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The tight end position is changing as we speak, and the “new” breed of TE’s is making football tickets worth the price. It used to be that most teams would have one huge, bull-dozing TE who would block away in the running game, and another who was a threat to burst down the seam of the field and catch balls in the deep middle. However, this “new” breed of TE can do both, which makes it more difficult for opposing defenses to predict what the offense is going to do. Below are the rankings, and as always, they are based on much more than statistics.
1. Antonio Gates
Gates came out of nowhere a couple of years ago and simply tore the league apart. No one could figure out how to cover this big, strong, fast TE who seemed to have an incredible amount of savvy for someone fresh off the basketball court. Defenses key on him week after week, and he still gets open regularly. He also helps pave the way for LaDainian Tomlinson, the (in our opinion) best RB in the NFL, so even if he’s not widely known for it, he can block as well.
2. Tony Gonzalez
Gonzalez is widely credited with setting the mold for the new breed of TE in the NFL. Gonzalez was known not only for his football skills at Cal, but the whole country watched him play deep into the NCAA Tournament during the March before the draft. That incredible athleticism has served him well in the NFL, as he is a threat on every play to get deep. He’s also clever, as he seems to always get open in the red zone, and he doesn’t have the luxury of having an elite WR corps to take attention away from him. Gonzalez is another underrated blocker, as Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson needed blocking help to put up their amazing numbers in recent years.
3. Alge Crumpler
Crumpler is another TE without the benefit of great WR’s, and he also serves as Michael Vick’s security blanket. Crumpler is big and deceptively fast, as he always seems to be running loose down the seam. He’s got glue-like hands and has a wavelength with Vick that many great combinations have had in the past. Vick looks for Crumple every time he’s in trouble, and Crumpler always seems to come through. Crumpler is another underrated blocker, as the fact that Atlanta annually boasts of one of the league’s best running attacks has something to do with his blocking as well as the talent around him. Crumpler may not be quite as heralded as the two TE’s above him on this list, but he’s well-worth the price of football tickets, as he’s extremely consistent.
4. Todd Heap
Heap is a threat on every play, and he’s also been the biggest receiving threat on a team with mediocre WR’s and an extremely unstable QB situation for most of his career. Heap tends to fly under the radar because of Baltimore’s overall offensive struggles, but every opposing defense understands who needs to be covered on every play. Even with all of these obstacles in place, Heap still caught 75 balls last year and scored seven touchdowns. If Steve McNair gets it going this year, Heap will no longer be overlooked - you can count on that.
5. Heath Miller
Miller just came onto the scene last season, but watching him make such a major contribution towards Pittsburgh’s championship made many wonder how he slipped to the bottom of the first round. Miller is a good blocker, which is a requirement in Pittsburgh, but he’s also elusive and incredibly athletic. The scariest part for opponents is that he’s only going to get better. Miller, if he stays healthy, will be a terror for a long time.
6. Honorable Mention
Jeremy Shockey could be on this list, but he seems to lack a bit of savvy and is a bit overrated. He’s got all the tools but hasn’t yet put it all together. Chris Cooley emerged last year as well, but he’s more of an H-back type and not necessarily a blocker. Jason Witten may never move football tickets by himself when players like Terrell Owens are on his team, but he’s a typical good, solid Bill Parcells TE.
By Jay Nault sponsored by www.stubhub.com/ StubHub sells Colts Tickets: www.stubhub.com/ Patriots tickets, Chargers tickets and all other football tickets. Please link to this site when using this article. |
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