That's interesting, thanks. I wonder why someone would "no thanks" a link with interesting information like this. I think it means that Jarome Messum was meant to be a FB, which some of us were assuming. I love it, we need a good lead blocking fullback.
I don't agree, J A.
MESSIAM is no FB, according to all the reports I read at the time: he's a HB...and a legit BIG BACK, along the B JACOBS style, only a little smaller and a little faster and quicker. He's needed here as a HB, as is a TRUE FB. Coach PHILBIN likes true FBs, just as PARCELLS (in DALLAS) was running a lot of 2 TE sets, and actually said that he preferred 2 TEs to a FB/TE because you often almost get two "strong side''s to run to. If MESSIAM can become a solid HB, while serving as the "emergency FB", like MIAMI hoped HILLIARD would be, then MESSIAM's truly valuable, and he stays here for as long as he wants. We have room for him, even now, w/what looks like too many HBs. IF either DT or SLATON fail to show what they need to show, they will be gone. SLATON has to show that HOUSTON didn't "burn him out", and that he can return to his best form; DT must show a little improvement in his overall "game", and the ability to remain healthy thru an entire NFL season of heavy work. They had better do so, because MIAMI got a bargain in JONAS GRAY. He does EVERYTHING well, and reports at the time were that MIAMI really wanted him, and told him that the team was willing to wait on him, in his rehab efforts (he tore an ACL in October or November, I believe). And (of course), we got a kid from MIAMI who I think is going to be a good one. He's got skills most like R BUSH, and that special speed/power/running style combination.
So, we could be looking at BUSH-MILLER-DJ-SLATON-MESSIAM-GRAY as the eventual list of HBs, plus any "dark horse", and a TRUE FB. CLAY would be running in the "seams", hopefully along w/EGNEW and/or L BROWN (eventually), as Coach PHILBIN apparently prefers. Since DJ, SLATON and MESSIAM all have something which they MUST prove, someone might fail to do so...and they'll go, or be traded. And since GRAY might be placed on IR in the preseason, he'll still be here very late in the game. We're talking 6 HBs (maybe 7) and a true FB, of which at least 2 HBs will either be unavailable for a while or gone. So there's really NO RUSH to do anything. And patience is a good thing here: better to find out EXACTLY what we've got.
MIAMI could really come up big here...both as to HBs and TEs, and also a solid, veteran FB. I hope that IRELAND gets it done, and quickly.