Another day, another cap casualty (as strange as that may be, given the fact we currently have no cap in place.)
There’s a certain degree of irony to the Redskins saying goodbye to Clinton Portis given that it’s the same week Champ Bailey, the man he was traded for, got a big extension from the Broncos. Irony or not, the end result is the same. An all-around back with a habit of entertaining is now free to visit with any team.
But coming off a second consecutive season-ending injury, and at 29 years of age, just how much does Clinton Portis have to offer? More than you might think.
Red Flags
Portis’ 2009 ended with a concussion and, in 2010, he had surgeries to repair torn groin and abdominal muscles. That’s not great news for a running back just six months shy of hitting 30. So it really falls on how much you want to believe Portis when he says he’ll be “perfectly healthy” heading into a new season.
For me? It’s a concern for sure, but is it enough that I’m going miss out on a player who is potentially one of the most complete backs in the league? Not that easy.
Back In Time
It wasn’t so long ago (2008) that Clinton Portis finished 4th in our pure rushing rankings. Here was a runner who made a lot more than his rather poor (minus the still handy Chris Samuels) offensive line gave him.
2009 didn’t go as well. It didn’t help that the line remained a detriment and the passing game wasn’t working, but Portis seemed to have dropped off. Perhaps it was just a hangover from his 342 carries the year before, but before Portis could shake it off (as Michael Turner had done,) a concussion ended his season.
Getting the “all clear” for 2010, Portis appeared to be better off thanks to 2009’s injury-induced lighter load. The line was still a long way from helpful, but his 4.2 yards per carry average was a testament to the notion that he still had something to offer … until, once again, his season was cut short, this time by the aforementioned double muscle tear.
Still on the right side of thirty, Portis could represent excellent value for a team in need of a known quantity at running back. He hardly had breakaway speed for those injuries to spoil, and it’s hard to imagine him losing any of the trademarked toughness that gets him the hard yards. At very least, in getting him, you’ve got yourself the best pass-blocking back in the league.
Beating up on the blitz
You often hear commentators talk about how great a guy is with the blitz pickup. Sometimes they get it spot on (highlighting the flaws of Adrian Peterson) and sometimes they get it wrong (overrating this aspect of LaDainian Tomlinson’s game.) But Clinton Portis is a pass-protecting back you can trust.
He doesn’t just do a good job of picking up a blitz, he goes out of his way to punish those daring to challenge him. There isn’t a highlight reel block for him to point to — like Maurice Jones-Drew taking Shawne Merriman off his feet — but for sheer consistency, there isn’t another like Portis. In each year of our existence, he’s graded positively for his blocking: leading the way in 2008 and only being prevented from doing so in the following years by injury.
The numbers really don’t lie. In the past three years, Portis has allowed just five quarterback disruptions (and no sacks) while staying in to pass block on 181 occasions.
Worth the Gamble
The only way you’d go wrong with Portis is too overpay him up front. There’s a chance the injuries would have sapped some of his effectiveness as a runner, but as Cadillac Williams proved, impact can be made in other phases of the game (and Williams has never been the blocker Portis is.)
Where will Portis end up? No doubt he’ll want a starting role, and there are some teams that would be wise to pursue the man of many personas.
Take the New Orleans Saints, for example. With Pierre Thomas’ contract expiring and Reggie Bush having to rework his deal, there could be room for Portis as a starter. With the Saints being a pass-first offense, he’d provide an extra layer of protection to a team that isn’t great at dealing with outside pressure. Furthermore, he’d form a nice tandem with a more explosive Chris Ivory and the Saints rotation of personnel would help him cope with the aging process.
And what about the New York Giants if Ahmad Bradshaw doesn’t return? One of the biggest things Bradshaw provided was his blitz pickup, and while Portis may not be as dynamic a runner, he could thrive playing behind one of the best run-blocking lines in the league. Of course, there is also the possibility of returning to the Redskins. Understandably, the Skins like Ryan Torrain, but can he be relied on?
In the worst case, to bring Portis aboard, you overinvest in a guy who will improve your team’s pass protection. That’s not horrible, especially considering the potential upside: you could be getting a top running back that can do it all.
After all Portis has done, it’s worth finding out.
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