Joique Bell and Chris Taylor both looked pretty solid in the 49ers game and have shown some promise as backup runners vying for the 4th string running back spot. The Saints also brought in Patrick Cobbs yesterday to fill the roster spot left vacant by Jon Stinchcomb. Bell is injured and expected to be out 2-3 weeks, so that has opened the door for the 6th year veteran Cobbs, formerly with the Dolphins, to get some reps. Cobbs is a quick back that is a pretty solid receiver out of the backfield.
The question is: how long does Cobbs last? At this point we know that Pierre Thomas, Mark Ingram and Darren Sproles are locks to make the 53 man roster. That said, the Saints have kept four running backs on the active roster for most of Sean Payton’s tenure and that number has no chance of going down after the injuries they suffered at the position last year. That leaves Chris Ivory…
(who has yet to practice all camp), Joique Bell, Chris Taylor and Patrick Cobbs to battle for that last roster spot. Cobbs comes into a decent situation now because Ivory and Bell are both hurt and it’s unlikely either will be back before the last preseason game at best. Ivory could be given even more time to recover if the Saints elect to start him on the PUP list for the beginning of the season. If they do that, he is not a member of the active roster and he must sit out the first 6 games of the regular season. Chris Taylor, being an undrafted rookie, seems destined for the practice squad. Assuming Ivory does go on the PUP, that leaves that opening day 4th roster spot most likely between Cobbs and Bell, with Cobbs getting all the reps and looks for the next few weeks.
Based on that, I think Cobbs actually stands a really decent chance to make the team *IF* he can impress the coaches. It’s up to him to show what he can do, but despite joining the team late in the game he’s got himself in a good situation with a very nice opportunity.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
