Well, considering that the Tailed beasts have the ability to act independent of there jin, i dont understand how they are empty shells, they have consciousness..
This is the same thinking that made all the jin have problems from jump. You cant look at something with intellectual ability and call it a mass of chakra, even if they is true they have independent thinking minds, and feelings. I also dont think they will fuse to one being it think that its best if they stay as 9 seperate entities, but are house under one room (naruto)/
Also in battle Naruto didnt have the beasts in him, he just had access through there chakra, why? becuase he acknowledged my point above. Thats the reason why they couldnt do anything, its becuase they were not actually in naruto. Also, even if they were in him, it seems as thoughsomeone forgot Naruto v. Orochimaru, Naruto v. Pain, Naruto v. Jariya, Naruto v. Diedara. If they were in him they actually could do something....