James Starks Re-Signing with Packers “Imminent”
Stop us if you’re heard this one before. The Green Bay Packers are going to re-sign one of their own free agents and the deal is considered imminent. Yeah… Anyway, the Packers will be re-signing running back James Starks, according to Adam Schefter.
Packers now expected to bring back RB James Starks on a two-year deal, per source; deal considered imminent.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 18, 2014
That’s great news for the Packers, but probably not so great news for a number of other guys, including Starks. He’s obviously decided he’s fine with playing second fiddle to Eddie Lacy, at least for the next two years.
It seemed like there would be a decent chance Starks would get a shot to start somewhere this offseason. That didn’t happen. The Steelers were the only team to schedule a visit with Starks and he would of had to back up Le’Veon Bell there. Ultimately, he decided not to even make the trip.
The other guys who probably aren’t ecstatic are Johnathan Franklin and DuJuan Harris. After Lacy and Starks get their carries, these two guys are probably going to have to fight over a touch or two per game.
That is, if they’re all on the roster. The Packers are overloaded at running back. Unless someone gets hurt, the Packers virtually have to trade one of these guys.
Good problem to have, though.
14 Comments
Recent Posts
Early in FA, I was an advocate for re-signing Starks — anything to make McCarthy think twice before calling a long pass on 3rd-n-short.
Keep Lacy healthy, and run more; use Rodgers surgically; sustain long drives; keep Capers crew off the field.
Capers. I just don’t trust him anymore.
I get how he doesn’t have the athletes/players he wants for his system. But if that’s the case, you’ve got to scrap “Plan A” — and not piss away two or three seasons doing it.
Dom’s got something cooking that people are going to want to see more, not less of, this coming year. There’s a lot of help arriving in guys getting healthy (Perry, CMIII, Worthy, Hayward) and new guys on station (Peppers, Guiton). I’m convinced Ted has lasered in on someone at Safety as his R1 pick and is going to do whatever’s necessary to get him in the draft.
But back to the Starks issue, he’s a good pairing with Lacy and besides getting along well, they seem to jack each other up. If Lacy continues to grow and Starks, while spelling him runs with the same zeal he showed last year and maintains his 5.5 YPC average, this is going to get really interesting for AR.
Glad to have him back.
Yeah, it is a crowded backfield, but that is a nice problem to have. Injuries happen. You keep all 4.
RBs are just screwed in the current system. Wow.
Now lets sign Matt Flynn and prepare for the draft.
What do we do about a Center, Iltarion?
I can’t believe Teddy T is putting so much emphasis on the RB position..
We have our next center on our roster already- Tretter or Barclay.
You draft one in the 5th or 6th round as insurance. If Tretter or Barclay or both look solid, you stash the rookie on the practice squad.
I would be tempted to give Lacy a few less carries just to reduce wear and tear on him. They may need him in January, he gives the offense the physicality it needs to win in the postseason.
Cool. I wonder what this means for Harris and Franklin, though. I was looking forward to seeing them play more. Maybe TT will trade one for more draft picks.
Or maybe the Packers keep all 4 RB’s, re-sign Kuhn and instead of a flock of TE’s, just go with 3.
Still think Kuhn will end up in GB on a minimum deal. Can’t keep all backs healthy and we know how TT and MM won’t hesitate to stash one of these guys in IR with a broken toenail.
Yes but with Kuhn’s projected role on Special Team’s…he would make more than minimum…fuel for thought
I wouldn’t trade any of these guys, because by about game 4, we’ll have 7 guys on IR, including at least one RB. By game 8 we’ll be down to two RB’s. You watch.
RBs take a pounding every week. Keep all 4. remember last year? Harris – IR in pre season; Lacy: concussion vs Skins; Starks: knee or something vs Cincy: Franklin ran well, but hurt vs Cincy as well. Coach had Edgar Bennett warming up and Terdell Middleton on speed dial. So…..keep all 4!!!
I wonder if there is something going on behind the scenes with Harris. You dont keep 4 running backs on a roster nowadays. Maybe his knee isnt checking out, or where they want it to be. Or they are losing faith in Franklin, which would unfortunate, he seems like a pretty explosive running back to me
None of the above, Kato. All have been injured for significant amounts of their careers, all are talented, all are cheap. You keep them if you can. 4 RBs is not an exorbitant amount.