Tennessee Titans camp questions: Running back
By Will Lomas
The Tennessee Titans are only a few days from training camp, so it is time to start thinking about what questions fans should be asking about each position group.
Running back
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What does the position look like now?
It is no secret that last year the running game was an absolute mess. Not even focusing on the terrible run blocking, (by backup offensive linemen or terrible players who were turnstiles at right tackle…) the running of Shonn Greene was just abysmal.
When he was available, he was a disaster and when he wasn’t star running back Leon Washington was there to rescue the team. Or…maybe not.
The only players that looked good were Dexter McCluster, (who doesn’t get enough credit for what he did) Bishop Sankey, (another player who did well when given the chance) and Antonio Andrews for the very brief time we saw him.
With all of the good running backs coming back and Greene and Washington thankfully gone, at least the Tennessee Titans should have a better group as a whole.
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Rise of the rookie?
David Cobb was maybe my third favorite draft pick in the 2015 NFL Draft obviously behind the additions of Marcus Mariota and Dorial Green-Beckham.
Cobb is a hard runner, and not just someone who looks like one based off of a gritty offensive line like Shonn Greene after coming from Nick Mangold’s offensive line in New York.
No, Cobb is a pretty good running back, especially between the tackles. If this were 10 years ago, it would possibly be he, not T.J. Yeldon that was the third running back off the board.
Can Cobb come in and become the clear cut leader of a running back group with little-to-no proven runners?
Bell-cow or committee?
If Cobb doesn’t stand out, what will the Tennessee Titans do? Will they roll out a committee of running backs, using each one in situations that they excel in like the New England Patriots?
If not, that could chose to stick with Cobb (and Fowler) as part of their new, pound-the-ball mentality they picked up this offseason. If they could achieve a level of consistency with their power running game, it would take eyes off of Marcus Mariota and give them an identity on offense like the Seattle Seahawks.
Either way, there are blueprints for success out there for either strategy. The question is does someone prove to be a foundational back or will the Tennessee Titans be pigeon-holed into using a committee?