Newton: A Bush in the Draft
A Bush in the Draft is Worth?
By: Nick Newton
12/15/05
It took me a long long long time to decide whether or not to write this article for a few reasons. Draft day is a hard wait away, so there is plenty of time to talk about every niner fans favorite topic: drafting Reggie Bush. The second reason is simple. I was on the fence myself.
For months now I've listened to the Bush disciples, the anti-Bush, and even the indifferent ones on the subject, all the while collecting my own thoughts about where our team is headed and what I think the draft will hold.
The Bush disciples make a very good point. Reggie is a huge playmaker and would compliment Alex Smith in his early developement very well. However, the anti-Bush speaks the truth; we cannot afford to spend one pick, (and aaallll that money), on just one guy when the team is so broken down in so many other positions. And just think of it, the trades and the possible extra picks we could obtain with the number one or number two pick are enough to make Reggie Bush's mother (were she a 49er fan) trade down. I think it is finally clear. Klack, I'm with you baby, the SanFrancisco 49ers do not need a running back in the 2006 draft. There are just too many teams wanting to trade up, and too many scenarios that would be more advantageous for the Niners to squander the first pick on a position that we are deep at. Deep with decent prospect and talent I might add.
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The Barlow Argument:
Kevan Barlow needs to be traded or released. While I wouldn't go so far as to say he doesnt have the talent to make it on an NFL team as a starter, I will say that he has had long enough to where he should be more productive than rookie RB Frank Gore, which he isn't. At least not for the money that he requires. (At this point, Barlow has 103 more carries than Gore, but still only has 3.3 YPC, whereas Gore is getting nearly 5 YPC. In those 176 carries, Barlow has scored only 3 rushing touchdowns while in his 73 carries, Gore has scored once.) The point of that mess is that for the playing time that Barlow has had over Gore, for the money that Barlow is getting over Gore, and for the experience in the NFL that Barlow has over Gore, he should be outclassing him by leaps and bounds, given that they both work for the same sorry O-line. Gore seems to run harder, and get the extra yards after contact that Barlow can't seem to muster. Im not totally convinced that Barlows fumbling problems are over.
Okay, so we send Barlow to the Saints (or some such place) and dont draft Bush. Who is going to carry the ball? Personally, Id like to see a split backfield next year with Gore as the feature back, splitting time with Maurice Hicks, who I've been thoroughly impressed with not just this season, but last as well. That backfield combined with an improved O-line would be all the knockout punch the 49ers would need, for half the price tag.
In the end, I have to say that I wouldn't mind having Reggie Bush. If, that is, that's the path Mike Nolan and his staff decide to go down. But one of the things I enjoy most out of this coaching staff and front office is that they normally see the same side of things that I see. And I don't see a losing situation whether we draft Bush, or trade the pick. But for right now, and until April, heres the mouthwatering question that the trade-up teams squirming in their war-room chairs must ask themselves. "What's a Bush in the draft worth?"
Filed Under: 49ers, Reggie Bush
By: Nick Newton
12/15/05
It took me a long long long time to decide whether or not to write this article for a few reasons. Draft day is a hard wait away, so there is plenty of time to talk about every niner fans favorite topic: drafting Reggie Bush. The second reason is simple. I was on the fence myself.
For months now I've listened to the Bush disciples, the anti-Bush, and even the indifferent ones on the subject, all the while collecting my own thoughts about where our team is headed and what I think the draft will hold.
The Bush disciples make a very good point. Reggie is a huge playmaker and would compliment Alex Smith in his early developement very well. However, the anti-Bush speaks the truth; we cannot afford to spend one pick, (and aaallll that money), on just one guy when the team is so broken down in so many other positions. And just think of it, the trades and the possible extra picks we could obtain with the number one or number two pick are enough to make Reggie Bush's mother (were she a 49er fan) trade down. I think it is finally clear. Klack, I'm with you baby, the SanFrancisco 49ers do not need a running back in the 2006 draft. There are just too many teams wanting to trade up, and too many scenarios that would be more advantageous for the Niners to squander the first pick on a position that we are deep at. Deep with decent prospect and talent I might add.
Full Story...
The Barlow Argument:
Kevan Barlow needs to be traded or released. While I wouldn't go so far as to say he doesnt have the talent to make it on an NFL team as a starter, I will say that he has had long enough to where he should be more productive than rookie RB Frank Gore, which he isn't. At least not for the money that he requires. (At this point, Barlow has 103 more carries than Gore, but still only has 3.3 YPC, whereas Gore is getting nearly 5 YPC. In those 176 carries, Barlow has scored only 3 rushing touchdowns while in his 73 carries, Gore has scored once.) The point of that mess is that for the playing time that Barlow has had over Gore, for the money that Barlow is getting over Gore, and for the experience in the NFL that Barlow has over Gore, he should be outclassing him by leaps and bounds, given that they both work for the same sorry O-line. Gore seems to run harder, and get the extra yards after contact that Barlow can't seem to muster. Im not totally convinced that Barlows fumbling problems are over.
Okay, so we send Barlow to the Saints (or some such place) and dont draft Bush. Who is going to carry the ball? Personally, Id like to see a split backfield next year with Gore as the feature back, splitting time with Maurice Hicks, who I've been thoroughly impressed with not just this season, but last as well. That backfield combined with an improved O-line would be all the knockout punch the 49ers would need, for half the price tag.
In the end, I have to say that I wouldn't mind having Reggie Bush. If, that is, that's the path Mike Nolan and his staff decide to go down. But one of the things I enjoy most out of this coaching staff and front office is that they normally see the same side of things that I see. And I don't see a losing situation whether we draft Bush, or trade the pick. But for right now, and until April, heres the mouthwatering question that the trade-up teams squirming in their war-room chairs must ask themselves. "What's a Bush in the draft worth?"
Filed Under: 49ers, Reggie Bush
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