Per the Boston Globe’s Greg Bedard the Patriots signed fullback Tony Fiametta today. The Patriots haven’t gone into a season with a true fullback since 2008 with Heath Evans, leading many to believe that the fullback position was dead in New England’s offense. Instead, they used a combination of offensive lineman and tight ends in short yardage and goal-line situations over the past three seasons.
Fiametta replaces Lousaka Polite and joins newly signed Spencer Larson as the newest two fullbacks on the Patriots roster, so are the Patriots reviving the fullback in their offense?
None of them are going to replace BenJarvus Green-Ellis’ production, though some of his short yardage carries could possibly go to a fullback, especially in those 3rd or 4th and 1 calls.
A fullback would also help the transition for a spike in carries for Shane Vereen and/or Stevan Ridley. It’s not uncommon for the NFL’s leading rushers to take great benefit from a reliable fullback such as Vonta Leach and Lorenzo Neal. Both Leach and Neal have paved the way for some of the most successful ground games of the last decade.
But perhaps the easiest answer to the question is that with the loss of Green-Ellis and likely retirement of Kevin Faulk, but three young talented running backs who need to get carries, it’s a better use of a roster spot on someone who brings something new to the party.
If you were to bring in a new halfback he’s either going to take carries from Ridley, Vereen, or Woodhead, and at an expensive free agent cost, or he’s going to end up being a waste of a roster spot. It’s far more likely that the current three halfbacks on the roster can co-exist in harmony (on the field) with a fullback who might even make them better, while also giving another dimension to the Patriots backfield.
Of course this leaves the Patriots with Danny Woodhead as the only (somewhat) proven running back on the roster. Are Ridley and Vereen ready to show why they were second round picks? The Patriots certainly need to give them the ball to find out, but it’s not often a position on New England’s roster is so unproven heading into the season.
In hindsight the Patriots never gave up on the fullback position in their offense, it’s just the combination of personnel and available players never quite lined up for one to be valuable to them over the past few years. Some of that was Green-Ellis’ reliable, hard charging ways, some of it was Sammy Morris, and some of it was the collection of offensive linemen who had the athleticism to play fullback for the 2-3 snaps per game they needed.
I don’t see this is as a philosophical shift for Belichick, moreso a way to maximize roster diversity while also gaining a complimentary piece for his young running backs.
