Welcome Donald Brown?

[Panama]

I do think he's useful and fills a need, just don't think he's nearly as good as Mathews. If he beats out RM, that's great, he becomes a cheap starter and it would be much easier to find a backup for Brown than a starter to replace Mathews. Don't see that happening though.

Has anyone suggested he's as good as Mathews? Last time I checked, Brown was signed to be our backup RB, the guy who spells Mathews when he needs a rest or is unable to go, and a guy who doesn't represent the precipitous decline in ability that was the previous Brown.

[SDFan]

Has anyone suggested he's as good as Mathews? Last time I checked, Brown was signed to be our backup RB, the guy who spells Mathews when he needs a rest or is unable to go, and a guy who doesn't represent the precipitous decline in ability that was the previous Brown.

yep, upgrade over Ronnie Brown and insurance against Mathews being injured (again) and solid rotation guy to give RM a breather at times during games. Surely someone here will twist my observation that Brown is also insurance against a Mathews holdout and could default to new starter if Mathews leaves via FA- as me saying Brown is BETTER right now than Mathews and I wanted Brown replacing RM now.

[Guest]

Brown was signed to be our backup RB, the guy who spells Mathews when he needs a rest or is unable to go, and a guy who doesn't represent the precipitous decline in ability that was the previous Brown.

This spells it out perfectly. Donald Brown is well worth the money for this role as well.

[Steve]

The real problem I had with Ronnie Brown was he had no ability to run our outside zone (slant) play. He could do it, but if the D stuffed the inside gaps, and strung him out, he can't get to the corner and turn it up. Woodhead is not that great at it either. So, without Mathews, one of our signature pays is out of the offense. Now we add Donald Brown, and he can get to the edge.

Defenses can't just stack people in the middle and race us to the corner to stop our outside zone. They have to loosen their alignment, which weakens up the inside run, and there are still some gaps in the outside zone cutback lanes. It really opens up the whole running game, even if Mathews is out.

Brown ended up being a decent power runner. A lot of the highlights the last 2 seasons out of Indy show that. But I still think he is at his best doing zone running. Like Mathews, he is not great at reading blocks. He is better then Mathews at it, but both of them are really one cut and go backs. that is our running game. So, even though he was a good back for Indy, I think his best stuff is still ahead for us.

[QSmokey]

do you really need a link? there's posts just on this page that has those statements.

No, it was a joke. Forgot the smiley. But the first word of my second sentence is "seriously", so that should have been a tip off.

[sandiego17]

Has anyone suggested he's as good as Mathews?

Simply a suggestion that the team wouldn't skip a beat if it lost Mathews. Something I don't buy into.

Last time I checked, Brown was signed to be our backup RB, the guy who spells Mathews when he needs a rest or is unable to go, and a guy who doesn't represent the precipitous decline in ability that was the previous Brown.

Exactly, except I do agree with the idea that he is a bit overpaid for his role. Again, Woodhead is underpaid and the Chargers aren't spending a ton on the RB position, even with Brown, so it makes sense in that respect.

[Beerman]

Yea we are barely spending about 7 million I think on our 3 RB's. Frank Gore gets 6 million a year. We want to run the ball 30 times a game, gotta have horses to do that.

[sandiego17]

Yea we are barely spending about 7 million I think on our 3 RB's. Frank Gore gets 6 million a year. We want to run the ball 30 times a game, gotta have horses to do that.

Exactly. I think Woodhead deserves more of that pie and Brown less than Woodhead, but that's not as relevant as the total spend on RB. $7MM for Mathews-Woodhead-Brown is a good situation.

[Beerman]

Exactly. I think Woodhead deserves more of that pie and Brown less than Woodhead, but that's not as relevant as the total spend on RB. $7MM for Mathews-Woodhead-Brown is a good situation.

I suspect we end up extending Woodcock and drafting a RB in the 2nd-3rd round next year, couple good ones coming out (much better than this year). I assume Matthews will be asking for 6+ million a year assuming he has another productive year. Just doesn't make sense to pay RB's that much anymore with how quickly they fall off a cliff and his injury history.

[Mister Hoarse]

No, it was a joke. Forgot the smiley. But the first word of my second sentence is "seriously", so that should have been a tip off.

The one time you forget the smiley. See? See what happens??

As far as the Raiders are concerned, Suck.
Go to an electrical appliance Charger!

[QSmokey]

The one time you forget the smiley. See? See what happens??

As far as the Raiders are concerned, Suck.
Go to an electrical appliance Charger!

[Yubaking]

Has anyone suggested he's as good as Mathews? Last time I checked, Brown was signed to be our backup RB, the guy who spells Mathews when he needs a rest or is unable to go, and a guy who doesn't represent the precipitous decline in ability that was the previous Brown.

I agree completely. And my belief that D. Brown is not quite as good as Mathews is not because I think D. Brown is not a very good RB, but rather because I think Mathews is an excellent RB.

I really like this move of signing Brown. It's much better than the idea I had a month or so ago of adding Gerhart out of a concern about not having a bigger back. Screw that when we can get a second RB with #1 RB ability like D. Brown.