Storyline: “Bridging” veteran and rookie running backs may be a way to leverage talent and save NFL teams a ton of money. It might smooth out players’ often rocky careers and extend their playing time, too.
The Running Back (RB) begins life in the NFL as a rookie — a player looking to show his skill and become the workhorse of the franchise. But a major issue arises when the once manageable rookie feels the financial restrictions of his rookie cocoon and tries to break out towards a massive pay day. Some franchises pay dearly for “the newly freed,” but the gamble is massive.
Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
What’s a viable option? NFL franchises need to save money and start using what I call The Running Back Bridging Cycle.
The basic idea revolves around the idea that we nurture rookies; we build their confidence; and we let them run the field. But, after affordable rookie contracts are done, we ditch them.
Many RBs then go through the next contract or two putting bodies to the grindstone and trying to become “that star” for another franchise. Joints will wear. Muscles will dystrophy. Bodies will show heavy blows.
Newly-minted veterans now face free agent options. Often no teams are interested. That’s because once promising RBs are no longer young studs with rich potential. So teams are apt to look for cheap veterans to lead or support–or “bridge”–to the next promising rookie. That means veterans are involved, once again, in short-term, inexpensive contracts.
Frank Gore (Photo courtesy ESPN.com)
An alternative is doing what it appears the 49er’s did last season: start a “Bridging Cycle.”
SF has a strong RB in Carlos Hyde who’s on a rookie contract. Frank Gore took hold of the RB reigns in ’14 to give Hyde a role model to emulate. Now, in ’15, Hyde will be the workhorse, while the once-heralded (but now a beaten), Reggie Bush, will supply running support.
Here’s how the RB Bridging Cycle model would work for the 49’ers.
Carlos Hyde (Photo courtesy zimbio.com)
2014: Gore* + Hyde
2015: Hyde* + Bush
2016: Hyde* + Rookie
2017: Rookie* + Veteran
Italics and * = The Workhorse
It isn’t hard for franchises to start this process if they have a young RB with potential and, then, add a veteran like, say, Ray Rice.
Rice has seen every angle of the NFL and can either lead a rookie to start the Bridging Cycle or fill a back-up role for a young, promising player. Rice has career averages of 1,536 total yards and 7 touchdowns a season. Teams need to have a good veteran. like Rice, for the Bridging Cycle to work.
Courtesy: CBSSports.com
The reality is that efficient, “cheap” contract players don’t sell jerseys, but they can save franchises millions that could be spent elsewhere. So, why not Ray Rice?
Other players to consider:
*Ryan Mathews, who only averages 1,035 total yards and 5 touchdowns a season, still was able to get a contract for 3 years at $11 million dollars.
*Adrian Peterson, convicted of assaulting a child, only played in one game last year. But he’s a proven star. In all 5 of my NFL Fantasy Mock Drafts he was gone within the first three picks of the 1st Round! That tells me that the most loyal NFL fans aren’t concerned with “last year’s problems.”
