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Buffalo Bills Will Utilize Their Elite Fullback Corps

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Jerome Felton Buffalo Bills Fullback

Brace Hemmelgarn – USA TODAY Sports

One of the most overlooked positions in the modern NFL is the fullback position. Not every team carries a fullback anymore, as teams prefer to put more skilled players on each roster. After all, most fullbacks are primarily used for blocking, so why keep them when a team can just roster an extra offensive lineman? I for one, am a fan of the fullback, as they can add versatility to teams with powerful run games and they work well as lead blockers. I also believe that the team with the best group of fullbacks in the NFL is the Buffalo Bills.

The most notable fullback on the Bills’ roster is Jerome Felton. Felton played the last three seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, and he was the team’s starting fullback the year that Adrian Peterson almost broke the NFL single-season rushing record. Felton is a ferocious lead blocker, but he is also decent enough in the pass game to catch the ball. He has 43 catches during his nine-year career. Felton will have a major impact for the Bills if he is given a chance to start. The Bills offensive line is still a work in progress, so playing Felton on running plays would really give LeSean McCoy and the Bills’ ground game the extra help that they need to be successful.

The Bills also have two backup fullbacks who could be solid starters too. One of them is John Conner, who was one of Rex Ryan’s favorites when he coached the New York Jets. Conner is another strong blocking fullback, and he could probably open things up in the running game if given the opportunity to play.

The third fullback on the roster is a different type of player. MarQueis Gray was formerly a college quarterback. In the NFL, he has played both tight end and fullback, but he fits in best in an H-back role, which is pretty much a combination of the two positions. Gray could easily win a job on the Bills team to play both positions, and the fact that he is a hybrid player will bode well for him.

It’s unlikely that all three of the fullbacks will make the Bills’ team, but one thing is clear. The Bills will be utilizing a fullback during the 2015 season. Rex Ryan loves using fullbacks for his run offense, and he will continue to do so in Buffalo. LeSean McCoy will be glad to have some extra blocking help and it looks like the Bills will have a top notch run offense heading into the season.

Jacob Camenker is a Buffalo Bills Beat Writer for www.RantSports.com. You can “like” him on Facebook here, follow him on Twitter @jacobyhorse, or add him to your network on Google.

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