San Jose Bills Fan Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Heath Evans, Leonard Weaver or Terrelle Smith. All are free agents and all are among the top fullbacks in the league. 1 Greg Jones 70 2 Le'Ron McClain 69 3 Heath Evans 68 4 Ovie Mughelli 67 5 Justin Griffith 66 6 Leonard Weaver 66 7 Terrelle Smith 63 I like signing a veteran rather than drafting a rookie because there are excellent free agents available this year and you get a known quantity as opposed to projecting one. Also, fullbacks generally come pretty cheap. I like Weaver the best. He's an excellent blocker and has offensive skills that haven't been tapped yet (like LeRon McClain before last year). By signing Heath Evans, we'd also take away a cog in the Patriot's offense. Terrelle Smith is a killer blocker. Here's the scouting reports. They haven't been updated to reflect the 2008 season. All three had excellent seasons so their grades might be even higher than reflected: Leonard Weaver #43 FB 2008 STATS Birth Date September 23, 1982 Birth Place Cocoa, FL Height 6-0 Weight 242 lbs. Age 26 Position FB Experience 4 years College Carson-Newman ProfileStatsSplitsGame LogNewsScouting InsiderPhotos 2008 Scouting Report - Scouts Inc. Grade: 66 | Key Alert: None Comment: Weaver is massive and athletic for his size. A converted tight end drafted out of tiny Carson-Newman, he has adjusted quickly to a new position and a much higher level of play in just two NFL seasons. (He sat out 2006 because of an ankle injury.) Weaver still is learning how to block out of the backfield, but he delivers a good blow on iso blocks and has the power and bulk to follow up and sustain. He shows above-average run skills in the red zone. He has natural receiving tools that reflect his background at tight end. He still needs a lot of work on blitz pickups, tracking stunts and making the quick decision to seal off the corner on sweeps. Weaver still is extremely raw, but he acquitted himself nicely when veteran FB Mack Strong retired last season. He shows enough promise and athleticism to project as a good NFL starter. Heath Evans #44 FB Birth Date December 30, 1978 Birth Place West Palm Beach, FL Height 6-0 Weight 250 lbs. Age 30 Position FB Experience 8 years College Auburn ProfileStatsSplitsGame LogNewsScouting InsiderPhotos 2008 Scouting Report - Scouts Inc. Grade: 68 | Key Alert: None Comment: Evans is an eight-year veteran who is a good combination of size, strength and athleticism. He is a hard-nosed player who will square up on linebackers on isolation blocks or cutting defenders on perimeter schemes. He has good foot agility, balance and quickness to searchlight moving targets in space. He is used primarily as a run-blocker, but has decent foot agility, quickness and balance with the ball in his hands. He isn't a quick-footed runner to make effective inline cuts, but has power to move the pile on contact. He is limited as a receiver out of the backfield with just average hand dexterity. He doesn't adjust or pluck the ball away from his body well nor show much run after the catch ability in the open field. Terrelle Smith #45 FB Birth Date March 12, 1978 Birth Place West Covina, CA Height 6-0 Weight 250 lbs. Age 30 Pronounced Tuh-RELL Position FB Experience 9 years College Arizona State ProfileStatsSplitsGame LogNewsScouting InsiderPhotos 2008 Scouting Report - Scouts Inc. Grade: 63 | Key Alert: None Comment: Smith is a blocking fullback who knows his role is to block, as opposed to carrying the ball and is willing to do whatever it takes to help the team. He is a powerful blocker who hits with authority and punch. He excels in the lead kick-out block off tackle. He tends to struggle when he has to adjust and change directions on the move to make a block, but can blow up most linebackers when he is able to get a good bead on them. He does a good job of picking up the blitz in pass pro, will stick his nose into the block and hit squarely. He has struggled to stay healthy but, he brings an attitude to his game. He is the kind of blocking fullback hard-nosed running teams like. I like Weaver the best. He is a strong blocker and has skills a la LeRon McClain. The Seahawks drafted Owen Schmitt so they might not make an attempt to sign Weaver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magox Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Heath Evans, Leonard Weaver or Terrelle Smith. All are free agents and all are among the top fullbacks in the league. 1 Greg Jones 70 2 Le'Ron McClain 69 3 Heath Evans 68 4 Ovie Mughelli 67 5 Justin Griffith 66 6 Leonard Weaver 66 7 Terrelle Smith 63 I like signing a veteran rather than drafting a rookie because there are excellent free agents available this year and you get a known quantity as opposed to projecting one. Also, fullbacks generally come pretty cheap. I like Weaver the best. He's an excellent blocker and has offensive skills that haven't been tapped yet (like LeRon McClain before last year). By signing Heath Evans, we'd also take away a cog in the Patriot's offense. Terrelle Smith is a killer blocker. Here's the scouting reports. They haven't been updated to reflect the 2008 season. All three had excellent seasons so their grades might be even higher than reflected: Leonard Weaver #43 FB 2008 STATS Birth Date September 23, 1982 Birth Place Cocoa, FL Height 6-0 Weight 242 lbs. Age 26 Position FB Experience 4 years College Carson-Newman ProfileStatsSplitsGame LogNewsScouting InsiderPhotos 2008 Scouting Report - Scouts Inc. Grade: 66 | Key Alert: None Comment: Weaver is massive and athletic for his size. A converted tight end drafted out of tiny Carson-Newman, he has adjusted quickly to a new position and a much higher level of play in just two NFL seasons. (He sat out 2006 because of an ankle injury.) Weaver still is learning how to block out of the backfield, but he delivers a good blow on iso blocks and has the power and bulk to follow up and sustain. He shows above-average run skills in the red zone. He has natural receiving tools that reflect his background at tight end. He still needs a lot of work on blitz pickups, tracking stunts and making the quick decision to seal off the corner on sweeps. Weaver still is extremely raw, but he acquitted himself nicely when veteran FB Mack Strong retired last season. He shows enough promise and athleticism to project as a good NFL starter. Heath Evans #44 FB Birth Date December 30, 1978 Birth Place West Palm Beach, FL Height 6-0 Weight 250 lbs. Age 30 Position FB Experience 8 years College Auburn ProfileStatsSplitsGame LogNewsScouting InsiderPhotos 2008 Scouting Report - Scouts Inc. Grade: 68 | Key Alert: None Comment: Evans is an eight-year veteran who is a good combination of size, strength and athleticism. He is a hard-nosed player who will square up on linebackers on isolation blocks or cutting defenders on perimeter schemes. He has good foot agility, balance and quickness to searchlight moving targets in space. He is used primarily as a run-blocker, but has decent foot agility, quickness and balance with the ball in his hands. He isn't a quick-footed runner to make effective inline cuts, but has power to move the pile on contact. He is limited as a receiver out of the backfield with just average hand dexterity. He doesn't adjust or pluck the ball away from his body well nor show much run after the catch ability in the open field. Terrelle Smith #45 FB Birth Date March 12, 1978 Birth Place West Covina, CA Height 6-0 Weight 250 lbs. Age 30 Pronounced Tuh-RELL Position FB Experience 9 years College Arizona State ProfileStatsSplitsGame LogNewsScouting InsiderPhotos 2008 Scouting Report - Scouts Inc. Grade: 63 | Key Alert: None Comment: Smith is a blocking fullback who knows his role is to block, as opposed to carrying the ball and is willing to do whatever it takes to help the team. He is a powerful blocker who hits with authority and punch. He excels in the lead kick-out block off tackle. He tends to struggle when he has to adjust and change directions on the move to make a block, but can blow up most linebackers when he is able to get a good bead on them. He does a good job of picking up the blitz in pass pro, will stick his nose into the block and hit squarely. He has struggled to stay healthy but, he brings an attitude to his game. He is the kind of blocking fullback hard-nosed running teams like. I like Weaver the best. He is a strong blocker and has skills a la LeRon McClain. The Seahawks drafted Owen Schmitt so they might not make an attempt to sign Weaver. I wonder why Seattle drafted a FB if they had a decent prospect in Weaver. I liked the way Heath played last year, I wouldnt mind having him on our team Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turn Down For Watkins Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I would love to see Weaver at FB next year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numark Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Weaver or Evans would be great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miyagi-Do Karate Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 why bother? we don't know how to use a FB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanInSouthBuffalo Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 why bother? we don't know how to use a FB. Agreed. An overrated position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazedandConfused Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 I also would give up on getting a serviceable FB (we have not had one sense arguably Sam Gash but actually I would say since TD cut Larry Centers in a seeming warning shot to GW to stay out of TDs realm when GW announced publicly that Centers would remain a Bill as long as he wanted to and within days TD cut Centers and signed Gash. This whole thing struck me as rediculous since TD shouldn't had to sent such a warning shot as though GW was going to pull a Bill Cowher on TD). At any rate, I think the base Bill O look should be a 3WR set using Parrish as the slot guy. Parrish is a bit small for this role but has demonstrated time and again he does have the moxy to go over the middle when asked to do this. In order to truly go with 3 WRs the Bills will need to do a couple of doable things. 1. Acquire another quality WR this off-season either in the draft or in FA. Evans and Parrish have tons of speed. Its way too early to give up on Hardy and deem him a bust (you cannot teach tall and he should be useful in the redzone in any case and the braintrus needs to focus on his running good routes) but he did not produce sufficiently his rookie year and more competition would be good. Jackson on the other hand did have an impressive once he forced himself into the line-up and while not Hardy big he is a tall guy. Reed is a serviceable #3 and I would love to employ him as a #4 when we go empty backfield from our 3 WR base. 2. Make even better use of Pro Bowler Lynch and the surprising RB Jackson to make this squad an east coast version of the pass-happy Rams O. Sure it is a snowy place, but we have the RBs to run when we need to and if we acquire or use what we got in an H-Back role we can even load up without and FB when we have to. No one will ever mistake our RBs for Marshall Faulk but we should be able to make this work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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