RB for 2009 Season?

[Lions33]

Who do you think it will be?

[TheLionKing]

There's going to be alot of candidates in training camp. The whole backfield with the exception of Lyle Green is gone. Stefan Logan to Pittsburgh. Charles Roberts was released.

[bclions16]

The Lions still have A. Bewenge and R. Lumballa, and have just signed Amos Allan, a bigger, stronger, faster, younger version of S. Logan.

Amos sounds good, and I'm sure we'll have more new names in camp. The Leos have been pretty good picking up RBs in the last couple of years, for me I'm looking forward to training camp far more than usual.

[Sir Purrcival]

What happened to Lyle Green?

[OV - 54:40]

The Lions signed Junior star Andrew Harris awhile back; Jesse Lumsden is available as a free agent; Wally might be able to draft Jamal Lee - CIS leading rusher & 1st team all-star back the past 2 seasons; 6-1, 215 and a BC native - Port Coquitlam. Lumballa & Bwenge have tailback experience in US college ball. Some possibilities there.

I'll go with none of the above though; and bet on Smart or Allen or another newcomer - and maybe in some sort of platoon system.

[cromartie]

This is a J.Chap designed offense, right?

What do we need a running back for?

Just kidding (sort of).

[WestCoastJoe]

Amos Allen is the top candidate so far, with more to come in Training Camp.

I would not be surprised if it is Allen by the time they play for real.

Green, Lumbala and Bwenge are mostly special teams players.

I kind of think Wally may scrap his plan of having Lumbala be his short yardage back. He just does not have much (almost none) experience running the ball. It is not enough that he is huge, at 260 lbs.

[OV - 54:40]

Amos Allen is the top candidate so far, with more to come in Training Camp.

I would not be surprised if it is Allen by the time they play for real.

Green, Lumbala and Bwenge are mostly special teams players.

I kind of think Wally may scrap his plan of having Lumbala be his short yardage back. He just does not have much (almost none) experience running the ball. It is not enough that he is huge, at 260 lbs.

Where do you come up with this stuff from ??? - Lumbala was a starting tailback at Idaho in US college football - had 141 carries with 6 TDs in 04 and led the team in rushing yardage on 128 attempts in 05 - "almost none" ???; he got converted to more of a fullback/H-back/TE in his later days at Idaho. Do you just make up or maybe imagine your posting content here?

[QB Club 63]

Sir Purrcival, nothing happened to Lyle Green, except that he's a year older, but in spite of that he's still going to be the dependable, multi-talented, dedicated, unsung foot soldier of the offence and ST. If you re-read TheLionKing's post it says

The whole backfield with the exception of Lyle Green is gone

.

I was very disappointed at times late in the season and particularly in the Semi that Rolly Lumballa wasn't given the ball. Yes, it might have been expecting a lot out of a rookie, but what better way to test a player's mettle? Put him into a pressure situation and let him show what he's made of. Defences were so focussed on Logan that a change of pace might have worked.

Ahhh, the great off-season threesome: Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda...

Speaking of RBs, I spotted Sean Millington the other day. He looks like he could still play. It would be tres cool if he'd do the Daved Benefield thing and sign a contract to officially retire as a BC Lion, but even if that doesn't get done I'll always consider him one of the greatest all-time Lions.

[WestCoastJoe]

Amos Allen is the top candidate so far, with more to come in Training Camp.

IMO ... Who else is there at this time?

I would not be surprised if it is Allen by the time they play for real.

IMO

Green, Lumbala and Bwenge are mostly special teams players.

IMO

I kind of think Wally may scrap his plan of having Lumbala be his short yardage back. He just does not have much (almost none) experience running the ball. It is not enough that he is huge, at 260 lbs.

IMO Lumbala did not look all that promising as a short yardage back last year.

In his senior year, Lumbala had 1 carry for 2 yards.

YEAR ATT YDS AVG LNG TD REC YDS AVG LNG TD FUM LST

2007 1 2 2.0 2 0 8 67 8.4 18 0 0 0

Last year with the Lions Lumbala had 12 carries for 28 yards.

I might have mentioned that Lumbala did carry the ball much more in his earlier years in college.

YEAR ATT YDS AVG LNG TD REC YDS AVG LNG TD FUM LST

2004 141 614 4.4 34 6 6 40 6.7 31 0 0 0

2005 128 472 3.7 46 1 22 217 9.9 32 2 0 0

2006 21 95 4.5 28 2 1 9 9.0 9 0 0 0

2007 1 2 2.0 2 0 8 67 8.4 18 0 0 0

IMO, while a very valuable special teams player, and potentially a blocking back or H back, he might not be the answer for the Lions as a short yardage back.

All of this, of course, is just IMHO, not intended to upset anyone or start an argument.

[Dan]

Wouldn't be surprised to see Stephan Logan back before seasons end. Don't forget he signed with out any signing bonus. How serious can the Steelers be if the aren't prepared to offer any money up front?

[Rammer]

Wouldn't be surprised to see Stephan Logan back before seasons end. Don't forget he signed with out any signing bonus. How serious can the Steelers be if the aren't prepared to offer any money up front?

On the other hand, Logan has a ton of confidence in his own ability to walk on and show some stuff. His time with the Lions may be the springboard he needed for confidence in playing the man's game at the mans level. If they watch him as a returner and he shows the necessary smarts (ie, when to call a fair catch vs trying to make an impression), I think that he has a viable avenue to find a place on their roster. Also consider that he has done this without a signing bonus, so he may just be prepared to hang around on the outskirts of the team waiting for an injury to get onto the roster. This is his second time around the NFL camps, so this really is his last shot, expect him to give his all in order to crack the Steelers roster.