Former Seahawks backup quarterback Jake Heaps, now with 710 ESPN Seattle, believes Seattle should play less in its jumbo package.
“Everybody loved George Fant playing tight end and they loved that ‘jumbo package,’” Heaps said. “In 2018, they implemented that package and it was actually really effective. It was a big, heavy package where they could move bodies and they were nasty in that personnel.”
Heaps observed that the Seahawks’ utilization of the jumbo package did not help their run game in 2019 and revealed an interesting statistic.
“This year, the Seahawks continued to play high percentage of their jumbo package with George Fant and I think a lot of people would say that it was a vital part of their run game,” Heaps said. “Well, when they used six offensive linemen this year on 171 attempts, their positive play according to EPA – expected points per average – was just 36.4% of the time.”
Heaps said the running game was more effective in 11 or 12 personnel last year mainly because opposing teams adjusted to the jumbo package.
“The interesting thing is that they were much better off running it just out of straight 11 personnel (three receivers, one tight end, one running back) or 12 personnel (two receivers, two tight ends, one running back) with actual tight ends in the game rather than their jumbo package,” Heaps said. “So to me what that shows me is that you continued to just sit there and say ‘all right we’re gonna put George Fant in the game we’re going to pound it on these guys just like we did it the previous year’ and teams adjusted to that in a heavy way and yet you didn’t do any adjustment yourself.
“I think moving forward you have to lean in more to your actual tight ends – Will Dissly, Greg Olsen, and group instead of trying to make Cedric Ohbuehi, who they signed to be that jumbo package tight end.”
The former Seahawks quarterback may have a point, but we will see what happens once the team hits the field in September, provided the coronavirus outbreak is contained to a level where NFL football can safely commence.
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