Tight End Revolution

With the offensive explosion of Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots and Jimmy Graham of the New Orleans Saints this past season, it's clear that tight ends are used and viewed much differently in today's NFL. This day has been coming. Since the 1960's, with the impact of Mike Ditka and John Mackey, football people knew that a fairly big man that could catch and block could become a weapon. There just weren't many players like that. The majority of tight ends were seen as an extra lineman. Catching the ball was just icing. Still, Ditka and Mackey gave way to Charlie Sanders and Kellen Winslow and Ozzie Newsome as offensive difference makers. There just wasn't enough of them to truly change the game. That day was getting a whole lot closer. Shannon Sharpe might have been the one to change everything. He entered the Hall of Fame as a tight end. It's taking great liberties to label him as such. Tight ends, by definition, line up tight to the offensive line. In reality, Sharpe rarely did. He was usually split out wide like most receivers. He was a big receiver that brought about a revolution in the way the game could be played. The way "tight ends" could be used. He was too fast for linebackers and too big for corners or safeties. While playing a little more of a traditional tight end role, Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates made lasting offensive impacts. Both are putting up numbers that are the envy of most wide receivers. Now, every team is looking for an impact receiving tight end. The blocking tight end is fading away like the fullback. With the selection of Kyle Rudolph in the second round last year and the signing of free agent John Carlson this year, the Minnesota Vikings have joined the tight end revolution. Tight ends can be a quarterback's best friend. Especially to a young quarterback like Christain Ponder. They present a large target. Big in body with a very nice catch radius. They are often crossing or down the middle of the field so they are in easy view. When things get frantic in the pocket they are right there, easy to find.

The flip side to the tight end revolution is the increased importance of the safety position. It was long considered the least important of the defensive positions. No more. They are often the only defensive players that are fast enough and strong enough to battle the tight ends. Smaller, faster linebackers may also become the wave of the future. Defenses have to find an answer for these tight ends that are flooding the league.