1. Slot Receiver Football
2. Slot Receiver Size

A History of NFL Slot Receivers: Are They Playing with Fire in Today's League? Coryell also expanded the role of the slot receiver. BleacherReport.com is part of Bleacher Report – Turner. Cole could head into training camp as the Jaguars' top option at slot receiver, Mike Kaye of FirstCoastNews.com reports. Cole finished the 2017 season as the team's leader in receiving yards (748.

The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and formerly Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be effective blockers. On the other hand, unlike offensive linemen, they are eligible receivers adept enough to warrant a defense's attention when running pass patterns.

Slot Receiver Football

Because of the hybrid nature of the position, the tight end's role in any given offense depends on the tactical preferences and philosophy of the head coach. In some systems, the tight end will merely act as a sixth offensive lineman, rarely going out for passes. Other systems use the tight end primarily as a receiver, frequently taking advantage of the tight end's size to create mismatches in the defensive secondary. Many coaches will often have one tight end who specializes in blocking on running plays while using a tight end with better pass-catching skills in obvious passing situations.

Offensive formations may have as few as zero or as many as three tight ends at one time.

• 2Roles

History[edit]

The advent of the tight end position is closely tied to the decline of the one-platoon system during the 1940s and '50s. Originally, a rule (derived from the game's evolution from other forms of football) limited substitutions. Consequently, players had to be adept at playing on both sides of the ball, with most offensive linemen doubling as defensive linemen or linebackers, and receivers doubling as defensive backs. At that time, the receivers were known as either ends or flankers, with the end lining up wide at the line of scrimmage and the flanker positioned slightly behind the line usually on the opposite side of the field.

As the transition from starters going 'both ways' to dedicated offensive and defensive squads took place, players who did not fit the mold of the traditional positions began to fill niches. Those who were good pass catchers and blockers but mediocre on defense were no longer liabilities; instead, a position evolved to capitalize on their strengths. Many were too big to be receivers yet too small for offensive linemen. Innovative coaches such as Paul Brown of the Cleveland Browns saw the potential of having a larger receiver lined up inside, developing blocking techniques and passing schemes that used the unique attributes of the tight end position.

Greater use of the tight end as a receiver started in the 1960s with the emergence of stars Mike Ditka and John Mackey. Until then most teams relied on the tight end's blocking as almost a sixth offensive lineman, rarely using them as receivers.^[1] In addition to superb blocking, Ditka offered great hands receiving and rugged running after a completion. Over a 12-year career, he caught 427 passes for over 5,800 yards and 43 touchdowns.^[1] Mackey brought speed, with six of his nine touchdown catches in one season being breakaways over 50 yards.^[2]

Starting in 1980 the Air Coryell offense debuted tight end Kellen Winslow running wide receiver-type routes. Tight ends prior to Winslow were primarily blockers lined up next to an offensive tackle and given short to medium drag routes.^[3] Winslow was put in motion to avoid being jammed at the line, lined up wide, or in the slot against a smaller cornerback.^[4] Former Chargers assistant coach Al Saunders said Winslow was 'a wide receiver in an offensive lineman's body.'^[3] Back then, defenses would cover Winslow with either a strong safety or a linebacker, as zone defenses were not as popular.^[5] Strong safeties in those times favored run defense over coverage speed. Providing another defender to help the strong safety opened up other holes.^[6] Winslow would line up unpredictably in any formation from a three point blocking stance to a two point receiver's stance, to being in motion like a flanker or offensive back.^[7] Head coach Jon Gruden referred to such multi-dimensional tight ends as 'jokers', calling Winslow the first ever in the NFL.^[7][8] Patriots head coach Bill Belichick notes that the pass-catching tight ends that get paid the most are 'all direct descendants of Kellen Winslow', and there are fewer tight ends now that can block on the line.^[7]

In the 1990s, athletic Shannon Sharpe's prowess as a route-runner helped change the way tight ends were used by teams. Consistently double-covered as a receiver, he became the first tight end in NFL history with over 10,000 career receiving yards. Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates, who both played basketball in college, pushed the position toward near wide receiver speed and power forward basketball skills.^[9] At 6' 6' Rob Gronkowski brought height, setting single-season tight end records in 2011 with 17 touchdowns—breaking Gates' and Vernon Davis' record of 13—and 1,327 receiving yards, surpassing Winslow's record of 1,290.^[10]Jimmy Graham that season also passed Winslow with 1,310 yards.^[11] Six of the NFL's 15 players with the most receptions that year were tight ends, the most in NFL history. Previous seasons usually had at most one or two ranked in the top.^[12]

In the Arena Football League the tight end serves as the 3rd offensive lineman (along with the center and guard). Although they are eligible receivers they rarely go out for passes and are usually only used for screen passes when they do.

However, in Canadian football, tight ends are, in general, no longer used professionally in the CFL, but is still used at the college level in U Sports. Tony Gabriel is a former great tight end in Canadian football.^[why?] There remain some tight ends in use at university level football; Antony Auclair, formerly a tight end for the Laval Rouge et Or, was a contender to be selected in the 2017 CFL Draft or possibly receive a tryout in the NFL.^[13] He was drafted by the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2017, but instead signed with the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent that same year.

Roles[edit]

Receiving[edit]

Some plays are planned to take advantage of a tight end's eligibility (i.e. that they may lawfully catch a forward-passed football). At times, the tight end will not be covered by the defense, a situation that rarely occurs with the regular receivers. The tight end is therefore considered another option for the quarterback to pass to when the wide receivers are covered. The tight end is usually faster than the linebackers who cover him and often stronger than the cornerbacks and safeties who try to tackle him. However, tight ends are typically chosen for their speed and catching ability and therefore tend to have less blocking ability. Size does not affect catching ability. There could be tight ends on both sides of the line.

At the extreme end of this spectrum are 'hybrid' tight ends that are drafted primarily for their pass-catching abilities. Often, these players are talented athletes with near-receiver-like speed, coupled with the imposing physical size and strength of a traditional tight end. Offensive schemes often seek to take advantage of this type of player by placing him in space, often treating him as an extra receiver. Sometimes in a two-tight-end set, one tight end could be motioned out or audibled out to the slot.

Blocking[edit]

In the National Football League (NFL), the tight end is larger and slower than a wide receiver, and therefore able to block more effectively.^[14] It is the job of the tight end, along with the fullback, to open up a hole in the defense for the tailback to run through. Tight ends can also be used along with the offensive linemen to protect the quarterback during passing plays. Often, tight ends are employed in a fullback position called 'H-back', lined up beside the tackle but slightly behind the line of scrimmage. Specialty plays may even deploy 3- or 4-tight-end sets, with one or two in an H-back position, with one or fewer wide receivers to make the formations legal. Tight ends may also pass block like other offensive linemen. Some teams employ tight ends solely to block, however this position is sometimes filled by an offensive lineman who has reported to the referee that his number is now an eligible receiving number; this makes him 'Tackle Eligible'.

Since the successful introduction of the West Coast Offense, most offenses use tight ends more as receivers than blockers. Traditionally tight ends were just blockers eligible to catch passes; however, now tight ends are more like bigger and slower receivers who can also block more effectively than most wide receivers. Most tight ends are generally large in size with an average height of 6'3' and a weight exceeding 240 lbs.The origin of the two tight end set is unclear. The Detroit Lions^[15] and the Washington Redskins^[16] have been credited with being the first teams to use two tight ends as part of their base offense.

Rushing[edit]

The decline of the fullback as a rushing position has seen the occasional deployment of tight ends as ball carriers, either aligned in the backfield or as a reverse-play option in the slot.

Physical attributes[edit]

Tight ends are, on average, usually among the taller members of the team,^[17] comparable in height to many linemen. Typically also of large frame, they are also usually on average among the heavier players on the team, with only defensive and offensive linemen and some linebackers weighing more.^[17]As a result, tight ends are almost universally slower than wide receivers or running backs, although occasionally one with exceptional speed appears. An example of a tight end with a speed advantage - at the expense of blocking ability - is Vernon Davis, who achieved a 4.38 forty yard dash time.^[18]

Jersey numbers[edit]

Specific skill positions typically are issued jersey numbers in a restricted range. High school rules nationally are determined by the National Federation of State High School Associations; tight ends are able to wear any number other than 50–79.^[19] The NCAA 'strongly recommends'^[20] ends wear 80–99, but it is not required. In the NFL, numbering regulations state that tight ends are restricted to 40–49 and 80–89.^[21] The 40–49 number range is a relatively recent addition to the rules (being made in 2015), as a result, most tight ends still bear numbers in the 80–89 range.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^ ^ab'Mike Ditka'. Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 23, 2010.
2. ^'John Mackey'. Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 23, 2010.
3. ^ ^abJaworski, Ron (2010). The Games That Changed the Game: The Evolution of the NFL in Seven Sundays. Random House. p. 92. ISBN978-0-345-51795-1.
4. ^Jaworski 2010, p.81.
5. ^Jaworski 2010, p.93
6. ^Jaworski 2010, pp.93–94
7. ^ ^abcJaworski 2010, p.112
8. ^George, Thomas (September 29, 2002). 'The Indispensable Tight End Is Making His Presence Felt'. The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013.
9. ^Battista, Judy (January 17, 2012). 'New Breed of Tight End Is Unchecked So Far'. The New York Times. p. B9. Archived from the original on September 11, 2012.
10. ^Ridenour, Marla (January 16, 2012). 'Playoffs showcase Browns' lack of big-play tight end'. Akron Beacon Journal. Archived from the original on January 20, 2012.
11. ^Flori, Mike (January 1, 2012). 'Graham, Gronkowski go back and forth with tight end yardage mark'. NBC Sports. Archived from the original on January 8, 2012.
12. ^Darlington, Jeff (February 2, 2012). 'Ever-evolving tight end position truly changing the game'. NFL.com. Archived from the original on February 5, 2012.
13. ^'Mock 2.0: Ankou, Senior jump up the charts - CFL.ca'. cfl.ca. April 3, 2017.
14. ^Football 101: Tight Ends and Quarterbacks by Mark Lawrence. Retrieved February 25, 2010.
15. ^Double trouble: Cowboys' Parcells jumping on two-tight-end trend, September 20, 2006. Retrieved February 25, 2010.
16. ^Too Deep Zone: Running with Multiple Tight Ends by Mike Tanier, October 20, 2006. Retrieved February 25, 2010.
17. ^ ^abKraemer, William; Torine, Jon; Silvestre, Ricardo; French, Duncan; Ratamess, Nicholas; Spiering, Barry; Hatfield, Disa; Vingren, Jakob; Volek, Jeff (2005). 'Body Size and Composition of National Football League Players'(PDF). Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 19 (3): 485–9. doi:10.1519/18175.1. PMID16095394. Archived from the original(PDF) on March 16, 2013.
18. ^Colston, Chris (April 7, 2006). 'Davis latest to break TE mold'. USA Today.
19. ^'2017 NHFS Football Rules'(PDF). NFHS. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
20. ^'Football: 2016 and 2017 Rules and Interpretations'(PDF). NCAA. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
21. ^'2018 NFL Rules'(PDF). operations.nfl.com.

Further reading[edit]

• Aaseng, Nathan (1981). Football’s Toughest Tight Ends. Lerner Publications Company. ISBN9780822510703.

A wide receiver, also referred to as wideouts or simply receivers, is an offensive position in gridiron football, and is a key player. They get their name because they are split out 'wide' (near the sidelines), farthest away from the rest of the team. Wide receivers are among the fastest players on the field. The wide receiver functions as the pass-catching specialist.

Slot Receiver Size

Role[edit]

The wide receiver's principal role is to catch passes from the quarterback. On passing plays, the receiver attempts to avoid, outmaneuver, or simply outrun defenders (typically cornerbacks or safeties) in the area of his pass route. If the receiver becomes open, or has an unobstructed path to the destination of a catch, he may then become the quarterback's target. Once a pass is thrown in his direction, the receiver's goal is to first catch the ball and then attempt to run downfield. Some receivers are perceived as a deep threat because of their flat-out speed, while others may be possession receivers known for not dropping passes, running crossing routes across the middle of the field, and generally, converting third down situations. A receiver's height also contributes to their expected role; taller receivers tend to play further to the outside and run deep more often, shorter receivers tend to play inside and run more routes underneath the top of the defense.

A wide receiver has two potential roles during running plays. Particularly in the case of draw plays and other trick plays, he may run a pass route with the intent of drawing off defenders. Alternatively, he may block normally for the running back. Well-rounded receivers are noted for blocking defensive backs in support of teammates in addition to their pass-catching abilities; Hines Ward in particular received praise for his blocking abilities while also becoming the Pittsburgh Steelers all-time leading receiver and one of 13 in NFL history with at least 1,000 receptions.^[1][2]

Sometimes wide receivers are used to run the ball, usually in some form of an end-around or reverse. This can be effective because the defense usually does not expect them to be the ball carrier on running plays. For example, wide receiver Jerry Rice rushed the ball 87 times for 645 yards and 10 touchdowns in his 20 NFL seasons.^[3]

In even rarer cases, receivers may pass the ball as part of a trick play. A receiver can legally pass the ball so long as they receive the ball behind the line of scrimmage, in the form of a handoff or backwards lateral. This sort of trick play is often employed with a receiver who has past experience playing quarterback at a lower level, such as high school, or sometimes, college. Antwaan Randle El threw a touchdown pass at the wide receiver position in Super Bowl XL playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Seattle Seahawks. Antwaan Randle El played quarterback for four years at Indiana University.

Wide receivers often also serve on special teams as kick returners or punt returners, as gunners on kick coverage teams, or as part of the hands team during onside kicks.

Finally, on errant passes, receivers must frequently play a defensive role by attempting to prevent an interception. If a pass is intercepted, receivers must use their speed to chase down and tackle the ball carrier to prevent him from returning the ball for a long gain or a touchdown.

In the NFL, wide receivers can use the numbers 10–19 and 80–89.

History of the position[edit]

The wide receiver grew out of a position known as the end. Originally, the ends played on the offensive line, immediately next to the tackles. By the rules governing the forward pass, ends (positioned at the end of the line of scrimmage) and backs (positioned behind the line of scrimmage) are eligible receivers. Most early football teams used the ends as receivers sparingly, as their position often left them in heavy traffic with many defenders around. By the 1930s, some teams were experimenting with moving one end far out near the sideline, to make them more open to receive passes. These split ends became the prototype for the modern wide receiver. Don Hutson, who played college football at Alabama and professionally with the Green Bay Packers, was the first player to exploit the potentials of the split end position, and is widely credited as inventing the wide receiver position.

As the passing game evolved, a second wide receiver position was added. While it is possible to move the opposite end out wide for a second split end position most teams preferred to leave that end in close to provide extra blocking protection on the quarterback's blind side. That player was essentially playing the modern day tight end position. Instead of moving the blind side end out, one of the three running backs was split wide instead, creating the flanker position. The flanker lined up off the line of scrimmage like a running back or quarterback, but split outside like a split end. Lining up behind the line of scrimmage gave flankers some advantages. Flankers have more 'space' between themselves and a pressing defensive back, so cornerbacks can not as easily 'jam' them at the line of scrimmage. This is in addition to being eligible for motion plays, allowing for the flanker to move laterally before and during the snap. Elroy 'Crazy Legs' Hirsch is one of the earliest players to successfully exploit the potentials of the flanker position as a member of the Los Angeles Rams during the 1950s.

While some teams did experiment with more than two wide receivers as a gimmick or trick play, most teams used the pro set as the standard set of offensive personnel (a flanker, a split end, a half back, a full back, and a tight end). An early innovator, coach Sid Gillman used 3+ wide receiver sets as early as the 1960s. In sets that have three, four, or five wide receivers, extra receivers are typically called slot receivers, as they play in the 'slot' (open space) between the furthest receiver and the offensive line. In most situations, the slot receiver lines up off the line of scrimmage like the flanker position. The first use of a slot receiver is often credited to Al Davis, a Gillman assistant who took the concept with him as a coach of the 1960s Oakland Raiders. Other members of the Gillman coaching tree, including Don Coryell and John Madden, brought these progressive offensive ideas along with them into the 1970s and early 1980s, but it was not until the 1990s that teams began to reliably use three or more wide receivers, notably the 'run and shoot' offense popularized by the Houston Cougars of the NCAA and the Houston Oilers of the NFL, and the 'K Gun' offense used by the Buffalo Bills. Charlie Joiner, a member of the 'Air Coryell' San Diego Chargers teams of the late 1970s and early 1980s, was the first 'slot receiver' to be his team's primary receiver.

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Types[edit]

While the general fan base and most commentators use the generic term wide receiver for all such players, specific names exist for most receiver positions:

• Split end (X or SE): A receiver on the line of scrimmage, necessary to meet the rule requiring seven such players at snap. The split end is farthest from center on his side of the field. Split ends are also used in punt formations, where they are known as gunners.^{[4][dead link]}
• Flanker/Flanker back (Z or FL or 6 back): A receiver lining up behind the line of scrimmage. Frequently the team's featured receiver, the flanker uses the initial buffer between himself and a defender to avoid immediate 'jamming' (legal defensive contact within five yards of the line of scrimmage). The flanker is generally on the same side of the formation as a tight end. As with the split end, this receiver is the farthest player from the center on his side of the field. The flanker is usually lined up just like a split end except that he is just behind the line of scrimmage, therefore being in the backfield and not on the line. Unlike the split end, the flanker can go into lateral or backward motion before the snap and is usually the one to do so.^{[5][dead link]}
• Slotback or slot receiver (Y, SB or SR): A receiver lining up in the offensive back field, horizontally positioned between the offensive tackle and the split end or between the tight end and the flanker. Canadian and arena football allow them to take a running start at the line; American football allows the slot receiver to move backward or laterally, but not at the same time as the flanker or any other back. They are usually larger players as they need to make catches over the middle. In American football, slot receivers are typically used in flexbone or other triple option offenses, while Canadian football uses three of them in almost all formations (in addition to two split ends and a single running back).

Notes[edit]

1. ^'http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/football/nfl/11/04/dirty/index.html'
2. ^'http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/gallery/featured/GAL1162231/1/index.htm'
3. ^Jerry Rice career statistics at SI.com
4. ^Wide receiver terminology at phillyburbs.com
5. ^Wide receiver terminology at phillyburbs.com