LMJ in the slot

Originally posted by LasVegasWally:
What could we get for him in a trade - realistically? If we did trade him would it be for draft picks or is there a WR available somewhere?

Honestly, I'd guess a 6th-7th round pick.

Chris Ivory only netted the Saints a 4th round pick, and he had been a very solid complementary player for a few years with the New Orleans. A lot more than James can say.

LMJ was a wasted pick...not very good fit in our system. maybe his college coach would take him for a cheesesteak and a soft pretzel or a box of tasty cakes.

Originally posted by TheRatMan13:
The kid has talent. Maybe he isn't the best blocker, but that can be taught. Bottom line is I think as long as the coaches neglect the screen game and slot game I think they're doing a disservice to the whole team.

Both Hunter and James should be used that way and it blows my mind to watch teams consistently send the house on a blitz and the niners NEVER make them pay for it.

all of James' touches I believe.

he shows here that most of the time, even if they play seemed busted, he finds a way to make positive yardage on it or gets back to the line of scrimmage.

and also, just like Gore and Hunter...it seems he runs best when we have him run from regular running formations...he still does well from read option or shutgun...but when we just go right at the defense with blockers..he seems to use his blockers well.

Also this video shows that he has hands out of the backfield....from little dump passes that he quickly turns to 10 yard gains... to running a passing route and catching a bullet pass from Kap.

I don't know why we also don't use him how we used Ginn.... I mean mainly like some are saying lined up in the slot...have him quickly motion behind the QB, and quick Hand off for some quick yardage...THEN like what the Raiders used to do with Tim Brown.. you run from that formation....they used to have Tim Brown motion and fake hand off to him, but give it to the Running back, who might find a nicer hole..thanks to the defense reacting to Brown motioning across.

its whatever though....its always been the same thing with this Staff..they are stubborn. If we trade James, I'm sure he will do well...very well. You can see in those clips of his potential.. AND that was his Rookie year... and came in late in the season.

there is no reason why we don't have both Hunter and James back there at the same time for some plays when we need some offense.....instead of Millar and Gore (no offense to Frank)...i'm mainly talking about shotgun pistol formations. edit- what the hell happened to the format of these posts.. they are not showing paragraphs...we need a new webpage forum layout....that is also Mobile friendly. This one is horrible in so many ways.

After seeing Sproles on monday, one can only hope....

NFL teams are enamored with these small receiver/running back/return men that put up monster numbers in college but don't pan out in the pros. The problem is opposing players are just as fast and they never make it around tackle. They are brought down easily. Sproles is an exception, he's 5'6", but his thighs are as big as a lineman's. Hunter is small, but he runs powerfully. LMJ will never be a feature back and his return skills seldom get him past the 30 yard line. I can't stand the Seahawks (who on the Zone does) but I admire the type of running backs they have, power all the way.

LMJ would be a great slot receiver.imo

Originally posted by RishikeshA:
NFL teams are enamored with these small receiver/running back/return men that put up monster numbers in college but don't pan out in the pros. The problem is opposing players are just as fast and they never make it around tackle. They are brought down easily. Sproles is an exception, he's 5'6", but his thighs are as big as a lineman's. Hunter is small, but he runs powerfully. LMJ will never be a feature back and his return skills seldom get him past the 30 yard line. I can't stand the Seahawks (who on the Zone does) but I admire the type of running backs they have, power all the way.

I think you'll be surprised how they will use Percy Harvin later this year...he is not built like their regular running backs..but they will use him all over the field.....in the EXACT same way we should be using James.

Originally posted by ziggy_gonna_rock:
He was hurt,finally healthy and runs negative yardage....
And wants to complain??

i am sure he did not mean to pop off but can understand why he may be upset. at the same time, we are just in the good situation . gore and hunter are clearly one and two and when dixon gets his chance to get a tough yard or a touchdown he can do it. james still has some issues with pass blocking which is a negative compared to what hunter and gore do in that area. he has issues at the punt return thing. i kind of thought when he came back they would stick him back there to do kickoffs. like i said, feel bad for him, but you got two and maybe three guys ahead of him who are healthy and who are better

If anyone missed the Saints/Miami Monday nite game, you missed a show put on by 5'5" #43, Sproles. By the first half he had 7 catches playing split wide of Brees, caught a TD pass, and basically single hanedly beat the dolphins. Man I wish Coach Jim would have been watching that game. That is EXACTLY how I envisioned him using LMJ. And as noted by others, he isn't close to making our top 3 RBs. So he either gets used this way or he gets cut....and Lord knows Kap NEEDS an easy pass to complete when he is about to be sacked and thinks staying in the pocket means he can't run.

LMJ , split wide most plays, would give Kap that go to guy...and with the right formations, WRs split wide from one side of field to the other, LMJ can be a consistent game changer....assuming he has great hands. Using him in space is the only way he gets on the field with this team. C'mon Coach, wake up and smell the coffee. James is a wasted 2nd pick right now. YOu successfully dumped AJ to the Chiefs for a guy who first game gets two nice completions and blocked well. Make a similar change with James. Jeez, you saw how sproles manhandled Miami. James could be that very guy for us....but NOT IF YOU DON'T USE HIM LIKE SPOLES. This seemed like such an ideal pick for this very reason, and it has been squandered....last yr and this one. He isn't going to crack the top 3 in RBs, so forget that. His use is like Darren Sproles and has been since the beginning . If roman is so dam smart, how come he hasn't seen this? Or mangini. To date the mangini experiment hasn't impressed any of us. Somebody, someone in the coaching staff has to have seen sproles take over that game. We can do exactly the same with LMJ. But one of the coaches is first going to have to think about it.

Originally posted by Afrikan:

Originally posted by RishikeshA:

NFL teams are enamored with these small receiver/running back/return men that put up monster numbers in college but don't pan out in the pros. The problem is opposing players are just as fast and they never make it around tackle. They are brought down easily. Sproles is an exception, he's 5'6", but his thighs are as big as a lineman's. Hunter is small, but he runs powerfully. LMJ will never be a feature back and his return skills seldom get him past the 30 yard line. I can't stand the Seahawks (who on the Zone does) but I admire the type of running backs they have, power all the way.

I think you'll be surprised how they will use Percy Harvin later this year...he is not built like their regular running backs..but they will use him all over the field.....in the EXACT same way we should be using James.

Harvin and James just aren't the same players. Harvin has a more balanced build and has developed himself into almost as good a runner as a receiver he was. When healthy, Harvin is better than James in every facet. I know it's not been that long for James, but time is running out for him to contribute.

Originally posted by OnTheClock:

Originally posted by Afrikan:

Originally posted by RishikeshA:
NFL teams are enamored with these small receiver/running back/return men that put up monster numbers in college but don't pan out in the pros. The problem is opposing players are just as fast and they never make it around tackle. They are brought down easily. Sproles is an exception, he's 5'6", but his thighs are as big as a lineman's. Hunter is small, but he runs powerfully. LMJ will never be a feature back and his return skills seldom get him past the 30 yard line. I can't stand the Seahawks (who on the Zone does) but I admire the type of running backs they have, power all the way.

I think you'll be surprised how they will use Percy Harvin later this year...he is not built like their regular running backs..but they will use him all over the field.....in the EXACT same way we should be using James.

Harvin and James just aren't the same players. Harvin has a more balanced build and has developed himself into almost as good a runner as a receiver he was. When healthy, Harvin is better than James in every facet. I know it's not been that long for James, but time is running out for him to contribute.

of course they are not the same players...and of course Harvin is better in every facet...which is why Harvin was a #1 pick and why Seattle gave up so much to get him. I'm just saying there is no reason we shouldn't use James all over the field....heck just as a decoy if we need....if we have him motioning and get him get a clean release from the LOS...I'm sure a LB won't be able to catch up with him..and we can use him on wheel routes, or again like I said..just have him run deep to throw that look out there...have the defense guessing...... I know he is going to be useless as a receiver trying to block if we lined him up there...but I think that while we have him, we should use his athletic ablity...ESPECIALLY when we don't have that type of threat on this offense in most of our formations..... Kyle and James are the only quick agile guys. Hunter is quick and agile, but he is more of a running back.

Originally posted by pasodoc9er:
If anyone missed the Saints/Miami Monday nite game, you missed a show put on by 5'5" #43, Sproles. By the first half he had 7 catches playing split wide of Brees, caught a TD pass, and basically single hanedly beat the dolphins. Man I wish Coach Jim would have been watching that game. That is EXACTLY how I envisioned him using LMJ. And as noted by others, he isn't close to making our top 3 RBs. So he either gets used this way or he gets cut....and Lord knows Kap NEEDS an easy pass to complete when he is about to be sacked and thinks staying in the pocket means he can't run.

LMJ , split wide most plays, would give Kap that go to guy...and with the right formations, WRs split wide from one side of field to the other, LMJ can be a consistent game changer....assuming he has great hands. Using him in space is the only way he gets on the field with this team. C'mon Coach, wake up and smell the coffee. James is a wasted 2nd pick right now. YOu successfully dumped AJ to the Chiefs for a guy who first game gets two nice completions and blocked well. Make a similar change with James. Jeez, you saw how sproles manhandled Miami. James could be that very guy for us....but NOT IF YOU DON'T USE HIM LIKE SPOLES. This seemed like such an ideal pick for this very reason, and it has been squandered....last yr and this one. He isn't going to crack the top 3 in RBs, so forget that. His use is like Darren Sproles and has been since the beginning . If roman is so dam smart, how come he hasn't seen this? Or mangini. To date the mangini experiment hasn't impressed any of us. Somebody, someone in the coaching staff has to have seen sproles take over that game. We can do exactly the same with LMJ. But one of the coaches is first going to have to think about it.

i am glad doc said this about the coaches knowing what to do with james. i simply did not have the energy to discuss trusting roman to know how to use james or any of our players for that fact

I see no reason for the coaches not to incorporate James. They drafted the kid and knew what type of player he was, he is threat on the field. It's not just James though all of our backs are capable of catching passes in the flats and making people miss.

Love harbaugh to death, but this kid is getting misused.

Originally posted by northoakland510:
I see no reason for the coaches not to incorporate James. They drafted the kid and knew what type of player he was, he is threat on the field. It's not just James though all of our backs are capable of catching passes in the flats and making people miss.

you are assuming that roman is capable