Pittsburgh Steelers OL Kendrick Green has gotten a lot of work in at fullback during the team’s training camp, starting with its Friday Night Lights practice last week. During a media session after practice today, QB Kenny Pickett raved about Green’s athleticism for someone his size.
“He is freak athletic. I did not know he was that athletic. I mean, he tried to get tackled low the other day, he put his hand down and kept running. That’s not normal stuff for guys that are that big. So he’s an asset that I think we’re gonna look forward to using,” Pickett said via Post-Gazette Sports on YouTube.
Green has caught two balls so far in training camp, and also got a carry today. He’s also laid the wood on a few blocks while pulling as a fullback, and with that position somewhat unsettled, his versatility is only going to help him in his bid to make the roster. The expectation was that Connor Heyward, who worked primarily as a tight end last year would serve as Pittsburgh’s fullback following Derek Watt’s departure, but Green has impressed during his time at the position.
The big litmus test to the viability of Green at fullback will be what he can do in the team’s first preseason game on Friday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He’s earned the opportunity to see some snaps at the position, and if he can perform as well as he has in practice, the Steelers might have something there.
It’s clear that he’s impressed Pickett with his athleticism, something that was always evident but not something he could really harness as an offensive lineman with how much he struggled just at the point of attack. He’s still competing to be the team’s backup center, but positional versatility is one of the most valuable tools in the NFL. If Green can show he can work at center and as an occasional fullback, his odds of making the roster are going to skyrocket.
While Green is listed on the team website at 6-foot-4 and 315 pounds, I have my doubts that he’s really that big. But he would be bigger and stronger than a lot of fullbacks in the league, which certainly would help him gain leverage as his primary role would be a blocker. While it’s fun to see Green run the ball and catch passes, his main job would be blocking, something that should come natural to him as an offensive lineman during his collegiate and NFL career.
If nothing else, Green at fullback is an interesting experiment, one that could certainly make the Steelers a better team if it pans out. How he looks at fullback is one of the things I’m most excited to see on Friday night, and I’m hoping Green makes the most of his opportunity and makes his role a serious discussion throughout the rest of camp.
