Ladell Betts...the next Priest Holmes?

Betts is a free agent next year.... look for him to be in a different uniform next season.

Here's my take on Betts:

I think over the course of a 16 game season, he's capable of putting up perhaps a thousand yard season....which in today's league isn't saying a lot. Really good backs, in my opinion, are measured by 1300 -1500 yd seasons. Betts is good at changing the pace of a game. Where as a Portis can set it, change it, and do everything in between.

Yep this is about right. Betts can be a starter, but definitely not a star. I've said it before so I'll say it again here, he's got a Duce Staley career written all over him.

Effective but not spectacular.

Betts is a free agent next year.... look for him to be in a different uniform next season.

Yeah. I think that's why they signed Lumsden. 220 pounds and runs a 4.4. If Betts leaves, he's got a shot to replace Betts as a capable backup to Portis.

You never know with running backs. Did anyone see Stephen Davis coming after his first couple of years in the NFL?

Bett's could breakout and bring a team 1300-1500 yards at some point in his career but it probably wont happen in Washington. Portis is the man and should be because he can do so many different things well AND get you 1500 yards AND score from any point on the field on any given play.

You never know with running backs. Did anyone see Stephen Davis coming after his first couple of years in the NFL?

Bett's could breakout and bring a team 1300-1500 yards at some point in his career but it probably wont happen in Washington. Portis is the man and should be because he can do so many different things well AND get you 1500 yards AND score from any point on the field on any given play.

Of course he could break out and have 1300-1500 yard season but I don't think it's likely.

Actually, I think Portis is probably designed to have a 1600-1700 yard season.

Betts just runs you over.

I've never thought of Betts as any kind of power runner. You always hear NFL commentators make remarks like, "Betts is a hard runner" or "Betts could be the next Stephen Davis", but they obviously haven't seen much game film. Just because he looks like he should run hard doesn't mean that he actually does. His biggest plays have come from outside screens and swing passes in the flat. And Betts is the only running back I can recall in recent memory, to get tackled from behind, with one hand grabbing his jersey tail.

I do think that he's a good change of pace back, but he's nowhere close to the player Priest Holmes was. If he did start somewhere, I have a feeling it would look a lot like Troy Hambrick's season as Dallas' starter, a couple years back.

Betts is an outstanding back, but he needs to stay healthy #1, and he has needed a real system that will spread the defense out to allow legitamate running lanes, he will get that this year, Betts yards per carry will be as good or better than Portis's this season.

Rock Cartwright could end up with more yds per carry than Portis this year, what does that mean??

Betts is an outstanding back, but he needs to stay healthy #1, and he has needed a real system that will spread the defense out to allow legitamate running lanes, he will get that this year, Betts yards per carry will be as good or better than Portis's this season.

Why do you think it will be as good or even better than Portis'?

Betts is an outstanding back, but he needs to stay healthy #1, and he has needed a real system that will spread the defense out to allow legitamate running lanes, he will get that this year, Betts yards per carry will be as good or better than Portis's this season.

I think calling Betts an "outstanding" back is way premature, Offiss. Betts has proved himself to be solid. I'd save the word "outstanding" for guys like Ladainian Tomlinson and Shaun Alexander. Let's get a dose of realism in the picture, shall we?

Now as for the bolded part, I'm just not sure how that makes any sense. Won't Portis finally be back in an offense that allows legitimate running lanes, just like Betts? We saw what Portis did in open space in Denver, 5.5 yards per carry. Are you saying you think Betts could have rushed for 5.5 yards per carry or better if he played for Denver in 2003?