Tag: slot

Bulk of early practice reps for Packers WR Jayden Reed coming from slot

The first step for Packers rookie WR Jayden Reed: Learning the offense from the slot.

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One of the reasons the Green Bay Packers drafted Jayden Reed in the second round of the 2023 draft was his versatility. But not surprisingly, the rookie receiver has taken most of his snaps from the slot to begin OTAs.

“A lot of slot and a little bit of outside,” said Reed following Tuesday’s practice. “It’s kind of similar to college, but I’m primarily in the slot now, so it’s different. I like working in space, and I’ll fit in the NFL playing in the slot but also rotating outside.”

Following the selection of Reed, Packers Vice President of Player Personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan spoke with the media and discussed the versatility that Reed brings. Sullivan said that he has the speed to play outside, with the Packers clocking him at 4.37 during the pre-draft process, but also the strength to line up from the slot. Sullivan also added that Reed could be used on jet sweeps and pointed out his experience as a return man as well.

Reed had nearly a 50/50 split during his college career of time spent in the slot and time spent on the boundary. And while he will see snaps outside, it’s not surprising that most of his time up to this point has come from the slot.

As offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said last week when meeting with reporters, the coaching staff has to be mindful of what they put on the plates of their young pass catchers initially. Although Reed has the skill set to take on a variety of roles, he first has to become comfortable playing from the slot before being given more responsibilities.

The Packers are also in their early installs of the offense this offseason. While it’s important for the Green Bay pass-catchers to be able to move around the formation, playing both inside and out, Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs are more boundary targets than anything else. So as receivers one and two on this team, and with the offense laying the foundation at this point in the offseason, the slot is where there is an opening at the moment. Watson, Doubs, and Reed will all see a mixture of slot and boundary snaps as the season progresses, but at this point, it’s about building upon the basics of the offense.

Given Reed’s frame at 5-11 and 187 pounds, more of his playing time could end up coming inside rather than out, especially playing alongside Watson and Doubs, unlike than the near 50/50 split we saw from him at Michigan State.

Lining up in the slot will give Reed a clean release at the line of scrimmage, allowing his speed to put the defender in a bind. With more space to operate within, there will be YAC opportunities, along with Reed potentially being a go-to target for Jordan Love in the quick passing game and over the middle.

Along with Reed, second-year wide receiver Samori Toure has also been rotating in and taking snaps with the first-team offense as well.

Of course, it is still very early in the process, but in Reed’s short time with the Packers, he has caught the attention of the coaching staff, both with his speed and play on the field, but also his mentality off of it.

“I’ve had just about every coach come up to me, on our staff, and be like, ‘Holy wow. That guy is twitchy, fast and explosive.’ He has all those traits,” said wide receivers coach Jason Vrable last week. “You could see it on the college tape. Toss him a ball and he’s gonna go make a play. But probably the more impressive thing is just his mentality. I told him the other day, I said, ‘You remind me of Randall (Cobb). You really do. You’re laser-focused. Your love for football. The other day, I was just thrilled for him. I said, ‘You really love ball, don’t you?’ He’s like, ‘This is everything, Coach.’ There’s something about guys who end up being successful that have that inner drive. When he walks into the building, his eyes are like all ball.”

This is the time Saints are expected to make 2023 draft selection Thursday

This is the time the New Orleans Saints are expected to make their 2023 draft selection on Thursday night — assuming they don’t trade out of No. 29:

One of the better moves the NFL has made in recent years is embracing the spectacle of the annual draft — a rare merger of the college and pro games in which fans from both spheres can come together in celebration and boo league commissioner Roger Goodell every time he steps to the podium. Moving the draft from one city to the next has done wonders for expanding its outreach and drawing massive crowds, and the 2023 draft in Kansas City will be no different.

But here’s the important bit: when are the New Orleans Saints going to make their pick? We know they’re slotted in at No. 29 overall for Thursday night’s first round, but what time are they expected to go on the clock?

Last year’s 29th overall pick, Chattanooga guard Cole Strange (who went to the New England Patriots), was announced at about 10:22 p.m. CT. So if you aren’t able to tune in for the full prime-time event, set a reminder to tap in around that time.

Here’s how to watch the first round of selections:

  • What: 2023 NFL draft, first round
  • When: Thursday, April 27, at 7 p.m. CT
  • Where: Kansas City
  • Channel: ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network

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Rookie WR Christian Watson effective and efficient from slot for Packers

Rookie Christian Watson was one of the NFL’s most efficient receivers from the slot in 2022.

When we look back on Christian Watson’s rookie season with the Green Bay Packers, one of the first things we will remember was his big play ability and how that reshaped the offense. But in addition to that, he was also very efficient from the slot.

Watson spent about one-third of his snaps lined up inside and had 22 targets. He ended up catching 16 of them at 12.9 yards per catch with three touchdowns. Overall, he ranked 15th out of all receivers with at least 18 slot targets in yards per route run – again, showcasing his efficiency.

The bulk of Watson’s snaps should continue coming from the boundary, where his home run ability can really be maximized. Since Watson’s emergence in Week 10, both Matt LaFleur and Aaron Rodgers have mentioned how his presence has affected how opponents defend Green Bay. We’ve also seen on several occasions where his gravity is on display, as safeties are pulled towards him to protect against the big play, which then opens up opportunities for other pass catchers.

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With that said, this versatility to line up in the slot is important as well. For one, the LaFleur offense very much emphasizes movement, whether that be different alignments or pre-snap motion. More so early on in his tenure, LaFleur discussed the illusion of complexity, which in short, keeps defenses off balance by running a variety of plays from similar looks, along with plays that begin similarly but are different. In order to accomplish this, versatility amongst the skill-position players is key.

Lining up inside also gives Watson free releases off the line of scrimmage. Although Brian Gutekunst didn’t mention Watson by name, on Friday when meeting with reporters, he did mention that the young receivers as a group can be better at getting off press coverage. In Week 18, we saw Detroit give the Packers receivers fits in this regard. From the slot, however, that isn’t an issue, and when that’s the case, Watson’s speed becomes a real issue.

Watson being effective from the slot also gives the Green Bay offense the opportunity to attack the middle of the field – especially when against Cover-2, where there will be a lot of space, which the Packers saw a lot of towards the end of the season with opponents wanting to limit the downfield passes. Watson’s final two touchdowns against Dallas were prime examples of this as he got a clean release while lined up inside, ran across the middle of the field, and with the defenders unable to keep up, he had two uncontested catches that ended with touchdowns.

As Watson’s role and production continued to grow, his effectiveness from the slot flew a bit under the radar, but it will be an important element for this Packers offense moving forward.

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Chiefs CB Trent McDuffie getting increased playtime in the slot

#Chiefs draft pick Trent McDuffie might have found his home at slot cornerback.

Kansas City Chiefs rookie CB Trent McDuffie is being deployed in a different way in recent weeks.

Over the past two weeks, McDuffie has played 83 of his snaps at the slot cornerback position. In the seven weeks he played prior, McDuffie played just 18 snaps in the slot. What’s behind the recent change? Some of it has to do with how they’ve utilized CB L’Jarius Sneed against bigger receivers like D.K. Metcalf and Courtland Sutton. Some of it also has to do with McDuffie having an increased level of comfort.

Speaking to reporters following the game, McDuffie spoke about the transition to playing more in the slot.

“I think that they have done a good job of just continuously throwing me in there throughout the season,” McDuffie said. “So, I feel like I’ve gotten a lot of practice at it. Now it’s in the game environment, getting game reps and just getting comfortable with it but I mean, outside (or) inside, I love it all so
whatever I can do to help the team out is what I’m going to do.”

McDuffie getting more work in the slot has allowed another side of his game to show. He was sent on a timely blitz in Week 17 against the Denver Broncos, notching his first career sack and a forced fumble that was recovered by fellow rookie George Karlaftis.

“They (the coaching staff) just put me in the position to go make plays, and it’s on me to go make them,” McDuffie said. “So, I mean hats off to (Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) Coach Spags for making a call to let me blitz because he knows I love to blitz. That’s all it was.”

The turnovers have been hard to come by for the Chiefs’ defense, who are tied for the fifth-fewest in the league (18) through 16 games. Whether it’s McDuffie or one of his teammates, he’s hopeful the turnovers will continue to flow with his new role.

“I think it’s huge no matter what,” McDuffie said. “Anybody to make a play — rather it’s the sack-fumble, rather it’s a strip, rather it’s a pick. Turnovers create a lot of energy for the defense. So, continuing to do that, I think will help us move forward.”

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More opportunities for Packers rookie WRs means more slot snaps for Allen Lazard

Getting Packers rookies Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs on the field more should mean more slot opportunities for veteran WR Allen Lazard.

From the jump, rookie wide receivers Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson were integral parts of the Packers’ Week 1 offense. Once Allen Lazard is back in the mix, that continued reliance on the young receivers will provide Matt LaFleur with more flexibility to play Lazard from the slot, where he has been a more effective pass-catcher.

All offseason, we heard Rodgers say how he prefers production over potential and that the Packers’ top-three receivers were going to be the veterans Lazard, Randall Cobb, and Sammy Watkins. However, with Lazard, unfortunately, missing Week 1, Watson and Doubs’ roles increased.

Watson finished the game with 40 snaps, the second most among the Packers’ wide receivers, while Doubs finished with 35. Neither lit the stat sheet up, but Watson’s speed and playmaking ability were evident, even when the ball didn’t come his way. And Doubs finished second on the team in receiving yards, including first among receivers.

If Green Bay were to rely more heavily on thier experienced pass-catchers, Lazard and Watkins would have to be on the boundary with Cobb in the slot. Because Cobb is strictly a slot receiver, there is little flexibility with this trio in terms of moving them around.

However, if Doubs and Watson continue to play significant roles once Lazard returns, LaFleur now has the ability to move Lazard inside, where he has been much more effective.

Over his career, Lazard has spent a fairly equal amount of time playing from the slot as well as on the boundary – although he has lined up out wide over 100 more times – but last season there was a noticeable difference in production when he was in the slot.

Out of 119 eligible receivers, Lazard ranked 30th in yards per route run, according to PFF. During the final five games of the regular season, when Lazard totaled 290 yards and five touchdowns, 57% of his snaps came from the slot. Meanwhile, in the first 10 games of the 2021 season, Lazard totaled just 223 yards, with only 39% of his total snaps coming from inside. Overall, about 60% of Lazard’s receiving yards came from the slot.

From the slot, LaFleur can create mismatches for Lazard and more easily scheme him open than what he can on the boundary. Lazard’s ability as a run-blocker will also be much more evident from there as well.

As of now, we do not know if Lazard is going to play against Chicago. So far, he has been a limited participant through the first two days of practice. But if he does return, one of Watkins, Cobb, Doubs, and Watson is going to lose out on some snaps–there just isn’t enough playing time to go around.

Based on Rodgers’ comments over the summer, it’s easy to point to either Doubs or Watson being the ones to lose out on playing time, and who knows, maybe that happens. But the odd man out should be Cobb.

For one, with Doubs and Watson as boundary targets, that means more opportunities for Lazard from the slot, which as we’ve discussed, is a very good thing. This is also a Packers’ offense that needs the playmaking ability of those young receivers, and for this unit to be at its best, they’ll need to be able to rely on those rookies this season. That reliability and trust with Rodgers can only be built through live reps.

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Analysis: New playmakers emerge on Saints defense in Week 1 win

Analysis: New playmakers like Justin Evans and Marcus Maye emerged on the Saints defense in their Week 1 win in Atlanta, via @MaddyHudak_94:

The New Orleans Saints salvaged their season opener to defeat the Atlanta Falcons through impeccable fourth-quarter play. Otherwise, it wasn’t pretty. Taysom Hill, plainly, was the entire offense through three quarters. He ran in 2 of the team’s 4 total first downs in the first half. New Orleans converted a mere 3 of 11 third down attempts prior to the fourth quarter.

Then Jameis Winston briefly entered the injury tent and proceeded to play the best quarter of his career. He amassed 75 passing yards in his first scoring drive. The offense converted 10 passing first downs in the final quarter alone. Winston brought poise under center that had felt absent since Drew Brees retired – doing so with zero turnovers. That calm command was matched in the kicking game with Wil Lutz’s return. After missing a 44-yard attempt early on Sunday afternoon, Lutz recorded a 49-yarder in the third quarter and sealed the victory with 19 seconds left on a 51-yard field goal. The Saints found a way to win, but it wasn’t pretty. Let’s take a deeper look after reviewing the tape:

Analysis: Saints have the personnel to account for loss of C.J. Gardner-Johnson

Analysis: The New Orleans Saints have the personnel to account for losing C.J. Gardner-Johnson, but replacing him is easier said than done, via @MaddyHudak_94:

The New Orleans Saints secondary has looked different by the day, and it’ll have a new player covering the slot for the first time since 2020. C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s trade to the Philadelphia Eagles has spurred plenty of conversation surrounding the value of a slot corner and the ease of replacing one in coverage. While the monetary value is certainly debatable, the translatable skill set is a bit unique. It leaves a few question marks along the secondary and how the various pieces will fit.

It may seem as easy as sticking the next-best cornerback or safety in Gardner-Johnson’s role, but the personnel replacement isn’t that obvious. Sure, Tyrann Mathieu has played in the slot and could easily fill the vacancy, but then who is the other starting safety opposite Marcus Maye? The team has been running a decent amount of base defense with three linebacker sets, but that’d be a disservice to the secondary players to see less playing time. Let’s dig deeper:

Barry: Packers CB Rasul Douglas doing a ‘phenomenal’ job in the slot

Joe Barry on Rasul Douglas: “He has such a great feel, you know? He’s such an instinctual and aware football player.”

Rasul Douglas has taken the bulk of the slot cornerback snaps with the Green Bay Packers starting defense this summer, and as Joe Barry would tell reporters on Thursday, he has done a “phenomenal” job.

The Packers have what very well could end up being the best cornerback trio in the NFL, but prior to training camp, we didn’t exactly know who was going to play where – or how often.

Jaire Alexander may be the most natural fit for the slot, given his size and skill-set, but he will move around, more often than not following the opponent’s top receiver. Eric Stokes, meanwhile, has very little slot experience, even going back to his time at Georgia.

Both players will see slot snaps this season, but if practice is a sign of what’s to come, then that role will primarily belong to Douglas.

Like Stokes, it’s not as if Douglas has much nickel experience either. In fact, over Douglas’ first five NFL seasons, he has just 79 total slot snaps, per PFF, including just four a season ago.

However, despite the lack of experience, by all accounts, Douglas has acclimated well to the move inside.

“He has such a great feel, you know? He’s such an instinctual and aware football player,” said Barry via Packers.com. “I think you could put ‘Sul anywhere in the back end and he’d just find a way. Obviously the nickel corner position is unique, it’s different, it’s different playing inside than outside, but he’s done a phenomenal job.”

There’s a lot that comes with playing in that star cornerback role, more than just the obvious coverage responsibilities. Slot corners have to be able to play man or zone; they need to be active in the run game, which means being a willing tackler, and there will be times where that player is asked to blitz as well.

Those instincts of Douglas’ that Barry referenced were on full display a season ago. He was always around the football, even when a completion was allowed, holding his opponents to just over 10 yards per reception, which only happened 50% of the time. There were also the six pass breakups and five interceptions, two of which went for touchdowns.

Recently, Aaron Rodgers had some high praise for Douglas of his own, calling him “one of the smartest guys” that he has ever played with and that he has the same “competitive fire” that the great Charles Woodson had.

Matchups from week to week may still dictate who is in the slot against a specific team or perhaps even on a specific drive. But throughout training camp, Douglas has been the Packers’ go-to slot option, and to no surprise, he continues to play quite well.

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Packers GM thinks Jaire Alexander will follow No. 1 WRs in 2022

Packers GM Brian Gutekunst believes CB Jaire Alexander will follow top WRs all over the field next season.

Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander will have an expanded role next season, according to general manager Brian Gutekunst.

“With Ja, he’s going to go where some of the receivers are going to go and he’s going to follow those guys in different packages. He can do everything,” Gutekunst said at the NFL owners meeting on Monday. “That’s a nice luxury for us to have.”

The Packers recently lost their starting nickel Chandon Sullivan, who signed a one-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings. Sullivan was the team’s primary slot corner the past two seasons.

In some scenarios next season, Alexander will follow receivers into the slot.

It would be a new role even for Green Bay’s star corner. During his first four NFL seasons, Alexander only played 283 snaps in the slot out of a possible 2,907, according to Pro Football Focus.

Gutekunst said he thinks all three of his likely starters at cornerback – Alexander, Eric Stokes and Rasul Douglas – can play in the slot if need be.

“I really like the versatility of our corner group,” Gutekunst said. “Our entire corner group that we have right now probably could both play inside and out.”

If anyone can move into the slot and thrive, it’s Alexander. The 2018 first-round pick was named a second-team All-Pro in 2020 after finishing as the No. 1 rated corner by PFF. Alexander recorded 51 tackles, 13 pass breakups, one forced fumble, and an interception while giving up only two touchdowns.

Unfortunately, a shoulder injury limited his 2021 season to just four games. Alexander did return for the playoffs but appeared in only eight snaps.

Gutekunst said he isn’t worried about Alexander playing in the slot now that his shoulder is fully healed.

Alexander will rejoin a loaded secondary featuring Douglas, Stokes, Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage. Out of all of the cornerbacks, Alexander might be best suited to play the slot.

Both Douglas and Stokes did well as the team’s starting outside corners last season. Gutekunst said Douglas “certainly could” play in the slot. Alexander is the smaller of the three but is also the best in coverage. He could potentially travel with opposing teams’ No. 1 receiver even when they line up in the slot.

Success in an expanded role for Alexander would help in his contract negotiation. He would join a unique group of corners who follow receivers all over the field, which is something the highest-paid corner, Jalen Ramsey, does not do for the Los Angeles Rams.

Alexander is entering the fifth and final year of his rookie deal, but Green Bay does not plan on letting Alexander go anywhere anytime soon. If anything, Gutekunst’s comments show just how much they value him as a player.

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How will Packers replace WR Randall Cobb in the slot?

Packers WR Randall Cobb has a significant injury, leaving open opportunities in the slot moving forward.

The Green Bay Packers will have to find ways of replacing the contributions of veteran slot receiver Randall Cobb, who is dealing with a significant core injury and will be out indefinitely.

Coach Matt LaFleur mentioned Allen Lazard, Equanimeous St. Brown, Davante Adams and Amari Rodgers as potential options to replace Cobb in the slot.

According to Pro Football Focus, Cobb caught 21 passes and averaged 1.58 yards per route run when lined up in the slot this season. He also led the Packers with four receiving touchdowns from the slot. While the numbers don’t pop off the page, Cobb came up big in several big spots over the first 12 games of the season, and losing a veteran target does nothing to help take away all the help usually thrown at Adams each week.

Others will have to make the most of the opportunity.

Lazard is a big, physical target who has 12 catches and two touchdowns when lined up in the slot this season. He has struggled catching the ball in traffic as of late, but more opportunities to play inside could help unlock the type of efficiency as a receiver he produced during the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

St. Brown has been used in a limited fashion this season, especially in the slot, but his role is expanding. He’s looking more and more comfortable and confident in his fourth season, and his size and athleticism could be assets from the slot. Don’t be surprised if he suddenly becomes a more valuable player in the passing game.

Adams is always the key player in the slot. He leads the team with 51 targets, 37 catches and 414 receiving yards from the slot this season. The Packers do a terrific job of lining him up all over the field to keep coverage schemes guessing and produce the best matchups in the passing game. Expect more of No. 17 playing inside as the Packers find ways of creating more easy catches for the All-Pro.

Rodgers, the rookie, has only played a handful of snaps from the slot this season despite being advertised as something of a Cobb clone. He needs to take a big step forward coming out of the bye, both in the slot and as a returner. He’ll get chances, potentially even as a gadget player with Cobb out.

The one forgotten-about receiver in this equation is Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who has the elite speed needed to threaten as a perimeter target or in the slot. In fact, he’s produced 11 catches for 218 yards and two scores when lined up in the slot this season. His 79-yard touchdown against the Vikings last month came when he was lined up as the No. 3 receiver in the slot. Vertical speed from the inside can be a tough thing to cover as a defense.

Running back Aaron Jones and tight end Josiah Deguara are other options. They’ve both caught touchdown passes while lining up in the slot this season.

Losing Cobb is a blow to the Packers offense, especially considering this connection and level of trust with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but LaFleur’s team has several quality options to help fill in the gaps.