Should David Montgomery imitate Najee Harris
Yesterday, it was reported that second-year RB Najee Harris gained a bunch of weight. In fact, Steelers writer Mark Kaboly reported that Najee Harris has bulked up from 230 to 244 lbs. Of course, I'm certain he gained a bunch of muscle.
For instance, the Bears running back David Montgomery is listed at 5"11, 224 pounds. He is a little above average for the "normal" NFL running back. This made me ask a question to myself. Should Montgomery follow the same method that Harris did and become even bigger? I think you could make a case for both sides.
Here is a very good explanation of the importance of weight for a running back made a few years ago.
Weight is a difficult one to determine, because it matters where the weight is distributed. Ideally, you'd want a thick lower half that would allow the running back to break arm tackles when running through the box, and the upper-body strength to not bounce off defenders and have their momentum disrupted so easily.
You see featured NFL backs today like Jamaal Charles and Chris Johnson that weigh under 200 pounds. Both of these players finished in the top 10 in number of carries for 2012, but there are questions surrounding both of these players and their ability to consistently take hits and still maintain their speed and quickness, which is what makes them both so special
The second-tier running backs in terms of weight would be guys like Matt Forte, Reggie Bush, CJ Spiller and LeSean McCoy. These four players are just over 200 pounds but are still considered among the "quicker than powerful" mould of running backs.
All four of these players have had injury concerns, and ideally, you'd want a player with just a bit more muscle and physicality to pick up the tough yards running between the tackles.
Guys like Peterson, Morris, Richardson, Foster and Marshawn Lynch sit in the 215-225-pound range. This seems to be the ideal weight for a running back. But again, it's more about the distribution of the weight and the muscle mass involved with the player than strictly just their weight.
You see featured NFL backs today like Jamaal Charles and Chris Johnson that weigh under 200 pounds. Both of these players finished in the top 10 in number of carries for 2012, but there are questions surrounding both of these players and their ability to consistently take hits and still maintain their speed and quickness, which is what makes them both so special
The second-tier running backs in terms of weight would be guys like Matt Forte, Reggie Bush, CJ Spiller and LeSean McCoy. These four players are just over 200 pounds but are still considered among the "quicker than powerful" mould of running backs.
All four of these players have had injury concerns, and ideally, you'd want a player with just a bit more muscle and physicality to pick up the tough yards running between the tackles.
Guys like Peterson, Morris, Richardson, Foster and Marshawn Lynch sit in the 215-225-pound range. This seems to be the ideal weight for a running back. But again, it's more about the distribution of the weight and the muscle mass involved with the player than strictly just their weight.
With that being said, I think Montgomery could benefit to gain a few pounds of muscle but try to become even more explosive. After all, the name of the game is and always will be speed.
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