Roster Projections: Reiss, Rodak, Yates Unanimous: No Fullbacks make it

[Ian]

Was looking at some early projections with the addition to Demps and found it interesting that neither Reiss, Rodak, or Yates felt they'd keep a fullback:

New England Patriots 53-man roster projection (v 3.0) - ESPN Boston

Considering their previous use of O-linemen, linebackers, d-linemen, etc. as a lead blocker, I guess to a certain extent I understand it. Was reading another article (I forget where it was) where they talked about the fact that one of the reasons you don't really see fullbacks anymore is because of the need for depth at skill positions due to injuries that happen during the season - which obviously makes sense. But considering some of the initial projections it's interesting to get that point of view as well.

 

[TyronePoole]

I kind of hope they're right, I feel like FB in today's NFL only warrants a roster spot if they're elite, especially on a team like this with so many competitive spots and close calls elsewhere on the roster.

 

[Fencer]

How long was the heyday of the pure blocking Sam Gash style FB anyway?

If you go back to Sam Cunningham or Larry Csonka, those guys were serious ball carriers.

Let alone Steve Belichick ...

 

[crew1954]

How long was the heyday of the pure blocking Sam Gash style FB anyway?
If you go back to Sam Cunningham or Larry Csonka, those guys were serious ball carriers.

Let alone Steve Belichick ...

Longer than you think.

Rocky Bleier and Brian Piccolo among others didn't get many carries as I recall.

 

[Sciz]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Connolly doing a bunch of it. It seems that he's not a part of the center competition at all (Wendell seems to have already won), leaving him the role of keeping Waters' spot warm until he gets back. Then he's the 4th interior OL.

 

[Fencer]

Looking through it, they seem to be consistent on:

• All 5 RBs
• 0 FBs
• 6 WRs, so one of Gaffney/Branch/Stallworth is cut
• Wendell, McDonald, and Thomas all make it
• Light on the Heavies
• Heavy on the LBs. Tarpinian and Koutivides both make it; White is cut.
• Dennard gets IRed
• 5 safeties, including Ebner, 1 of Barrett/Ihedigbo, but not Allen

Also, they have positive feelings about Francis, Rivera, and Cole, and negative ones about Koppen.

 

[Jimke]

Part of the reason for the unanimous projection is Larsen is injured.

 

[The Gr8est]

Each projection only had two TEs. What happens now that Fells is being activated?

 

[letekro]

What's a fullback?

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I agree that the FB experiment just didn't pan out. Debatable whether it ever would have but you can't make the club from the tub (unless you're a critical piece of the puzzle).

Interesting that two out of three have Branch on the roster with Reiss cutting Stallworth and Yates cutting Gaffney. Now they have to figure out what to do with Fells and eventually Waters after already adding Bolden and Demps.

I'm just gonna wait and see what Bill decides. Going to be some interesting and potentially frustrating decisions that involve balancing valuations between functional depth and established or developmental talent. That proposed short term IR slot would have helped.

 

[BlueThunder]

Any guesses how many of the Patriot cuts get picked up on other teams rosters? I'm sure that there are a few teams salivating waiting for a couple of cuts that they know will be coming.

 

[robbomango]

What's a fullback?

.................

 

[JoeSixPat]

What's a fullback?

No kidding!

Of course it used to be the guy who blocked for the RBs and caught passes as well.

Now, in Belichick's system, everyone can be a blocker on any given play.

 

[Rob0729]

What's a fullback?

The fullback is the appendix of the NFL. Like the appendix in the human body, the fullback once served a purpose but no one is really sure what it was. And like the appendix, you only notice a fullback when he fails like John Conner did last night.

 

[Rob0729]

It is surprising that all three guys don't have Waters on the roster and accept that he might be holding out and not returning. Both Reiss and Rodack give equal weight to the uncertainty of Vollmer as Waters in their analysis, but both have Vollmer making the final 53 man roster and not Waters.

 

[Ring 6]

Longer than you think.

Rocky Bleier and Brian Piccolo among others didn't get many carries as I recall.

Actually Bleier was the HB and Franco Harris was the FB. Piccolo didn't play very long, but did get a good share of carries too.

 

[PP2]

Looking through it, they seem to be consistent on:

• All 5 RBs
• 0 FBs
• 6 WRs, so one of Gaffney/Branch/Stallworth is cut
• Wendell, McDonald, and Thomas all make it
• Light on the Heavies
• Heavy on the LBs. Tarpinian and Koutivides both make it; White is cut.
• Dennard gets IRed
• 5 safeties, including Ebner, 1 of Barrett/Ihedigbo, but not Allen

Also, they have positive feelings about Francis, Rivera, and Cole, and negative ones about Koppen.

I didn't know they were going to IR him again next year.

 

[supafly]

It is surprising that all three guys don't have Waters on the roster and accept that he might be holding out and not returning.

I think it's something that you have to give some serious consideration to, as there just hasn't been anything leaked yet that would give us concrete evidence to the contrary--just rumors and personal opinions.

Even if that makes Joker call those who question the return of Waters as "chicken littles."

I hope that they'd cave a bit in this case, although we don't know what the demands may be either.

Then again the whole intact locker, no number issued, etc all point to his potential return at the same time.

This has been a very mysterious development of the offseason, that's for sure.

 

[hovis]

Looking through it, they seem to be consistent on:

• All 5 RBs
• 0 FBs
• 6 WRs, so one of Gaffney/Branch/Stallworth is cut
• Wendell, McDonald, and Thomas all make it
• Light on the Heavies
• Heavy on the LBs. Tarpinian and Koutivides both make it; White is cut.
• Dennard gets IRed
• 5 safeties, including Ebner, 1 of Barrett/Ihedigbo, but not Allen

Also, they have positive feelings about Francis, Rivera, and Cole, and negative ones about Koppen.

Call me crazy, but I can't see them carrying only two TEs. I'm gonna go on a limb and say both Fells and Shiancoe make the team too, and they carry only five wides and one less lineman.

 

[Urgent]

The "no fullback" consensus is easy because they've all been injured.
It's only been one preseason game. Let's see what happens after four.
The Patriots went out and signed a bunch of fullbacks, so there was clearly some interest.