thoughts about slot receivers....

[rayzor]

profootballfocus.com did an analysis of the slot position and had some very interesting results. now, it wasn't about guys who are known as slot receivers, but who lined up in the slot.

http://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2011/06/02/slot-receivers/

Slot Snaps, 2010

1_Jason Avant_PHI_622

2_Hines Ward_PIT_606

3t_Jordan Shipley_CIN_566

3t_Anquan Boldin_BLT_566

5_Danny Amendola_SL_561

6_Donald Driver_GB_520

7_Eddie Royal_DEN_495

8_Marques Colston_NO_484

9_Wes Welker_NE_472

10_Jerricho Cotchery_NYJ_455

Slot Yards, 2010

Rank_Player_Team_Slot Yards

1_Marques Colston_NO_696

2_Danny Amendola_SL_662

3_Wes Welker_NE_585

4_Jordan Shipley_CIN_576

5_Jason Avant_PHI_569

6_Anquan Boldin_BLT_561

7_Donald Driver_GB_542

8_Austin Collie_IND_509

9_Eddie Royal_DEN_504

10_Mike Thomas_JAX_498

Slot Receptions, 2010

Rank_Player_Team_Slot _Rec

1_Danny Amendola_SL_80

2_Wes Welker_NE_64

3_Marques Colston_NO_53

4_Austin Collie_IND_50

5_Jason Avant_PHI_49

6_Jordan Shipley_CIN_48

7t_Eddie Royal_DEN_47

7t_Percy Harvin_MIN_47

9_Donald Driver_GB_44

10_Santana Moss_WAS_43

Slot Targets, 2010

Rank_Player_Team_Slot Targets

1_Danny Amendola_SL_107

2_Wes Welker_NE_86

3_Eddie Royal_DEN_82

4_Marques Colston_NO_78

5t_Donald Driver_GB_71

5t_Jordan Shipley_CIN_71

7_Jason Avant_PHI_69

8t_Percy Harvin_MIN_65

8t_Anquan Boldin_BLT_65

10_Santana Moss_WAS_62

there were a couple that had me scratching my head. they aren't guys i typically think of as slot receivers. most noticeably boldin and esp. colston.

something that the author of the article said at the end mirrored thoughts i was having...

Will the Saints’ use of Colston change the way other teams do things? Perhaps more will look to create that type of mismatch against defenses that don’t shift personnel to follow receivers. A successful formula in the NFL is soon to be mimicked.

now, knowing the preference for big receivers that chud and even norv turner has had, do you think they could end up looking for a big guy to play the slot? i'm not sure off the top of my head who those teams (san diego and the '07 browns) used in the slot so that might be something they were already doing.

if they do want that, then who here could fit that bill? lafell? maybe rosario? guy should have been converted to a WR years ago anyway. he's actually 25lbs bigger than colston. maybe there is a FA out there who could pull it off. dude would have to be big and physical, though.

fwiw...the final paragraph of the article:

The Saints, though, are a unique offense, and it wouldn’t simply be a case of putting a big, physical guy in the slot and expecting dividends. New Orleans has threats out of the backfield, and used players like Lance Moore lined-up outside to run their underneath routes and create more mismatch problems.

[Seal (SmittyIsOurSavior)]

Edit: You fixed it. I could NOT read the stats at first.

[rayzor]

cleaned it up. sorry.

[Seal (SmittyIsOurSavior)]

And as for Boldin, you wouldn't consider him a slot guy?? Maybe not straight slot, but he's always staying close and inside.

[rayzor]

And as for Boldin, you wouldn't consider him a slot guy?? Maybe not straight slot, but he's always staying close and inside.

more because i have an image in my mind of a guy under 6ft playing it.

[OnlyPantherFaninMaine]

Hmm tough to say if our offense will utilize a big bruising body in the slot. I can see anyone from Smith, Lafell, Goodson, Rasario, or Pilares taking on that role. We certainly have a lot of options in the passing game and Cam will have his targets downfield.

One thing I like is all of those players mentioned above, with the exception of maybe Goodson and Pilares (too early to say), would be excellent blockers down field. Rosario and Goodson will certainly create some matchup problems. Not sure where Armanti will play into our WR core, but don't count the kid out just yet.

One thing is for damn sure, we are going to see some formations and looks unfamiliar to Charlotte. I see a lot of different receivers taking on different roles in a variety of formations. David Gettis with that track star speed and confidence from last season will certainly stretch the field and open up the underneath routes for the likes of Smith, Lafell, Goodson. Anxious to see Goodson and Pilares in space and giving the LB cores and secondaries fits for four quarters.

Can this season start already? Haven't been more excited for this franchise as I am right now.

[panthers55]

My take on this was on the defensive end. Teams abused Fox's teams because we didn't switch corners to match up against opponent's best receivers. In 2008 we got abused by Fitzgerald in the playoffs who just moved around and got the matchups he could exploit. Seems that Meeks followed suit the past 2 years. I surely hope that McDermott will get Meeks to change that up somewhat particularly on their number 1 receiver. But as long as we play zone, that is always going to be an issue.

[PhillyB]

who says it has to be a big physical receiver? smitty would be a huge mismatch on any nickelback in the league right now, diminished skills or not. if we can get a reliable number one and two that could handle the outside, i guarantee you we'll see 89 in the slot if he's still with us.

[antame]

Big vs small, quick slots - I think you have to have a really good QB who makes very fast reads and precise throws for the latter to work, which it obviously can, but I don't think the Panthers are quite there...

[PhillyB]

i also dont think you can come up with a one-size-fits-all answer. much of it will be game to game. for instance if we're playing a team whose nickleback is extremely agile, really quick, but not as strong, it makes sense to put a guy like lafell or gettis out there - big strong targets who have the physicality to out-muscle him.

on the other hand if it's a bigger guy who's a bit more physical, maybe is slightly more geared towards playing the run or matching up on bigger guys, you stick your steve smith or keliaohoiaoaoaa pilares on him and burn him for a big gainer.

im sure chuds has plenty of ideas worked up for his 900-page playbook

[antame]

who says it has to be a big physical receiver? smitty would be a huge mismatch on any nickelback in the league right now, diminished skills or not. if we can get a reliable number one and two that could handle the outside, i guarantee you we'll see 89 in the slot if he's still with us.

I was actually thinking of Smith in that role myself, and though I have little doubt he would be almost uncoverable as a slot guy in the right system, I picture alot of mix-ups with the Panthers right now.

[rayzor]

who says it has to be a big physical receiver? smitty would be a huge mismatch on any nickelback in the league right now, diminished skills or not. if we can get a reliable number one and two that could handle the outside, i guarantee you we'll see 89 in the slot if he's still with us.

it usually isn't a big guy, but in chud's and norv turner's offenses, thats who their main receivers are. they like big targets.

i know there's been talk about smitty in the slot, but someone just as tough that was over 6 ft would be a tougher matchup, don't you think?

[panthers55]

Part of the beauty about using a slot receiver is that it forces a team to match up with a safety or nickel. That should not only play to our passing game if we can find a great nickel receiver but our run game as well. If the receiver can block as well, it is easy to spread out the defense and keep them from loading the box. I wouls really like us to run more out a multi-receiver set this year instead of traditional running formations. Both Williams and Stewart are great once the get into open space and have great cutback moves. Instead of always runnig to set up the pass I would like us to pass to set up the run (once the passing game develops of course).

[DaCityKats]

look at the Pats & Saints they put a emphasis on the slot wr. there #1 WR is at the slot most of the time. Smith in the slot with outside threats is dangerous.