Van_Slyke_CF
Mentor
Leonard had a 100-yard game as a rookie. He'll be lucky if he gets another 100 yards rushing to add to the 540 he has for his career before he's forced out of the NFL.
Brian Leonard 23
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Freethinker
Hall of Famer
It appears that the Bengals will let the criminally prone Cedric Benson sign elsewhere as a free agent. While this can only help Brian Leonard, we should not get our hopes up. The also criminally prone, Bernard Scott, is still "ahead" of Leonard on the depth chart and there's also the strong likelihood that the Bengals will use a high pick on a running back. As long as Marvin Lewis is the head coach, I cannot foresee Brian getting a fair shake.
http://tracking.si.com/2012/02/22/bengals-rb-cedric-benson-likely-done-with-team/?sct=nfl_t2_a3
http://tracking.si.com/2012/02/22/bengals-rb-cedric-benson-likely-done-with-team/?sct=nfl_t2_a3
Brian's only chance to start is by all the black running backs in front of him being injured and/or arrested, the same route every other White running back "allowed" to play over the past quarter century plus has had to follow. The only exception is Danny Woodhead, but he's part of a large committee, not the featured runner.
Freethinker
Hall of Famer
For anyone, especially bigunreal, who was questioning why Leonard only had 1 touch in Sunday's game, he was injured. He suffered a rib injury in the 2nd quarter and did not return. Here's his latest update for homoworld:
Browns RB Brian Leonard (ribs) was held out of Wednesday's practice.
With Cincinnati going on bye in Week 8, it appears Leonard is going to sit out against the Steelers on Sunday Night Football. Leonard is seeing heavy third-down snaps, but simply isn't getting enough touches to be on the PPR-league radar. Oct 17 - 1:36 PM
Browns RB Brian Leonard (ribs) was held out of Wednesday's practice.
With Cincinnati going on bye in Week 8, it appears Leonard is going to sit out against the Steelers on Sunday Night Football. Leonard is seeing heavy third-down snaps, but simply isn't getting enough touches to be on the PPR-league radar. Oct 17 - 1:36 PM
Leonard is a free agent and likely won't be back with the Black Bengals.
Article excerpt:
A third [Bengals running back] was looking to hit free agency, but the Bengals locked up Cedric Peerman on Thursday to a two-year deal. The team has long-valued his ability to play special teams, but an increased role on offense gave the four-year pro a new opportunity for his NFL future. The coaching staff obviously took notice and wants him in their 2013 running back stable.
So, it's now Brian Leonard and Bernard Scott who are looking at hitting the free agent market. We conjectured a few weeks back that the team would likely have to make a decision between Peerman and Leonard and it appears that the staff has made their choice (for the record, your votes agreed with the Bengals' staff as well). The reason that we think that Leonard will be allowed to walk is because he and Peerman do many of the same things on the team, namely play some special teams and go in on third down packages. Leonard is a superior pass protector and receiver, but Peerman has more speed and is a demon on the punt coverage unit.
The other thing to remember is that Leonard isn't a "Jay Gruden guy". The Bengals swung a trade with the Rams back in 2009 for him when Bob Bratkowski and Carson Palmer ran the offense. Palmer liked to check down to Leonard frequently, but his role has diminished over the past two seasons. Though Leonard had the most carries in his four years in Cincinnati, they were mainly in mop-up duty and his receptions continued to decrease to a paltry count of 11 in 2012.
http://www.cincyjungle.com/2013/3/9...gning-could-signal-departure-of-brian-leonard
Article excerpt:
A third [Bengals running back] was looking to hit free agency, but the Bengals locked up Cedric Peerman on Thursday to a two-year deal. The team has long-valued his ability to play special teams, but an increased role on offense gave the four-year pro a new opportunity for his NFL future. The coaching staff obviously took notice and wants him in their 2013 running back stable.
So, it's now Brian Leonard and Bernard Scott who are looking at hitting the free agent market. We conjectured a few weeks back that the team would likely have to make a decision between Peerman and Leonard and it appears that the staff has made their choice (for the record, your votes agreed with the Bengals' staff as well). The reason that we think that Leonard will be allowed to walk is because he and Peerman do many of the same things on the team, namely play some special teams and go in on third down packages. Leonard is a superior pass protector and receiver, but Peerman has more speed and is a demon on the punt coverage unit.
The other thing to remember is that Leonard isn't a "Jay Gruden guy". The Bengals swung a trade with the Rams back in 2009 for him when Bob Bratkowski and Carson Palmer ran the offense. Palmer liked to check down to Leonard frequently, but his role has diminished over the past two seasons. Though Leonard had the most carries in his four years in Cincinnati, they were mainly in mop-up duty and his receptions continued to decrease to a paltry count of 11 in 2012.
http://www.cincyjungle.com/2013/3/9...gning-could-signal-departure-of-brian-leonard
"Leonard is a superior pass protector and receiver, but Peerman has more speed and is a demon on the punt coverage unit."
Imagine if this was reversed, well Brian Leonard would never get credited with speed even though he ran sub 4.5, but here you have a guy that is good on special teams, but a guy that is still good on special teams and better as a 3rd down back.
Imagine if this was reversed, well Brian Leonard would never get credited with speed even though he ran sub 4.5, but here you have a guy that is good on special teams, but a guy that is still good on special teams and better as a 3rd down back.
Twinkle Toes
Guru
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- Feb 27, 2013
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Every pro publication I have perused has Brian Leonard as the 2nd string rb going into camp. This may bode well for him. In a perfect world Woodhead gets a ton of carries, Peterson goes down in Minnesota and Gerhart takes over, Jordan Roberts makes the Chiefs and Zach Line and Burkhead each get a chance to play a few snaps this year.
Sorry but I have become too pessimistic to believe that its going to happen to Brian Leonard, he had the chance in Cincy. The best he can hope for is a Alstott role but smaller (similar to the role he had his last year at Rutgers) I mean he is after all, under the same head coach. Unless an injury happens to Doug Martin I don't see it happening. Martin is one of the few backs that can both run/catch and pass block, and he isn't 180 pounds like Warrick Dunn. Even if Martin has a sophomore slump we will be lucky to see him get more than a few carries a game, its not really an offense that splits carries with the number 2 back, Martin had over 300 carries last season and 70 catches.
Gerhart's only chance is also injury to Peterson after the season he just had. Logic tells us that he will most probably have a decline after last year (which tends to happen after a 2,000 yard season), he could average 3.5 ypc and still be the starter, but they have run him into the ground and hopefully he misses a few games so Gerhart can show his stuff and not be forgotten like Hester and Leonard.
Woodhead has the shot of getting the most playing time at this point with how fragile Matthews is. Burkhead also has a good shot to get into the rotation mostly as a 3rd down back but don't be surprised to see him in the same exact role Brian Leonard was with them.
from the fantasy news
"The Bengals have penciled in Burkhead as a rookie special teamer, but he's more talented than BenJarvus Green-Ellis and could carve out a role as a third-down back should Gio Bernard fail to exhibit NFL-ready blitz-pickup ability. Burkhead is quick in a short area and packs some pop as a runner."
and my guess is Gio will fail to exhibit NFL-ready blitz pick up ability. Surprised to see something that positive. Acknowledging that he is better than the starter (which is obvious to the non dwf)
Zach Line (if used as a halfback) is just insurance that a White man will be carrying the ball if Peterson goes down. Before it was Harvin taking away carries when Peterson was injured, and some no name scrub, so Gerhart was screwed a few games out of getting the full workload when Peterson was down.
Leonardfan
Hall of Famer
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I have to agree with DWID. I have been following Leonard since his days at Rutgers. He was their best player and the reason that program began to turn around in the mid-00s. Schiano screwed him over making him essentially a west coast fullback his senior year. He did catch alot of passes but was never the primary rusher. He will have the same role in Tampa Bay.
He will be a third down specialist like he was in Cincinnati.
He will be a third down specialist like he was in Cincinnati.
forty-four
Guru
Apparently, they are going to have Hillis in for a workout now.
Schiano is effusive in his praise of Leonard for whatever that's worth given his track record:
Brian Leonard Doesn’t Need ‘Clearly-Defined Role’ in Bucs Offense
by Jenna Laine
He may not have the powerful running style of Doug Martin or a Madden cover to his credit like Peyton Hillis, but if Saturday’s night practice was any indication, Brian Leonard could quietly become a key contributor on the Buccaneers’ offense, serving up in a backup capacity to Doug Martin.
Leonard had a 34-yard touchdown run during the Bucs’ two-minute portion of Saturday’s practice. On Sunday, he got in a lot of work with the second-team offense and lined up with the first team during the two-minute drill.
He’s hopeful his opportunities will increase as he gains further understanding of Mike Sullivan’s playbook.
“To be honest, it’s one of the tougher playbooks I’ve learned in my career,” said Leonard, who spent two seasons with the Rams and four with the Bengals. The 29-year-old signed with Tampa Bay this offseason as a free agent.
“It’s not difficult, it’s just complex. You’ve just got to learn it – a lot of shifts and motions, stuff like that. Once you get the hang of it, once you have a few repetitions of it, you usually get it.”
His versatility should also help. In his seven years in the league, he lined up at running back, fullback, tight end, and he played on special teams. In his four years at Rutgers, he set the school’s receiving record, with 207 career receptions.
With his trademark ‘Leonard Leap,’ he also set all-time records for combined touchdowns (45) and career points scored (272).
“Brian Leonard is a tremendous athlete. For whatever reason, people may not see that all the time. He hasn’t had that much exposure. I had a chance to see him as a high school kid playing basketball, football, every sport, and he is an incredible athlete. He can jump; he can run and do all that other stuff,” said coach Greg Schiano after practice Sunday.
“The good thing is, he is a little bit older but he hasn’t played so much that he’s taken so many cumulative hits, I’m really hopeful that he can come in here and contribute with his versatility.”
Full article: http://www.sportstalkflorida.com/br...ned-role-in-bucs-offense/#YEF4dz4mFvdteRwJ.99
Brian Leonard Doesn’t Need ‘Clearly-Defined Role’ in Bucs Offense
by Jenna Laine
He may not have the powerful running style of Doug Martin or a Madden cover to his credit like Peyton Hillis, but if Saturday’s night practice was any indication, Brian Leonard could quietly become a key contributor on the Buccaneers’ offense, serving up in a backup capacity to Doug Martin.
Leonard had a 34-yard touchdown run during the Bucs’ two-minute portion of Saturday’s practice. On Sunday, he got in a lot of work with the second-team offense and lined up with the first team during the two-minute drill.
He’s hopeful his opportunities will increase as he gains further understanding of Mike Sullivan’s playbook.
“To be honest, it’s one of the tougher playbooks I’ve learned in my career,” said Leonard, who spent two seasons with the Rams and four with the Bengals. The 29-year-old signed with Tampa Bay this offseason as a free agent.
“It’s not difficult, it’s just complex. You’ve just got to learn it – a lot of shifts and motions, stuff like that. Once you get the hang of it, once you have a few repetitions of it, you usually get it.”
His versatility should also help. In his seven years in the league, he lined up at running back, fullback, tight end, and he played on special teams. In his four years at Rutgers, he set the school’s receiving record, with 207 career receptions.
With his trademark ‘Leonard Leap,’ he also set all-time records for combined touchdowns (45) and career points scored (272).
“Brian Leonard is a tremendous athlete. For whatever reason, people may not see that all the time. He hasn’t had that much exposure. I had a chance to see him as a high school kid playing basketball, football, every sport, and he is an incredible athlete. He can jump; he can run and do all that other stuff,” said coach Greg Schiano after practice Sunday.
“The good thing is, he is a little bit older but he hasn’t played so much that he’s taken so many cumulative hits, I’m really hopeful that he can come in here and contribute with his versatility.”
Full article: http://www.sportstalkflorida.com/br...ned-role-in-bucs-offense/#YEF4dz4mFvdteRwJ.99
Freethinker
Hall of Famer
I got a chance this weekend to hangout and speak with someone who knows Brian very well. I asked about his chances of making the Bucs and what his role would be. I was told he's all but guaranteed a spot and he'll have the same role as in Cinci, a 3rd down back. Apparently, he is happy with this role too.
I think there is more pressure for Hillis to have a good camp and preseason. He could still get cut.
I think there is more pressure for Hillis to have a good camp and preseason. He could still get cut.
ToughJ.Riggins
Hall of Famer
Good to reopen this idle thread! This last game that Brian Leonard started was the best I have EVER seen him play and his 2.9 YPC is VERY misleading. I'm going to diagram his game via a "true" YPC. He had 2 carries from his own half yard line where all 11 defenders were against the line of scrimmage trying to get a safety. This situation is VERY rare for a starting RB in the middle of a game- so those two carries for 1 yard have to be taken away from his efficiency projection. Then, as usual, the subconsciously racist refs took two of Leonard's best runs away from him on bogus holding calls. One was a 10 yard run and the replay did not show a hold. A second run of 7 yards was taken away from Leonard- and even spineless casteite Gruden starkly stated his opposition to the call. I will still count the two run out the clock runs with a stacked box ie. 2 carries for -1 yards. Most starting RBs have to deal with these sort of carries and Leonard had a carry for -4 yards on first down and then 3 yards to run out the clock. So let's look at his true YPC in the game...It would be 18 carries for 72 yards- 4 YPC!
Bottom line: Jon Gremlin trashed Leonard's athleticism saying it would be nice if the Bucs had a "faster" third down back. Then Turdico starts mocking Leonard after 5 defenders converge on him stopping him for no gain saying "the Bucs are lacking elusiveness in their running game". Are you kidding me...Adrian Peterson would have been bottled up on a play like this, where right upon getting the ball you have 4 or 5 defenders all converging on you. Then Gruden trashes Leonard's ability again stating something like "The Bucaneers are going to have to rely on Gleenon to win this game because they lack talent in the running game with all these injuries!"
Bottom Line 2: Bobby Rainey had a run for 31 yards where all he had to do was slash right to where the play was diagrammed to go and he ran to about the 15 yard line before cutting back and slashing left to get the angle on the defenders. He lowered his shoulder to barrel ahead and was tackled at the 1 yard line. Leonard has no career rushing TDs and $hitano had taken Leonard out of the game who is a little faster and a little more powerful than Rainey. $hitano could care less that if it wasn't for Leonard being the face of the mightily struggling Rutgers' program and helping with recruiting that he may have never been relevant as a coach. Rainey then runs the ball in from the 1 yard line instead of Leonard! After watching the first mentioned run, it would have been the perfect type of run where Leonard would have likely gotten the whole 32 yards for a TD! Leonard ran a 4.49/ 4.52 on a slow electronically timed track at the combine where Rainey ran a 4.51 at almost always a faster track at a Pro Day. Although Rainey's agiity measurables are "slightly" better at his size, he was probably slowed down more by the one hand on his shoulder he ran through just after the LOS. I think Leonard scores on this play where speed and power are more important than a slight agility edge of Rainey. If you count that run as Leonard's he has a phenomenal game of 19 carries for 105 yards for 5.5 YPC and a TD!
Final conclusion: The Marxist Blackaneers and spineless radically anti-white Greg $hitano are probably going to announce Rainey as the starter based on a supposed better game because of that 31 yard run. Other than that he had 7 other carries for 14 yards. Although Rainey played solid when you count that run, A logical observer would see that Leonard made a statement while running with more patience and vision (which had been his one true weakness) than he ever has that he is a legit fill in starter for the Blackaneers. He outperformed Rainey despite all the mocking comments from Jon Gremlin and Mike Turdico! One of my friends has unknowingly acknowledged the caste system. In a much more pithy but similar explanation he explained why Leonard outperformed Rainey and that it will be Leonard "$hitano's boi!" who will be announced the starter next week if James can't go. So he's picking Leonard up in fantasy football.....Knowing the NFL and heartless no loyalty $hitano, I told him that was an "unwise decision". His fantasy football team is going to be disappointed if he's looking for a new flex play.
Bottom line: Jon Gremlin trashed Leonard's athleticism saying it would be nice if the Bucs had a "faster" third down back. Then Turdico starts mocking Leonard after 5 defenders converge on him stopping him for no gain saying "the Bucs are lacking elusiveness in their running game". Are you kidding me...Adrian Peterson would have been bottled up on a play like this, where right upon getting the ball you have 4 or 5 defenders all converging on you. Then Gruden trashes Leonard's ability again stating something like "The Bucaneers are going to have to rely on Gleenon to win this game because they lack talent in the running game with all these injuries!"
Bottom Line 2: Bobby Rainey had a run for 31 yards where all he had to do was slash right to where the play was diagrammed to go and he ran to about the 15 yard line before cutting back and slashing left to get the angle on the defenders. He lowered his shoulder to barrel ahead and was tackled at the 1 yard line. Leonard has no career rushing TDs and $hitano had taken Leonard out of the game who is a little faster and a little more powerful than Rainey. $hitano could care less that if it wasn't for Leonard being the face of the mightily struggling Rutgers' program and helping with recruiting that he may have never been relevant as a coach. Rainey then runs the ball in from the 1 yard line instead of Leonard! After watching the first mentioned run, it would have been the perfect type of run where Leonard would have likely gotten the whole 32 yards for a TD! Leonard ran a 4.49/ 4.52 on a slow electronically timed track at the combine where Rainey ran a 4.51 at almost always a faster track at a Pro Day. Although Rainey's agiity measurables are "slightly" better at his size, he was probably slowed down more by the one hand on his shoulder he ran through just after the LOS. I think Leonard scores on this play where speed and power are more important than a slight agility edge of Rainey. If you count that run as Leonard's he has a phenomenal game of 19 carries for 105 yards for 5.5 YPC and a TD!
Final conclusion: The Marxist Blackaneers and spineless radically anti-white Greg $hitano are probably going to announce Rainey as the starter based on a supposed better game because of that 31 yard run. Other than that he had 7 other carries for 14 yards. Although Rainey played solid when you count that run, A logical observer would see that Leonard made a statement while running with more patience and vision (which had been his one true weakness) than he ever has that he is a legit fill in starter for the Blackaneers. He outperformed Rainey despite all the mocking comments from Jon Gremlin and Mike Turdico! One of my friends has unknowingly acknowledged the caste system. In a much more pithy but similar explanation he explained why Leonard outperformed Rainey and that it will be Leonard "$hitano's boi!" who will be announced the starter next week if James can't go. So he's picking Leonard up in fantasy football.....Knowing the NFL and heartless no loyalty $hitano, I told him that was an "unwise decision". His fantasy football team is going to be disappointed if he's looking for a new flex play.
Last edited:
PHillisFan
Master
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2013
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- 2,114
Its my understanding that leonard will be splitting snaps with rainey. This a good opportunity for leonard to show he can start in this league. Some people will say wishing an injury upon a player is terrible, but i dont care. The caste system simply wont allow fair competition. Our white half backs wont get a shot unless the afleets taking up their snaps get injured. Leonard got lucky both afleets got hurt so now is his chance. Here is to an injury to adrian peterson and andre brown.