Top 5 Seahawks RB's All-Time

[soxhawk]

Thought I'd throw this out there to kill some time until Saturday night. Who are your top 5 Seahawks running backs? We have been pretty lucky with the ones we've had throughout our 38 year history. Here's mine:

1. Lynch
2. Warner
3. Alexander
4. Warren
5. Watters

 

[hawknation2015]

1. Marshawn Lynch (2010-present) -- Super Bowl winner, two All-Pro teams, four Pro Bowls, 54 TDs, 5,930 yards, 4.4 yards/carry

2. Shaun Alexander (2000-2007) -- Super Bowl appearance, MVP, two All-Pro teams, three Pro Bowls, 100 TDs, 9,429 yards, 4.3 yards/carry

3. Curt Warner (1983-1989) -- three All-Pro teams, three Pro Bowls, 55 TDs, 6,705 yards, 4.1 yards/carry

4. Chris Warren (1990-1997) -- two All-Pro teams, three Pro Bowls, 44 TDs, 6,706 yards, 4.3 yards/carry

5. Sherman Smith (1976-1982) -- known as "The Tank," he led the team in rushing for the first four seasons of its history with a bruising running style; his 28 rushing TDs is fifth most in team history. He has coached RBs since 2010.

 

[HawKnPeppa]

Not gonna rank them in order of who's best.

Toughness
1. Lynch
2. Smith
3. Warner
4. Warren
5. Alexander

Elusiveness
1. Alexander
2. Warner
3. Warren
4. Lynch
5. Smith

Likeable
1. Warner
2. Smith
3. Lynch
4. Warren
5. Alexander

I really hope Lynch stays healthy enough, and is willing to slug it out for one more season. He AT LEAST deserves to be #2 in yards and TD's. Catching Shaun is unlikely with the battering he takes every season.

 

[hawknation2015]

I really hope Lynch stays healthy enough, and is willing to slug it out for one more season. He AT LEAST deserves to be #2 in yards and TD's. Catching Shaun is unlikely with the battering he takes every season.

Great list, I agree with all of it. As for Lynch, he's only 1,305 yards away from reaching the 10,000 rushing yards club (he had 1,306 yards this season). Alexander benefitted from playing essentially his whole career in Seattle, while Lynch had 2,765 of his career yards in Buffalo. You're right that Lynch will probably end up #2 for rushing yards and TDs in team history for that reason.

 

[seabowl]

Not gonna rank them in order of who's best.

Toughness
1. Lynch
2. Smith
3. Warner
4. Warren
5. Alexander

Elusiveness
1. Alexander
2. Warner
3. Warren
4. Lynch
5. Smith

Likeable
1. Warner
2. Smith
3. Lynch
4. Warren
5. Alexander

I really hope Lynch stays healthy enough, and is willing to slug it out for one more season. He AT LEAST deserves to be #2 in yards and TD's. Catching Shaun is unlikely with the battering he takes every season.

I know Watters did not play a long time for us but he was as close to Lynch as we've had. He was a tough SOB, did not go down easy, and loved to catch the ball out of the backfield. IMO he should absolutely be in the HOF. Career wise he blew away Smith and Warren.

 

[hawknation2015]

Not gonna rank them in order of who's best.

Toughness
1. Lynch
2. Smith
3. Warner
4. Warren
5. Alexander

Elusiveness
1. Alexander
2. Warner
3. Warren
4. Lynch
5. Smith

Likeable
1. Warner
2. Smith
3. Lynch
4. Warren
5. Alexander

I really hope Lynch stays healthy enough, and is willing to slug it out for one more season. He AT LEAST deserves to be #2 in yards and TD's. Catching Shaun is unlikely with the battering he takes every season.

I know Watters did not play a long time for us but he was as close to Lynch as we've had. He was a tough SOB, did not go down easy, and loved to catch the ball out of the backfield. IMO he should absolutely be in the HOF. Career wise he blew away Smith and Warren.

Warren and Smith were much tougher runners and better at breaking tackles than Watters, who did not like to put his body on the line. We also got him at the tail end of his career when he was averaging less than four yards a carry. For those reasons, I would have Watters at #6 behind the five I listed.

 

[Maulbert]

Not gonna rank them in order of who's best.

Toughness
1. Lynch
2. Smith
3. Warner
4. Warren
5. Alexander

Elusiveness
1. Alexander
2. Warner
3. Warren
4. Lynch
5. Smith

Likeable
1. Warner
2. Smith
3. Lynch
4. Warren
5. Alexander

I really hope Lynch stays healthy enough, and is willing to slug it out for one more season. He AT LEAST deserves to be #2 in yards and TD's. Catching Shaun is unlikely with the battering he takes every season.

I know Watters did not play a long time for us but he was as close to Lynch as we've had. He was a tough SOB, did not go down easy, and loved to catch the ball out of the backfield. IMO he should absolutely be in the HOF. Career wise he blew away Smith and Warren.

Warren and Smith were much tougher runners and better at breaking tackles than Watters, who did not like to put his body on the line. We also got him at the tail end of his career when he was averaging less than four yards a carry. For those reasons, I would have Watters at #6 behind the five I listed.

Watters rushed for 4,009 yards on 994 carries (a 4.0 average) as a Seahawk, more than he had as a 49er or Eagle. He also averaged 4.5 yards a carry in his last full season as starter, the highest in his career since his second season. He also had 166 catches for 1480 yards and 26 total touchdowns rushing and receiving, plus a passing TD. He deserves more credit than you're giving him.

 

[HawKnPeppa]

Not gonna rank them in order of who's best.

Toughness
1. Lynch
2. Smith
3. Warner
4. Warren
5. Alexander

Elusiveness
1. Alexander
2. Warner
3. Warren
4. Lynch
5. Smith

Likeable
1. Warner
2. Smith
3. Lynch
4. Warren
5. Alexander

I really hope Lynch stays healthy enough, and is willing to slug it out for one more season. He AT LEAST deserves to be #2 in yards and TD's. Catching Shaun is unlikely with the battering he takes every season.

I know Watters did not play a long time for us but he was as close to Lynch as we've had. He was a tough SOB, did not go down easy, and loved to catch the ball out of the backfield. IMO he should absolutely be in the HOF. Career wise he blew away Smith and Warren.

You're right, Watters rates a spot. He was tough SOB. Couldn't break tackles as well as Lynch, but get him past the first level and watch out! I got tired of watching him drive into piles of defenders, but he did NOT fear contact. Too bad he didn't benefit from the same OL Alexander did. Good hands, too.

 

[Erebus]

No love for Edgerrin James, Ahman Green, and Franco Harris? :sarcasm_off:

 

[Smellyman]

soft spot in my heart for Warner because 83 is about the time I started watching football. I swear nobody had his moves and juking ability. Too bad they weren't near as good at fixing ACL injuries back then.

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

No mention of John L?

 

[Evil_Shenanigans]

Dan Doornink gets a sentimental high five from me here also.

 

[NJSeahawk]

1. Dylan
2. Julio Jones
3. Dylan
4. Dylan
5. Dylan

[youtube]Z9lg6HqJeY0[/youtube]

 

[McGruff]

1. Lynch . . . The man is really legendary now.
2. Warner . . . Combined with Largent and Zorn to define the early years.
3. Watters . . . I know I like him more than most, but he carried those early Holmgren teams with tough running and was an amazing all around back.
4. Alexander . . . Its all about the line, baby. The O Line and the Endzone line.
5. Williams . . . I like Warren, but to me Williams was a RB in a FB's body. A solid runner and a great receiver.

 

[McGruff]

Not gonna rank them in order of who's best.

Toughness
1. Lynch
2. Smith
3. Warner
4. Warren
5. Alexander

Elusiveness
1. Alexander
2. Warner
3. Warren
4. Lynch
5. Smith

Likeable
1. Warner
2. Smith
3. Lynch
4. Warren
5. Alexander

I really hope Lynch stays healthy enough, and is willing to slug it out for one more season. He AT LEAST deserves to be #2 in yards and TD's. Catching Shaun is unlikely with the battering he takes every season.

For Watters to not be on these lists is criminal.

 

[McGruff]

Not gonna rank them in order of who's best.

Toughness
1. Lynch
2. Smith
3. Warner
4. Warren
5. Alexander

Elusiveness
1. Alexander
2. Warner
3. Warren
4. Lynch
5. Smith

Likeable
1. Warner
2. Smith
3. Lynch
4. Warren
5. Alexander

I really hope Lynch stays healthy enough, and is willing to slug it out for one more season. He AT LEAST deserves to be #2 in yards and TD's. Catching Shaun is unlikely with the battering he takes every season.

I know Watters did not play a long time for us but he was as close to Lynch as we've had. He was a tough SOB, did not go down easy, and loved to catch the ball out of the backfield. IMO he should absolutely be in the HOF. Career wise he blew away Smith and Warren.

Warren and Smith were much tougher runners and better at breaking tackles than Watters, who did not like to put his body on the line. We also got him at the tail end of his career when he was averaging less than four yards a carry. For those reasons, I would have Watters at #6 behind the five I listed.

BS on the toughness rap. Watters got tagged with softness early in his career because of his "for who, for what . . . " crack, but by the time he got to us he was tough as nails and fought hard for every yard. Plus he played with fire, and did all the little things you need a back to do.

 

[Seafan]

1 Lynch
2 Warner
3 Watters
4 Williams
5 Alexander

 

[JSeahawks]

1. Alexander
2. Lynch
3. Warner
4. John L williams
5. Warren

 

[SirTed]

1. Lynch - my favorite Seahawk of all-time.
2. Watters - Other than Lynch, the hardest runner we've ever had. Was my fave for many years.
3. Warner - A stud runner whose legacy was cut short by injury. Just before my time too.
4. Warren - I would have loved to see him behind the Dallas Wall in '93. Maybe totally underrated by Everyone.
5. Alexander - My least favorite "great" Seahawk of all-time. Consistently bugged the crap out of me.

 

[Erebus]

I don't understand the disdain on this board for statistically the best RB in Seahawks history. People call him soft. So what? The results speak for themselves. He was a big reason why we reached our first Super Bowl. He was also the only player in team history to win an MVP award.

Is he being discredited because of a great o-line? That's like Sherman being discredited because he plays with ET and Kam. Is it because he claims to have been stabbed in the back, therefore not a team player? That makes him unlikable but doesn't diminish his skill. Is it because he tried avoiding contact? I'd say avoiding contact certainly increased his production.