Ok football fans. Here is my question to all of you.
How high do you place the importance of a tight end?
Whether you have a rookie quarterback, or a probowl master under the helm, how high do you place the importance of the TE?
In years past, the TE was a player that would be drafted late, and it really didn’t matter how good he really was. But now, we have TE’s drafted in the first and second round, so why the change? Did the playbook change? or did somebody realize something new?
Is it perhaps the way that the defense has been changing throughout the years? There is more blitzing, which opens up the short passes, which is where the TE would be, if he is not blocking.
Or, is it because there is more depth in the plays, and the receivers going deep, opens up the short passes to the TE?
Maybe having a larger guy willing to block, who can also catch, is what makes the difference.
For whatever reason, the TE does seem to be more important then years past, and knowing why, and how to build your team, is now a big concern.
Have a look at your favorite team. Who is your TE? How good is he? How important do you see him in your game plan?
My guess is that he sits pretty high on the importance list.
This is a new NFL, and simply having a good runningback, wide Reciever, and Quarterback, is not enough to get it done. Tight End is very improtant, O-line is important, and with no doubt the defense is really important.
So lets discuss! How valuable do you place a Tight End? Do you care? Do you even know who is the TE on you team? Why the change in draft status???
Let the debate begin!
Tremblay
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7 Responses to “Are Tight Ends important?”
Posted: 05/13/08 at 6:28 am
Lee, the tight end position has ALWAYS been important. It’s not a recent thing in this “new NFL” that you speak of.
Think about it:
The best teams in the 90s were:
Dallas (their tight end was Jay Novacek)
San Francisco (their tight end was Brent Jones)
Green Bay (their tight end was Mark Chmura)
Denver (their tight end was Shannon Sharpe)
All four of those guys were exceptional pass catchers and had a knack for getting open over the middle, creating a mis-match with safeties. These tight ends were key in those four teams championship runs because not only did they create these mismatches, but it left at least one wide receiver facing man-to-man coverages.
Posted: 05/13/08 at 6:57 am
The Giants were my favorite team growing up and Mark Bavaro was a big piece of the championship runs in the 80’s. Since I’ve been in Tennessee I’ve had the pleasure of watching Frank Wycheck and now Algie Crumpler has been brought in as a tight end this year.
I think the tight end is a very important component in todays game.
Posted: 05/13/08 at 7:46 am
I agree guys, the TE position is very important! You see some teams in college football employ the double TE set more and more. Without a premier blocker at the TE position and a guy who can be that reliable go-to guy for that 4 yard catch, you are up the creek!
Posted: 05/13/08 at 1:53 pm
I too agree that TE’s are vital to an offense today. However, like Dave says, they have always been very important. In fact, from a BIlls’ perspective, the K-Gun offense was actually not named after Jim Kelly. Rather, it was named after TE Keith McKeller who had the ability to stretch defenses, and as Dave said, create mismatches against safeties.
Posted: 05/13/08 at 8:32 pm
Ok lets get you guys doing some homework!
I most definately agree that the TE position has always been important, but I do question how important most NFL teams placed them. In years past, you would not see a TE picked in the first round, and now it is not all that uncommon.
Wycheck, McKeller, Crumpler, Bavaro, Novachek, Jones, Chimura and Sharp were all great TE’s (Crumpler still is). I do not question their importance. Although I do think that it is only now that the NFL is realizing just how vital guys like that are.
So here is the homework!
If someone can take the time to look back, and find out when, and what round each of the above mentioned guys were drafted. Then post it here, on this blog, and after that, look at the top TE’s in the league now, and where they were drafted. Then maybe we can see if there may have been a change in the value rating for the TE!
I will also do my homework, and get this info as well, because in all honesty, I do not know the answer yet!, but my guess, is that all of those guys, or at least most of them, were drafted late!
Thanks for the comments guys, lets now have some fun with this!
Posted: 05/14/08 at 12:44 am
You can’t run the ball without a TE plain and simple, as a few people mentioned many former great teams had great TE’s but I agree with you Lee that their is an increased emphasis. The reason is simple in the past teams just didn’t play 8 man fronts because they would get burned deep, but their are so many more shut down corners if all you can do is run, as a D I’m going to play 8 man fronts and cover 2 and make you beat me with the pass.
The ability to have multiple options including check down ones in the passing game is crucial especially when throwing out of running formations eg I formation or split back to keep defenses honest, if not running the ball is going to be difficult.
Look at Te production last year Dallas, SD, Cle, NYG had TE’s in the top 10 in production last year and were top rushing teams…
Posted: 05/14/08 at 5:06 am
What a great point Terry! You may have hit the nail on the head there. Looking bach at past TE greats, I would say that all of them had a solid running game. Which makes me wonder which position makes which better? Does LT make Antonio Gates better, or the other way around? Was it the offensive line that hurt Shean Alexanders production, or was it because the TE Strong, hit the downward slope of his career?
Another good debate!
On a side note, the Oakland Raiders have hit the free agency market once again. This time Oakland gets another DE, in Greg Spires. He played for Lane Kiffins dad, in Tampa, and he is a 10 year pro. He will fight for the starting spot with Kalimba Edwards, Jay Richardson and Trevor Scott, opposite Derrick Burgess. He will add some much needed depth on the D line.