TJ "Muscles Bucket" Duckett

by John Morgan on Mar 1, 2008 2:43 PM PST

Are you tired of conceding third and short?

And the inevitable heart attacks that come from watching Alexander play?

"Uh-huh!"

Until now, this was the only way a Seattle back could break a tackle.

"You mean there's a better way?"

But that's all changed thanks to the Muscles Bucket. Let's meet the inventor, TJ Duckett.

In 2007, Duckett produced a first down once every 4 attempts and was 5 for 6 in power situations. Duckett was a first round selection in 2002, but has bounced around the league playing behind flashier backs.

A tools monster...

The 6-2, 250-pounder ran the 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds, had a vertical leap of 37 inches, recorded a 9-foot-11 broad jump and has his body fat under a mind-boggling six percent.

Starting to put it together...

11.7 DVOA/7.0 DPAR

(Behind a rotten O-line no less)

23rd Adjusted Line Yards/50% Power Success

With fresh tread on his tires...

Just Turned 27/655 career carries

(And can catch a little too)

Career 8.7 Yards Per Reception

For less than 3 million?

Yes, please.

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Comments

I think it's gonna happen

Duckett is a former Falcon (which is step 1 to becoming a seahawk). He seems like a good character guy -losing his mother when he was young and still showing the desire to play in the NFL. Anyone that watched the Hawks last season knows that we need a bruiser for those 3rd and shorts-I love Morris, but that's not his game.

Plus we show interested in him last season.

by MFAN on Mar 1, 2008 2:57 PM PST reply actions

ok, that last sentece was messed up

* plus we showed interest in him last season.

by MFAN on Mar 1, 2008 3:02 PM PST up reply actions

Source?

I'd heard this suggested, and it makes sense to me, but I hadn't heard the Hawks were thinking this way.

by The Ancient Mariner on Mar 1, 2008 3:12 PM PST reply actions

No source.

Just an endorsement.

by John Morgan on Mar 1, 2008 3:31 PM PST up reply actions

Mike & Mike

reported that he visited Seattle on friday, so there is a good chance he signs with Seattle.

by joeshow30 on Mar 1, 2008 4:33 PM PST up reply actions

Not disagreeing, just curious

What does Duckett bring that Weaver doesn't?

by Matthew @ Field Gulls on Mar 1, 2008 4:09 PM PST reply actions

An excuse for Ruskell to dump Alexander.

by BrianL on Mar 1, 2008 4:30 PM PST up reply actions

Sign that man up!

by Matthew @ Field Gulls on Mar 1, 2008 9:20 PM PST up reply actions

Well, foremost...

he has a real shot at carries, as Weaver's deemed a fullback and overcoming such narrow definitions is nice, but...yeah. Weaver, in all honesty, does have ball security problems. It's not an argument, per se, but Weaver may have proven in practice that he's just not capable of shouldering a load. I don't know.

So, Duckett has greater realistic upside, whereas Weaver would likely need Alexander and Morris to be electrocuted in a team shoot minutes before the game to get a legitimate chance and knowing Holmgren, he'd likely just tell everyone he's completely abandoned the run pre-game and wait until 4th and 3 on the last play of the 4th to call the most obvious draw in the NFL but otherwise abandon the run game. So, yeah, there's your rambling semi-sodden response.

Hooray Old Rasputin.

by John Morgan on Mar 1, 2008 11:17 PM PST up reply actions

Plus

with a Duckett/Weaver backfield, it would be easier to give Weaver carries, since Duckett could block for him. With the backs we have now, that's not really much of an option.

by The Ancient Mariner on Mar 2, 2008 11:02 AM PST up reply actions

Probably not

I'm not sure Duckett would provide much help blocking for Weaver as, at least in the I formation, Duckett, as a halfback, would be lined up behind Weaver, who is a fullback.

I do not know anything about Duckett's blocking abilities, but I suppose it's possible that he could lend some assistance to Weaver from the split-back set. Hawks don't run from that often.

Of course, if Duckett is a good pass blocker, that would be a tremendous help to Beck.

I think Weaver/Duckett/Morris would be a credible, NFL calibre unit. Sadly, that would be an improvement over the current state of affairs.

Perhaps more importantly, adding Duckett would free up Ruskell to pursue help at another position of immediate need (WR, TE) or go BAT, without having to address RB on the first day. It all comes down to how he values the talent he thinks will be available at the 25th pick.

by jeager on Mar 2, 2008 11:51 AM PST up reply actions

The play-calling would have to change, yes

but the personnel would be there. No sense using a split-back formation, after all, when you have a RB who's not a credible lead blocker

by The Ancient Mariner on Mar 2, 2008 2:09 PM PST up reply actions

He visited last year too

I hope this time he doesn't leave. He passed my eyeball test when I saw him play this year. He's likely not a starter but he would be incredibly useful as a change of pace from MO and whatever rookie rb we draft.

by Mercenary on Mar 1, 2008 5:01 PM PST reply actions

Why

He's a backup running back, and we already have a career back up running back with Morris. We also have a running back we like to call a full back. That leaves us with 3 back up running backs and a washed up one. Why pour more money into a position that still won't have a starter?

by Nate Dogg on Mar 1, 2008 5:23 PM PST reply actions

What's this obsession fans have

With having a 30 carry superstar running back? Lots of good teams use committees.

2007--
Patriots: Maroney/Faulk
Giants: Jacobs/Bradshaw
Steelers: Parker/Davenport
Cowboys: Jones/Barber
Jaguars: F. Taylor/Jones-Drew
Vikings: C. Taylor/Peterson

2006--
Colts: Addai/Rhods
Bears: Jones/Benson
Saints: McAllister/Bush

And so on and so forth. And guess what? all those teams except the Vikings made the playoffs. Contrary to popular belief, no team needs an every down running back.

by BrettJMiller on Mar 1, 2008 8:16 PM PST up reply actions

n/s

All of those teams, with the exception of the Jags and Giants, have a clear cut starter and a clear cut backup. I like the idea of Duckett as you're backup/change of pace guy, but we already have that in Morris. What the Seahawks would build by signing Duckett with our current group would be more along the line of the Lions (Bell/Duckett/Jones), Texans (Green/Dayne) or what the packers had before Grant showed up (Morency/Jackson).
It's not about a super star RB, it's about having a feature back combined with a quality player behind him. All of those teams mentioned have their starter and then the player that comes in and mixes it up, whether it's with speed in Jones-Drew's case, or recieving, like Faulk, or size in Davenport.

by Nate Dogg on Mar 2, 2008 1:17 PM PST up reply actions

bloop blorp

I'm a Falcons fan, and I remember his last year in Atlanta being pretty miserable. This was while Dunn was having a career year, too ('05).

Also, I don't know what kind of picture the metrics painted this year, but whenever I saw the Lions in 2007 I got the impression that their "rotten O-line" was a pretty good run blocking unit (and horrid in pass pro, making them a delightful match for Martz's particular brand of playcalling)

by langsty on Mar 1, 2008 5:31 PM PST reply actions