Nasdaq wrote:

The pendulum always swings but right now FBs, all FBs, are the long snappers of the offense. They are specialists who need to do one thing well & are part time players. Vickers, Clutts, Maricec; really who gives a ****?

So why you think Heckert spent a 4th on this position? Serious question, not being dickish.

Theory would say Heckert thought a versatile, pass catching FB was somewhat important to what the offense was trying to become. Perhaps Weeden changed the dynamic, but Marecic didn't make McCoy better, so why hold and pay him if FBs are plenitiful at Marc's?

Gameface64 wrote:

Nasdaq wrote:

The pendulum always swings but right now FBs, all FBs, are the long snappers of the offense. They are specialists who need to do one thing well & are part time players. Vickers, Clutts, Maricec; really who gives a ****?

So why you think Heckert spent a 4th on this position? Serious question, not being dickish.

Theory would say Heckert thought a versatile, pass catching FB was somewhat important to what the offense was trying to become. Perhaps Weeden changed the dynamic, but Marecic didn't make McCoy better, so why hold and pay him if FBs are plenitiful at Marc's?

I have no F'n idea.

Pro football reference's db  is apparently jacked up from 2009 - 2011 and they are missing. But not many of these guys are even drafted anymore:


http://www.pro-football-refere...FB-1980-now.htm


The days of taking Tommy Vardell, Marc Edwards & Mike Alstott on day one are gone.

Long snappers

Gameface64 wrote:

So why you think Heckert spent a 4th on this position?

The answer is standard deviation. Marecic was considered the top FB in the draft. If we hit on this pick, not only have we upgraded a position, but we may have ended up with one of the top FBs in the league. You can't say that about many positions in the 4th round.

Problem is, Marecic's strengths in college didn't translate to leveraged skills in the pros.  So versatile he can play linebacker in college, but too slow to do it in the NFL. His smarts up his game in college, but basically gave him a low ceiling in the pros because he can't out-think his peers due to vastly superior preparation/reps at the NFL level.

My take is that the Browns braintrust believes that fullback is much more about execution than it is about superior athletic skills. Problem is, Marecic's athletic skill simply falls below the threshold of basic utility.

Benbenbenbenben wrote:

Gameface64 wrote:

So why you think Heckert spent a 4th on this position?

The answer is standard deviation. Marecic was considered the top FB in the draft. If we hit on this pick, not only have we upgraded a position, but we may have ended up with one of the top FBs in the league. You can't say that about many positions in the 4th round.

Problem is, Marecic's strengths in college didn't translate to leveraged skills in the pros.  So versatile he can play linebacker in college, but too slow to do it in the NFL. His smarts up his game in college, but basically gave him a low ceiling in the pros because he can't out-think his peers due to vastly superior preparation/reps at the NFL level.

My take is that the Browns braintrust believes that fullback is much more about execution than it is about superior athletic skills. Problem is, Marecic's athletic skill simply falls below the threshold of basic utility.

Ben mulitplied,

Yah agree, but the whole thing makes me wonder about the eyeball test. It was obvious to an amateur like me in the 1st preseason game last year that Marecic was slow, soft and not very good at opening holes. Way more than simply an issue of speed.

You'd think he got drafted off a stat sheet and no one actually worked him out.