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Take a flier on Michael Bush?

Chris Perry has 253 yards rushing through six games (42.2 yards-per-game) while sporting a 2.6 yards-per-rush average. He's fumbled six trillion times and his pass protection is, well, it's hardly "protection". Cedric Benson, on 14 rushes through two games, is averaging 2.6 yards-per-rush. Ironically, he touched the ball six times less than against the Cowboys -- even though the team told us we'd see Benson more this week.

The Pro Football Talk boys (by way of a Charley Casserly report on CBS), write that the Oakland Raiders are shopping running backs Justin Fargas or Michael Bush (just one of them). If the Raiders are asking for little (like a 7th or 6th round pick), would you take a flier on Bush? Michael Bush has 47 carries this season, recording 202 yards and a 4.3 average. He recorded a 32-yard touchdown during the second week against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Bush, mostly known for his junior season (2005) at Louisville, rushed for 1,143 yards on 204 attempts, scoring 23 touchdowns. Until he broke his leg early in 2006, he was considered a preseason candidate his senior season, projected as an early first-round pick if he decided to leave school early.

I have to add the following, otherwise others won't realize that we know the obvious: The Offensive line stinks run blocking.

Poll
Would you take a flier on Michael Bush?
For a seventh round pick, why not?
168 votes
No way. We'll do better in the draft.
20 votes

188 votes | Poll has closed

Comment 9 comments  |  0 recs  | 

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I voted yes

but I think I’d opt for the more versatile Justin “Huggy Bear” Fargas.

by IgnatiusJReilly on Oct 12, 2008 7:38 PM EDT reply actions  

Yes

For a 7th rounder, why not?

by bengalschatter on Oct 12, 2008 8:15 PM EDT reply actions  

FULL DISCLOSURE: I am a Louisville Cardinals homer

BUT…I am also a realist. No, really…I’m not. But hear me out! Bush is healed. He is versatile…good hands, etc. He is a football player who knows more positions than just what he played at U of L. Remember…he was the QB for Louisville Male who led his team to the state title game, which he only lost because he only threw six TD passes against Louisville Trinity, QB-ed by one Brian Brohm who threw seven. If I remember right, he was also one of the top-rated safeties going into college! I’m not saying he’s ready to play lots of positions now, but only that he knows the game better than somebody who just takes the rock and runs downhill.

Most Raiders fans I’ve talked to have said that Bush ought to have been the one running the ball the whole time and that Weird Al should never have forced the McFadden pick down the throats of the Raider Nation. They had so many more needs, plus a stable full of running backs. But I digress.

I’ve been wishing for that dream scenario where we’d actually get our hands on Michael Bush for some time now. Take him NOW, squirrel him away until we can get some big honkin’ O-Line talent to block for him, and then RELEASE THE HOUNDS!

by TheWalrus1971 on Oct 12, 2008 9:37 PM EDT reply actions  

No, the running game sucks but RBs are not the (biggest) problem.

While the RB play has been less than outstanding (and the fumbles have got to stop), the real problem of the running game is the O-Line. The backs are getting their first contact at or behind the line of scrimmage on every single play. Watch any team with a good running game and see how many times the make it to the linebackers or secondary without getting touched.

Give Perry or Benson a good line to run behind and they’d both be good enough to meet the needs of the Bengals (i.e. provide balance to what used to be a high powered passing attack). You could put LT in Cincy right now and I bet he couldn’t reach 4 yards-per-rush.

by JHarmann on Oct 12, 2008 10:42 PM EDT reply actions  

I agree with JHarmann. Unless Bush can play on the Oline somewhere, it’s not really going to help. There is no where for Perry to run.

by kirby28 on Oct 13, 2008 8:39 AM EDT up reply actions  

If all they want is a low round draft pick....

…then I would do it. Bush has a lot of upside and it would take the pressure off of having to draft a RB in the first or second round. We could get that lineman instead.

by goffchile on Oct 13, 2008 8:56 AM EDT reply actions  

Off Season Acquisitions

This is a bit off topic but by my calculations the Bengals should have tons of cap room to make some big moves in the offseason. Besides the preseason cutting of Willie, Deltha, and Rudi (~$15 million in cap room by my calculations) the club also gets to stop paying Perry (cap number $1.4M in 2008) and John Thorton ($4.6M in 2008). Plus the possible departures of TJ ($3.6M) to free agency and Chad ($6.4M) in a trade. This kinda cap room could go a long way in restructuring our O line and maybe adding a new DT or ILB.

*all cap numbers are from SI.com:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/salaries/2008/bengals.html

by CincyMike56 on Oct 13, 2008 10:41 AM EDT reply actions  

Mm-hmm...and THEN what?

This is the same front office who opted to franchise-tag Justin Smith for $8.6M before we all got to watch him go out there and record two whole sacks in the ’07 season. Nothing makes me think that a nasty pile of cash would suddenly transform the Brown family into smart decision-makers!

by TheWalrus1971 on Oct 13, 2008 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions  

on second thought

Assuming Bush is fully healed from the 2006 bone break at UK, his size, strength, and versatility probably make him a better bet than Huggy Bear. I could see him doing a RunDMc/Ronnie Brown direct snap from time to time.

In addition to the cap space, we should have several compensatory picks for Justin Smith, Madieu, and Landon Johnson- which would be a steal considering we’ve already replaced those three quite admirably(I’ll take Ndukwe/Smith over Williams, Rivers by a landslide over Johnson, and either Rucker or Odom over the inconsequential Smith).

However, all the cap space and draft picks in the world won’t mean a damn thing if the hacks we have evaluating talent now- starting with Mike the Shitstain On the World- are the ones making the decisions. I mean, where was our scouting department on Justin Tuck, on Jay Ratliff(7th round for chrissakes), on Pat Williams, on Chris Jenkins? I wonder if they’ve been paying attention to a certain Alabama behemoth- 6-5", 380lbs.- at nose guard named Terrence Cody? He’s a junior, so he could be coming out in ‘09. Pair him with Shirley or Sims and you’re talking over 700lbs. flanking the opposing center. After watching him run- and actually cover yesterday, I’d like to try Peko at end and see what he could accomplish off the edge in passing situations and as added bulk that neither Geathers or Odom can bring against the run.

In my dream, Cody aside for the moment, I see a line of- left to right- Geathers/Rucker, Sims, Shirley, Odom/Peko, with Fanene and Harris rotating in and Thornton out doing good deeds in the community. I see Rey Malauga flanked by Rivers and either Johnson or Jeanty at linebacker with Dhani Jones as the wily veteran/mentor/nickel backer. In the secondary, I like the starters as they are now, with a proven corner back up to augment Castille, Jackson, and Lynch in reserve. Then, like battery acid on an open wound, I’m dragged out of my reverie by the reality that is Mike & Marvin Show…

by IgnatiusJReilly on Oct 13, 2008 11:55 AM EDT reply actions  

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