The Los Angeles Chargers will implement a fullback at times this season and it seems that, at least for now, when they do, it will feature a player who has never even played offense in the NFL.
Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh is an old-school coach who is unafraid to think outside the box. This offseason, the team signed former Baltimore Ravens fullback Ben Mason but in training camp, offensive lineman Jordan McFadden was placed in that role for some snaps.
Jordan McFadden the FULLBACK pic.twitter.com/7wWq9vKXcI
— 🎬Director (@TheDirector_YT) July 26, 2024
It seems that the team has been preparing for some quirkiness at fullback, but when the most recent depth chart was released, defensive lineman Scott Matlock was listed in that position. Wait, what? It seems a legitimate change, as Matlock has changed his jersey from number 99 to number 44.
Scott Matlock... the fullback?
Matlock was drafted in the sixth round of last year's draft out of Boise State. He was a bubble player entering training camp but Harbaugh identified him as a player he liked early. Now, it seems he is going to use him as a two-way player, which he intimated to Omar Navarro of the team's official website.
"I expect him to play two ways … three ways, because he's going to play special teams, too. He's going to play defense, he's one of our top defensive linemen. Starting fullback. And then he's starting on a couple phases in the kicking game, too."
Matlock is up for the challenge, discussing his love for the game.
"It's a true statement: the more you can do, the more value you add to the team. For me, I just love playing football and football is fun."
It will be interesting to see how many offensive snaps Matlock takes in Week 1 against the Las Vegas Raiders and how this situation develops throughout the season.
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