Green Bay Packers, John Kuhn may be nearing end

By Keegan Matheson | Jun 2, 2015

Fullbacks are an endangered species in the NFL, but the Green Bay Packers aren’t buying it.

After featuring John Kuhn prominently over the past several seasons, general manager Ted Thompson selected another fullback in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Oklahoma’s Aaron Ripkowski will be expected to replace the 32-year old Kuhn in the Green Bay Packers’ backfield, and has an opportunity to do so as early as 2015.

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Ripkowski finds himself in a situation of uncomfortable opportunity, trying to unseat the man he looked up to as a teenager and who first appealed him to the position his body was built for. “I was a big fan, even back in high school,” Ripkowski told Paul Imig of FOX Sports Wisconsin. “Been watching him since Day 1.”

There are three simple outcomes to this competition: Ripkowski, Kuhn or both. In the rookie, the Green Bay Packers welcome the style of fullback that your grandfather enjoyed on black-and-white television. At 6’1″ and 257 pounds, Ripkowski is a punishing lead blocker that could make for a beautiful icebreaker ahead of Eddie Lacy, giving Aaron Rodgers nearly 500 pounds of muscle alongside him in two-back sets.

Ripkowski profiles as a plus special teams contributor, something he prides himself on, and that should guarantee him a roster spot. To replace Kuhn in a clean one-for-one swap, however, he will need to prove that he possesses a greater running and receiving game than he showed at Oklahoma. Ripkowski will not be asked to catch 20 balls, but as a check-down option after breaking from pass protection, he needs to be competent.

While this is the area where Kuhn seems to have the advantage, his Pro Bowl selection in 2014 doesn’t properly represent his performance. Kuhn’s 85 rushing yards was the second highest total of his career, but his four receptions were tied with 2008 for a career-low. According to Football Outsiders, Kuhn took the field for just 18.3% of the Packers’ offensive snaps in 2014, totalling 192 on the season. The improved pass blocking of Eddie Lacy will limit his playing time, as well.

Nov 16, 2013; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners fullback Aaron Ripkowski (48) catches a pass in the end zone while being defended by Iowa State Cyclones linebacker jeremiah George (52) in the second half at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Despite this limited impact and the fact that Kuhn is Green Bay’s second oldest player, the ever-valuable factor of trust remains. Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy both know and love Kuhn’s game. Due to this, if Ripkowski can emerge as a strong candidate in year one, I can easily see the Packers carrying both.

Doing so may require that the Packers leave themselves thinner than they’d like at another position on their roster, but hanging on to multiple fullbacks is not a new idea in Green Bay. In 2010, the Packers rostered Kuhn, Korey Hall and Quinn Johnson. That’s three fullbacks (three!) on a Super Bowl winning roster.

The fact that both Kuhn and Ripkowski can impact the special teams units makes the the two-headed fullback attack all the more possible. Each player comes with four down potential, and with the Packers’ 2015 NFL Draft class showing a clear re-dedication to the third phase, Mike McCarthy won’t hesitate to go against the grain at the position.

If I were a betting man, my nickels would be on Kuhn sticking for one final season, but I don’t see his career going any further. He’s played well beyond his skill set as a Packer and kept a position alive in Green Bay. As a High School guard in Texas, Ripkowski didn’t know it, but Kuhn was paving the way for him to someday take the torch.

Next: Stats show that Packers need balance on offense

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