Monday Morning Charge: White Opts-In to 2020 NFL Season

Ed Oliver…the fullback?

Training camp is the premier way that coaches decide who plays where and in what capacity, slotting players at sometimes new positions which can provide some humor.

A photo surfaced from Bills camp where defensive tackle, Ed Oliver was seen mid-run with a football clinched to his chest. Though there has been no word of Oliver getting any actual reps in a fullback capacity, it is fun to speculate what kind of damage the 287-pounder could do in goal-line situations.

Personally,  I say “Why not?”.

We have seen with this Bills coaching staff in previously that they are not afraid to throw a big body into goal-line packages, just like they did with Kyle Williams against the Miami Dolphins. It may look funny to see Oliver trotting onto the field, getting into the huddle and being handed the ball for a dive, but history has shown that it is effective.

William “The Refrigerator” Perry was the first notable defensive lineman to get reps on offense, but the Bills employed their own Bruce Smith into packages as their own “mini-fridge”. Smith was effective at the position as he was easily able to make room for the following running back to simply tip-toe into the endzone.

History has a funny way of repeating itself and seeing Oliver in the backfield for reasons other than sacking a quarterback could bring fruitful results while aiding in offensive production.