Who is the Blocking TE?

[AbeBeta]

I suspect the waiver wire may afford us another blocking TE just as it might well prove helpful in eventually acquiring another safety and/or #3 receiver.

Very likely.

I expect Phillips gets the first shot at it. I've been unimpressed with him but hope that the lame "he was coming off ACL surgery - he'll be much better in 2012" arguments actually hold water. I see that as an unlikely excuse as he had a good year to recover but I hope I'm wrong.

We just might carry 4 TEs - especially since our #3 and lower WRs are nothing to write home about

 

[AbeBeta]

I have a strange feeling that Marty B won't even make the Giants' roster, and he'll be back with the Cowboys. Just a hunch.

I would love to see how this board melted down over that.

But I doubt it will happen as the Giants are super thin at TE

 

[Doomsday101]

Garrett loves the 2 TE set. Most teams prefer that over the old school FB alignment as you get a blocker who also can contribute in the passing game

Vickers is good lead blocker who gives you little in the passing game - that's just not a fit with most modern offenses. he's not going to displace a TE

Not in all situations but even Fiammetta when healthy was seeing a lot of snaps. I think part of not using FB much was we did not have a true FB that was one reason we brought Fiammetta in and a reason why Vickers has been brought in. I'm sure we will use 2 TE sets as well but I think we will see ample 2 back formations with Vickers leading the way.

 

[AbeBeta]

Not in all situations but even Fiammetta when healthy was seeing a lot of snaps. I think part of not using FB much was we did not have a true FB that was one reason we brought Fiammetta in and a reason why Vickers has been brought in. I'm sure we will use 2 TE sets as well but I think we will see ample 2 back formations with Vickers leading the way.

He played 10 games and had about 230 snaps - that's about a third of the snaps in those 10 games. I expect that a good chunk of those were in the Rams and Bills blowouts.

Bennett in comparison averaged about 500 snaps a year over the past three seasons. That's about half of the snaps each year.

So basically what we are seeing is that if we do use a FB, it is primarily in 1st down or obvious running situations - otherwise we like the double TE

 

[Doomsday101]

He played 10 games and had about 230 snaps - that's about a third of the snaps in those 10 games. I expect that a good chunk of those were in the Rams and Bills blowouts.

Bennett in comparison averaged about 500 snaps a year over the past three seasons. That's about half of the snaps each year.

So basically what we are seeing is that if we do use a FB, it is primarily in 1st down or obvious running situations - otherwise we like the double TE

And Bennett is not here now and Phillips is not a big time blocker nor any of the guys we picked up. I know we will use the 2 TE sets I will not be surprised to see a bit less than before. Garrett does like 2 TE he also has played in a system where FB and RB won championship. I don't think Garrett would have gone after Vickers without the intent of using him

 

[speedkilz88]

Yeah, I think without Bennett that we will see more sets with Vickers.

 

[AbeBeta]

And Bennett is not here now and Phillips is not a big time blocker nor any of the guys we picked up. I know we will use the 2 TE sets I will not be surprised to see a bit less than before. Garrett does like 2 TE he also has played in a system where FB and RB won championship. I don't think Garrett would have gone after Vickers without the intent of using him

Garrett played in FB system so he likes that approach?

That's like saying "you grew up with a rotary dial phone, you must like that sort of phone." The FB approach is pretty much a dinosaur offense.

I expect that we got Vickers to replace Fiametta's 20 or so snaps a game, nothing more. We were still pursuing Kellen Davis AFTER Vickers signed. That should tell you something

 

[HoosierCowboy]

is the blocking TE a must?

 

[AbeBeta]

is the blocking TE a must?

Over the past 3 years, about 2/3rds of Bennett's snaps (as our #2 TE) he spent blocking. That means we have a TE blocking on about a third of our total plays.

1/3 of our plays were designed to employ that 2nd guy as a blocker. Unless we totally revise our offensive plan then a blocking TE is really a must

 

[Doomsday101]

Garrett played in FB system so he likes that approach?

That's like saying "you grew up with a rotary dial phone, you must like that sort of phone." The FB approach is pretty much a dinosaur offense.

I expect that we got Vickers to replace Fiametta's 20 or so snaps a game, nothing more. We were still pursuing Kellen Davis AFTER Vickers signed. That should tell you something

Did we get Davis? NO

I'm not saying Garrett does not want to run a 2 TE set we may not run it as much this year as past we will see. Much of what you do is based on the personnel you have as a coach. Phillps has not shown he can play out of the H Back. In Vickers you have blocker who is capable of coming out of the back field as a receiver. Again not saying we will not use 2 TE but I have a feeling we may not use it as much without a big time blocker as we had in Bennett

 

[AbeBeta]

Did we get Davis? NO

I'm not saying Garrett does not want to run a 2 TE set we may not run it as much this year as past we will see. Much of what you do is based on the personnel you have as a coach. Phillps has not shown he can play out of the H Back. In Vickers you have blocker who is capable of coming out of the back field as a receiver. Again not saying we will not use 2 TE but I have a feeling we may not use it as much without a big time blocker as we had in Bennett

Yes, we didn't get Davis so we are going to repair that flux capacitor and run an ancient style offense.

 

[Doomsday101]

Yes, we didn't get Davis so we are going to repair that flux capacitor and run an ancient style offense.

Ancient? Others use 2 back sets as well. And when did 2 TE sets become new? There are very few new things just things brought back from the dead. Using a FB and RB can be just as effective as any other offense but like any offense it comes down to execution of the offense. As I said I think we will use 2 TE as much as we have in recent times? Maybe not in large part we have no true blocking TE and if the TE is not much of a blocker then all you have is a slow ars WR.

 

[AbeBeta]

Ancient? Others use 2 back sets as well. And when did 2 TE sets become new? There are very few new things just things brought back from the dead. Using a FB and RB can be just as effective as any other offense but like any offense it comes down to execution of the offense. As I said I think we will use 2 TE as much as we have in recent times? Maybe not in large part we have no true blocking TE and if the TE is not much of a blocker then all you have is a slow ars WR.

The FB set is nowhere near as popular as in the past. Primarily because there are very few athletic FBs who make a real contribution in the passing game.

The 2 TE set you used to see almost exclusively on running downs. Now most teams use it both for pass and run plays. Why? Lots of good athletes at that position who are more versatile than the one trick pony FB

 

[Verdict]

It is a shame we can't pluck Trey Millard off of the Sooners roster. He has the potential to make the NFL rethink the importance of the fullback position.

 

[Randy White]

the draft and FA signings are clues as to which direction they're going offensively.

They draft the fastest TE in the draft who's not an inline blocker. They don't sign, at least not yet, any experienced blocking TE in free agency instead opting for an experienced fullback who not only blocks but catches the ball well out of the backfield.

To me those actions initially tell me that when they line up in a two TE formation, they're going to use plays similar if not identical to what the Patriots use with that formation. When they're going to run the ball, they're going to run primarely out of the I and PRO formations, which, if I'm not mistaken, were the formations that produced the most yards on the ground last year.

They'll probably keep James Hanna as their 3rd TE on the roster because he not only can take Phillips' spot in an injury emergency ( if either Phillips or Jason get hurt ), but with his speed, he could contribute in special teams as well ( punt and kickoff coverage ). After him, more than likely, they'll keep Andrew Szczerba or George Bryan ( or both ) in the practice squad.

 

[HoosierCowboy]

Over the past 3 years, about 2/3rds of Bennett's snaps (as our #2 TE) he spent blocking. That means we have a TE blocking on about a third of our total plays.

1/3 of our plays were designed to employ that 2nd guy as a blocker. Unless we totally revise our offensive plan then a blocking TE is really a must

my point is, why not just line up a blocker--and the offense can be adjusted--we did not rely on the FB as a lead blocker until last year when we had one

 

[Doomsday101]

The FB set is nowhere near as popular as in the past. Primarily because there are very few athletic FBs who make a real contribution in the passing game.

The 2 TE set you used to see almost exclusively on running downs. Now most teams use it both for pass and run plays. Why? Lots of good athletes at that position who are more versatile than the one trick pony FB

Lets put it this way we produced when using the FB much more than a 2 TE set. I don't think Garrett is stupid to not see that production and the drop off of the production.


The run game was clearly better with Fiammetta cleaning up blocks; in his 10 appearances, the Cowboys averaged 130.4 yards per game and 5.1 yards per carry. Without him, they averaged 75.7 yards per game and 3.3 yards per carry.

My opinion we will see more FB used in the game. 1 because of how the offense produced in this formation and 2 because we don't have the blocking TE we had in Bennett. Phillips is not a blocking TE

 

[Woods]

Nagy played the position at times in college (blocking TE).

 

[Boys122]

Phillips is my choice, he was even when Bennett was here.

 

[Doomsday101]

Phillips is my choice, he was even when Bennett was here.

He is good with in the passing game he has not been a very good blocker. Putting him in the game and calling him a blocker does not make it so. He does have talent, not saying that only that but he does not have the same ability as Bennett. Vickers on the other hand is a true blocker who can come out of the back field and make plays in the passing game. Stats show with Fiammetta as FB Dallas running game was very effective without him not as much

with FB: averaged 130.4 yards per game and 5.1 yards per carry. Without FB, they averaged 75.7 yards per game and 3.3 yards per carry.

Not hard to figure out which gives us the best options.