The TE position is changing.....no longer just an extra blocker

Miller

Miller

Who Dey
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Good topic started in the chat box, wanted to bring it into the forum for all to chime in on. Historically the TE position has been seen as an extra blocker who catches a few balls. In the last couple years you have seen a major shift away from that reality with more TE's than ever being significant players in their teams offenses. Last year 14 TE's caught more than 50 balls! I think that is a record.

Here is the discussion that started it all, it will read from bottom to top:


[09:48 AM] Miller The TE position is a changing, if you don't have one that can open up the middle of the field you are at a disadvantage. It is no longer just an extra blocker.
[09:48 AM] Miller Olsen, Shiancoe, Finley, heap, Carlson all were over 50 receptions and a significant part of their offenses...
[09:46 AM] Miller Winslow, Celek, and Heath Miller all caught over 75 balls....more than Zach Miller who you named...
[09:46 AM] Miller Vernon Davis was the most dangerous receiving threat on his team with 78=965-13 TD's...
[09:45 AM] Miller Witten caught 94 balls last year; Gates 79....they are not major parts of their offense?
[09:44 AM] Miller So catching 50 balls is not being a major part???? [09:44 AM] Miller last year is was a huge year at 14!
[09:44 AM] Miller In 2005 you started to see a swing, from 05-08 anywhewre from 9-11 hit that mark
[09:43 AM] derringer007 Tony Gonzales, Dallas Clark, Chris Cooley, Zach Miller are the only ones i know of that are used as a major part of the offense
[09:42 AM] Miller from 00-04 the most in a season was 7.
[09:40 AM] Miller last season 14 TE's caught at least 50 balls, compare that to 2000 when only 6 hit that number
[09:38 AM] Miller huh?? TE in today's NFL is basically another receiver if you ask me. Never before have we seen some many receiving weapons at TE.
[09:30 AM] derringer007 Being that there is only a couple of NFL teams that utilize the TE position as another offensive weapon the TE is just another OL

So what are your thoughts? Still just another blocker, or dynamic part of the passing game?


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Maybe its because the TE position is more blue collar than the WR pos. might be why i dont notice the offensive production as much.
 
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Most teams carry 1 catching and 2 blocking TEs or have a tackle that will line-up as a TE. It's been that way forever.

I don't think you can say that the position is changing, but game plans and strategies certainly are.

These operational changes are cyclical, IMO, based on defensive adjustments to offensive tendencies. Defenses have been chasing the sack the past few years leaving the short middle of the field vacated by blitzing LBs or safeties...perfect for an athletic TE to get open down the middle. Defenses will adjust to take that away eventually and leave a different weakness somewhere else.

Enjoy the TE boon while you can cuz it will be taken away soon enough and TE will return to "just another blocker".
 
Playing in Shula league I have watched the TEs Bloom or Boom very carefully in the last couple of seasons. In Shula we are not required to play a TE but we can also play two TEs if we want to every week. TEs were a big part of my sneaking my worthless team into the playoffs the last two years. :D
 
I think this all started with Gonzales in Kc. Once he became the focus of the passing game in KC and defenses didn't have the linebackers to keep up...others followed. Its a copy cat league.

I agree though, there are a ton of choices now for TEs.

However, the system used has to USE the Tes. I kind of laugh when I see folks say every year the Bengals need a TE. Yes, if the system used it...a TE down the middle would be great. But if you line up with 3-4 wide, and are using your spare RT as a blocking TE......you can't HAVE a receiving Te.

So buyer beware.

Also, look at what happened to Gonzales when he left KC for Atlanta. Not a bad year, but not a Gonzo year....and he was not the focus.
 
Phicinfan said:
Also, look at what happened to Gonzales when he left KC for Atlanta. Not a bad year, but not a Gonzo year....and he was not the focus.
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At 34, now, I am not ready to say the move from KC to Atl had much of an impact on him.

His 83 catches was better than 8 of his 12 years in KC.

His is in a 4 year slide on what he does after the catch.

He appears to have lost a step - longest play last year was 27 yds - the lowest of his career (granted not by much).
 
cctekguy said:
Most teams carry 1 catching and 2 blocking TEs or have a tackle that will line-up as a TE. It's been that way forever.
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I don't agree that it has been that way forever...just in the last 10-15 yrs or so have you seen the trend of teams actually having receiving specialist TE's. TE's used to be counted on to do it all, and due to this, didn't really catch all that much.

Now you see more teams having receiving focused TE's that are major parts of their offense. This is a development in the league and not something that has always been this way. And more teams are going towards having more than 1 TE who can catch.....seeing some carry 2 receiving TE's...one blocking..

I don't think you can say that the position is changing, but game plans and strategies certainly are.
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If game plans and strategies on how you use a position are changing then I call that a position changing. Also, more than just that is changing at the position. The types of athletes being molded into TE's is the most noticable shift. Te's are much more athlethic than in the past. You see faster TE's who use their athlethism to strtech the field and create mismatches. That is a pretty major change over what you saw out of the TE position 20 years ago.

These operational changes are cyclical, IMO, based on defensive adjustments to offensive tendencies. Defenses have been chasing the sack the past few years leaving the short middle of the field vacated by blitzing LBs or safeties...perfect for an athletic TE to get open down the middle. Defenses will adjust to take that away eventually and leave a different weakness somewhere else.
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While I agree they will need to adjust somewhat, the TE they are trying to stop is what has changed. As I pointed out above, the athletes themselves are dramiatically different at this position. I don't see teams going away from the new breed of TE anytime soon.

Enjoy the TE boon while you can cuz it will be taken away soon enough and TE will return to "just another blocker".
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I don't think they will ever be just another blocker again. Game has changed and the TE's are something that will always need to be accounted for.
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With question marks surrounding some of the top WRs in this upcoming NFL Draft some NFL executives are mentioning the name of Oklahoma’s Tight End Jermaine Gresham when posed with the question of who will turn out to be the best receiver in this year’s draft.
 
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