The Colts signed the former Steelers fullback over the weekend. What can he bring to their roster, and more specifically, the running game?
Fullback is a position that is mostly extinct. Most teams don’t even carry a fullback. They mostly just use a tight end if they need a lead blocking back. Roosevelt Nix is a true fullback though and is versatile enough to be useful to the Colts.
Nix played the first five years of his career with the Steelers. While in Pittsburgh, he made the Pro Bowl in 2017. He only has four career rushes and one touchdown to go along with those. He also only has 12 career catches that total 69 yards and one touchdown.
While his stats don’t jump off the page, he still is very versatile. He is a good lead blocking back that can open up holes for Marlon Mack. Signing him allows Jack Doyle to block more on the outside as a natural tight end. Nix can line up at tight end too if he needs to.
Nix is also a very good special teams player. He has 34 tackles in four years as a special teams guy. That can be a valuable skill. Nix is a player the Colts can bring in out of the backfield to catch some passes every now and then and will be a great fit in goal-line situations in the running game.
One big concern with Nix is injuries. He missed 7 games in his first two years due to injury and only played in 3 games last season because of a knee injury. He should be healthy now, but the Colts will be careful with his usage in the preseason.
Nix isn’t a big-time signing, but he is a solid player who should be useful the Colts in the right situations.