Blaylock Not a Lock

The only way Derrick Blaylock gets Chris Cooley's number is by putting on a cheerleader's uniform

I revealed my prejudices on this matter yesterday and thankfully Steve Yanda gives me a ready-made platform to expand upon it.

The Redskins need to get down to three serious options for carrrying the ball in the regular season. Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts are 1-2 and Rock Cartwright is not an option as an every down back, his talents are better exploited elsewhere and I do not count him in this list. This leaves one practical spot open to competition. Derrick Blaylock is not needed on this team and the Redskins should release him to make way for Marcus Mason for one simple reason: the Redskins need to get younger at running back. But it's not so simple, is it. Here's why:

1. The Redskins really do need to get younger at running back. Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts are five-year veterans each. No reason not to think they can't go for seasons to come but we all know football players have a limited shelf life averaging four years at last check (TimesSelect), and franchise running backs absorb more punishment than many other positions. Derrick is a sixth year guy, so adding him to the mix actually makes the running backs older. If the team even pretends there are plans looking beyond 2009, it needs to bring some younger talent along.

The knee-jerk reaction Redskins fans have come to expect is simply for the team to use another high first round draft pick, earned from another crappy season, to take the top guy, the Adrian Peterson or perhaps Lawrence Phillips of that year's draft.

But why wait and possibly waste? If running backs really are fungible, as Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan and lifetime Eagles fan, season ticket holder and Curly R reader/lurker Wilbert Montgomery believe then why take a chance on a high-dollar guy when you can bring along a new guy, a late rounder or undrafted guy, every year? They cost less, have a greater upside and parting with them is not traumatic (and generates fewer headlines). Football is a young man's game.


2. Marcus Mason has the greater upside. Steve's Post piece details how everywhere Derrick goes, he's the best back on the team but is always injured. While I applaud that sticktoitiveness to stay in the league and keep fighting to play, the Redskins should not be cavorting with chronic injury guys. If the Redskins were to need the third running back to perform on every down, chances are that the season is basically done already. Why not find out what you've got for the future? Part of every season is setting up for the next season.

I know Derrick is playing for league minimum but do you expect him to be here next year or the year after? Should the third string running back be an eighth year guy? Marcus is a spark plug, looks to me like Earnest Byner in another number. He busted an inside run against Tennessee and reversed his field to his right when the holes closed on another play. After just what I've seen in the Ravens scrimmage and the Titans game I put him ahead of Derrick on raw energy alone.


3. I'm not ready to see another number 48 on the field. Despite practicing at least one day in Chris Cooley's number 47 (see image above), Derrick has taken Stephen Davis' number. Stephen is third fourth fifth sixth seventh eighth only to John Riggins, Earnest Byner, Terry Allen, Larry Brown, Timmy Smith, George Rogers and Joe Washington as the greatest Redskins running back and his memory should be preserved another season. After all it's not like they've gone and given out Earnest Byner's or Brian Mitchell's number.



Derrick Blaylock in Chris Cooley's number: detail from Redskins section cover from here, photo by Preston Keres / Washington Post.