Eagles unlikely to use a roster spot on a fullback in 2017

On Doug Pederson's rosters as a player and an assistant coach, there were always fullbacks. In his first season as head coach of the Eagles, there was no fullback. Even though he said after getting hired that he would use a fullback in his offense – it was extinct during Chip Kelly's three years – Pederson instead decided to use players from different positions in an occasional fullback role.

Unless the Eagles find an unheralded one who impresses during the summer, look for another fullback-less year in Philadelphia.

"It's something that obviously, my history, even as a player in the West Coast system, we've always had that position, we've always had that player," Pederson said. "You've always been able to get in the I-formation and run downhill. The game has changed so much now, that position, we can use a tight end. You saw last season we used a defensive tackle, Beau [Allen] was in that position a little bit. The game has changed. If you're not adjusting to, say, the times, those positions can sometimes be filled by other role players. "

Pederson noted how often teams – the Eagles included – don't use the I-formation. Most of the running plays can in a single-back formation or out of the shotgun where the running back is offset. The Eagles rushed 396 times last season from a single-back formation and 164 times out of the shotgun. They used the I-formation eight times – three netted goal-line touchdowns – and once from a split-back formation.

Perhaps that would be different if the Eagles had a top fullback. They reportedly inquired about Kyle Juszczyk, who signed a four-year, $21 million deal with San Francisco. But as it stands now, it'll be more similar to last season when the Eagles used a player from a different position as a spot-duty fullback.