re: Bush for L.T.?

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Like this is the most absurd thing posted on this board.

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Maybe not... but it's pretty damn close.

yeah, SD really needs another smallish third down back because Darren Sproles isn't cutting it...

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well any trade/cut/release bush thread is in the lead for worst thread ever

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I do wanna say that I wouldn't give a quarter for LT's broke arse. However, I wanna see what happens to this saints offense if Bush can stay healthy and gets most of the carries next year. Personally, I don't think it will be a good thing. I think if that happens Brees won't even sniff the year he had this year, and the Saints defense will be on the field for most of nearly every game which is not good for this franchise. JMHO

while i hated the pick of Bush, think he is flop relative to his hype, and he will never learn to rush the ball effectively in the NFL i still wouldn't do this trade i were the saints.

LT is almost done.

Bush could be an effective kick returner and 3rd down back for years, if he isn't asked to do to much as a pure RB.

Geez, I'm dying to add a 30 year old RB in the twilight of his career to our roster.

Are you sure LT isn't in jail and do we really need a retired LB?

they look pretty even

with the LT talk heating up, here's a good injury assessment:

Tomlinson clearly has lost a step
March 2, 2009

Greg Cosell

Let's step away from free agency for a moment and take a critical look at the Chargers' LaDainian Tomlinson, a running back whose place in history has been secured but whose status with his team has become a serious point of contention.

It's not beyond the realm of possibility that Tomlinson might be wearing a different jersey this fall.

Always remember that coaching tape is the great equalizer. The "eye in the sky" never lies. It's the ultimate truth serum. Visualize Tomlinson in his prime. There was no question he was the best runner in the NFL.

The single attribute that separated Tomlinson from his peers was his lateral agility and explosiveness. He could plant and redirect, change direction with velocity and balance. In the NFL, running backs rarely run through gaping holes. They must get through small cracks, with a lot of bodies around them and more converging.

Tomlinson had an unmatched capacity to create space for himself in those tight and confined areas. He did that with lateral quickness and burst, a much more essential trait than straight-line speed. My guess is Tomlinson's 40-yard dash time, even going back a few years, would not have caught anyone's attention. But that's not relevant to being a great NFL back.

Think of it this way: There are few long runs in the NFL, gains of 20-plus yards. In fact, there aren't that many runs of 10-plus yards.

The top backs gain 10-plus yards on about 12-14 percent of their carries. The Vikings' Adrian Peterson and Falcons' Michael Turner were in the 12-percent range in '08, and the Panthers' DeAngelo Williams and Titans' Chris Johnson were closer to 14 percent. In 2007, as a rookie, Peterson was off the charts: More than 18 percent of his rushes gained 10 or more yards. That's rarified air; you won't see that often.

This measure is so important in analyzing and evaluating backs because it correlates directly to lateral ability. The elite running backs are the ones who navigate through the traffic at the line of scrimmage, use lateral quickness and agility to avoid defenders and create, turning a 3- or 4-yard run into a 10- or 12-yard gain.

Throughout his career, Tomlinson fit easily into the 12-14 percent category. He always was among the league leaders in rushes of 10-plus yards, an explosive drive sustainer with the corollary ability to make defenders miss in the open field and take it the distance.

When I think back to all the film I have watched over the years, the visual that most stands out is Tomlinson juking an overmatched defender, leaving him grabbing at air. Tomlinson, despite not being a burner, always looked quicker and faster than the defense.

In '08, that changed. Tomlinson did not have that same look, that shiftiness and "wiggle" that made it appear he was moving at a different speed. This was reflected in that telling statistic of runs of 10-plus yards. Tomlinson only had 17 runs of 10-plus yards in 292 carries. That computes to 6 percent. That's a significant decrease, one that demands close inspection.

I watched every Chargers game on film this season, and I found myself constantly vacillating in my assessment of Tomlinson. I understand that injuries might have been a factor, but the hard reality is you only can evaluate what you see on tape, not speculate on the myriad reasons for it. You can't be selective in your analysis and argue that he was healthy when he ran well and hurt when he didn't.

There were a number of instances in which I wondered why Tomlinson was not utilized more, such as the Bills matchup in the first half of the season. As I studied that game, I wondered why he was not really a substantial part of the offense. The Chargers, since Tomlinson's rookie year of '01, always had run their offense through him. They did not do that against Buffalo.

There were other games in which the offensive line clearly was the culprit, struggling to win at the point of attack or consistently get to the second level and take care of the linebackers. One clear example of this was the first Kansas City matchup in Week 10, against a Chiefs front seven that was among the NFL's worst.

There were times Tomlinson looked good, showing the same lateral explosiveness and acceleration that defined his first seven years in the league. The game against the Saints in London was a prime example. There were other times I was surprised he was unable to break away from the congestion at the point of attack or make an unblocked defender miss. It was those moments that led me to conclude that Tomlinson had lost just enough of his rare agility and quickness to no longer be considered an elite NFL back.

I have always held strongly to the belief that the back makes the offensive line, as opposed to the offensive line being responsible for the success of the back. There is no question you can have a solid running game with a strong line and good back if you are committed to it.

A great back always seems to exist separately from those around him. He avoids defenders, finds openings, creates his own space. For years, no one was better than Tomlinson. After careful scrutiny, I don't believe he is that caliber of back at this point.

Like others said, LT might have 3 years left in him, and none of them are going to be his best years. Bush, while he completely sucks as a RB, he's a good 'slot reciever coming out of the backfield' and returner. Couple that with his age, and Bush's upside is larger than LT's. Don't get me wrong though; we should definitely trade Bush for what we can get for him now as his value is only going to deminish over time. Particularly if he keeps calling himself a running back.