C.J. Spiller Reduced to Scat-Back With New Orleans Saints

Aug 16, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu (43) tackles Buffalo Bills running back CJ Spiller (28) during the first half at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

The New Orleans the Saints finally get that they have to run the ball if they want to consistently in the NFL. And they started to use running back Mark Ingram, who had himself a break-through year. He came within 40 yards of breaking the standard 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career.

He actually looked good doing it too so it was no surprise that the re-signed him to commit more to the running game in 2015. The surprise here is that the Saints signed C.J. Spiller who spent his first five years with the Buffalo Bills, right after. Not that he Saints wouldn’t want Spiller as they’ve had Reggie Bush as their scat-back before.

I just didn’t see where Spiller would want to go somewhere that looked at him as a scat-back. From how he sounded on NFL Networks NFL Total Access, he was looking for a place he can be the guy. On the show, he went on about how he was a complete, every-down running back.

Yet now, he’s in a place where he’s clearly going in behind Ingram as a change-of-pace-back. He’ll be in mainly to catch short passes and screens, run draws and outside plays to get him in space just like the Saints used Reggie Bush. I was looking for him to sign with Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets or San Diego Chargers, a team that can use him as an every-down running back.

But I guess the market just wasn’t there for him as the Cowboys went with Darren McFadden and the other teams appear to be waiting for the draft. Everyone has a thought of who and what they are but in the NFL, the market tells you who and what you are. And for Spiller, based on his deal with the Saints as of now, is a change-of-pace, scat-back.