When you watch a Kansas City Chiefs game this season there is one position you might not see them using.
A fullback.
The Chiefs allowed last year’s fullback, Michael Burton, to sign with the Denver Broncos in free agency this offseason and have not brought in anybody to replace him. That is probably the way it is going to stay according to head coach Andy Reid.
Reid explained it this week via the Kansas City Star.
“The tight ends can work into that spot,” Reid said Wednesday following his team’s OTAs practice. “We know Noah (Gray) can do all of that, and that’s kind of where we went with it. We’ve got a number of tight ends that we feel comfortable with, so maybe you keep an extra tight end as opposed to that fullback.”
Adding to Reid’s point, football has shifted away from a power running game over the past 10-15 years with teams putting more of a premium on playmaking in the passing game.
They want more wide receivers and tight ends on the field to create matchup problems to make plays through the air.
But there is potentially an additional layer to it this season.
The new kickoff rule that is going to allow for teams to get position of the ball at the 25-yard line after a fair catch is also going to cut into fullbacks having an opportunity to make rosters as special teams players.
Fewer kickoff returns means less value for players that can excel in that role, and kick coverage and kick return teams were traditionally spots where fullbacks could play their way onto the roster.
All of those factors adding up has made the fullback a thing of the past.
So much so that the Chiefs, the league’s best team, might not even use one at all this season.
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Recap
“Why the Chiefs Won’t Utilize Any Players In This Position: Andy Reid Provides Explanation”
The Kansas City Chiefs may not be using a fullback in the upcoming season. The team did not replace Michael Burton, last year’s fullback, who signed with the Denver Broncos as a free agent. Head coach Andy Reid said they “know Noah (Gray) can do all of that” and that they have “got a number of tight ends that we feel comfortable with, so maybe you keep an extra tight end as opposed to that fullback.” The shift away from power running games, where fullbacks are often used, and the new kickoff rule allowing position of the ball at the 25-yard line, reducing the need for special team players, have made the fullback a thing of the past.
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