Hunter Luepke - what am I missing?

He played in 21% of the offensive snaps last year; in 50% of the special team snaps; he’s been used in the short yardage situations; is a reliable outlet as a receiver, and as a pseudo tight end and lead blocker.

Watch a bunch of Javonte Williams touchdowns near the goal line and you’ll see Luepke lead blocking. And before someone says “Fergy or Spann could do that” you don’t want a 6’5” trying to dig an LB in the hole.

He’s a glue guy that every team needs. If folks don’t get it they just don’t understand football beyond highlight reels.
 
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heir said:
He is a full back and a core special teams guy who can play RB in a pinch of the others in front of him get hurt on game day. Coaches loves layers like this cause it's like getting 3 players in 1 on the game day roster.
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....that must be it, Jack of all trades serviceable Swiss knife.
 
By the way Luepke averaged 15 snaps per game on offense last season. He wasn't quite as underused as some think.

And since fullbacks are a dying breed in the NFL, I would assume even that number of plays is above average for his position.
 
I think if the TE spot was truly deep, along with the RB spot, then maybe his spot could be in jeopardy. But neither one is.
He can line up at RB, FB, and TE on offense.
Plays STs.
With our offense having CDL, Pickens, Flournoy etc, Ferg, and then Williams, Luepke will never be featured.
But if he can go out there for ~15 snaps a game and execute his role, then there's value there.

Jaydon Blue may of been more talented/faster, etc but he was also someone they couldn't trust.
Give me someone like Luepke, who adapts and plays where they ask him over a Blue 10 out of 10 times.
 
I totally get this point of view but I could argue the other side as well.

I like the guy but they just do not use him enough. That tells me either he is not great when they use him in practice, or their philosophy just does not support a player like Luepke. If that's the case, then why keep him? Roster spots are valuable as we saw from the players they cut.

On the other hand. Luepke plays special teams. He can catch the ball out of the backfield better than their other RBs. He can play some TE in a pinch. He can block in the running game, although I don't see him as an outstanding blocker.

If they had a TE who exceled out fo the backfield, and could block some in the running game, Luepke would be expendable, IMO. They obviously like him or they would not have signed him to a new contract last year (although I think that was Jerry pretending he was active in the offseason).

I think with a 53 man roster keeping niche players is inefficient. But the Cowboys do. They kept CJ Goodwin around for a long time. I think Turpin is a niche player too. Luepke is borderline niche.
 
I actually really like the player.
He's a throwback type, and yes, FBs are not featured much in today's game with a few exceptions like the Niners.
Hunter does a lot of important things for this team and he brings physicality. One legit critique of the Boys in the Jerry era is that they are Prima Donna's that lack physicality. Hunter brings some of that toughness.
Core ST player, and as someone else said, the back up long snapper. He can run the ball (I'd like to see him get more carries but it's a passing league so carries are in short supply.)
He is a solid receiver out of the backfield. He had 13 receptions last season. By comparison, our 2nd and 3rd team TEs (Schoon and Spann Ford), had 14 and 9 respectively. So he is an important outlet for Dak.
No one else does all that he does. The little things he does add up for me at least.
 
Creeper said:
I totally get this point of view but I could argue the other side as well.

I like the guy but they just do not use him enough. That tells me either he is not great when they use him in practice, or their philosophy just does not support a player like Luepke. If that's the case, then why keep him? Roster spots are valuable as we saw from the players they cut.

On the other hand. Luepke plays special teams. He can catch the ball out of the backfield better than their other RBs. He can play some TE in a pinch. He can block in the running game, although I don't see him as an outstanding blocker.

If they had a TE who exceled out fo the backfield, and could block some in the running game, Luepke would be expendable, IMO. They obviously like him or they would not have signed him to a new contract last year (although I think that was Jerry pretending he was active in the offseason).

I think with a 53 man roster keeping niche players is inefficient. But the Cowboys do. They kept CJ Goodwin around for a long time. I think Turpin is a niche player too. Luepke is borderline niche.
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One of the first comments Schotty made during the end of the year presser was that he regretted not getting Luepke involved in the offense more.
 
Reid1boys said:
The days of the Daryl Johnston fullback are over. I am NOT a hater of any player. So someone tell me what Hunter Luepke is so great at that his spot was assured from day 1 of camp? To my amateur eye, he seems like an avg guy you can get anywhere. He doesnt run the ball great(at least he hasnt been given any real chances). He blocks on 3rd downs? does he?

I just dont get it.So someone list his assets and what he brings to this team, besides being cheap.
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The Jones boys are smarter than you. That is all.
 
BoyzBlaster said:
Good questions. It's a sad commentary on how sensitive people here have become when you repeatedly have to clarify you aren't a "hater" just because you are asking some reasonable questions.
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I love the cowboys. I hate nobody on the team. But im all about the team. Amen a player leaves the Cowboys, I don't care about that player anymore than he casts about me.
 
CalPolyTechnique said:
He played in 21% of the offensive snaps last year; in 50% of the special team snaps; he’s been used in the short yardage situations; is a reliable outlet as a receiver, and as a pseudo tight end and lead blocker.

Watch a bunch of Javonte Williams touchdowns near the goal line and you’ll see Luepke lead blocking. And before someone says “Fergy or Spann could do that” you don’t want a 6’5” trying to dig an LB in the hole.

He’s a glue guy that every team needs. If folks don’t get it they just don’t understand football beyond highlight reels.
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He's not a fantasy football star, so he's useless to today's fans.
 
He’s tough

Plays smart

Good on special teams

Does the “dirty work”

Is always in the right spot

Can run the ball in a pinch

And catches the ball well


I do understand why fans ask why the team keeps him… but coaches love a lot of the things he brings to a team. They need utilitarian players like this more than people think.

At least that’s my take in general on this subject.
 
Reid1boys said:
The days of the Daryl Johnston fullback are over. I am NOT a hater of any player. So someone tell me what Hunter Luepke is so great at that his spot was assured from day 1 of camp? To my amateur eye, he seems like an avg guy you can get anywhere. He doesnt run the ball great(at least he hasnt been given any real chances). He blocks on 3rd downs? does he?

I just dont get it.So someone list his assets and what he brings to this team, besides being cheap.
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Joe Milton or Hunter Leupke...hmmmm....

Again, only a dumb franchise even entertains this comparison. The guy gets one more carry than a dead man per game...and yet...No-Schott likes him so he sticks.
 
AsthmaField said:
He’s tough

Plays smart

Good on special teams

Does the “dirty work”

Is always in the right spot

Can run the ball in a pinch

And catches the ball well


I do understand why fans ask why the team keeps him… but coaches love a lot of the things he brings to a team. They need utilitarian players like this more than people think.

At least that’s my take in general on this subject.
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None of that is true
 
CalPolyTechnique said:
One of the first comments Schotty made during the end of the year presser was that he regretted not getting Luepke involved in the offense more.
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We hear that every year and he still gets maybe 1 touch per game.
 
CalPolyTechnique said:
He played in 21% of the offensive snaps last year; in 50% of the special team snaps; he’s been used in the short yardage situations; is a reliable outlet as a receiver, and as a pseudo tight end and lead blocker.

Watch a bunch of Javonte Williams touchdowns near the goal line and you’ll see Luepke lead blocking. And before someone says “Fergy or Spann could do that” you don’t want a 6’5” trying to dig an LB in the hole.

He’s a glue guy that every team needs. If folks don’t get it they just don’t understand football beyond highlight reels.
Click to expand...
Well said.

The hate for Lupke is just weird.
 
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