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Javon Ringer's days as a Titan may be over, but that didn't stop him from weighing in on the team's decision to sign Shonn Greene to a 3 year, $10 million deal. Ringer was polite, but obviously felt like he and Jamie Harper have been passed over without an honest NFL audition (via Wyatt):
"I am happy for Shonn because I know him from playing in the Big Ten, and he's a good guy. He's a good running back," Ringer said. "But when they got him I said, ‘Dang, they had some guys who never got a chance to play, so why are they adding someone like that?'
"All this talk about them needing another running back to help C.J., it kind of made me upset. I'm like, ‘Man, they had some good running backs behind C.J., and they just never really got a chance.' And because we were not able to play, it made it look like C.J. didn't have any help. C.J. had some help, but they never used it. It's frustrating."
All you have to do is look at the meager number of carries, and you can see where Ringer is coming from: 120 for Ringer and 36 for Harper as Titans. However, Ringer had his chances and proved himself to be a solid, but thoroughly unspectacular back. He's not exceptional in any part of the game, but can give a team a reliable back-up option.
That's not what Munchak and Webster were looking for this offseason.
Shonn Greene was brought in to be a 5'11 " 226 lbs. bruiser who can be a ramrod between the tackles and get those tough short-yardage gains, while also being a reliable back-up. Ringer is barely any beefier than CJ, and can't move the pile like Greene.
As for Harper, Warren Sapp said it best many years ago: Look like Tarzan, play like Jane.
Javon was a nice player for us who probably did earn a few more carries than he got, but he's also the victim of a back to back seasons that ended with him on the IR, and a major shift in the offensive philosophy of the team. I still think he can find a home in the league, but it ain't gonna be here.
Hopefully that's a win-win for both parties.