Fullback

Any thoughts. I know there's been some speculation that Shelton might be moved over. Didn't Jacksonville do the same with Jones? I don't think that Shelton could come right in and block better than Hoov, but there's been speculation nonetheless.

I know I'm not alone in thinking that we could improve there. Hoover is not a great lead blocker, and for an offense that runs the power play as often as Carolina, you would think that an upgrade there would be a priority.

 

J'ville kicked Jones to fullback before the season, but he saw more time at halfback w/ Taylor missing time. Problem is, Shelton doesn't have good blocking skills, yet, so he would be a liability at the position. He has the size, sure. But he doesn't play or run to that size. I'd scoot Goings back to FB before Shelton.

 

FB:

Hoover
Cramer
Goings

HB:
Foster
Goings
Shelton


Nuff said!

 

Sure, it's all set for 06. No question. That's assuming Cramer makes the team, and Shelton doesn't flop out.

I just think it should be addressed sometime over the next couple of years, and I will leave it to football minds sharper than mine to figure out who/when/if/why. Just thought it would make for good fodder.

 

I could see them maybe doing something late in the draft, then again I don't see the first FB off the board til at least the 4th round, so they could look at someone this year. Although, I don't think they will. FB is a position that you can often get more than what you need off the street. Next to kicker and punter, it has to be the least drafted position without poking around for stats to back it.

 

I agree, which makes it interesting. I wish we could just steal Lo Neal.

 

I just don't see FB as nearly the problem that RB still may be. Not sure why it just clicked with me but in looking at the above we have to have another HB.
After last year especially I can't imagine that we would not take an RB with our first pick based on need alone. To make sure we get "our guy" whoever that may be I wouldn't care if we had to part with our 2nd and one of our 3rds to get him either. Shelton is a huge question mark, Goings is all heart but he's not enough IMO as a #2 option, and Foster hasn't proven that he can stay healthy. We do not have an every down back and even as a RB by committee team we probably don't have enough proven quality or durability to not have to become a pass dependant team by some crucial point in the season.

If we don't somehow get Williams, or White or Maroney in rd 1 I'll be surprised . . . especially after last years problems

If we don't any of the above then I'll still hold out some hope that we'll pick up a contributor like Drew or maybe Norwood who can at least be a change of pace or 3rd down back.

 

brad hoover just stop making the big play

 

FB isn't a problem. Hell, I wouldn't even have that big a problem with RB if Cramer started taking some snaps at FB and Hoover doubled as a RB.

It'd be fun to look at some guys.
Garrett Mills is a natural TE who lacks height, but has the rest - hands, speed, routes, even a decent blocker. He's a guy who I'd put in a compliment TE role behind our more traditional blocker, as more of an H-back (as a matter of fact, I wish they'd cut the bullshit, drop Seidman, and carry 4 TE/FB slots on the roster to better take advantage of guys like Hoover and Cramer interchangeably with Mangum and Gaines). Mills would be perfect in motion, and occasionally blocking on angles from FB.

Lawrence Vickers is a Hoover-type tweener that can carry the ball, catch the ball, tackle the ball, and probably represents an upgrade in blocking; he's got shit technique, which I'd like to see cultivated a la Skipper protege Charles Way.

Matt Bernstein of Wisconsin, if you can deal with him being somewhat limited laterally, is a whale of an inline blocker (he could, I guess, fit a short-yardage need at FB and goal TE, but little else - he's very lacking athletically, but he gives you the power and force that, say, New England gets out of putting defenders in at FB/TE).

Quadtrine Hill is your Miami 'tweener - he'll get compared to Najeh Davenport, and the similarities are there, but he's not as talented or as big. Like a lot of guys in this draft, he's got a lot of bulking up to do, but Hill has a good deal more than the others.

 

. . . like crapping in the closets of girls he's stalking?!