Darren Waller – Page 39 – Syndication Server

Eagles’ Dallas Goedert rated ahead of Zach Ertz in a ranking of the NFL’s top-15 tight ends in 2020

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There could be a changing of the guard at the tight end position in Philadelphia after Pro Football Focus shook things up with their annual ranking of every NFL position.

In what could be described as shocking and definitely something that will motivate the Eagles Pro Bowl tight end, Zach Ertz was ranked lower thank Dallas Goedert, coming in at No. 7 on the list, behind his teammate who barely missed a top-five nod.

6. DALLAS GOEDERT, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
The best tight end on the Eagles’ roster heading into 2020 is not Zach Ertz. Despite the receiving totals pointing pretty clearly to Ertz being the better player in Philadelphia, it’s actually Goedert who graded out as the better receiver in 2019. Goedert’s size and athleticism make him dangerous in one-on-one situations, evident in his receiving grade against single coverage that ranked near the top of the list this past season.

Goedert can block, as well. In fact, he joins Kittle as one of just two tight ends to post top-10 PFF receiving and run-blocking grades at the tight end position this past season, and his 81.4 run-blocking grade over the past two seasons comes in at second among tight ends behind only Maxx Williams. He just needs more opportunities in a featured role, because the talent is there.

7. ZACH ERTZ, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Many would rank Ertz as high as third on this list, so I’ll start this out by explaining a little bit why he comes in at just seventh. Primarily, he isn’t nearly as dynamic as some of these other guys with the ball in his hands.

Fewest Yards After the Catch Per Reception Since 2016
Player Receptions YAC/REC
24. Antonio Gates 111 3.6
25. Zach Ertz 356 3.3
26. Trey Burton 127 3.1
27. Jason Witten 195 2.7
28. Cameron Brate 171 2.7
*Among 28 tight ends with 100-plus receptions

Sandwiched between Antonio Gates (36 years old at the start of this stretch) and Jason Witten (34 years old) is not where you want to be as one of the most productive tight ends in the NFL in your prime. Ertz forced just 14 broken tackles on 356 receptions over that stretch. For comparison, that matches Demetrius Harris, who did so on just 62 receptions.

Ertz clearly does other things well, though. He does a good job of using leverage and footwork to create separation on his routes and performs well in contested-catch situations when the separation isn’t there. The Eagles figure to run plenty of 12 personnel again in 2020, testing NFL defenses with the best one-two punch at tight end in the league. It will be interesting to see if Goedert eats into more of Ertz’s targets in his third season of action.

The 49ers’ George Kittle landed the top spot on PFF’s tight ends list, followed by the Chiefs’ Travis Kelce, the Bucs’ Rob Gronkowski, the Raiders’ Darren Waller, and the Ravens’ Mark Andrews rounding out the top-5.

Ertz had 88 catches last season after setting the NFL record for catches in a season by a tight end in 2018, with 116.

Last season, Goedert head a breakout campaign with 58 catches and also had a higher catch rate and yards-after-the-catch average than Ertz.

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How can the Raiders improve their red zone woes?

The Las Vegas Raiders struggled in the red zone in 2019. Raiders wire takes a look on how they can improve in that area.

As the training camp creeps closer and closer, people can feel the excitement of the season slowly rise with each day. With the NFLPA clearing the accommodations offered by the NFL, including no preseason, teams are ready to report and get prepared for the 2020 season.

The Raiders offense comes into 2020 with a ton of hype. After finishing last year fifth in total efficiency according to ESPN and ninth in football outsiders DVOA, those expectations are extremely warranted. Plus, adding Henry Ruggs, Bryan Edwards, and Lynn Bowden in the draft has fans fuming out the mouth.

Even with all that efficiency from the offense, the Raiders still struggled scoring points. The Raiders finished at 19.6 points per game. The attack is not built on explosive plays and more based on ball control, especially when they are in the bottom half in offensive pace. This makes the red zone an essential area of the field, and the Raiders struggled there late.

The Raiders actually started off the season pretty well in the red zone. During the first nine games of the season, the Raiders were 12th in red-zone percentage, but then it all fell apart. They finished the seasoned tied for 22nd in the NFL while coming in at 14th in attempts. This helped them finished the season averaging 14.6 PPG in the last six games.

People like to point the finger at several issues, mainly the quarterback and the head coach. While they do play significant factors, let’s see what other items the Raiders have and how they can improve in the red zone.

Shotgun Runs

NFL is a passing league, and every analytical website will tell this 800 times over. Running backs have been devalued more than ever before, but the place where they still are useful is in the red zone. However, the Raiders struggled to run the ball inside the five-yard line effectively in 2019.

Out of the 19 carries for the Raiders inside the five, the Raiders only scored eight touchdowns. If you take out Derek Carr’s scrambles, that turns into six out of 16, which is a 37 percent touchdown rate inside the five-yard line. Inside the three, Josh Jacobs and Alec Ingold had 12 attempts rushing the football and only four touchdowns, which were all by Jacobs.

Overall the rushing attacked finished 23rd in success rate according to Sharp Football running the hall in the red zone. The main reason for this is everyone knows when the Raiders are going to run the ball. They become very traditional often in 23 (two running backs, three tight ends) or 22 personnel and rarely play-action out of it.

A great solution is shotgun rushes to help empty the box and make more one on one scenarios for the offensive line. The success rate when running the ball from shotgun always has more significant success rates. The run game needs a spark in the red zone, and spreading the defense out for better numbers might be the answer.

Creativity with TE DarrenWaller

One thing we did learn last year is that Darren Waller is a YAC machine. He is a monster with the ball in his hands and is tough to take down. That’s why Gruden has to find more creative ways to get him the ball in space for him an impact in the red zone.

Waller did the lead the team in targets inside the red zone but only 4 targets inside the ten where two of them went for touchdowns. Waller explosiveness was underutilized in that area, but the play below is an excellent example of what the Raiders could do.

This play against the Texans is the Raiders in the shotgun in 11 personnel from the Texans eight-yard line. The Raiders will be running a split zone play-action fake with Waller releasing out into the flat. The Texans bite on the fake, and Waller is wide open with space to run. He outruns the corner and finds his way into the end zone.

Waller is a locomotive at the tight end position. If Gruden can get creative with finding different ideas to manufacture more touches for the rising star, the offense could produce more points.

QB Derek Carr Hitting Tight Windows

Carr is a polarizing player in Raider nation and usually gets the blame for everything that goes wrong. However, the red area is a place he has struggled with in the past, and he needs to be more willing to throw into tight coverage.

Carr has been avoiding tight-window throws for the past couple of seasons. He ranked second to last out of all eligible quarterbacks in aggressive percentage which NFL next-gen stats uses to judge these type of passes. The play below is an excellent example of Carr not being aggressive when the opportunity arises.

Down 35-17 against the Packers, Raiders were looking to make it a two-score game. They come out in a 2×2 set with the offense running their usual double jerk routes, which usually have the inside receiver running corner routes, which Marcell Ateman does above.

Darren Waller, this time runs a quick slant towards the back of the end zone and does an excellent job finding the window between the safety and the corner. Carr doesn’t throw it to him probably because Blake Martinez is lurking, but he has to make that throw into that window. The Raiders failed to score on this drive.

Carr has to trust his talent and play with more confidence down in the red zone. If he uses his arm strength to make tight-window throws and speed the football past underneath linebackers, the offense can take a leap and add more scores.

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The NFL’s 11 best tight ends

Sure this comes down to George Kittle versus Travis Kelce, but who are some of the other top tight ends in the league today?

If you think about it, the tight end position was at the forefront of the last schematic revolution in the NFL.

Consider the Tampa 2 coverage scheme. For those that need a refresher, this is a defensive coverage that plays with two deep defenders, but tasks a third – often an athletic linebacker – with defending the area between the safeties. This coverage is traced back to the Tony Dungy/Monty Kiffin teams, and it was implemented to protect that area of the field against receivers or, in many cases, tight ends.

Where TEs had previously been viewed as a sixth offensive lineman who could occasionally add something in the passing game, as more teams looked to these players in the passing game defenses needed a response. The Tampa 2 coverage was born.

As is usually the case, schematic advancements in football move in cycles. When more professional teams wanted athleticism at the tight end position, better and better athletes started playing the position. A new generation of tight ends was born, players like Jimmy Graham and Tony Gonzalez, who were dominant more for what they did as receivers than anything else. When these players started running away from linebackers, defenses needed to adjust again.

when I think about the league from a conceptual standpoint, i usually end up down a Bill Belichick-related rabbit hole. If you read and study the defensive mind over his years in the league, you will see that there is nothing Belichick considers more dangerous to a defense than a versatile tight end. If you want visual evidence of this fact, go back to the 2018 regular season meeting between the Kansas City Chiefs and the New England Patriots. Against an offensive featuring the explosive Tyreek Hill, it was Travis Kelce who found himself double- and even triple-covered at times.

If Belichick is worried about a position or a player, you better take notice.

Right now the league has a very solid class of talent at the position, including the aforementioned Kelce, who is as you would expect among the top of the class. But how does this group stack up?

As usual, we begin with the Honorable Mentions.

Honorable Mentions

We start with a player with tremendous potential, but who has yet to truly put it together. Evan Engram looked every bit the part of a future mismatch nightmare coming out of college – and those who saw his week of practices at the Senior Bowl would concur – but injuries and inconsistency has been the hallmark of his young career. If he puts it together he can crack a list like this. Hayden Hurst now looks to be the prime option at the position in Atlanta, and with Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley on the outside and Matt Ryan throwing to him, he is in a good position to excel in 2020. Jonnu Smith is stepping in as the main man for the Titans, and that play-action heavy offense is a good position for him to succeed. Gerald Everett might be the second TE option for the Los Angeles Rams, but Sean McVay has done creative things for him in the past and we can expect that to continue into 2020. Greg Olsen might have a TV gig waiting for him, but he can still be a factor for the Seattle Seahawks in 2020.

Then there is what is taking place in Tampa Bay. Rob Gronkowski is usually a mainstay on lists like this, but since he sat out all of 2019, he did not meet the snap threshold for inclusion. But he, coupled with O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate, are also names to watch.

Also, in a bit of “calling my shot,” look for Adam Trautman to be on a list like this sometime soon…

Best tight end groups

(Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

As more and more teams like the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings rely on multiple tight end packages, some great units are starting to develop around the league. Obviously with elite players like George Kittle and Travis Kelce, the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs have solid groups by default. But in terms of a 1-2 punch, it is hard to top what Howie Roseman and Doug Pederson have assembled in Philadelphia. Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert are two of the top TEs in the game, and as a result the Eagles implemented this package a staggering 52% of the time.

Not too far behind, however, were the Vikings. Under Kevin Stefanski the Vikings used 12 personnel on 34% of their snaps, and having Kyle Rudolph and Irv Smith Jr. in place certainly led to that usage. With Stefanski off to Cleveland, you might want to keep an eye on their group, which as of this moment consists of Austin Hooper, David Njoku and an intriguing rookie in Harrison Bryant.

Now, the Top 11:

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Better than average: Tight Ends

The best TEs compared to each other.

“Better than average” is an annual measurement of how players did the previous season. Not just their total yardage or fantasy points. What this considers is which player posted the most fantasy points against a particular defense. Who had a Top-4 or a Top-8 performance? With 16 games for each defense, anyone that scored in the best eight against them for that position was “better than average.”

This considered a standard fantasy performance scoring with a reception point for running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends. The “BTA” score adds up the instances of whether a score was the highest, in the best four or eight allowed to the position by a defense. In that way, a No. 1 showing gets counted three times (as the No.1, in the Top-4 and the Top-8).

This is actually more accurate than considering total fantasy points. This indicates how well a player did versus all others that faced the same defense. Each defense only gives up one instance of a No. 1.

With so few players of any consequence, there are no big surprises here. Tight ends like Hunter Henry, Mike Gesicki, and Jared Cook didn’t have many great games, but they were solid in turning in “better than average” scores almost every week.

Here are just the No. 1 performances allowed by a defense (a total of 32). Interesting that Ertz led in this statistic while Travis Kelce was limited to just two instances of scoring the most tight-end points on a defense.

Eagles Zach Ertz lands in the top-3 ahead of Rob Gronkowski in a ranking of TE’s by Execs, players, coaches

Philadelphia Eagles star Zach Ertz is No. 3 in a ranking the NFL’s best tight ends in 2020

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The Philadelphia Eagles have one of the best tight end duos in the NFL, and for a time, they had the guy recognized as the best in Zach Ertz.

Ertz is a supreme talent, but George Kittles and Travis Kelce appear to be on another level when it comes to their run after the catch prowess. Ertz is still a ‘made man’ amongst his peers and the respect was shown during a recent ranking of NFL tight ends by ESPN.com and several league executives, players, and coaches.

Kittles and Kelce landed the top spot, but Ertz got the not over Rob Gronkowski at No. 3.

“There’s a drop-off after Kittle and Kelce, but this guy is a championship-level player,” one AFC exec said. “He smokes us almost every time we play them. He doesn’t beat you deep, but he doesn’t need to because he’s so good with the intermediate stuff. I’d take him above almost everybody.”

Ertz has the most targets in the NFL over the past two seasons and his demise has been greatly exaggerated despite some suggesting the Eagles move on.

Ertz running mate, Dallas Goedert landed on the list as a player to watch, with some suggesting that he’s a better option at times.

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Bucky Brooks names Raiders TE Darren Waller a top-five tight end in NFL

Bucky Brooks names Raiders TE Darren Waller a top-five tight end in the NFL

One of the breakout stars of the 2019 NFL season was none other than tight end Darren Waller of the Raiders. Waller was initially drafted in the sixth round by the Ravens but tallied just 18 receptions in his first four seasons in the NFL.

Waller was initially drafted to be a wide receiver, but head coach Jon Gruden had the foresight to move the former Georgia Tech star to tight end. In his first full season as a tight end, Waller caught 90 passes for 1,145 yards and three touchdowns.

In a recent article by Bucky Brooks of NFL.com, he ranked the top-five tight ends currently in the NFL. Not surprisingly, Waller made the list at No. 5 after his outstanding season in 2019. Here is a snippet of Brooks’ thoughts on Waller going forward:

“The former college wide receiver is nearly impossible to defend with a linebacker or defensive back thanks to his size (6-foot-6, 255 pounds), speed (4.46 40), athleticism (37-inch vertical) and polished set of route-running skills. With the Raiders deploying him out wide and utilizing him as a super-sized wide receiver, the fifth-year pro has quickly become one of the most dangerous playmakers at the position.”

Waller will be the team’s top option in the passing game again in 2020, but they are hoping he can continue to make strides in the red zone. Waller finished the 2019 season with just three touchdowns as the Raiders were one of the league’s worst teams in the red zone last season.

If Waller can improve on his touchdown totals next season, there is nothing stopping him from becoming the very best tight end in football. Look for Waller to have another massive season this year with the Raiders.

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Musical collaboration between Raiders TE Darren Waller, DE Maxx Crosby on the horizon

Two of the best reasons to be excited about the 2020 Las Vegas Raiders are looking to collaborate off the field, too.

Two players that produced much excitement on the field for the Raiders in 2019 — and are set to do the same in 2020 — are looking to create a buzz off the field, too.

Tight end Darren Waller, who just dropped the second single off of his hip-hop album, “Wall Street,” has a like-minded teammate in defensive end Maxx Crosby, who was a rapper while in high school.

The two plan to collaborate in the future, according to The Athletic’s Vic Tafur. Crosby initially spoke of the possibility while on the Keeping it 300 podcast in October last year.

“I sent Maxx a whole bunch of beats, so hopefully when he puts something out he will be using one of mine,” Waller told Tafur. “He is a busy guy, and whenever he is ready to lock in, I am here for him.”

Waller’s beat library is likely deep. He’s been known to get lost in his musical production while on the team plane, and he’s working on an in-house studio in his new Las Vegas home, according to Tafur. You can listen to his album via his YouTube channel as well as his Instagram account.

Crosby’s talent was on display for all to see on HBO’s “Hard Knocks.” As a rookie, he had to perform for the entire team, and instead of getting roasted for poor performance, as is the idea, Crosby actually had a few heads bobbing in approval.

Crosby had this to say about his rap exploits when The Raiders Wire’s Levi Damien inquired, during Crosby’s initial conference call as a member of the Raiders.

“We used to do it for fun. We would stay out of trouble and make music instead of doing all the other crazy stuff other people were doing. We just liked to stay at the house and make music.”

Waller’s passion for hip-hop likely helps him stay on the straight and narrow track, as it did for Crosby. Waller overcame opiate and cocaine addiction early in his career and rebounded with the Raiders in 2020, amassing 90 catches, 1,145 yards and three touchdowns at just 27 years of age.

Crosby impressed as well, notching 10 QB sacks as a rookie. Both Waller and Crosby figure to be foundational blocks for the Raiders for years to come as they attempt to win championships in their new Las Vegas home.

But prepare for them to entertain off the field, too, and they might as well — they don’t call Vegas the entertainment capital of the world for nothing.

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Jim Nagy compares tight end Stephen Sullivan to Darren Waller

The Seattle Seahawks traded back into the draft to acquire Stephen Sullivan, who former scout Jim Nagy compared to Oakland’s Darren Waller.

Seahawks general manager John Schneider wasn’t confident LSU tight end Stephen Sullivan would end up in Seattle as an undrafted free agent, so he gave up a sixth round pick in the 2021 NFL draft to make sure he got his guy.

It’s not hard to see the appeal, as Sullivan stands six-foot-five and weighs about 250 pounds, with a 4.66 time in the 40-yard dash and above average length. It’s clear Seattle envisions him as a red zone threat, and his ability to line up out wide could be a huge factor for this offense.

In fact, Sullivan was initially listed as a wide receiver by the Seahawks, but coach Pete Carroll indicated he will compete at tight end – a spot that is heavily occupied by Will Dissly, Greg Olsen, Luke Willson, Jacob Hollister and fellow draft pick Colby Parkinson.

“I’m all good for it,” Sullivan said on 710 ESPN’s Danny and Gallant Show. “I have no problem playing tight end. I have no problem playing any position that helps the team at all. I’m ready to learn under (quarterback Russell Wilson), I’m ready to learn under all those guys on offense. I’m ready to pick their brains. I’m excited about it and I have no problem putting my hand in the ground and getting dirty, so I’m ready for those mismatches and I’m just ready to get after it.”

As a big tight end with plus speed and a large catch radius, Sullivan has drawn some extremely favorable comparisons, even though he joined the team as such a late pick. In fact, Jim Nagy, a former Seahawks scout who now runs the Senior Bowl, went on 710 ESPN and compared Sullivan to Raiders tight end Darren Waller.

“They got a chance of really hitting on Stephen Sullivan,” Nagy told 710’s Tom, Jake and Stacy recently. “Going back to player comps, the first time I watched him he reminded me of (Raiders tight end) Darren Waller … For 6-5, he’s a really fluid, easy moving guy. Huge catch radius, long arms, can go up and get it.”

Waller hauled in 90 receptions for 1,145 yards and three touchdowns last season, and while Sullivan won’t reach those totals in year one, there’s plenty of reason for Seattle to be optimistic about the big-bodied tight end from LSU – even if the position group looks a bit overcrowded at the moment.

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Raiders TE Darren Waller has some must-read advice on how to get through coronavirus solitude

You would never guess by the way Darren Waller speaks that he is just 27 years of age. What he’s been through and overcome in his young life has given him uncommon wisdom. His experiences with addiction are a cautionary tale he openly shares with others in the hopes he can keep others from going down the wrong path or turning their lives around.

For people who have struggled with substance abuse, times like this are exponentially difficult. As the saying goes ‘Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.’

Whether you are a religious person or not, the concept is the same. For people like Waller, it’s important to keep one’s mind and body busy with the right things. Really, it’s important for everyone. It’s just far more dangerous for him.

For that reason, he is just the person to whom you should listen for advice on how to get through times like this.

For many in the U.S. right now, going out and doing the things we would normally do is not an option. You may have to work from home, your kids may be out of school, the bars and entertainment venues are closed, and events canceled. And if you’re in a metropolitan area, you have been advised to stay at home. It can be a difficult time and simply doing nothing is not an option.

This is where Darren Waller comes in. He wrote a piece for the Player’s Tribune that has some great advice in it.

For the mind:

Maybe this is the perfect time for self-reflection, to cultivate your creative talents. This could be your opportunity to invest deeper and more meaningfully in your relationships — the important ones, where things might have fallen into disrepair. Enjoy the company of your family. In today’s world — so busy, bright and demanding — our greatest fear is sitting quietly with (and listening to) ourselves, because we are afraid of what we may discover.

And the body:

Pro tip: Core workouts can be done anywhere, anytime — without any equipment. As far as training goes, my core has been my main focus, along with push-ups and resistance-band training. This has also been a great time for me to dive deeper into stretching and foam-rolling in ways I haven’t before.

And those who struggle or have struggled with addiction:

In rehab, almost three years ago, I developed a prayer and meditation routine that I’ve been doing during my self-isolation. (I use the Insight Timer app.) I also watch some pastors online who have been holding morning prayer calls and reading brief messages every morning and night. (Shout-out to Michael Todd of Transformation Church and Dharius Daniels of Change Church!)

Since support-group meetings in my area have been canceled, I’ve been listening to audio recordings on the Narcotics Anonymous Speakers app. It’s one of the ways I’ve continued to discipline my mind while I’m stuck at the house. I’ve been trying to keep myself stimulated physically, mentally, creatively and spiritually, so checking in with the app really helps on that front.

Waller goes on to say he has gotten more into his music (D Wall) and he listens to podcasts, watches movies, and reads books. In addition, he reminds us to be thankful if you have others in your household to be shut in with. After all, many people have no one. So, be kind, and be gracious. For instance, he put out a challenge to not complain for 24 hours.

But he said the one message he would like to send to everyone it’s this:

Remember who you are. We are strong, resilient people who are capable of displaying love, kindness and patience in the most violent of storms. Remember all of the tough times and uncertain situations you have endured. We’re lucky to still have life.

Like I said, uncommon wisdom. The Raiders got a good one in Waller.

You can read the full article in The Player’s Tribune here.

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Inside the Stats: Tight Ends

Inside the stats for tight ends

It is a position where few stand out with fantasy relevance, so overall stats say about all you need to know about a tight end’s value. These are the 12 players with at least 50 catches for 2019 and are in an offensive system that will use the position enough to let them matter. Still, always good to know a bit more about the player talent level if only for the future should they change teams.

Notable Players:

George Kittle – He did not see as much work in the playoffs as the regular season, but he’s clearly one of the most talented players of the position. His only metric that wasn’t among the best was the yards before catch – the one thing he has nothing to do with. His catch percentage (79%), yards after catch (7.1), and broken tackles (8) were all best in the NFL.

Darren Waller – For the second year in a row, the Raiders produced a top fantasy tight end from a player that had never been nearly so productive in the past. Waller posted metrics very similar to Kittle and had no low marks in any category.

Mark Andrews – The Ravens don’t throw a lot and don’t limit themselves to just one tight end, but Andrews led the group with 13.3 yards per catch not unlike a wide receiver would do.

Tyler Higbee – His late-season explosion of 2019 is still hard to wrap a head around. Is he just a late-career Cinderella ready to return to pumpkin status or will he continue his head-scratching, elite performances? His 78% catch rate was nearly the best in the league and he only dropped two passes. One to watch to be sure.

Mike Gesicki – The other new face to fantasy tight ends actually fielded the No. 8 highest number of passing targets for the position. That alone makes the third-year former second-round pick on the watch list for 2020. He’s on a trajectory for a breakout season and never dropped a pass last year.