This is another non issue like k Mack coming here. Mm loves fullbacks He still has the we will pound the ball mentality. No way in he'll he doesn't have one or two on his roster. No way.

I actully think Rip is our best goal line and short yardage back. Williams was getting better at fighting for short yardage but 3rd or 4th and inches or at the goal line, gimme the RIP!

Ripkowski really struggled last year. He whiffed on a lot of lead blocks that led to minimal rushing gains. He kept hitting the hole with his head down and totally missed the player he was supposed to block. If he's going to continue his career in the NFL he needs to keep his head up so he can see the person he's supposed to be blocking.

KUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHN

Let fullback go. Use two half back sets and flare one of them out or run one.

Special teams is still a major duty for any fullback in Green Bay.

I am glad that this has been written about. My eyes told me what your stats have shown. GB fans love their fullback but I don’t see the value in it. Or perhaps it’s just Rip not getting the job done. An H back can do the same thing and we have plenty of bodies for ST, so a fullback can be replaced there as well. Kuhn was smart in pass pro but not do much else. Those one yard goal line runs can be made without a fullback. I realize that often defenses can be fooled when a fullback actually catches the ball and is not covered well but those plays are rare.

Tim: How does the return of Philbin affect the FB if it does?

I agree that we will probably keep the FB, but I also wouldn't be completely shocked if we ended up with 0 FB's. There are a few things I take issue with in your article, so I'm going to go through those:
1) Marcedes Lewis is no replacement for Aaron Ripkowski. Lewis is 265+ lbs, while Ripkowski is around 245 lbs. That's a huge difference. I would much rather see both Lewis and Ripkowski in than just Lewis in the backfield as the H-back/FB. I think that having a FB out there also adds value in potential where you can force the Defense to bring numbers up and then throw with Rodgers to Adams in 1-on-1. 5 OL, Rodgers, Adams, Graham, Lewis, Ripkowski, and a RB seems very strong to me.

2) I think you got a little too much into the stats. I don't really care what the YPC is with 1- or 2- back sets necessarily. Would you rather have 4 yards on 2nd and 10 in a 1-back set or 1 yard on 3rd and 1 in a 2-back set? Give me the 1st Down all day, but that's going to come up as a 1 yard average and a 4 yard average in the stats.

3) You mentioned it, but I wanted to highlight it. A FB is very good on ST's. They can get down the field and blow blockers up, tackle if they have to, are excellent blockers, etc. They are like a LB, but instead of specializing in defensive talents, they specialize in offensive talents. If we aren't going to carry a FB, I really think we need to carry a TE that have FB skills, and I just don't see that guy on our roster. Lewis and Graham aren't those kind of TE's. The other TE's, like Byrd, I have not been impressed with so far.

4) I'd like to point out that Rodgers got hurt last year. It might be smart to protect him a little more this year. Running the ball more, especially while ahead, is a great way to do that. Using FB's for extra protection in the passing game can also help. FB's can keep Defenses honest, too, because they can slip out so easily and offer a checkdown for big yards much like a TE.

I hope we keep Ripkowski. I think he's a good enough player, and I think we lack a good replacement. I also think we'll keep him, but never say never.

One would think the new lowering of the helmet contact rule would be the final nail in the coffin for the FB. They physically can't juke 80% of today's defenders and have an innate bulldozer running style of dropping the shoulder and plowing - tough to do without the helmet joining the party.

I agree with 4EVER, A fullback with head held up high would get leveled (and injured for sure). One, rethink and find new possibilities for the fullback position, or two, scrap it completely!

'Is it a Guarantee the Packers Will Keep a Fullback?'

This is something I honestly never gave any consideration to. That they actually may not keep a FB.

But there are some reasons why they may not.

First they may want to use the extra roster spot for other positions.
Perhaps TE where they have 3 veteran players and then they have a young guy that they seem to like in Byrd. Instead of using a traditional FB they could then use a TE like Kendricks essentially as a FB or H-back which would then put a 3rd TE on the field. It gives the offense a ton of versatility. A lot more then what any FB would offer.

They will likely be running a lot more 2 TE sets which almost always takes away the FB.

I'm not saying they won't keep a FB, because honestly I think they will. But I think there is a case to be made that they actually might not.
More then anything the FB will be kept for special teams. If there aren't better players for special teams I think Ripkowski who is a good special teams player, will stay.

With Rodgers injured last season the Packers may have chosen to keep more versatile players on the field in the futile hope that Hundley could get the ball to them.

With Rodgers return from injury they may want to keep a FB for extra pass pro. To me that is not enough of a reason to take a roster spot so unless Rip or Kerridge are really special on STs I don't see the need to keep a FB.

Philbin's plan for the offense will factor heavily into this decision. Other factors will be how many QBs, WRs, TEs and OLs are kept on the 53. It may be that keeping 7 WRs provides more upside for the offense than keeping a FB. Maybe a FB is retained until Jones returns? We'll see, but I don't think the FB position will last much longer in GB. Thanks, Since '61

point 3

fb are good on st.
bs
fb as a position are not de facto good st players.
individuals can be good on st. positions are not.

im with the its time to move on from (our current crop) of fb.

not enough value.

rip had one good year. he has been borderline useless since his atl fumble.

if not a killer st player and versatile enough to excell at blitz pickup, lead blocking, occasional short yd carries and flexing to h back duties just cut the cord.

fb traditional is an anachronism and useless in todays game.

tough players are always useful, they just dont fit into the tradional fb role in todays game.

get tough, bail on the fb role

very nice article Tim. i would love it if they go 4 RB without a FB and give the roster spot to a guy with upside....7 WR. and Rip hardly played last year so it really seems like a wasted roster spot.

Traditionally FBs are shorter and thicker than a TE. Blocking in the backfield is different than blocking on the line. In the past FBs were more tough and stout than TEs. They have to be able to block a defender at full speed with a 5 yard head start coming at them and QB so they have to be able to “ stick” em. Occasionally you can sneak them out for a pass but this play has been always used sparingly as they are slower, but have more power. I remember the days of Henderson absolutely blowing people up....yeah, they would get on him fast, but he would still drag 2 dbs and a linebacker 5-6 yards down the field because they couldn’t get him down. The speed did not help them any.

While I do appreciate the speed of today’s game and players I sometimes miss the power of a good fullback.

Watch the bad kickoff run last thursday v the titans....it is RIP who blows the block, he can not run block, he can not pass block

he is a better runner than blocker but rarely gets rushing attempts

he should not have made the team last year and with a GM not named teddie believing his pay is tied to keeping his draft choices will probably be gone

the choice of RIP over JK spoke volumes but to compare our # TE and RIP?
or our WR 7 or RIP?
or a QB?

Rip does not make the grade

Fullback as a 'position' is no longer needed.
But Fullback as a 'function' can be had with a Jamaal Williams in for 2-back sets; to be used as either a blocker, decoy, or the ball carrier.

Jamaal Williams can replace Ripkowski. JWilliams' most acclaimed asset is his pass blocking, which I'm sure is a bit different than a power forward block. But you would have a better ball carrier in the game as one of the two-back sets still able to deliver a blow to a linebacker;
JWilliams is more valuable piece in the offfense than ARipkowski
FB as a 'function' can be retained with JWilliams for special plays.
Keep only 4 RBs and save a slot for the 7th WR