LA Rams should kick tires of Free Agent RB Peyton Barber

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Committee approach

I seem to be in the minority on this front, and I’m just fine with that. The LA Rams should not settle at running back with just Brown, Henderson, and practice squad running back John Kelly. In fact, the Rams should not be content with anointing any running back as the feature back in 2020.

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NFL offenses are moving away from the Sean McVay offense of looking at the multiple roles a running back can provide and laying everything onto the shoulders of one guy. This is no longer a one-back-to-define-all-roles” league. Teams that have migrated away from the featured running back are the Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, and more. Those teams have enjoyed NFL success.

The LA Rams already have the makings of a similar committee approach. Brown is the mid-game pound the rock into the defense guy. Let him run between the tackles, taking his toll on their energy level, and softening them up for tossing the ball deep. Henderson is the guy who tests edge perimeters of defenses. Line him up in the slot on 12 packages, giving defenses empty backfield looks.

The last role is one Barber fills easily. He’s the back who starts games, getting 15-20 carries, and testing the defenses early on. If defenses have soft edges, then Henderson gets a larger role in the game. If a defense has a softer middle, then Brown pound it inside. If the defense seems to be tough to run against, let Barber remain in the game as a safety outlet in the passing game.

Next. LA Rams: Top NFL Draft prospects to replace RB Todd Gurley. dark

Peyton Barber is no savior to the Rams offense. But he is a solid fit for what the Rams need and gives the team a chance to draft the best possible athlete in the 2020 NFL Draft.

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LA Rams should kick tires of Free-Agent RB Peyton Barber

By Bret Stuter | Mar 21, 2020

Committee approach