Let The Ronnie To San Diego Rumors Begin
By Brian Miller
Last year on April Fools day I put up a post about the Miami Dolphins having to return their draft picks to the Washington Redskins if they re-signed Jason Taylor before 1 calendar year of his original trade.
That made it’s way to the Washington Post and ESPN and even two months later some of the local mainstream media guys were still answering questions about it. This year? Nah, I’m giving the media guys a break. So when I say, let the Ronnie Brown trade rumors to San Diego begin…I actually mean it.
Yesterday San Diego Charger GM A.J. Smith acknowledged that he is currently in the market for running backs. The team currently has not started negotiating with tagged RB Darren Sproles, Sproles is their only featured back on the roster and he is not a 3 down back. After letting LaDainian Tomlinson leave VIA release, the Chargers have an obvious hole to fill.
The team needs a back that can start and there are not that many out there that teams would be willing to part with. The first two teams that come to mind are Miami and the Dallas Cowboys. In Miami, Ronnie Brown could likely be had for a 2nd rounder and in Dallas, Marion Barber could be had for the same if not less. The similarity between the two? Both have been somewhat bitten by the injury bug the last few seasons and both are expendable.
In Miami, the Dolphins are in position to draft CJ Spiller if they want to. In Dallas they already have Felix Jones who is poised to take over for Barber. Miami has Ricky Williams, Patrick Cobbs, and Lex Hilliard so their depth alone makes them a candidate for the rumors.
Let’s make no mistakes here however. These will only be rumors, and in some way, it’s possible that the talk could start here although I have read on a few forums that some already believe this to be possible. Truth is if SD needs a back, Miami has a few of them.
The logical choice for SD is Barber if in fact the Cowboys will part with him and knowing Jerry Jones’ history, they will if the right offer comes along. Barber is a bruising back that would compliment the style of Sproles. Ronnie Brown is not as bruising but aside from his freak injuries may be more durable given he takes less shots than Barber, who runs with a lot more reckless abandonment.
Outside of those two, who should get quite a bit of play, guys like Lawrence Maroney in NE, Marshawn Lynch in Buffalo, and Baltimore’s Willis McGahee will likely get some rumored air time. While none of them are stellar by any degree or any better than Barber or Brown, they are likely to come a little cheaper.
If San Diego were to trade for Brown, they would need to do so with a new contract as Ronnie’s will run out after this season. The Chargers would then at least be able to wait until maybe round 3 to find another runner to develop.
Brown makes the most sense for the Bolts but that isn’t saying much when you consider the lack of names that could be on the market. In any case, this isn’t rumor, it’s only one mans speculation. Still, keep an ear out in the weeks leading up to the draft for the rumors to start.
Oh and in case your wondering, don’t buy any of the “Dolphins are looking at Brandon Marshall” rumors. It’s April Fools day, remember?