Get Hyped About The Fullback: Ryan Edwards

Get Hyped About The Fullback

Ryan Edwards

#Broncos waive FB Toben Opurum after he fails physical

— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) May 12, 2016

Despite the acquisition and immediate release of FB Toben Opurum, the fullback may very well be an integral part of the Broncos offensive attack this season. Well, at least the Broncos are projecting interest in bringing that position back to prominence here in Denver. They had two fullbacks during training camp last season but by mid-way through the year, neither were on the roster. Joe Don Duncan, an undrafted rookie, didn’t make the 53-man roster and veteran FB/TE James Casey was released when Derek Wolfe came back after serving his 4-game suspension at the beginning of the year.

So, last year didn’t mark the “return of the fullback” in Denver. The speculation and observation among many is that the position simply didn’t jive with the hybrid offense Kubiak/Dennison were trying to run with Peyton Manning.

Two more 2016 #BroncosDraft picks put pen to paper

📰 https://t.co/37b48a6mnI pic.twitter.com/UWBHPSHbUr

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) May 12, 2016

This year, the Broncos spent a 6th round pick (176th overall) on FB Andy Janovich out of Nebraska. The Broncos targeted him in the draft because he brings flexibility to this team as both a fullback and special teams demon. Gary Kubiak spoke glowingly about Janovich following the draft, “I feel very fortunate to get this young man. He did a great job in Nebraska. He catches the ball well. He’s very physical and our special teams got so much better today.  It’s a direction we’d like to head a little more in and he’ll help us do that.”

It’s not as common of a position in the NFL, but there are about ten teams that currently utilize a fullback. When used effectively, it can add another dimension to the offensive game plan or, at a minimum, vastly improve a team’s running attack. Some of the current fullbacks in the league offer upside catching the ball out of the backfield as well as an option for short yardage hand-offs. Green Bay Packers FB John Kuhn has played for 11 seasons, scored 15 touchdowns and rushed for 61 first downs. Considering he only averages 1.3 touches per game and 18 attempts per season, he can be a valuable weapon when that offense needs to grind out tough yards. Meanwhile, Raiders FB Marcel Reece has greater value to his team as a receiver out of the backfield. Since 2010, he has 203 catches for 1,995 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Most Broncos fans will remember fondly #29 Howard Griffith when he helped Denver win two Super Bowls a little less than 20 years ago. He was a guest on The Drive Wednesday afternoon and seemed thrilled by the Broncos new commitment to the FB position. “Teams want to be able to control the line of scrimmage, they want to be able to run the ball,” said Griffith. “They try to use hybrid guys whether it’s H-Backs or Tight Ends and you try to move them into the backfield but they still never really quite get what they need out of it.”

Griffith is right as often times, because of roster restrictions on game day, teams are forced to use players that offer position versatility in order to be active for that game. For example, when the Broncos had Spencer Larsen on this team, he offered the position flexibility of being both a fullback and a linebacker. It’s rare that a player is available to play offense or defense but, like in James Casey’s case, if he can play fullback or tight end, he offers significantly more value to a team’s roster than a dedicated FB if only used in specialty offensive packages. Still, the underlying point here is that trying to use hybrid players to fill a specific need for the team can sometimes lead to diminished results if that player is not built for the additional role he is being asked to play.

Howard Griffith points out that his vision as a running back helped him identify lanes to block for Terrell Davis, leading to some of the most successful rushing seasons in Broncos history. “It’s one of those positions that if you can utilize your skills as a ball carrier, trying to read defenses and understand where they are slanting and going, it gives you a leg up,” said Griffith. “I could blow guys up when I needed to, but really it was about being finesse and understanding where you need to go and where Terrell [Davis] was trying to go and what we were trying to do as far as down-and-distance was concerned.”

During the 1997 and 1998 seasons when the Broncos won Super Bowls 32 and 33, Denver averaged 523 attempts for 2,423 yards, 22 touchdowns and 4.6 ypa (yards per attempt) on the ground. The consistency of the rushing attack is what finally gave John Elway the championships he had striven for since beginning his career in Denver in 1983. “It’s interesting that Kubiak is going back to that and trying to get it implemented,” said Howard Griffith on the Broncos new-found focus on the fullback. “I think if he can, it will really help the development of his quarterback.”

If the use of a dedicated fullback can improve the Broncos 17th ranked rushing attack from last season, it will clearly be a welcomed change. Improvement in the run will help the quarterback position and, more importantly, help the Broncos defense stay fresh and off the field while the offense controls time of possession. The hope this year is that the Broncos don’t abandon this new focus, like they did last year, either due to ineffectiveness or possible injury. Denver was the 16th ranked offense in the NFL last year. The fullback will be one of many options on the table to improve the Broncos offensive proficiency this season.

Ryan Edwards

@ryanedwards1043

TOP PHOTO CREDIT: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports