Leader Posted May 28, 2018 Share Posted May 28, 2018 42 minutes ago, Ragnar Danneskjold said: I believe that Ripkowski's fate will be determined by how he and Kerridge perform in camp. If I recall correctly, McCarthy hasn't gone without a fullback yet, even when he has kept more tight ends. Bringing Philbin back likely won't change that philosophy since they made such good use of the fullback in Philbin's time here. With Ripkowski's knowledge of the pass protection schemes, and being a reasonably productive runner when his number is called, he will be hard to displace if he is healthy. I don't see any TE/H-backs on the roster that are a reasonable replacement for him at this point. I dont know anything about RIPs snap counts on offense, but here's his production for the last two years: 2016 - 34 attempts for 150yds for 2TDs & 10 first downs. 2017 - 5 attempts for 13yds for 0 TDs & 0 first downs. I have to imagine he's on just about every Special Teams unit there is. Clearly that offensive production can be replaced by someone else - but in addition, it could be a roster spot used to park / protect someone who we'd lose to another team if we try to sneak them on to the PS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragnar Danneskjold Posted May 28, 2018 Share Posted May 28, 2018 1 hour ago, Leader said: I dont know anything about RIPs snap counts on offense, but here's his production for the last two years: 2016 - 34 attempts for 150yds for 2TDs & 10 first downs. 2017 - 5 attempts for 13yds for 0 TDs & 0 first downs. I have to imagine he's on just about every Special Teams unit there is. Clearly that offensive production can be replaced by someone else - but in addition, it could be a roster spot used to park / protect someone who we'd lose to another team if we try to sneak them on to the PS. Ripkowski's primary role is as a blocker, just as is was for Kuhn. What I was referencing with running was what he did when given the ball to run it. It doesn't occur often, but in situational use he has been effective. Like I said, I don't see any of the possible TE/H-backs as providing as much in either of those areas. We will see what happens, but given the way we have used our fullback, I feel the position is more than just a spot that could be used to park a guy. The decision to have a fullback, one that not all teams make, is a fundamental strategic/scheme decision, and I don't see a team changing that to accommodate a bottom of the roster guy. You may be right, with McCarthy re-doing the playbook maybe he drops the fullback. I just don't see it that way at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacReady Posted May 28, 2018 Share Posted May 28, 2018 Any chance fullback was more of a Thompson thing than a McCarthy thing? I doubt McCarthy was pounding on Thompson's door demanding we keep three fullbacks in 2009 and 2010. Quinn Johnson had 5 career catches, 0 rushes. Korey Hall had 6 total receptions, 0 carries the two years we kept three fullbacks. It's not like McCarthy is using fullbacks a whole hell of a lot except for pass protection. I would be mildly surprised if Ripkowski wasn't on the roster, but not shocked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leader Posted May 28, 2018 Share Posted May 28, 2018 The last installment into this equation (for me) would be how many snaps RIP actually got on offense. If his snap count was significantly less in 2017 than 2016 - then there was some other reason he wasnt getting field time - and - if those conditions or circumstances repeat themselves this year - we may want to consider hanging on to somebody who'd be eagerly snagged off our PS for OUR future development. (Make no mistake....I'm a one trick pony - so when I mention these "lets not lose them" folks - I'm thinking WR. That is of course, if they show something in TC/PreSeason) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragnar Danneskjold Posted May 28, 2018 Share Posted May 28, 2018 4 minutes ago, HorizontoZenith said: Any chance fullback was more of a Thompson thing than a McCarthy thing? I doubt McCarthy was pounding on Thompson's door demanding we keep three fullbacks in 2009 and 2010. Quinn Johnson had 5 career catches, 0 rushes. Korey Hall had 6 total receptions, 0 carries the two years we kept three fullbacks. It's not like McCarthy is using fullbacks a whole hell of a lot except for pass protection. I would be mildly surprised if Ripkowski wasn't on the roster, but not shocked. Possible I suppose. I would think that some of those decisions were based on which of the bottom of the roster guys were more valuable on special teams. It seems to me that the tight end and fullback body types provide big bodies that can run reasonably well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragnar Danneskjold Posted May 28, 2018 Share Posted May 28, 2018 5 minutes ago, Leader said: The last installment into this equation (for me) would be how many snaps RIP actually got on offense. If his snap count was significantly less in 2017 than 2016 - then there was some other reason he wasnt getting field time - and - if those conditions or circumstances repeat themselves this year - we may want to consider hanging on to somebody who'd be eagerly snagged off our PS for OUR future development. (Make no mistake....I'm a one trick pony - so when I mention these "lets not lose them" folks - I'm thinking WR. That is of course, if they show something in TC/PreSeason) Hard for me to make out much from the snap counts: Per profootball reference, last year Rip had 17.1% of offensive snaps, about 26% the year before. Kuhn had 26% in 2015, and 18% in 2014. No identifiable trend there. Rip played a significantly higher percentage of special teams snaps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leader Posted May 28, 2018 Share Posted May 28, 2018 15 minutes ago, Ragnar Danneskjold said: Hard for me to make out much from the snap counts: Per profootball reference, last year Rip had 17.1% of offensive snaps, about 26% the year before. Kuhn had 26% in 2015, and 18% in 2014. No identifiable trend there. Rip played a significantly higher percentage of special teams snaps. Thats what I was thinking - he's primarily a ST animal - used on offense when specific down/distance mandates - except for last year. It wasnt necessary as often last year. Could that have been because of the imponderable Hundley factor? (We could attribute all sorts of "maybes" to Hundley being around) Or that his offensive snaps were used up by our stable of RBs who were healthier (on the overall) than Lacy/Starks had been? If its the latter - and RIPs worth has been winnowed down to STs primarily - then I think his hold on a roster spot becomes more tenuous (and rather than putting EQ on the PS..............) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBURGE Posted May 28, 2018 Share Posted May 28, 2018 Aaron Rodgers has been vocal that on 3rd down the guy he wants beside him is Rip. That's why he has had a roster spot the last 2 years, just like Kuhn. Nothing else imo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leader Posted May 28, 2018 Share Posted May 28, 2018 2 minutes ago, JBURGE25 said: Aaron Rodgers has been vocal that on 3rd down the guy he wants beside him is Rip. That's why he has had a roster spot the last 2 years, just like Kuhn. Nothing else imo So - based on that, in a reverse sorta-way - it was the Hundley factor that accounted for his reduced role in 2017. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragnar Danneskjold Posted May 28, 2018 Share Posted May 28, 2018 8 minutes ago, Leader said: Thats what I was thinking - he's primarily a ST animal - used on offense when specific down/distance mandates - except for last year. It wasnt necessary as often last year. Could that have been because of the imponderable Hundley factor? (We could attribute all sorts of "maybes" to Hundley being around) Or that his offensive snaps were used up by our stable of RBs who were healthier (on the overall) than Lacy/Starks had been? If its the latter - and RIPs worth has been winnowed down to STs primarily - then I think his hold on a roster spot becomes more tenuous (and rather than putting EQ on the PS..............) I chalked last year, as with a lot of things, to the Hundley factor. Hard to really judge an offense when the QB is struggling to execute it effectively and they are frequently in unfavorable down and distance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBURGE Posted May 28, 2018 Share Posted May 28, 2018 4 minutes ago, Leader said: 7 minutes ago, JBURGE25 said: Aaron Rodgers has been vocal that on 3rd down the guy he wants beside him is Rip. That's why he has had a roster spot the last 2 years, just like Kuhn. Nothing else imo So - based on that, in a reverse sorta-way - it was the Hundley factor that accounted for his reduced role in 2017. Maybe. Probably. I'm certainly not going to go back and watch Hundley again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leader Posted May 28, 2018 Share Posted May 28, 2018 1 hour ago, JBURGE25 said: Maybe. Probably. I'm certainly not going to go back and watch Hundley again Sound thinking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golfman Posted May 28, 2018 Share Posted May 28, 2018 Didn't Aaron Rodgers also become pretty vocal about wanting Jordy back in 2018 too? I think the point is, no one really cares what he thinks/wants, nor should they. He's a player and players play, coaches coach and GM's decide the make up of the team. I've been an advocate of no FB for several years. Nothing against RIP, but we're a pass first team and a roster spot could be kept for a more valuable position player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighCalebR Posted May 28, 2018 Share Posted May 28, 2018 The yearly yearning to cut the FB. How's that working out for the Lions? How many really successful teams aren't rostering FB's? The Eagles and Rams? That's not Macs offense. More valuable position player... The 7th WR isn't more valuable. Chris Odom isn't more valuable than Rip. Robert Tonyan.. not more valuable. Devante Mays? Not unless he takes on way more responsibilities. I'll put mad money down says we have a FB rostered at least until Mac is gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacReady Posted May 28, 2018 Share Posted May 28, 2018 I don't mind keeping a fullback, I'm just not so sure I'm crazy about Ripkowski. It's like... If you're a passing team, I think if you're going to have a fullback, that fullback should be more about power than finesse. I know that doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but if you're a passing team like we are, you're typically going to struggle on third/fourth and short just like we do. It would make sense to have a power type fullback who can get that one yard. Ripkowski can't. I don't think that's just bad perception on my part either, I think there are numbers to back that up. We have absolutely sucked on 3rd/4th and short for a very long time, and if our running backs can't get it done, maybe a better run blocking fullback could help us get there. Ripkowski had one impressive pass catch and run in his rookie year that made me think he had a little beast mode in him, but I haven't really seen much at all from him in that department since that one catch in his rookie year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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