Cleveland Browns Running Back Strategy for 2015

In this era of the passing offense, running backs continue to be devalued. No team is winning on the strength of its backfield alone. Even DeMarco Murray, LeSean McCoy and Marshawn Lynch, the most dominant runners of the past two years, had excellent quarterback play to support them. A dominant player in 2013, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles struggled and eventually was knocked out of the 2014 season with an injury. McCoy’s play declined with Foles’.

Recent teams simply haven’t had a formula to win on the strength of the running game alone. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

The Cleveland Browns have a good chance to reinvent the landscape of the sport by featuring a talented run game and a quarterback focused more on avoiding mistakes than generating big plays. The Arizona Cardinals were almost able to make this strategy work last season – with two talented young backs on the roster, the Browns have a better shot this season.

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The old adage “if you have two quarterbacks, then you have none,” doesn’t apply to running backs. Successful platoons have existed throughout NFL history – look at Paul Hornung and Jim Taylor for example. In the 2014 season Cleveland Browns rookie running back tandem of Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell outshined free agent veteran Ben Tate, so much so that Tate was released partway through the season. The backfield wasn’t perfect; these are rookie players after all. But with a year under each of their belts, West and Crowell are primed to go in 2015.

Who has the edge?

Larry Harstein of CBS Sports compared their nearly identical season stats. “Crowell ran for 607 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 4.1 yards per carry, while West rushed for 673 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 3.9 ypc. Crowell lost two fumbles, West one. Neither rookie made a big impact in the passing game, though West had a receiving score.”

With such a small margin of difference between them, both men know they will have a lot to prove. ESPN.com reported that West has been hitting the gym hard, slimming down from 228 to 215 pounds, while Crowell has been focusing on the mental aspect of the game. As an undrafted free agent, Crowell acknowledged that he has a bigger learning curve. But his ceiling may also be higher.

Dec 7, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell (34) celebrates scoring a touchdown with Cleveland Browns running back Terrance West (28) against the Indianapolis Colts during the second quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Schwane-USA TODAY Sports

During the season Crowell was an inconsistent player but he also showed greater explosiveness. Teammates have nothing but positive comments about his work ethic and locker room behavior.

On the other hand, as Pat McManamon of ESPN.com reported, “West was wildly inconsistent and never seemed happy about being yanked in and out of the lineup as the Browns decided to go with the guy who had the best week of practice as opposed to deciding on one guy. West never seemed to master the playbook, as whoever was playing quarterback often had to tell him where to line up and where the play was going.”

With all the Browns’ challenges at quarterback, having to manage the running back on the field at the same time isn’t ideal. Newly acquired free agent Josh McCown has stated an interest in helping to mentor players on the team, and his experience will be valuable in the maturation process of both men.

It would make sense to find a veteran back to assist with this process, and there a lot of them on the free agent market. Someone like Pierre Thomas or Roy Helu would be a good fit. Browns GM Ray Farmer confirmed to Igor Mello of CBS Sports that the team would look to add more running backs in the offseason.

The Browns have a strong offensive line and offensive coordinator John DiFillipo used a lot of multi-back sets last year with Darren McFadden and Maurice Jones-Drew in Oakland. But ideally either West or Crowell would emerge as the feature back to be a reliable presence during the search for a franchise quarterback.

With West’s benching at the end of the 2014 season, it looks like the job is Crowell’s for the present.

One thing is clear – West will need to develop some mental toughness in the offseason if he wants to compete for the starting job. He admitted to Tom Reed of the Northwest Ohio Media Group that Crowell’s play and his subsequently diminshed role got inside his head. In the NFL it’s all about the numbers and who is playing well right now. The Browns were ruthless about that last year and will be again this year. OTAs and training camp will further define the pecking order for the new season.

Next: Browns: 5 Potential Free Agent Targets

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