A Look at the Tight End as a Playoff Piece
by Steven Schweickert on Jan 15, 2012 7:00 AM CST
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It was brought up in the comments the other day that tight ends are among the pieces required in today's NFL to be a playoff contender. We know the tight end position is a tough one to play in the NFL, and the great ones are few and far between. But let's take a look at some of the tight ends in the NFL and let's see just what kind of impact the tight end has on these teams.
Let's start this by looking at the tight ends for each of the playoff teams, including their receiving rankings across the NFL.
Jimmy Graham: 99 receptions (3rd), 1310 yards (7th), 11 TDs
Rob Gronkowski: 90 receptions (5th), 1327 yards (6th), 17 TDs
Brandon Pettigrew: 83 receptions (8th), 777 yards (46th), 5 TDs
Tony Gonzalez: 80 receptions (14th), 875 yards (33rd), 7 TDs
Aaron Hernandez: 79 receptions (15th), 910 yards (31st), 7 TD
Vernon Davis: 67 receptions (32nd), 792 yards (42nd), 6 TD
Jermaine Gresham: 56 receptions (50th), 596 yards (74th), 6 TD (14 games)
Jermichael Finley: 55 receptions (51st), 767 yards (48th), 8 TD
Owen Daniels: 54 receptions (53rd), 677 yards (60th), 3 TD (15 games)
Ed Dickson: 54 receptions (53rd), 528 yards (84th), 5 TD
Heath Miller: 51 receptions (67th), 631 yards (64th), 2 TD
Jake Ballard: 38 receptions, 604 yards (73rd), 4 TD
Daniel Fells: 19 receptions, 256 yards, 3 TD
So let's try to look at this list in a couple different ways to identify some trends between the players.
1) Generally, teams with solid tight end play have excellent quarterbacks.
Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski had outstanding years, but let's consider they had Drew Brees and Tom Brady throwing to them, respectively. Jermichael Finley has Aaron Rodgers. Brandon Pettigrew and Tony Gonzalez have Matthew Stafford and Matt Ryan, respectively, neither of which is a horrible option at quarterback.
2) Tight ends don't get the yardage of wide receivers.
Another from the department of obvious stuff. No surprise, seeing as how tight ends are larger than wide receivers, and thus, slower. Of these ten tight ends though, they average down to a yards-per-reception of 12.2. Fits right in line with the average of all receiving targets... Except the pacesetter of the position out of these ten is Jake Ballard at 15.9, good for 21st in the NFL. Jermichael Finley sits at 13.9. Tony Gonzalez is actually parked below average at 10.9. Even Jimmy Graham only has a 13.2.
Due to this, even the highest-reception tight ends have really modest yardage totals.
3) So few tight ends are considered elite playmakers.
The list above doesn't even mention perennial great Jason Witten (79 receptions, T-16th), in addition to other decent tight ends such as Kellen Winslow Jr (75 receptions, T-21), Antonio Gates (64 receptions), Dustin Keller (65 receptions), or Brent Celek (62 receptions).
4) Teams with solid tight ends also have other, more primary weapons.
The Saints have Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Darren Sproles, et cetera... The Patriots have Wes Welker, the Packers with Greg Jennings, the Ravens with Ray Rice and Anquan Boldin, the Lions with Calvin Johnson, the Texans with Andre Johnson, the Bengals with AJ Green, and the Steelers with Mike Wallace. Consider also that the Bears would have made it into the playoffs with Kellen Davis, who finished with 18 receptions for 206 yards and 5 TDs, tied for 198th in the league in receptions.
So what does the tight end provide?
Tight ends are short-to-mid yardage reception machines, when used correctly. They can be devastating mismatches, especially with a receiving specialist, and they make excellent red zone and first down targets. As far as being a required piece to getting into the playoffs, having one is nice, but like any other weapon, their numbers are generally dependent on what's around them. Such as with several other "must-have" positions, having better talent overall is generally more conducive to getting into/through the playoffs.
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The Bears still need to get another TE that can be said mismatch in the short-to-midfield range
Kellen Davis isn’t too bad, but competition should be considered. Just realized J Fin is a FA this year, but should command too much money for the Bears to compete in the sweepstakes. Look to the draft for great talent. I’ve already thrown Allen’s name around a ton, so another player to look for is the TE from Stanford.
Jay Cutler is our QB, and I for one am proud of that
by Erik Christopher Duerrwaechter on Jan 15, 2012 9:00 AM CST reply actions
I had a similar idea.
This post brings up an interesting situation. Don’t get me wrong —I still think that wide receiver and offensive line are more important issues. Kellen Davis is set to become a free agent. While his opportunities to go out and catch passes were definitely limited in Martz’s schemes, I can hardly say he made the most out of them. Despite his size, he had some very disappointing drops and didn’t make plays in traffic. Matt Spaeth is the other tight end on the roster that we haven’t seen much of in terms of receiving, and Adams was predominantly a special teamer. Depending on what happens in free agency, could the Bears end up drafting a TE in one of the earlier rounds?
"Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win."
by GriggsBriggs on Jan 15, 2012 11:39 AM CST up reply actions
we get off the bus running
we don’t have a #1 or #2 WR which would come in handy if we ever get a #1 LT.
Even though I agree that the TE position has become a very important part of today’s NFL. My problem is that the Bears don’t belong to the modern NFL We get off the bus running the ball.
. "Most football teams are temperamental. That's 90% temper and 10% mental."
--Doug Plank
So the Bears are still riding the bus...
while the other teams are flying in airplanes? I just wish the Bears would consider the forward pass as an asset and not a necessary evil.
There's a fine line between stupid...and clever!
At least the Bears wouldn't be the only ones riding said bus
They’d be accompanied by the Steelers, Ravens, Texans, and Falcons amongst others
Jay Cutler is our QB, and I for one am proud of that
by Erik Christopher Duerrwaechter on Jan 15, 2012 9:44 AM CST up reply actions
Oh and Giants as well
Jay Cutler is our QB, and I for one am proud of that
by Erik Christopher Duerrwaechter on Jan 15, 2012 9:46 AM CST up reply actions
Steelers have morphed into a pass-first team over the past few years
They still rely on the running game, but its more pass setting up the run than vice versa.
If its free, take two.
Steelers, Ravens and Texans...
all of who can afford to run the football becuase their defenses are actually good. And the Steelers who are 9th overall in passing to go with 14th in rushing? And the Falcons who are 17th in rushing (8th in passing)? And the Giants who are DEAD LAST in rushing at #32(5th in passing)? The Bears were 9th in rushing and 26th in passing. My guess is the Bears need more to improve the passing game, not this focus on the run game. When was the last SB champion a top 5 rushing team as well?
There's a fine line between stupid...and clever!
That's a good statement
But, it’s not like the Bears are abandoning the passing game, they’re justgoing back to what worked for them these past two years, a balanced attack. The passing game will get better when Cutler receives better protection as well as better weapons. Right now, with the current roster, the best way to protect Cutler is to run the ball more consistantly.
Jay Cutler is our QB, and I for one am proud of that
by Erik Christopher Duerrwaechter on Jan 15, 2012 11:13 AM CST up reply actions
OK...
that’s a sensible argument. However, the Bears still need a quality TE who can add to this rushing attack by blocking and by catching passes. The current Bears team as left in waste by Martz and JA, has K Davis and Spaeth. The former who can’t block or catch passes well and the latter who can’t catch passes well. I’d be fine if I thought the Bears were doing what you say, running to protect Cutler. But I get the sense they just don’t know how to operate a 21st century passing offense. I can deal with the unchanged and unadjusted defense of the Cover-who, but the offense cannot be that predictable one dimensional. The Bears paid a king’s ransom for Cutler to build an offense around. It’s time to start doing that, like most other normal teams, by getting talented players to play on the offense, not a litany of former HCs to coach UDFAs and 2nd tier talent to occasionally play like they belong in the NFL.
There's a fine line between stupid...and clever!
how bad do the Bears need a TE?
do they need one more than a LT?
more than a #1 WR?
more than a #2 WR?
more than a DE?
etc.
The Bear TE’s caught more TD’s in 2011 with out Olsen than 2010 with him. just saying, we know the Bears are going to be a running team and already have good blocking and TD catching TE do they need to move that position to the top of the aquisition list?
. "Most football teams are temperamental. That's 90% temper and 10% mental."
--Doug Plank
yep
Bears don’t have the league’s best TE, but that’s the least of their worries right now since they still lack more important pieces like a WR, LT and DE.
Also, it is difficult to assess what the Bears have in Kellen Davis and Matt Spaeth since Martz was an OC who didn’t really features them as much as he should have. I am perfectly fine with having Spaeth and K-Davis compete over training camp.
Doesn't change the fact...
that the Bears TEs are mediocre like many other offensive positions. The Bear’s TEs in 2010 had 466 yards and 7TDs, in 2011 they had 256 yards and 7 TDs. That’s exactly the same TDs and more yards with Olsen. Olsen (even in the stupid Martz offense) was a more productive receiver, albeit from the TE spot. The Bears need to stop the “good enough” mentality with their talent acquisition. Yes the Bears need a #1 and #2 WR, and a LT, but why not get a better TE also? If the Bears want to be more than just another mediocre team, they have to expect more than mediocre results.
There's a fine line between stupid...and clever!
Doesn't change the fact....
that there are several more pressing needs to be addressed before pursuing a TE like Greg Olsen who no matter how you slice it didn’t do that much in all his years as a Bear.
. "Most football teams are temperamental. That's 90% temper and 10% mental."
--Doug Plank
I think yesterday was proof of what great TE's can do for you:
1st game: Graham and Davis had 2 TDs a piece, and ~ 100 yds to boot (Davis had closer to 150, i think)
2nd game: Gronk had 100 yds and 3 TDs…in the 1st half. Hernandez had a good game…running the ball…though he added a reception TD as well
Theres the stats I was lokking for.
that is impressive play from the TE position
by Ryan21 on Jan 15, 2012 9:27 AM CST via Android app up reply actions
Grahams team lost is the problem .....
" Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth. " ~
Mike Tyson
by MidWayMonster54 on Jan 15, 2012 11:37 AM CST up reply actions
I love how New England...
…completely revamped their offensive strategy after the 2007 Superbowl loss. Bellichik tore the whole thing down and started from scratch. Now the rest of the league is finally catching on to him.
What would it take for Chicago to have a legendary coach like Bellichik? Somebody who is original, diligent, and willing to adapt during the game and during his tenure as a head coach.
I wonder what the stats are in the playoffs
There were huge plays by the TE position from every team except the Broncos yesterday. HUGE plays. I still wish we had Olsen. he made a huge play in the playoffs last year too. hopefully we can get a good player with that pick. Olsen. was pretty solid. idk if we will get a player as good as him. We sure missed his production this year and never replaced his production with anyone else. i dont understand how you can trade a playmaker and not bring in a playmaker to replace him. thats what pissed me off about that trade. the fact we didnt bring in another playmaker. You can improve a team by trading productive players unless you have someone else to fill that void.
by Ryan21 on Jan 15, 2012 9:24 AM CST via Android app reply actions
Trading Olsen was a mistake.
I think we should take a hard look at drafting Coby Fleener and then bring in a WR through FA to replace Williams.
Coby Fleener?
Jay Cutler is our QB, and I for one am proud of that
by Erik Christopher Duerrwaechter on Jan 15, 2012 9:45 AM CST up reply actions
I wouldn't draft him just because of that name
“Fleener for the touchdoooooooooown… yes!” Just don’t see it.
If its free, take two.
isnt he the TE form Stanford u mentioned earlier
or am i confusing myself (and prob a couple other people?)
Oh okay lol
His name escaped me for a minute
Jay Cutler is our QB, and I for one am proud of that
by Erik Christopher Duerrwaechter on Jan 15, 2012 10:21 AM CST up reply actions
Trading Olsen was not a mistake . Olsen was in the ....
….. final year of his deal , we had zero intention of resigning him , he had no intention to resign so we traded him & got something instead of letting him walk & getting nothing .
" Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth. " ~
Mike Tyson
by MidWayMonster54 on Jan 15, 2012 11:40 AM CST up reply actions
I still wish they
would have pushed for getting Steve Smith instead of a 3rd rounder. Rumor was the Panthers were willing to take a 3rd rounder for Smith, so presumable they would’ve given him to us for Olsen.
I think we can thank the “genius” for thinking we didn’t need Smith.
I'm kinda liking that we went for ....
…. the draft pick instead of the aging player .
" Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth. " ~
Mike Tyson
by MidWayMonster54 on Jan 15, 2012 1:34 PM CST up reply actions
Did you see
what Smith did this year? We might have been a playoff team with him on the roster. He’s probably got another 2-3 productive years left. If the draft pick can do what he did this year and might do the next couple, that would be one hell of a 3rd round pick.
Might be worth pointing out
that all these teams have good offensive lines. With just 5 blockers (and maybe the FB/RB), Brady is often allowed 3 or 4 seconds more than Cutler on max protect. Even after adding the true #1 receiver and maybe a guy from the draft, Jay could use another target, but before that happens, the offensive live must allow enough time to develop plays. No point of finding a Gronk just to see the pass rush pass untouched as he moves upfield.
Agreed
Tight ends are huge parts of successful teams this season, but like you and Steve pointed out, these successful teams also have good-to-great O-lines and WRs to fully compliment their passing game. Just another illustration of where the gap exists between Angelo and competency.
If its free, take two.
Green Bay's
line wasn’t good for a lot of their run the last couple years. Just last year they couldn’t get Jennings involved because they couldn’t give Rodgers enough time to let their deep routes develop. They adjusted to a quick drop gameplan and the big plays have come because Rodgers consistently hits guys in stride.
Martz wasn’t willing to adjust similarly, and that’s part of the reason he’s gone, imo.
TE prospects
Fleener runs good routes and is adept at exploiting the deep middle of the field on seam routes. He should be a good fit in many pro offenses. Fleener is a technically sound blocker and has been well coached at Stanford, but he should add some more bulk to help him as a blocker in the NFL.
He is a dangerous receiver who gets downfield quickly and gets separation through good route-running. Eifert is a good athlete with a high ceiling.
Paulson could be more productive, but Oregon does not throw many passes his direction. He is a quality redzone weapon who can surprise defenses with his speed and athleticism. Paulson has some blocking potential. He is a sleeper prospect who could surprise on the next level.
Rodriguez is a fluid receiver who picks up yards after the catch. He was used in the same manner that Florida used tight end Aaron Herndandez under former Gators assistant Steve Addazio. Rodriguez looked good in that role as he is a quality blocker and good athlete as a receiver
They say it’s a weak TE class, but the Bears should add someone for depth and development. Use one of their two 3rd rounders on one of these guys. Give Jay a RZ weapon.
"I'm sore and I'm pissed off. I'm a baller. I want to feel the leather. I love thumb wars. 6-8 weeks? 6. follow me for healing, Jay Cutler does" - Jaysthumb twitter acct
I'm thinking the best TE of the class, Dwayne Allen
Could fall to the mid second round like I have him in my mock for the Bears.
Jay Cutler is our QB, and I for one am proud of that
by Erik Christopher Duerrwaechter on Jan 15, 2012 1:43 PM CST up reply actions
That would be sweet
He pretty much sounds beastly.
"I'm sore and I'm pissed off. I'm a baller. I want to feel the leather. I love thumb wars. 6-8 weeks? 6. follow me for healing, Jay Cutler does" - Jaysthumb twitter acct
by propheteer on Jan 15, 2012 3:15 PM CST via iPhone app up reply actions
New England uses the tight ends more than anyone
Hernandez & Gronkowski combined for 179 receptions, 2220 yards and 18 TD’s. That puts a lot of pressure on a defense. Lisch has found 2 good ones.
Why try to contest what we mention in the comments section of open threads?
Most of us are drunk when we write those! And by ‘us’ I mean, well, me.
I'm not so mean. I wouldn't ever go out to hurt anybody deliberately - unless it was, you know, important, like a league game or something. - Dick Butkus
In a weak draft class
for tight ends, we might be better off looking to free agency. John Carlson, Martellus Bennett, and Fred Davis are all unrestricted free agents.
Martellus Bennett will almost surely leave the Cowboys, and he has been full of promise as a three down TE, but has been buried behind Witten and hasn’t lived up to expectations so far. He might be a nice buy-low candidate.
It’s generally hard to outbid the Redskins, but Fred Davis would be an awfully nice target for Cutler. Pairing him with one of the top tier downfield threat WRs (Vincent Jackson, Bowe, Stevie Johnson, Desean, etc) would be an awfully big boost for the passing game. It would also allow us to use our first few picks to upgrade both sides of the line.
sounds good
i would rather the bears look for skill players like TE in free agency and linemen in the draft rather than the other way around. Tice also said he prefers teaching new linemen since they are not set in their ways and are easier to teach than an established veteran.
We all know what happened with the Orlando Pace experiment
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