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Rex Burkhead Can Be Cincinnati Bengals’ Darren Sproles

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Burkhead could be Bengals version of Darren Sproles

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The focus of this year’s Cincinnati Bengals entering the season has been versatility. One player offensive coordinator Hue Jackson has been working into the offense more is running back Rex Burkhead.

Burkhead is entering his third season and has only accumulated 9 rushes for 27 yards and a rushing touchdown, but don’t go thinking he is a one-trick pony. He also was effective in the passing game as he hauled in 7 receptions for 49 yards during the regular season.

While he was rarely seen on the field, he made what time he was on count and that couldn’t have been better illustrated than in his performance in the playoff game against the Colts. In that game he would have one rush for 23 yards, but added 34 receiving yards on 3 receptions. In his limited playing time, Burkhead has proven to be a more effective pass catcher than runner, which is why I believe the Bengals may have their own version of a Darren Sproles in Burkhead.

Sproles, while listed as a running back, has always been a bigger threat as a pass catcher. In his 11 seasons in the National Football League, Sproles has 17 rushing touchdowns, but has surpassed 500 yards rushing once (2011). His stature (5-foot-6, 190 pounds) has been a huge reason why he hasn’t been used as a true running back as much. When it has come to receiving, he has accumulated 27 touchdowns while surpassing 400 yards five times (2009-13).

Burkhead, while bigger (5-foot-10, 215 pounds), has already shown potential to be a pass-catching threat and his versatility will be what gets him playing time. One way the Bengals could use him is to have a package of plays in which Giovani Bernard can take a rest and Burkhead can enter in a two back set with Jeremy Hill as the complementary back. This would allow the Bengals to have a strong runner in Hill and Burkhead to draw defenders away. Burkhead could also be used in the slot as well. In fact, the idea has been mentioned already. You know who else had usage in the slot? Darren Sproles.

Burkhead ultimately finds himself in a similar situation Sproles did; he was never a feature back but became a productive running back as a pass-catching threat. If the Bengals want to take full advantage of the talent they have offensively they should work Burkhead into the game more.

Chad Troyan is a baseball and football writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChadTroyan15,Likehim on Facebook or add him to your network on Google

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