Is Wide Receiver in the NFL Overated?
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by user The Beast
Jon Kitna's remarks last week regarding the impact of rookie Calvin Johnson, got me thinking that maybe the wide receiver position in the NFL is extremely overated.
Kitna had said that Johnson's addition to the Lions will help them win at least ten games.
In the NFL, the wide receiver does not have as great an impact as you might think. He only touches the ball five to ten times a game. On the other hand, a quarterback handles the ball every single play, and a running back usually touches it at least twenty times a game.
It's not that the receiver is not important, its just that one great receiver can not dominate every play like a quarterback or running back can. Team's need a solid receiving core, not just one superstar.
Besides their limitation in touches, receivers can only be as good as their offensive line and quarterback. If you place the best receiver on the Oakland Raiders, even he won't manage to get open in under two seconds. While he is running his route his quarterback is getting planted into the dirt by a 300 pound defensive tackle.
We saw this with Randy Moss last season. He was a Pro-Bowler while playing in Minnesota. The Vikings had Pro-Bowl Quarterbacks in Randall Cunningham and Daunte Culpepper in addition to being anchored by a strong offensive line. Due to these factors Moss was able to be dominate year after year.
When in Oakland, things changed. The Raiders had the worst offensive line in football and were quarterbacked by Aaron Brooks and Andrew Walter. As a result his production dropped dramatically.
Moss's situation shows that without the play of a solid offensive line, a dominant left tackle, and an efficient quarterback, any great receiver is limited.
So, why do NFL teams continue to invest high draft picks on receivers before they have a strong offensive line and effective. Look at some of the best receivers today.
- Reggie Wayne: Late First Round
- Chad Johnson: 2nd Round
- Chris Chambers: 2nd Round
- Isaac Bruce: 2nd Round
- Steve Smith: 3rd Round
- Donald Driver: 7th Round
- T.J. Houshmandzadeh: 7th Round
- Rod Smith: Not Drafted
What do they all have in common? Besides all being late round draft choices, they were all placed on good teams. Johnson and Houshmandzadeh played with a Pro-Bowler Quarterback Carson Palmer and a well-established offensive line. Isaac Bruce was on the Greatest Show on Turf, enough said. Reggie Wayne plays with Peyton Manning. Steve Smith plays with Pro-Bowler Jake Delhomme and an oustanding Panthers offensive line. Donald Driver has played with future hall of famer Brett Favre.
Many of the recent top ten receivers weren't as lucky as those late round steals.
- Peter Warrick: 4th Overall
- Travis Taylor: 10th Overall
- David Terrell: 8th Overall, 2001
- Charles Rogers: 2nd Overall, 2003
- Reggie Williams: 9th Overall, 2004
- Mike Williams: 10th Overall, 2005
All of these players share were drafted in the top ten by lousy teams with terrible offensive lines. In college they seemed to be stars in the making, but they never had the chance to develop while on horrible teams. Warrick was on the lousy Bengals teams of the early 2000s. Rogers and Mike Williams played for the Detroit Lions with Joey Harrington and a porous offensive line.
These examples show how receivers can only make an impact when on a team with a solid offensive line and an efficient quarterback. If they end up going to lousy teams, such as the Lions, Bengals, or Jaguars, it is extremely difficult to become a Pro-Bowl wideout.
A word of advice to NFL General Managers: build a strong offensive line before you draft a receiver in the top ten (a la Matt Millen).
