almost nothing last season and continual facing nagging injuries Cadillac is clearly on the bubble of being “the man” to a has been.
#2 – Shaun Alexander – The Seattle Seahawks finally gave Shaun the contract he had always wanted after their Super Bowl run in 2005. However, having gotten banged up and only making a marginal contribution to the team last season, Shaun could find himself being released or forced into retirement after this season if he does not rush for more than 1000 yards and score more than 10 touchdowns. Shaun faces a couple of dilemmas; first he is on the verge of by passing his prime. Of all NFL running backs in recent history, none have rushed for more than 1500 yards or scored more than 20 touchdowns once they reached their early 30s. The second disadvantage Shaun faces is the potential of being released and Seattle going after a big name running back in free agency or in the draft after the season concludes. The reasoning behind this resides in one person, Grant Wistrom. Grant was signed in 2004 for a monster contract with over $15 million guaranteed money. However, once he passed his prime and he could not produce consistently, the Seahawks were willing to write off him and all his guaranteed money as a bad investment in 2006. Clearly Seattle is willing to put a lot of pressure on Shaun to perform or he may be joining Tiki Barber in the NBC analyst booth.
#3 – Larry Johnson – Many people may be surprised that I had placed Larry in this list and I would have agreed with them 2 months ago, however with his holdout of training camp, I believe Larry could be under a heavy microscope by fans and Chief’s front office is he does not produce. It is clearly possible that if Larry has a marginal or sub par season (1100 yards or less and less than 15 touchdowns) and avoids injury there could be potential trade talks by the end of the season. However, on the other hand if he does get traded, the Chiefs could be the dumbest teams in history to let that type of talent go and they may be kicking themselves why they waited so long to finally iron out a contract extension.
