Josh McDaniels left his job as Patriots offensive coordinator and became head coach of the Raiders, and he soon brought fullback Jakob Johnson with him. Not that the Patriots minded.
Johnson says the Patriots told him he wouldn’t be back in New England this year, not because he hadn’t performed up to expectations, but because they have decided that they won’t have a fullback on the roster at all.
“The Patriots have informed me that they will no longer need my services next season simply because they will no longer have my position on the roster,” Johnson told news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur in his native Germany, via German NFL reporter René Bugner.
That decision is not surprising. The fullback position is going the way of the dodo in the NFL, and although McDaniels may still see value in fullbacks, the Patriots appear poised to use more formations with multiple tight ends on the field.