Player Review: Chad Simpson

by shake n bake on Jan 9, 2009 9:00 AM EST Comment 4 comments

The rookie speedback out of Morgan State came up from the practice squad 6 weeks into the season, after Mike Hart's season ending knee injury. Simpson didn't show the promise in the running game that Hart did, but Simpson could return kicks.

Regular Season Rushing/Receiving (almost identical to his preseason line)

Games	Carries	Yards	YPC	Rec	Rec Yds	TD	Fumb (lost)
11	15	45	3.0		30	1	1 (0)

Kick Return

Returns	Yards	Ave.	20+	40+	TD
15	344	22.9	8	1	0

via cache.daylife.com

While Simpson's return numbers were very mediocre (35th of 57 players in the league with at least 10 returns) he was the best out of all the kick returners the Colts used.

Player	Returns	Average
Simpson	15	22.9
Forsett	11	22.5
Garcon	22	21.6
Davenport	5	21.4
Roby	5	20.2

2007 Returners: T.J. Rushing (23.0 ave), Craphonso Thorpe (21.2 ave)

Contract: Signed through 2010, 2009:385K, 2010:475K

The Colts return game was awful this year, but it was at it's least awful with Simpson returning kickoffs. He wasn't great as a runner, but he was likely hurt even more than Dom and Addai by the line run blocking failures. A rookie back who's best trait is speed, will probably need some good blocking to do well. A dedicated kickoff returner is going to be at risk to be cut if the roster gets tight, but being the clear best option there is a big help. If Simpson can show more as a runningback his spot will be more secure, but he was outperformed as a RB by Addai, Dom, Hart and Ball this year. Simpson is in trouble if the Colts draft or are able to unearth another quality RB or a returnman from the undrafteds.

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Comments

I forget.

Why did they cut Forsett?

Did Rushing get IR’d? This season was like playing musical players…I don’t know who’s where anymore.

"I throw, you catch. It's NOT that hard!"
Peyton Manning, SNL, 2007

by peytonsthebest on Jan 9, 2009 11:23 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

TJ Rushing had a knee injury in the preseason

He was IR’ed.

Forsett was cut because they wanted the roster spot for CBs and DTs since they were dropping like flys.

Shonn Greene for Heisman
Doak Walker award winner
144 yards per game
6.2 yards per carry
08 TDs per game > 06 GPA

by shake n bake on Jan 9, 2009 11:37 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You know

I have a hard time trying to cut the guy. I know he hasnt shown much in terms of the running game, but I feel he hasnt got much of an opportunity to run. Personally, I feel he can become a good runner and possibly the home run threat we were looking for.

by metal_militia on Jan 9, 2009 12:39 PM EST reply actions 0 recs