The Bills signed a Fat Back (Full back) named Jerome Felton. To dish the dirt on him, we have Eric Thompson, Lead Writer for Daily Norseman (www.dailynorseman.com). Enjoy and tell a friend.
1) What are the pros and cons to Jerome Felton’s game?
Jerome Felton is still one of the best blocking fullbacks in the league. He rarely misses an assignment or lets his man get to the ball carrier. He’s exactly what you want in a power-run blocker. I wouldn’t say pass blocking is a huge con for Felton, but it definitely pales in comparison to his run blocking. He also won’t worry you too much with the ball in his hands either as a runner or catching out of the backfield–mostly because he rarely touches the ball in the first place.
2) How big of an impact did he have on AP rushing the football over the years?
Felton was an integral part of Peterson’s near record-breaking 2012 season. Was he the main reason that AP went over 2,000 yards? No, but Felton’s blocking helped propel Peterson to such rarefied heights. Felton and Peterson had a solid rapport in the backfield even though Peterson said he preferred running out of a single-back set before Felton arrived. Jerome was also one of AP’s most vocal proponents throughout his troubles last season.
3) What was his best types of blocks? Isos I know he did well, but how were his wham (trap) or blast (wide runs)?
Felton did most of his best work between the tackles in more of the classic fullback iso assignments. He is certainly capable of getting out to the edge and blocking for runs out wide, but he wasn’t utilized in that role much during his tenure with Minnesota. When Norv Turner arrived in Minnesota with his zone blocking schemes it signaled the beginning of the end for Felton with the Vikings. Not because Felton couldn’t excel in the new blocking schemes, but because Turner preferred personnel sets that didn’t include a fullback. After the aforementioned 2012 season where Felton saw 421 snaps and 304 snaps in his suspension-shortened 2013 season, he only got 175 snaps in 2014 even though he was healthy all year. But if Rex Ryan employs the power running attack he utilized in New York, Felton will fit in just fine in Buffalo.
4) Is he the type of FB who can catch a screen pass?
He can but it definitely hasn’t happened much throughout his career. Felton had all of nine receptions in three seasons with Minnesota and exactly zero in 2014. The Bills would be smart to let Felton continue to do what he does best–block dudes. Don’t get too cute with it.
5) How often was he used in the flat/wheel routes?
Here was the only flat/wheel route he ran in 2014 where he was thrown to. It didn’t turn out so well. Again, the passing game isn’t his strong suit.
6) Anything else worth adding?
If you haven’t gathered already, the Bills are getting one hell of a run blocker in Jerome Felton. He’s tough, he’s a hard worker, and he has been genuine and honest in all of his interactions with the media throughout his time in Minnesota. I hope Rex will find a way to put Felton on the field more than he saw in 2014–if so, I think you’ll enjoy him as much as I did while he was with the Vikings.
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