How about a fullback?

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

I haven't heard this talked about for awhile, but is it worth a roster spot for a fullback? That type of power could have helped yesterday. I could have seen Heath Evans running over those little defensive backs while they keep rotating in Woodhead and Green-Ellis.

I think this is the end of the road for F Taylor and S Morris. Why not make the team more versatile with a guy who adds an extra skillset, rather than just putting some backups on the roster that are never trusted anyway.

Thoughts?

 

[Froob]

Kuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!

 

[Ring 6]

I haven't heard this talked about for awhile, but is it worth a roster spot for a fullback? That type of power could have helped yesterday. I could have seen Heath Evans running over those little defensive backs while they keep rotating in Woodhead and Green-Ellis.

I think this is the end of the road for F Taylor and S Morris. Why not make the team more versatile with a guy who adds an extra skillset, rather than just putting some backups on the roster that are never trusted anyway.

Thoughts?

Love it.
We need to get better at every part of the offense that isnt Tom Brady throwing the ball, so that when we walk into a big game we bring our best advantage (Brady) and don't bring it into a game where the opponent will do anything they can think of to overplay thepassing game, do everything they can to take it away, and put us in a position where we make the job of our best player the hardest it can be.
We are THAT good already that teams will gamble to sell out to stop Brady knowing the chance is slim but its the only one they have.
We need to stop spending seasons showing the league how unstoppable he is so that they spend all of their preparation worrying only about stoppong him.

 

[Dufflebagz]

Kuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!

I would love to have Kuhn.

I like Vonta Leach, but I think Houston is gonna hold on to him. I hear that Le'Ron McClain wants out in Bmore....he's a possibility.

 

[Sciz]

A situational fullback is needed, but that's just for 3rd/4th and short plays. Other than that, the TEs add enough to the run-blocking game and are much better in the passing game. Whoever the fullback is will also be a core special teamer.

I hear that Le'Ron McClain wants out in Bmore....he's a possibility.

McClain wants out because he wants to be used less as a fullback and more as a ball-carrier.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

A situational fullback is needed, but that's just for 3rd/4th and short plays. Other than that, the TEs add enough to the run-blocking game and are much better in the passing game. Whoever the fullback is will also be a core special teamer.


McClain wants out because he wants to be used less as a fullback and more as a ball-carrier.

I hate to flog a dying horse here, but from what I've heard, it sounds like Owen Marecic would fit the bill here.

Then again, the Pats also have the Navy FB Eric Kettani on Military Reserve, so he might get a chance next year.

 

[Sciz]

I hate to flog a dying horse here, but from what I've heard, it sounds like Owen Marecic would fit the bill here.

:deadhorse:

I just always wanted to use that
But yes, I think he's exactly the kind of player Bill is looking for

 

[Kontradiction]

This team has needed an actual fullback on the roster since Heath Evans left. So yeah, how about it?

 

[Snake Eyes]

I can't understand why a team WOULDN'T want a FB, Kuhn is flat out nasty and is glue that really helps keep the offense together, not putting up great numbers but he gets 1st downs, runs over players, and can catch the ball.

I'd LOVE to get a guy like him or Peyton Hillis, and don't understand why we have Fred Taylor and Sammy Morris on the roster but not a guy like Kuhn.

 

[sevengables_2207]

I would love for the Patriots to add a versatile fullback in the Kuhn mold. Also, if they were to select Ingram in the first round as well as shoring up both lines with the other high draft picks, it would go a long way of adding toughness to the roster and help lighten the load on TFB.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

This team has needed an actual fullback on the roster since Heath Evans left. So yeah, how about it?

I can't understand why a team WOULDN'T want a FB, Kuhn is flat out nasty and is glue that really helps keep the offense together, not putting up great numbers but he gets 1st downs, runs over players, and can catch the ball.

I'd LOVE to get a guy like him or Peyton Hillis, and don't understand why we have Fred Taylor and Sammy Morris on the roster but not a guy like Kuhn.

Kuhn would be cool; if Evans still has some mileage on his treads, I'd take him, too (letting him walk was a mistake).

Or, as pointed above, the Pats could draft one, or perhaps they see Kettani in that mode.

 

[WhiZa]

I'd rather have Faulk and Woodhead then use a roster spot on a FB

 

[Fencer]

Never mind the roster spot. You have 11 offensive players on the field, 6 of whom are skill position. The QB and RB are 2; the FB is one of 4 others.

On a running play, it's easy to see how a skilled FB, going into the hole first and deciding who needs to be blocked, could help more than a TE who decides his blocking target before the snap. But unless the FB pulls his weight on pass plays, he's still not worth taking a TE (say) off the field.

If he's an awesome blocker, you can keep him in and send out BJGE (yawn) and 3 other guys. But who except Welker is a major threat to beat double coverage, even with a long time to do so?

I think the FB has to be reasonable receiving threat along with being an awesome blocker. I.e., a better lead blocker than Morris, and at least as good a receiver.

 

[patriotscpfc]

I'd rather have Faulk and Woodhead then use a roster spot on a FB

We carry 5 backs: I'd go with Benny, Faulk, Woody, Full Back (Marecic) and a high pick RB.

Especially with the chances of extra roster spots should the schedule be extended.

Then carry a UDFA on the Practice Squad.

 

[Manning's Pick 6]

I've been longing for a return to the '04 style offense for the last few years. The last 3 playoff games we've lost to teams who pound the ball. We got a great TE in Gronk, let's get a FB and run the ball. Brady is deadly on playaction, but we need to run the ball well to set it up.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

We carry 5 backs: I'd go with Benny, Faulk, Woody, Full Back (Marecic) and a high pick RB.

Especially with the chances of extra roster spots should the schedule be extended.

Then carry a UDFA on the Practice Squad.

For all practical purposes, the Pats only carried four this year. I expect the same next year (4 RB, 3 TE, 6 WR, 10 OL, 2 QB).

 

[patriotscpfc]

For all practical purposes, the Pats only carried four this year. I expect the same next year (4 RB, 3 TE, 6 WR, 10 OL, 2 QB).

Depends on whether the Roster is extended I guess.

We carried 5 for parts of the season with Clayton as well as the others.

 

[ATippett56]

How about lavender? How about not!

Spineless Jim Nance Injury Report FloTV Super Bowl 44 Commercial | Inside Fantasy Football

 

[Titanium Coate Hanger]

Generally it's been a phased out position all over the NFL.

The QB driven, dink and dunk, spread offense type shift is partly because of the rules that favor offenses now. Part of it is because there are more talented and efficient QBs than in eras past. People forget but there was a good 15 year QB drought in the NFL where maybe 6-7 teams had good QBs and everyone else had scraps. I mean there was a time when the 49ers had Montana, Young and Bono and all ended up starters in the league. When your third stringer can start on a playoff team in the NFL for several season, that should show had bad QBing was in the day. If you don't have a good QB, you have to try to win on the ground and for that you need more snaps for a fullback when your focus is ground and pound.

The continued loss of the traditional West Coast Offense, where the fullback is a versatile and important offensive position, ( Shanahan is back, Holmgren is, to some degree, back in principle, but before that, a lot of WCO guys were gone, Mooch, Gruden, Rat Face, Holmgren, Seifert, etc) helped to phase out the fullback. A lot of coaches have come out of Andy Reid, one of the last surviving WCO coaches, and he has no commitment to any fullback, so why should his prodigies?

It's not just about talent shifts, it's also about coaching trees. If you're an assistant under a head coach who does things one way, it's how you learn, its what you will probably implement.

I also think the limited roster spots combined with the growing importance of certain positions created a roster numbers crunch ( Nickel backs are essentially starters in todays pass heavy NFL. 3rd down/COP backs also play much more than they ever used to do. Long snapper is a legitimate specialist position now. Also cap issues force more younger and cheaper players to fill the ranks of rosters where versatility is very key. Part of the reason Woodhead got cut by the Jets is the team felt other players might be more versatile and help at several different functions in comparison.) And fullbacks got hit in that crunch.

 

[Fencer]

The question is whether 2-back sets are worth having for a significant fraction of all snaps. If they are, you put a fullback on the roster, insist that he be useful on special teams and/or a reasonable emergency RB, and hope he doesn't get injured.

I'm just dubious they are. I described a guy above who might be worth having, but wouldn't he then be somebody who's better to use as a regular RB? (Or TE?)