It’s been a long time since the stands of Lambeau Field echoed with the cacophony of “KUUUHHNNN.” In short-yardage situations and goal-line situations, John Kuhn was always an option to carry the rock. Kuhn played almost 10 seasons in Green Bay and was a fan favorite. But Kuhn and others in his position are a dying breed in the NFL. The Packers have not had a fullback on their roster since Danny Vitale in 2019.
Though the glory days of the fullback have faded in the NFL, a few teams still deploy one. The Minnesota Vikings have a pretty good one in C.J. Ham. The San Francisco 49ers have an All-Pro in Kyle Juszczyk. The Baltimore Ravens have Patrick Ricard, and the Pittsburgh Steelers have Derek Watt. But over two-thirds of the NFL does not employ a fullback.
Despite this trend, both at home and league wide, a fullback is making noise this year in the Packers’ training camp.
Henry Pearson is 6’2”, 250 lbs., played five seasons at Appalachian State, and started all 12 games at tight end last season. He finished the season with a second-team All-Sun Belt honor. Pearson also finished second in the league in receptions and yards. Those numbers were great for the Sun Belt, but the former Mountaineer still only hauled in 25 passes for 329 yards.
These numbers were good enough for the Packers, and Pearson has been operating as a fullback so far in training camp. While he may have been an afterthought for most, he’s been getting some looks with the first-team offense.
Matt LaFleur liked to use Josiah Deguara as a fullback. Below you can see Deguara working with Pearson in some blocking drills from the backfield.
While Deguara has been out, Pearson has been working alone as the lone true fullback on the roster.
Pearson has been in the starting lineup when the Packers have been in I-Formation. For context, “I-Formation” is when the fullback and halfback are lined up directly behind the quarterback in a line. Additionally, there will be a tight end on one side of the line and two receivers, one on each side.
Below is a typical I-Formation:
The Packers lined up in I-Formation only 2% of the time last season. That number may seem small, and it is in the bottom half of the league. There were a handful of teams that did not do it all, though. Maybe with the lack of a player who can fill that fullback role, LaFleur was hesitant to run it more.
Green Bay did not use the I-Formation or two running back, one tight end, and two receiver formation as much as they could have. But when they did, they were very effective. They had a play success rate (four yards or more) of 59%, third-best in the league.
While Pearson could be an effective blocker and scheme fit for the Packers, does it make sense to add him to the roster?
Pearson would have to fit into one of two categories: at tight end and at running back. As far as the running back position goes, we all know the two locks are going to be Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon. Tyler Goodson and Patrick Taylor are in a fight to get that third running back spot on the roster if the Packers decide to keep three backs.
Last year, the Packers only kept two backs on the initial 53-man roster. The year before they kept three, and in 2020 they kept four. So there is not really a clear trend for how many running backs the Packers will roster. In 2020, Green Bay kept Tyler Ervin as a gadget guy who could contribute to special teams. They don’t have a need for that out of the running back position this year.
If I had to predict, I’d say the Packers won’t keep four running backs. There is also a difficult path for Pearson to make it at tight end. The Packers already have four tight ends in whom they have invested a lot of time and or draft capital. Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave are rookies who are making noise at camp. Former third-round pick Josiah Deguara is a veteran and a leader in the tight end room. Tyler Davis has been on the roster for two seasons and has earned the trust of the coaches. And he Packers won’t keep more than four tight ends on the roster this year.
Though it will be an uphill battle for Pearson to make the team, he’s making the most of his reps and showing the coaches what he brings to the table. If Matt LaFleur decides Pearson is up to the task and can be a difference-maker on offense, Pearson could be the next iconic Green Bay fullback.
All stats and data via Sharp Football Stats unless otherwise noted.
