On my other post regarding the veteran free agent running backs on the market, many of our regular readers have said they would rather go into the season with players like Jalen Parmale, Anthony Allen, Damien Berry, and Matt Lawrence. I do not think that a team with legitimate playoff aspirations should go into the season with a barely drafted rookie as their primary backup RB. For those who are saying, well it is just a backup; a backup RB in the NFL generally carries the ball 10-15 times a game, and is the starter should there be an injury to the starter.

If Anthony Allen turns out to be a stud, I will be happy. I also have no problem with him being our primary power back, but we need another veteran at RB and not have just Ray Rice, Allen, and Parmale/Berry/Lawrence as our running backs. Most are saying that its not worth the money for a guy like Ricky Williams or Ronnie Brown, but I disagree. A guy like that, at 2 million a year, is a worthwhile insurance policy. We cannot afford to throw away Ray's last year with an injury to Ray Rice. Just like we insured Flacco with Marc Bulger last yaer (and hopefully this year too), we need insurance behind Rice.

Some have brought up the success of many undrafted or late round running backs in the league. I counter that no team with playoff aspirations rely on these types of players. They only get a chance due to injury, or ineffectiveness of the starters and primary backups. I have yet to be given a good example of an undrafted or late round rookie who was relied on at the beginning of their rookie season who met or exceeded expectations as a primary backup. Feel free to bring up your favorite example, but please look into it and see if they were actually expected to be a primary backup from game 1.