LaDainian Tomlinson: Pursue or No?
by John B on Feb 28, 2010 12:49 PM EST
20 comments
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With the news of Thomas Jones' impending release, the team is now in the market for finding a third back. LaDainian Tomlinson's historic tenure in San Diego is over. Some think he might be worth a look. His career with the Chargers, which ended with this year's Playoff loss to the Jets, was extraordinarily productive. He ran for 12,490 yards, had 3,955 receiving yards, and 153 total touchdowns. He was extremely fast and athletic in his prime. Very few defenders could match up with him in the open field. His best year was a 2006 campaign where he averaged 5.2 on the ground and rushed for 26 touchdowns.
Tomlinson has greatly slowed down over the past 2 years. He became a liability to the Chargers this past year in particular, averaging only 3.3 on the ground per carry. He's lost a lot of explosion as 2,880 carries have taken their toll. He caught a career low 20 passes in 2009 as Darren Sproles took on a bigger role.
Could Tomlinson help the Jets in a reduced role? It's possible. Maybe a lesser work load to keep him fresh could increase his productivity. LT certainly has a pathological hatred of the Patriots and Bill Belichick, which doesn't hurt. He was angry over the team "built on class" taunting his Chargers after a bitter home Playoff loss in that 2006 season. The next year, he took a lot of ridiculous criticism for leaving the AFC Championship Game with an injured knee. He had to. A back can't succeed when the base of his explosion isn't working, and the Chargers had a pretty good back named Michael Turner to replace him. People took shots at him for standing on the sidelines with a jacket and his helmet with a visor on. Weird.
That deals with one reason I think the Jets should stay away, though. Tomlinson's athleticism is fading. Backs need it, and it doesn't come back once age intervenes. That's what's happening with the potential Hall of Famer. It's not that hard to find a young and talented third back. Teams constantly find them off the scrap heap. The other issue I would have is LT's past excellence. Would a former MVP have a problem being the number 3 guy? Why risk it when there will be so many other options?
I vote don't pursue.
How do you vote?
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Big NO to LD (LT played linebacker for the Giants)
We need a guy that can step in and carry the load if (hate to say it, but when) Greene goes down. LD is not a guy that can be counted on to shoulder the load.
I disagree.
Nobody that we bring in is going to be a guy who can really carry the load. That’s why he is going to be a 3rd stringer. I think LT is perfect here. Future HOF, can help Leon and especially Greene learn what he knows about the game. As a 3rd running back, I think this is perfect.
"Relax, all right? Don't try to strike everybody out. Strikeouts are boring; besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls. It's more democratic."
- CRASH DAVIS
We’re of like mind most of the time nrmax88, but I gotta vehemently disagree with you here. LD is shot. We need to make a trade for a 3rd rounder or better. We can get a good back in the 3rd this year. I don’t trust Greene to stay healthy, and i want another big back that can wear down a defense and eat a ton of carries. Leon, even if 100%, was never a back that could step in get 20+ carries per game. We need another workhorse.
I don’t want to take a side..
GET TJ back!
He’s a proven vet.
He has the team before me…
He didn’t care he didn’t make the Pro Bowl.
underrated entire career. under appreciated. it’s sad.
Bring Thomas Jones BACK!
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TJ’s going to have opportunities to start, and I don’t see the Jets opening up their checkbook for a number three back (particularly one they’re cutting).
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I know,
Ryan wants a three headed monster at running back. Even though I love Greene and Leon , I think there still needs to be another pounder. If the Jets draft a running back in the 2nd or 3rd round who has the same scouting grades as Greene last year, I will be happy. With that said, I think it’s great the Jets are trying to have a young successful offense. Hopefully Wayne Hunter and Robert Turner stay with the Jets and dominate the right side.
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No sir, no way no how
We can get someone much cheaper with much more left in the tank who won’t bring any distractions that big names do.
LT is one of the more stand up guys of superstar NFL divas but the only reason to sign him is to sell Jersey’s and I don’t think that’s going to appeal to the Jets.
haha, this is a joke right?
Wow. If anyone would even consider this, I would declare them an enemy to Gang Green Nation. If we wanted a veteran we would have signed Jones.
The team is moving in a new direction. Shonn Greene and Leon Washington are perfect compliments of one another, why would we throw in an aging legend? This running back crew is extremely functional NOW and has potential to get better in the near future! why would we sign an old man to age them down?
I voted ‘No’ but I think the main reasoning behind people who want to add something else is that Greene has never carried a full work load as a feature back, and suffered a few nagging injuries last year, and Leon is coming back from major leg surgery.
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Because LT
would most likely be willing to play for peanuts and get 10 touches a game, which Jones, coming off statistically his best year, wouldn’t. Funny thing is, everybody cries about how great Jones was and how we should have kept him, but if Jones played for the Chargers last year everybody would think he was done, because their line doesn’t run block for shit and they are a pass oriented offense in every way. I think LT is easily a 1000 yard back if he was on the Jets last year in place of Jones. Nobody can tell me that Thomas Jones has better vision then LT, and vision was pretty much Jones’ best and only asset all year. LT could have done that, and he still can. He can get 6-8 carries a game and he is also a really god receiver. He can impart lots of wisdom on both Leon and Shonne. Plus, it is basically a no risk move.
"Relax, all right? Don't try to strike everybody out. Strikeouts are boring; besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls. It's more democratic."
- CRASH DAVIS
I think too often in sports,
just because a guy falls from his superstar level, we are to quick to label him as finished or shot, we forget that he can still be a valuable player at some level, just because he isn’t at the elite level he once was doesn’t mean he can’t be at an intermediate level of performance and be a good value dollar wise and experience wise. With the skill set he brings, the level of intelligence that he possesses, and his hunger for a superbowl ring, I would be very happy to bring him in, as long as he realizes that he is going to be a complimentary player who gets limited touches. I think he could be useful come playoff time like Edgerrin James was for the Cardinals a couple years ago.
"Relax, all right? Don't try to strike everybody out. Strikeouts are boring; besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls. It's more democratic."
- CRASH DAVIS
This could just as easily be an argument for...
Keeping Jones and giving him 10-15 carries per game, as I suggested.
Jones isn't down with that.
He just came off his best year ever. LT has just come off his worst. Jones isn’t going to sign on as a 3rd option out of the backfield.
"Relax, all right? Don't try to strike everybody out. Strikeouts are boring; besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls. It's more democratic."
- CRASH DAVIS
Depends on how you play it
Split the main part of the carries between Jones and Greene, and Leon is the third option.
Hard to believe that Tomlinson would sign for peanuts
A future hall of famer is going to look for less than he used to earn, but he’s not going to go as far down as a rookie salary. Otherwise he would have restructured.
As for Jones vs. LT, as far as this year’s performance goes, TJ wins by far in all but the receiving department. Was the Chargers’ line that much worse than in previous years, or ours that much better specifically this year?
If LT had played on the Jets last year, he might have gotten 900 yards and a 3.7 ypc and Greene would have ended up with more carries and the #1 spot by the season’s end. TJ would have run less times but been hit worse, and probably would also have ended up with a 3.7 or 3.8 – which would not make people consider him done for.
Thumbs down hard
Definitely not! I think signing a third back to lessen the load on Shonn is absolutely the right call, and while we might be able to ink LT on the cheap, I highly doubt he’d be of any use to us. Tomlinson isn’t just on the way down, he’s fully and completely down. I know it’s a hackneyed metaphor, but there isn’t an ounce of gas left in that tank. We’d be just as well off pursuing Shaun Alexander.
There are a whole bunch of free agent RBs floating around out there, and any one of them would be more productive than Jones.
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Not true. He said he wants to win
a ring, first and foremost, and that he knows he probably can’t pick and choose where he goes so he will try to find the best place for him to win a ring. His words.
"Relax, all right? Don't try to strike everybody out. Strikeouts are boring; besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls. It's more democratic."
- CRASH DAVIS
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