The Politics of Good Backups

Too much of a good thing

In today's Redskins Notebook, Jason La Canfora (who I have recently learned is a drunk and a narcoleptic) writes that Joe Gibbs thinks there will be no problem with both Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts on the roster next year. That they can have both is obvious. That they will or should is entirely another matter.

As Skin Patrol points out, Clinton's cap number is large next year, 8 to 10 million, and he's just entering the magic fourth year of an eight-year, 50.5 million dollar contract (as in either the player magically renegotiates or the team makes him *poof* disappear). Clinton is due to get paid. Although I don't know the particulars, Ladell's 2007 number should be cap-friendly, with only a prorated year's slice of the signing bonus plus a low first-year salary.

Rick Snider at the Washinton Examiner, in a column that reads like it was written in 20 minutes at 2am after a half dozen bourbons, says Ladell is the better back and besides the Redskins have plenty of other weapons, including Brandon Lloyd who's 'still out there' (I agree with that), so losing Clinton doesn't hurt the offense. He posits the Redskins could get an impact player on defense or a second-round draft pick for Clinton and so should trade him. (How's this for regression: I'm hat tipping Skin Patrol hat tipping Dan Steinberg on Snider's piece.)

Great idea, wrong running back.

In terms of ability, I think both backs are perfect for this system. As Skin Patrol points out with more of those damn facts, Clinton can break off a long one on you if you are not paying attention, and Ladell is for sure a straight-ahead runner, a between the tackles kind of guy with enough slipperiness to get through the line. He doesn't have the lateral moves or side-to-side sweepability that Clinton does, and I am not ready to render a judgment on whether one is a better blocker or receiver. They are, though, the perfect combination, and either is perfect as the feature back with Mike Sellers, Rock Cartwright and to-be-drafted rookie at backup.

The problem is not meshing or working together, the problem is that despite conventional wisdom that starter-quality backups are needed at both running back and quarterback, it doesn't work. Or rather, it only works in spite of football's nature. If the starter is not perfect, then the yammering starts for the backup. And if the starter is perfect, the whining starts about wasting roster spots and cap room. Chris Weinke and Jake Delhomme. Patrick Ramsey and Mark Brunell in 2004. Or Heath Shuler and Gus Frerotte in 1995. Some running back examples: Ladell Betts and TJ Duckett (pretty much accepted as a stupid move), Julius Jones and Marion Barber in Dallas (that debate is playing out now in their world), Thomas Jones and Michael Pittman in Arizona and Tampa Bay from 2002-2004.

It does work when there are no real expectations of the backup to hold the position longterm. Look at Joey Harrington in Miami and Jeff Garcia in Philadelphia. At the running back position, I knew Ladell was a good player before this season, and better than some starting RBs, but it's now accepted as fact. No one thought Frank Gore could carry the 49ers after Kevan Barlow left.

Ladell has played a role on this team, and he has done it with aplomb. In four previous seasons, all with the Redskins, he has never had fewer than 65 carries and never fewer than 255 yards. When asked to be the feature back, he went and did it and now unless the Redskins can pull off an act that hasn't been done since 1985*, every time the Redskins don't have a dominating day on the ground, ExtremeSkins will be like LADALLL IS SO NUCH BERTTEWR THEN PORITS!!!1!! CUT PORITS!!!1!!

On the other hand, if the Redskins have another playoff season, with Clinton ringing up 1200 yards and Ladell pulling down 400, ExtremeSkins will be like WHY DID TEH REDKSINS PAY SO MCYU FOR LADALLL?!?1? PORITS IS SO NUCH BERTTEWR THEN LADALLL!!!!1!!

Here is the football play in this situation: Ladell is the trade bait. He's a hot property and going into the offseason, there will be several teams with immediate needs at RB. Tennessee, Detroit, Cleveland, Tampa Bay, Oakland, Carolina, New York Jets and Houston to name 8. If you can unload him for a package of draft picks or a solid player, do it. I'd be sad to see him go, but sometimes the best thing you can do for your team is help it get better without you.

Alternatively, Ladell can be used as leverage against Clinton, because Clinton is too expensive to trade. If you can get him to renegotitate downward, then you can keep both and weather the controversy, or even unload Clinton in a trade once his number is down. Or you could *gasp* let Clinton go and take the dead money hit. He's been here three years, which is about the shelf life of an acquired Redskin.

There's no way Ladell plays the same role next season as the past two seasons and it's not a problem.



* Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner were the last running back duo both to run for 1000+ yards in a season, for the 1985 Cleveland Browns. The playcalling came down to 53% run, 46% pass, 1% choking. Reference.

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