Will Brandon Jacobs stay, or will he go? Last week, Ed Valentine pondered that in the morning notebook, and quoted Jacobs openly saying that he's not willing to "sell my soul." So if the Giants are really asking Jacobs to take a pay cut, and Jacobs isn't willing to budge, he could wind up bolting to another team. But Ahmad Bradshaw hasn't been a beacon of health the last few seasons, and DJ Ware has been kind of underwhelming when called upon. So the real possibility of losing Jacobs would leave a hole in the offense.
And one guy that might be an adequate replacement for Jacobs is Browns' running back Peyton Hillis. Hillis had an injury-plagued and ineffective 2011 season after fans voted him onto the cover of Madden 2011, and if you thought Jacobs has been a loose cannon at times, Hillis might not be any better, and could be worse. Bud Shaw of the Cleveland Plain Dealer talked about how Hillis changes agents almost as often as he changes his underwear. And Hillis also reportedly is pondering retirement to join the CIA.
Still, it's hard to ignore one thing--in 2010, Hillis came out of nowhere and flat-out dominated. He was quietly traded from Denver to Cleveland for Brady Quinn in 2009, and in 2010 rushed 270 times for 1177 yards and 11 touchdowns, adding an astounding 61 receptions for 477 yards and 2 more scores out of the backfield. So was Hillis limited by injury in 2011, causing his yards-per-carry to drop from 4.4 to 3.6? Or did the 331 touches in 2010 take a toll on Hillis' frame?
There are probably more questions than answers when considering to sign Peyton Hillis, but you have to believe that if the big guy's stock has dropped significantly, he might be available for a bargain -- unless, of course, Hillis changes agents a couple more times before landing a contract offer.
So what do you guys think? Would you rather re-sign Jacobs, or take a shot at signing Hillis?