Reggie Bush: The Best Possible Landing Spots If He Leaves New Orleans
According to Adam Schefter's twitter page:
""RB Reggie Bush's time in New Orleans is expected to come to end"
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This does not come as a major surprise considering Bush's expected salary for the coming season as well as the fact that the team drafted Mark Ingram at a heavy price last night.
Reggie Bush may be maligned by many fans for not living up to his second overall draft spot in 2006 but there is no doubting that he is a game changing play maker in the right role.
When Bush becomes available there will be many teams willing to pick him up. For the right price every team in the league would like him but here are some of the best spots.
New York Giants
1 of 10
Reggie Bush will only land in New York if Ahmad Bradshaw leaves in free agency.
On paper Bush and Brandon Jacobs would be the perfect combination for the Giants. However Jacobs' form from last season wasn't good enough and if the team doesn't believe that he can carry the load next year then Bush won't be a possibility.
Bush can't carry the load for a team but if they believe that Jacobs can then he definitely comes into play.
The Giants have some very talented skill position players around Eli Manning and Reggie Bush would fit in perfectly alongside them. With Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham and the potential return of Steve Smith manning the wide receiver position, and Bush forming a dynamic partnership with a rejuvenated Jacobs in the backfield the Giants would have one of the most versatile offenses in the league. Offensive line permitted of course.
Bush would definitely love the bright lights of New York but a lot needs to happen before he lands here. If he does though he could spark a return to the playoffs in 2011.
New England Patriots
2 of 10
Kevin Faulk is scheduled to return from his knee injury that brought his 2010 season to a premature end but he will be 35 at the start of next season. Faulk was a very valuable player for the Patriots but an injury at this stage in his career could diminish that.
The Patriots passed on the opportunity to draft Mark Ingram twice in favor of resigning BenJarvus Green-Ellis. The team tendered Green-Ellis before the lockout began to signal their intentions.
He should remain as the work horse in New England but an upgrade over Danny Woodhead must be a tantalizing proposition to Bill Belichick.
Reggie Bush would fit the New England Patriots' offense perfectly and seamlessly transition the team from the Kevin Faulk era. For all the quality snaps that Danny Woodhead gave the team, and the cult status that he earned, Bush would be a much better player than him.
Everyone knows the talent of Reggie Bush, he would fill the same role that he did for New Orleans in Boston.
This signing depends on how much Bill Belichick values Bush. He won't come cheaply but Belichick has never been scared of spending money if he thinks a player can help the team. Bush would certainly help the team.
San Diego Chargers
3 of 10
With both Mike Tolbert and Darren Sproles hitting free agency this offseason, the Chargers are in search of help at the running back position.
Bush may not be the perfect complement to Ryan Matthews who has to this point shown very little.
However when you consider that the Chargers' always have a strong vertical passing game with guys like Antonio Gates, and potentially Vincent Jackson, going deep, there would be a lot of occasions where Bush would be afforded vast amounts of space underneath. Likely being covered by only one defender with plenty of potential YAC yards. Anyone that has watched Reggie Bush knows that this is exactly the kind of situation you want to see him in.
It's only been one season since Ladanian Tomlinson was a San Diego Charger but the team is still looking to replace some of his explosion from the backfield.
Ryan Matthews development coming into this season will determine whether the team thinks Bush is worth the investment but either way, they are in need of some form of runningback cover for next year.
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Washington Redskins
4 of 10
The Redskins have the worst skill position players in the league. They aren't turning any talented pieces away.
The one thing that they do seem to have in Washington is a bruising running back. Ryan Torrain showed at times last season that he can be a tough runner. Torrain had over 742 yards on 164 carries last year.
Bush would give the team some life and explosion that they don't have currently. Washington needs to sort out the quarterback situation, as well as the wide receiver situation behind Santana Moss (who is a free agent). Reggie Bush could come in and even start at wide receiver.
He would instantly become the team's biggest offensive threat which is not really a good thing but at least it would give the Redskins' fans something to watch out for.
St. Louis Rams
5 of 10
Stephen Jackson has been taking a beating in St. Louis over the past few seasons. He has at least 751 touches over the past two seasons. That is outrageous and has noticeably taken a toll on Jackson.
Jackson's performances haven't been in decline but minor injuries have taken away from his durability.
Couple this with the fact that the offense is going to put the ball in Sam Bradford's hands in the spread formation more often and Reggie Bush is a perfect fit in St. Louis.
He would be a huge upgrade over current backup running back Kenneth Darby. Darby touched the ball 44 times last season for under 200 yards. The idea that Bush wouldn't vastly improve those statistics is undeniably true.
The Rams offense needs more big plays from the wide receiver position. They won't say no to more big plays from the backfield however while they could always move Reggie to receiver to upgrade that area.
Bush could become a big weapon for an emerging Rams offense that has a solid offensive line with an franchise quarterback.
San Francisco 49ers
6 of 10
The Brian Westbrook experiment in San Francisco simply didn't work last year. He barely got on the field and did little to earn more playing time when he did.
Westbrook did average over four yards per carry but he is notably slower than he has been in previous seasons. Westbrook has had a hall of fame type of career but is at the end of his career. Bush is entering his prime at only 26 years of age and could complement Frank Gore perfectly.
Bush would benefit from running behind a strong offensive line but the uncertainty at the quarterback position still limits their offense.
If Bush ended up in San Francisco his work in the screen game would become a staple of the offense.
Pittsburgh Steelers
7 of 10
The Pittsburgh Steelers' Rashard Mendenhall continued Mike Tomlin's method of running backs until the wheels come off last season with 324 carries. This may have been slightly exaggerated because of Ben Roethlisberger's absence for the first four games but he is still one of the few feature backs in the league.
One thing Mendenhall doesn't do all the time in Pittsburgh is play the third down role. Mewelde Moore has become a cult hero in Pittsburgh with his consistency and efficiency as a third down back however he is now a free agent.
Moore may not return while Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman remain unproven as third down backs even though Redman showed flashes during last season in a limited role.
Bush would give the team an added dimension that they are lacking when Mendenhall comes off the field. Both Redman and Dwyer are bigger backs that aren't particularly elusive when in space. Bush would give the Steelers a game changing option to match Ray Rice in Baltimore.
A backfield duo of Rashard Mendenhall and Reggie Bush would have even the best of defenses worried.
Bush would also take over the punt return duties of Antonio Brown allowing him to focus on continuing his development into the team's eventual third choice receiver (once Hines Ward retires in a year or two or three...It surely won't be four).
Green Bay Packers
8 of 10
Brandon Jackson was somewhat unlucky to be found out last season because he was never really supposed to be in the position to carry the load.
Jackson and James Starks will likely give way to the return of Ryan Grant should he be fully fit. Starks won many fans over with his performances in the playoffs last year but realistically with Grant's return he is just going to be a backup.
His role is too similar to Grant's for him to be a third down player but if Bush was brought into the mix then Aaron Rodgers could be looking to pick up a second consecutive Super Bowl MVP title.
The idea of the Packers adding a weapon of the standard of Reggie Bush to the team a long with the return of Jermichael Finley would instantly make that offense the best in the league (as if it wasn't already anyway).
The Packers don't really have a need for Bush, but the opportunities would be endless for the team should they pick him up.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
9 of 10
The Buccaneers were delighted with the production that they got from LeGarrette Blount last season.
Blount and Carnell Williams are both bruising backs but are not great pass catchers out of the backfield.
Both the Buccaneers and Bush would fit well together as the Buccaneers look to be an up and coming team trying to take the next step. More explosion from the backfield would give Josh Freeman another weapon to continue the incredible start to his career.
Bush wouldn't need to carry the load in Tampa Bay and would love to see the Saints twice a season to prove them wrong for letting him go (presuming that they do).
Chicago Bears
10 of 10
Chester Taylor disappeared off the NFL map completely in Chicago last year. He didn't even get over 500 yards while playing limited time behind Matt Forte.
Forte was impressive but Mike Martz would love to add Reggie Bush into the mix. Bush has a similar skill set to Marshall Faulk (I'm not saying he is as good as him!) who flourished in Martz' system as a Ram.
Mike Martz likes his runningbacks to be an extension of the passing game and Bush would get plenty of opportunities in Martz offense that doesn't require the half back to block very often. Martz would find a way to get the best out of Bush which could make this the best possible landing spot for him.
Although he and Devin Hester would possibly come to blows over who gets to return punts.
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