FOXBORO, Mass. — Of all the places that fullback Lousaka Polite figured he could end up, New England might have been near the bottom of the list.
Polite's position has become something of a dying breed, and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick hasn't carried a fullback on the roster since 2008, when Heath Evans was still around. Belichick has instead opted for positional versatility, using offensive linemen, linebackers, tight ends and bigger running backs in the fullback role.
So, when the Patriots signed Polite this week, it was a bit of a surprise.
"You could end up anywhere, and that's why you have to have an open mind and just be prepared for whatever situation may be," Polite said. "I'm just happy to be here."
The 30-year-old has also made stops in Dallas (2004-06), Chicago (2007) and Miami (2008-10). He was cut by the Dolphins after training camp and hadn't linked on with anyone until this week. Polite was at home with his family in Miami and said there weren't really any other opportunities until New England requested his services.
Polite was an effective player for the Dolphins, but the league's lack of interest this season might have had more to do with his position than his overall skillset, which Polite has started to understand.
"The game is always evolving," Polite said. "Things happen, and the fullback is kind of a dinosaur position, I guess you could say. But as long as I'm healthy and here, I'm going to do my best to stick around."
