I just read on a report by Reiss that Wright lined up last year detached from the formation most often, but also lined up on the line of scrimmage, as well as "in the offensive backfield."
Does anyone know if that was in a fullback type role, or if he was getting handoffs like we used to do with Hernandez a couple years ago? I really loved those plays...
That line caught my attention, too. I'm intrigued to learn more.
He only had 1 rushing attempt last year. I doubt they'll hand off the ball to him much, he's nowhere near as agile as Hernandez. Shame cuz I liked those plays too
Hernandez/move TE lining up the backfield for the Pats is in many ways an artifact of the offensive system the Pats run, Erhardt-Perkins. Broadly speaking, Erhardt-Perkins is highly structured and hierarchical in its terminology and concepts: a base formation is specified, followed by modifications to that formation, followed by play number (important for QB steps and line responsibilities), followed by route concepts for strong and weak sides. These formations and the positions they contain apply to all personnel groupings. The default formations consist of two receivers, a tight end, a fullback, and a halfback, and these terms never change, just as the route concepts never change based on formation. The third wide receiver, second tight end, or even second halfback in "pony" packages are technically the fullback in the actual playbook formations.
All the base formations in Erhardt-Perkins have the fullback lined up in the backfield. It requires a formation modification, like "3 Out" instead of just "3" to move the F to a "WR spot." Consequently, just as a technique to see what the defense is doing if not an accident based on an audible, you'd expect at some point the "F" to line up in the backfield, no matter the personnel group, and, if the defense looks completely lost, for that F guy to get a handoff. At least that's what you'd get with a QB like Tom Brady with complete command of the offense. Hernandez turned out to be pretty good at it so the Pats went back to it occasionally, no idea about Wright, but in Coryell and West Coast (and hybrids of the two, like "Gulf Coast") that sort of stuff doesn't happen as organically.
Anyways, this is relevant because I'm guessing Tampa Bay ran Erhardt-Perkins last year under Mike Sullivan, who was formally on the staff of the NY Giants, who also run Erhardt-Perkins. This also means that Tim Wright won't be learning a whole new offensive playbook.
