When Michael Turner was the starting running back for the Falcons, Jacquizz Rodgers had a pretty clear idea about how and when he’d be used by the team.
Turner’s limited value in the passing game meant that Rodgers was used most often on downs when the Falcons were looking to put the ball into the air. As a result he’s had 151 carries and 75 catches through his first two seasons. It’s unclear whether things will remain the same during the 2013 season.
Steven Jackson has replaced Turner at the top of the depth chart and he’s been an effective weapon in the passing game throughout his career with the Rams. Rodgers doesn’t know what that means for his own playing time, but he’s sure that he needs to make the most of his chances in order to get more of them as the season progresses.
“When I get in the game, I’m going to try to make my plays and try to get my number called more often,” Rodgers said, via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I’ll try to make every carry and every catch count.”
Things shouldn’t wind up looking that much different for Rodgers. Jackson is turning 30 next month and didn’t play a much higher percentage of the Rams’ snaps last season than Turner played for the Falcons. However things shake out in terms of playing time, the presence of another back who forces defenses to think about the pass/run possibilities in a more expansive way than Turner should be a positive for the Falcons offense in 2013.