While watching the defensive travesty that is the Pro Bowl, something Mike Mayock said at the beginning of the game caught my attention. Mayock, being able to watch some of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play in the NFL showcase their talent in the Pro Bowl, decided to mention the tight ends first instead. He called 2011 the year of the tight end, and said the game has been revolutionized in their favor.
The tight end position has indeed become more valuable over the years, but none more so than 2011. It's not just the importance of the position that has changed, it's the kind of players that has also changed.
Kellen Winslow and Shannon Sharpe were considered innovators and pioneers for the tight end position, offering the ability to both block and catch. Since then, teams have always tried to have a good receiving tight end on their roster. The big bodies combined with the soft hands of these players offers all sorts of mismatches for the defense in coverage, whether it be safeties, linebackers or cornerbacks.
In an interview for an ESPN article back in December regarding the tight end position, Aaron Hernandez of the New England Patriots spoke of the mismatch created. "We're also bigger than wide receivers, so it's hard for defensive backs to cover us and it's tough for linebackers to keep up. It just puts the defense at a disadvantage."
And now, it seems like the innovation of the position continues.
As Mayock pointed out, three of the four tight ends participating in the Pro Bowl were former college basketball players: Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates and Jimmy Graham. And all three of these players are regarded as among the best in the NFL; Gonzalez regarded as possibly the best ever.
But why does basketball skills help translate into proficiency at the tight end position?
"I think it's just the position," said Jake Ballard, who was a top Ohio basketball player before he became a tight end at Ohio State and eventually with the Giants. "You want your tight end to be a big, athletic kid, and a lot of times those kids are the basketball players in the school, too. That just naturally happens ... If you take an average-sized basketball player who is 6-6 or 6-5 and you put him on the football field, he's a big, athletic guy and he can make plays for you."
It's this success of very athletic tight ends that made former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator and new Indianapolis Colts head coach, Chuck Pagano, refer to the trend as "basketball on grass."
"There's definitely been an evolution at that position since I came in," said former Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez. "Now it seems like everybody has a 6-5 guy who can make plays."
Of course, it's impossible to talk about tight end play this year without mentioning the New England Patriots. While neither Aaron Hernandez or Rob Gronkowski played college basketball, they offer a different kind of revolution for the tight end position. There are two of them.
Having one good receiving tight end has done wonders for many offenses around the NFL, but having two has gotten New England to the Super Bowl.
Think that is an exaggeration? Gronkowski and Hernandez were the second and third leading receivers for the Patriots this year respectively. They accounted for 169 catches (42% of all catches), 2,237 yards (43% of all receiving yards), and 24 touchdowns (62% of all TDs) for the Patriots. For two players to account for so much of the receiving yards, and not even be wide receivers, is absolutely remarkable.
So, why do I write about the tight end position?
The Chiefs were without their premiere tight end, Tony Moeaki, all of last season after he tore his ACL in the final preseason game. The result was a committee approach to the position between the likes of Leonard Pope, Jake O'Connell, and Anthony Becht. Even assuming that Moeaki comes back from his surgery and rehabilitation at full health, with the way the league has evolved, I believe it would be foolish for the Chiefs not to invest in another tight end.
The Chiefs had three mediocre tight ends combine for 34 catches, 325 yards and 1 TD. Moeaki in 2010 had 47 catches, 556 yards and 3 TDs as a rookie. With Moeaki back, and another tight end joining the team via draft or free agency, the Chiefs could do their best to recreate the Patriots tight end blue print. And with the assumed return of Matt Cassel as quarterback, he could use the additional security blanket that a second receiving tight end option would offer.
According to Mayock of NFL Network (who's opinion on the draft I value highly), the top five tight end prospects entering the draft are: Dwayne Allen - Clemson; Coby Fleener - Stanford; Orson Charles - Georgia; Ladarius Green - Louisiana Lafayette; and Michael Egnew - Mizzou. I'm not saying that tight end should be the top priority for the Chiefs in the draft (my money is on the Chiefs trading down and picking up a offensive tackle later in the first round), but grabbing a good hands tight end should be near the top of the list in draft needs for Scott Pioli.
The use of the tight end is not just a fad, it's here to stay. So let's take a look at the seasons the top ten tight ends had this year:
"There's definitely been an evolution at that position since I came in," said former Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez. "Now it seems like everybody has a 6-5 guy who can make plays."
Of course, it's impossible to talk about tight end play this year without mentioning the New England Patriots. While neither Aaron Hernandez or Rob Gronkowski played college basketball, they offer a different kind of revolution for the tight end position. There are two of them.
Having one good receiving tight end has done wonders for many offenses around the NFL, but having two has gotten New England to the Super Bowl.
Think that is an exaggeration? Gronkowski and Hernandez were the second and third leading receivers for the Patriots this year respectively. They accounted for 169 catches (42% of all catches), 2,237 yards (43% of all receiving yards), and 24 touchdowns (62% of all TDs) for the Patriots. For two players to account for so much of the receiving yards, and not even be wide receivers, is absolutely remarkable.
So, why do I write about the tight end position?
The Chiefs were without their premiere tight end, Tony Moeaki, all of last season after he tore his ACL in the final preseason game. The result was a committee approach to the position between the likes of Leonard Pope, Jake O'Connell, and Anthony Becht. Even assuming that Moeaki comes back from his surgery and rehabilitation at full health, with the way the league has evolved, I believe it would be foolish for the Chiefs not to invest in another tight end.
The Chiefs had three mediocre tight ends combine for 34 catches, 325 yards and 1 TD. Moeaki in 2010 had 47 catches, 556 yards and 3 TDs as a rookie. With Moeaki back, and another tight end joining the team via draft or free agency, the Chiefs could do their best to recreate the Patriots tight end blue print. And with the assumed return of Matt Cassel as quarterback, he could use the additional security blanket that a second receiving tight end option would offer.
According to Mayock of NFL Network (who's opinion on the draft I value highly), the top five tight end prospects entering the draft are: Dwayne Allen - Clemson; Coby Fleener - Stanford; Orson Charles - Georgia; Ladarius Green - Louisiana Lafayette; and Michael Egnew - Mizzou. I'm not saying that tight end should be the top priority for the Chiefs in the draft (my money is on the Chiefs trading down and picking up a offensive tackle later in the first round), but grabbing a good hands tight end should be near the top of the list in draft needs for Scott Pioli.
The use of the tight end is not just a fad, it's here to stay. So let's take a look at the seasons the top ten tight ends had this year:
- Rob Gronkowski: 90 catches, 1,327 yards (NFL record), 17 TDs (NFL record)
- Jimmy Graham: 99 catches, 1,310 yards, 11 TDs
- Jason Witten: 79 catches, 942 yards, 5 TDs
- Aaron Hernandez: 79 catches, 910 yards, 7 TDs
- Tony Gonzalez: 80 catches, 875 yards, 7 TDs
- Dustin Keller: 65 catches, 815 yards, 5 TDs
- Brent Celek: 62 catches, 811 yards, 5 TDs
- Fred Davis: 59 catches, 796 yards, 3 TDs
- Vernon Davis: 67 catches, 792 yards, 6 TDs
- Antonio Gates: 64 catches, 778 yards, 7 TDs
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