The Detroit Lions have a protracted historical past of fullbacks. For years, Cory Schlesinger was one of the common gamers on the franchise. Gamers like Jerome Felton, Jed Collins, Nick Bellore, and Nick Bawden all had short-but-memorable stints with Detroit.
The most recent to carry the honored fullback place is Jason Cabinda, a transformed linebacker who has been with the group since 2019 and has taken fullback reps in every of the previous 4 seasons.
However with Cabinda’s contract up and a dwindling fullback position on this offense, is it time to maneuver on? Let’s have a look in our newest installment of our free agent profile sequence.
Right here’s a have a look at our beforehand written free agent profiles: QB Nate Sudfeld, TE Zach Ertz, WR Josh Reynolds, OG Graham Glasgow, OG Halapoulivaati Vaitai, OG Jonah Jackson, OT Dan Skipper. EDGE Romeo Okwara, DT Tyson Alualu, CB Emmanuel Moseley. CB Will Harris, WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, and Okay Michael Badgley.
Jason Cabinda
Expectations heading into 2023
Cabinda missed a lot of the 2022 season with an harm, and whereas he was heading into 2023 unopposed for the fullback place, many understandably puzzled if he companies have been actually nonetheless wanted. In final 12 months’s roster evaluate, we had an almost an identical headline, questioning if this group nonetheless had a job for Cabinda.
In the end, Cabinda had a sufficiently big position on particular groups and a novel sufficient skillset that I believed he would make the group, however admitted his cap hit (over $2.5 million) made him a possible minimize.
Precise position in 2023
Observe: PFF grades mix common season and playoffs and replicate a minimal 20% snaps at that place
Common season — 4 video games (0 begins):
31 offensive snaps
74 particular groups snaps — 4 tackles
Postseason — 3 video games (0 begins))
25 offensive snaps — 1 catch, 0 yards
64 particular groups snaps
PFF offensive grade: 43.2 (didn’t qualify for rankings)PFF move blocking grade: 26.9 (DNQPFF run blocking grade: 51.3 (DNQ)PFF particular groups grade: 71.0 (DNQ)
Cabinda made the preliminary 53-man roster, as predicted, however he virtually instantly suffered an harm. After three video games of modest use on offense and heavy use on particular groups, Cabinda went to injured reserve with a lingering knee harm.
The fullback would return for the group’s common season finale and play all three postseason video games. Nonetheless, Detroit made a key roster transfer involving Cabinda over that point. Instantly upon activating Cabinda from injured reserve, they waived him, then stashed him on the follow squad after clearing waivers.
The Lions have been in determined want for 53-man roster spots to activate C.J. Gardner-Johnson and James Houston, and Cabinda was deemed price risking on waivers to take action.
Within the playoffs, Cabinda was a game-day elevation for all three video games, however virtually completely as a particular teamer. However he performed rather a lot on particular groups, as a result of Detroit clearly values his contributions there.
Nonetheless, it’s laborious to disregard how small of a job Cabinda has been restricted to on offense over the previous few years. Right here’s a have a look at his common offensive snaps per recreation performed by 12 months:
2020: 8.12021: 10.12022: 13.02023: 7.8
Outlook for 2024
Contract standing: Avenue free agent
A key half to Detroit holding Cabinda on the follow squad signifies that his contract instantly expired after the top of the season. The Lions may have signed him to a futures deal—which is usually a veteran-minimum kind of contract—however they didn’t. Cabinda is presently in a position to signal with any group he likes.
The case for holding Cabinda
The Lions worth particular groups, and Cabinda is a four-phase participant. He additionally has lots of people within the constructing who’re large followers of his angle and management. He’s additionally an ideal member of the area people, usually lending his hand to Detroit’s charitable occasions.
Detroit is a group that values high-character gamers who can contribute on particular groups, and Cabinda can do each. He’ll additionally probably be a fairly reasonably priced re-signing.
The case for letting Cabinda stroll:
Cabinda has handled severe accidents in every of the previous two years. A botched surgical procedure price him most of 2022, and a knee cartilage difficulty sat him for many of 2023.
Plus, as identified earlier than, the Lions don’t require that a lot use out of the fullback place. In truth, a man like Malcolm Rodriguez may observe in Cabinda’s footsteps, shifting from linebacker to fullback. The second-year linebacker did step in a number of instances throughout 2023 to play fullback, and didn’t look too misplaced. Rodriguez even making a formidable 6-yard catch on a complete of 20 offensive snaps this 12 months. Rodriguez brings the identical capabilities on particular groups and comes on a cost-controlled rookie contract for the subsequent two seasons. With a whole season to follow fullback, the Lions may simply go in that route—though Rodriguez additionally continues to show his price as a depth linebacker.
Is there curiosity from each side?
We all know for sure that Cabinda needs to come back again. Throughout Tremendous Bowl week, he joined a Raiders radio present and when requested which group he’d prefer to signal with, he instantly stated he needs to be again in Detroit.
“Ain’t no person I’d quite play for proper now than the Detroit Lions and Dan Campbell,” Cabinda stated. “That’s for rattling certain.”
But when the Lions opted to not signal Cabinda to a futures deal, which means one in all two issues: both Cabinda wasn’t keen to signal a small contract with Detroit or the Lions haven’t any intention on bringing him again. Both means, it’s not presently trying nice for the 2 sides to reunite for 2024.
