Bucs

What happens if the Bucs draft Peterson?

By STEPHEN F. HOLDER
Published April 24, 2007

What would drafting Peterson mean for ...

Cadillac Williams

The Bucs' 2005 first-round pick arguably gets better once he is in a rhythm, and that means lots of carries. With Peterson on board, Williams will get the ball less. But Williams would be less likely to be slowed by injury.

Mike Alstott

The fullback figures to be used sparingly as is, so if the team adds a back, expect Alstott's occasional carries to be reduced to nearly none or just goal-line duties.

Jon Gruden

Bringing in Peterson would give Gruden the flexibility to flip-flop between backs depending on what the situation calls for.

The arguments ...

For drafting Peterson

Although the Bucs can't seem to solve their line troubles, adding another prolific runner instantly improves the offense and gives them a better chance of building a consistent ground game. That should take some heat off a shaky passing offense.

Against drafting Peterson

One reason to look elsewhere is the likelihood that the Bucs will one day have to choose between Williams and Peterson. When free agency arrives, it will be hard to invest additional millions in players who will split playing time.

Two-back success

It's becoming more common to see teams with established running backs spend first-day draft picks on another back. But notice the trend: In two of these four examples, the pairs are no longer together. Free agent Dominic Rhodes signed with the Raiders, and the Bears dealt Thomas Jones to the Jets.

Jaguars

Fred Taylor: 1,146 yards Maurice Jones-Drew: 941 yards (most among backup RBs)

Colts

Joseph Addai: 1,081 yards Dominic Rhodes: 641 yards

Bears

Thomas Jones: 1,210 yards Cedric Benson: 647 yards

Saints

Deuce McAllister: 1,057 yards Reggie Bush: 565 yards

- Stephen F. Holder, Times staff writer

[Last modified April 23, 2007, 22:07:22]