There in lies the problem. Cabinda drops as many as he catches.
Maybe there will be a FB available later in the draft?
Maybe coach sees something I don’t, but, between availability and drops, I don’t know. I might keep him at vet minimum, if we can’t come up with a better option.
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A big guy who doesn’t have natural hands isn’t something a team is forced to live with. There are so many guys out there that can catch, we just don’t know about it because that’s not the role they play on Saturday’s or Sunday’s. Go to any college campus and watch the football players play basketball. You would be shocked at how good a few of the big guys are with the ball. Marry up the film with that ball skills on the court and you’ve found your guy.
It’s why I posted the article on Josh Whyle. If anyone bothers to read it he was a TE first who Cincinnati had playing FB and TE this season. Line him up in the backfield and have him drop down into a 12 position, or vice versa. Cabinda was zero threat to catch the ball when he played, which wasn’t that much because of injury anyway.
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I think that unless you are utilizing the FB position on more a couple plays per series, this is the perfect opportunity to bring back the 2 way player. Get one of your smart reserve linebackers to learn the playbook and stick him in there. C’mon, who in here wouldn’t have like to seen Derrick Barnes or Anthony Pittman bowl over a couple of lineman?
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Idk dude seems to help our running game and ST
How is that a wasted roster spot?
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The 30 Best NFL Fullbacks Of 2023, Ranked (ranker.com)
seems are few of the successful teams use a FB …
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Yea, he’s not a true special teams ace, but he does play quite a bit, plus he gives us the full back option on offense.
I can’t see a reason to cut him and would be really shocked if he was cut.
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Right. For that matter, couldn’t Zylstra do what Cabinda does for half the money? I like the way Zylstra trucked Davonte Wyatt on JWill’s game-clinching TD at Green Bay. And Zylstra can catch.
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Zylstra is like a WR, no way he can run block like that.
Special Teams guys make 2 mil per year.
Cabinda makes 2 mil per year.
And he plays offense in some packages too…and seems to do well.
Besides that, seems like Campbell and Staff love him.
Why all the negativity here?
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Me, because unless they are a threat in the passing game they aren’t playing the position. We were using Nelson as a TE and same thing, he was no threat to catch the ball.
He makes $2.5 and can’t play the position. We save $2 million if we move on. IF he were a threat to catch a pass, different conversation. He isn’t.
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I’d rather have a FB that can lead block. Pass block. And play ST.
2.5 is fair for that role.
Don’t need a FB just for a play action in the flat play.
If we do, let our genious boy wonder Ben design up Sewell in the flat LOL
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I would certainly think about it if I were a smart fringe player. Looking at the salaries coaches are getting these days it would be appealing. I save wear and tear on my body and set myself up for a career in the game I love. It would be a difficult decision and a hard road. Having an in or a leg up would make the decision easier. Just look at shepherd. He could have probably bounced around the league a few more years making minimum wage for vets. Now he’s a position coach in the nfl and on a career track to become a dc one day. Or he could just coach linebackers around the league for the next 10-20 years.
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He is the best already, IMO. Maybe our next TE coach can squeeze some adequate run blocking out of him because that was his weakest link this year. You’d think Mitchell would take a big jump in all areas next season. We’ll see.
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My question is really more about upgrading the offense than it is about Cabinda. The roster is limited to a specific number. We already require a K, P and LS as specialist. When you have a FB position that is very limited you are taking up a valuable roster spot in terms or offensive ingenuity and dollars. We have a staff that is both capable and willing to utilize player skill sets wherever they can. Having 20 - 25 plays in the playbook for a FB position that you can use in specific situations is extremely valuable. Having the best athlete to handle those plays is important. If you can get those plays out of a TE on the roster who is a more gifted athlete why would you not do that. Teams that play us have to worry about Penei catching a pass. Just having to consider that gives us an advantage. Now imagine having to worry about a position that makes 2 or 3 plays a game because we have plays designed off other plays that utilize that position. I just think it makes our offense that much more unpredictable and more difficult to stop. I don’t hate Cabinda - I just think we can expand our offense further by tweaking the roster spot.
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And I can get that in the 6th round for under a mil. To somebody who might be able to catch.
It is possible yes.
But with the success we had with 2 6th round picks in 2022…
Why waste them two 6th round picks in 2023 on a fullback that can catch?
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Only would take one of those picks (quite possibly an undrafted guy if all I want is a blocking FB) And that 1.5M savings may be the EXTRA amount that I need to get a FA who can really help.
Jman I don’t hate Cabinda, but he is just another guy. Nothing special. There are a ton of LBers who won’t get drafted that like to hit people on the move that could be turned into a solid “meat head” lead blocker.
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I think between being asked to go from LB to FB and not getting activated until mid November from his injury…. They may give him another shot….
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How did Cabinda grade out on Special Teams with PFF?
He sure doesn’t seem to offer much on Offense so I’m guessing he has some sort of value there.