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Last March, the Jaguars signed free agent running back Toby Gerhart away from the Minnesota Vikings in hopes that Adrian Peterson's backup could be a starter in the NFL. Head coach Gus Bradley wanted him to be the team's "bell-cow" back.
I asked Gus Bradley if Toby Gerhart would be his bell-cow back. 'That's what we hope to see ... we like what we saw on tape.' #Jaguars
— Marc Sessler (@MarcSesslerNFL) March 24, 2014
But after one season with his new team, and a year fighting injuries, inconsistencies along the offensive line, an ineffective offensive coordinator, and his own weaknesses as a running back, if the Jaguars found their "bell-cow" back in 2014, it's not Gerhart, it's Denard Robinson.
Gerhart's first in a string of injuries came before the preseason, when he sustained a hip flexor injury. Then in the season opener, he hurt his ankle on a horse collar tackle. He was never able to contribute like the team envisioned, playing less than half of the offensive snaps in all but three games: the first three games of the season. After Week 3, he played as few as eight snaps in the season finale, and as many as 28 snaps the week after Robinson went on injured reserve.
With only 326 yards on the ground and less than 3.3 yards per carry, Gerhart's signing was a disappointment, but it's not as bad when you consider the Jaguars only signed him to a three-year, $10.5 million contract.