Depth charges

Security, success lies within a deep backfield

Rule No. 1 in the personnel business: You can never have enough running backs. Even when you think you're set, get one more.

Denver, St. Louis and Pittsburgh follow the time-tested approach that more backs are better. The Broncos may have the best stable in the NFL with Terrell Davis, Olandis Gary and Mike Anderson, yet they still drafted Clinton Portis in the second round. Have you noticed they never trade any of their backs, even though every year there are rumors they will?

The Rams weren't satisfied with just Marshall Faulk and Trung Canidate, so they grabbed Lamar Gordon in the third round. That's really impressive when you consider how much passing Mike Martz likes to do.

Bill Cowher loves to pound the ball and with Jerome Bettis, Amos Zereoue and Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala, some observers might be surprised he took Verron Hayes in the fifth round. Not me.

What did surprise me were the teams whose cupboards were comparably bare and yet they didn't try to replenish their backfield. Arizona lost Michael Pittman during free agency and Thomas Jones has not yet proven he's a No. 1 back. The Cardinals didn't seek any insurance until the sixth round when they took Kansas State's Josh Scobey.

Baltimore learned this lesson the hard way last year when Jamal Lewis went down with a knee injury -- and former backup Priest Holmes was in Kansas City leading the NFL in rushing. This year the Ravens also waited until the sixth round to select a back, Chester Taylor from Toledo. And Detroit waited until the seventh round to bring in BYU's Luke Staley to add depth to a backfield led by injury-plagued James Stewart.

At least those teams took a back in the draft. Jacksonville, New Orleans and Green Bay all failed to find a solid second rusher. Fred Taylor is rarely healthy for the Jaguars. The Saints traded away Ricky Williams and elevated backup Deuce McAllister, and the Packers got out from under high-priced Dorsey Levens. These teams are dangerously close to having real problems if their top backs go down.

At this point, these clubs must turn to the free-agent market. But they better do that before backs start getting injured in training camp and suddenly more teams join the market for a ball-carrier. In June, Jamal Anderson should become available, joining a list of options that includes Ricky Watters, Skip Hicks and Levens. But as one astute personnel director said, "If anyone is waiting for another Antowain Smith-type back to free up in June, it will not happen two years in a row."

Pat Kirwan, who spent 12 years as a pro football coach, scout and personnel administrator, is an NFL analyst for CNN/Sports Illustrated and CNNSI.com.

 

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