How will defensive coordinators react to the "new" breed of TE (1 Viewer)

[Lab]

I've been thinking about Gronk, Graham, and the new breed of high-octane receiving TEs that seem to be the flavor of the year in the NFL. Several teams seem to be loading up on big, fast, and athletic TEs, often planning to run two-TE sets. As we saw in 2011, these TEs are too fast for most linebackers to cover, and too big for most CBs to bring down easily. The strategy seems very effective for offenses, so naturally many other teams will copy it. And just as they do in response any other successful offensive strategy, defenses will need to react to neutralize it.

But when defenses shift to stop the TEs, that will inevitably open up opportunity for some other offensive player to beat them. Maybe they pull up a safety to cover the TE, since the safety might be big and fast enough to compete. But when they do that, maybe it opens up lots of opportunity for long passes to WRs (maybe the WR2?)

I don't know enough about real-life football to predict which offensive players are most likely to benefit. Can others out there who know more about defensive schemes and developments comment on how these new TEs will be stopped, and more importantly, which other offensive players will benefit from a fantasy perspective?

Thanks in advance. If this is a dumb question, please be gentle in your mockery.

 

[Banemorth]

While Gronk and Graham are incredible TE's they're certainly not the first to really hurt defenses. Witten, Gonzalez, Gates have been doing it for YEARS and defenses haven't really been able to find an answer for them. In the end you can't cover everybody.

 

[Sweet Love]

While Gronk and Graham are incredible TE's they're certainly not the first to really hurt defenses. Witten, Gonzalez, Gates have been doing it for YEARS and defenses haven't really been able to find an answer for them. In the end you can't cover everybody.

Agreed...plus, I think you will also start seeing some guys who were LB/SS hybrids in college, moving exclusively to saftey. Bad example because he is so good, but if memory serves right, Urlacher was a safety in college. If it were today, he may have been kept at safety (for the short-term), because he would be able to bang with those big TEs...question is, would anyone in that mold be able to keep up with them. Maybe teams start converting those same type of TEs to safety?

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

While Gronk and Graham are incredible TE's they're certainly not the first to really hurt defenses. Witten, Gonzalez, Gates have been doing it for YEARS and defenses haven't really been able to find an answer for them. In the end you can't cover everybody.

Agreed...plus, I think you will also start seeing some guys who were LB/SS hybrids in college, moving exclusively to saftey. Bad example because he is so good, but if memory serves right, Urlacher was a safety in college. If it were today, he may have been kept at safety (for the short-term), because he would be able to bang with those big TEs...question is, would anyone in that mold be able to keep up with them. Maybe teams start converting those same type of TEs to safety?

Chicago Drafted Brandon Hardin CB/S in the 3rd round in 20126-3 217 4.4/40Post NFL Draft- Bears GM Phil Emery stated that the Bears drafted him to matchup with the athletic TE's. Looking back on the 2011 season, Finley had 4 TDs vs Chicago and Pettigrew had 1. It makes sense to get athletic guys to matchup with them.

 

[Eminence]

I'd rather have a player like Gronk or Graham hurt me than some of the leagues more serious WR threats.

Obviously not to the tune of 17 TD but you know what I mean.

A solid pass-rush will obviously help things but besides that hybrid style Safety / Linebacker players come to mind.

Arizona has two players in Adrian Wilson + Daryl Washington that I wouldn't mind covering a TE one on one.

It will boil down to an arms race. Who has the more athletic 'big guy'.

 

[DawnBTVS]

One thing I've read is that defensive coordinators are also looking at utilizing "Big" Nickel formations (e.g. using a guy who's big or athletic enough to play LB and SS) to help combat the no huddle offenses that are able to bring TEs inside to block, then split them wide in a WR look.

 

[fridayfrenzy]

I think teams will start following the lead of the Seahawks defense.

Get tall and fast LBs (KJ Wright, Wagner), CBs (Sherman, Browner), and Safeties (Chancellor).