Using Gronk's Blocking Dominance to Ask a Question: How Are Our TE's Helping Our OL?

[Steve102]

All good. We could read better as well.

Depends on scheme. Running the football, yes. If its a 5 wide not really as long as they can pass block.

Not very. HH is ok pass block. Run block nope.

For me, too early to say we are "missing" a blocking TE but based on some of their pickups they want one.

I think you nailed it. The current guys on the roster are very much a middle of the road bunch. None of them are to be confused with George Kittle.

 

[Wozzy]

Our TE’s are no Gronk, and the comparison isn’t a fair one… to any TE in the NFL.

Henry is a better blocker than earlier in his career, not amazing but adequate and willing.

Austin Hooper is one of the better pass blocking TE’s around, and his limits as a run blocker are more about size/strength than skill. He is great in space against speed rushers on the edge versus the pass.

Dippre is the best hope here for a dominating run blocker off the bench. The guy is Gronk massive and strong. He’s not the athlete Gronk was, but he’s still pretty good. He should make a solid blocking TE and may have upside down the road in an expanded role.

 

[Vindicate]

Gronk was the best all-purpose TE ever to play the game. So, yes, of course.

Gronk was only one piece of the puzzle, though. Develin was also a huge piece of that dominant run game. And, when it all came together in the 2018 playoffs, Dwayne Allen was a big piece as a blocking TE.

All 3 were gone by 2019, as were Soldier, Brown, and Andrews (for a year). It’s no surprise the whole thing fell apart.

Virtually every McDaniels offense has made heavy use of FBs and blocking TEs. Even the spread attack of 2007 featured Heath Evans and Kyle Brady prominently.

Precedent suggests that Lampe and Dippre are built for a role in this offense. The final 53 will be telling. If one of both don’t make the roster, it could signal a bigger shift in the McDaniels offense, as we know it.

Good point on Develin as well. I wasn't a fan of us doing away with the FB position. I wonder what led to that while Bill was still here in 2022; Johnson wasn't resigned with the specific reason that we were moving away from the position.

 

[Vindicate]

I think you nailed it. The current guys on the roster are very much a middle of the road bunch. None of them are to be confused with George Kittle.

At this point, I'm thankful for anything that can bolster our OL when needed and can at least catch enough passes to make a defense slightly more honest. I'd love a Kittle, but I'd be happy with Dippre proving to be a threat in the blocking game.

 

[Steve102]

At this point, I'm thankful for anything that can bolster our OL when needed and can at least catch enough passes to make a defense slightly more honest. I'd love a Kittle, but I'd be happy with Dippre proving to be a threat in the blocking game.

I think JMcD will scheme up something that will work, using either a TE or FB to get more guys at the point of attack than the D can. I am optimistic they'll be much improved and professional. I don't think they have the dawgs to go deep into the post season, but if guys buy in to the coaching, they should be well coached and look a lot better than they looks last year.

 

[rkarp1]

don't sleep on Lampe

 

[SlowGettingUp]

don't sleep on Lampe

 

[rkarp1]

 

[SlowGettingUp]

Yes, but of course QB is the one position where what's above your neck is more important than what's below.

For a highly-physical role like FB or blocking TE, that is very much not the case.

 

[Wozzy]

Comparing a skill player’s need for athleticism versus a QB is silly.

Lampe plays FB, Dippre is a TE… there’s no need to compare the two. But the graphic proves the point… Lampe is a poor athlete. He’d better be some blocking savant.

 

[Wozzy]

Good point on Develin as well. I wasn't a fan of us doing away with the FB position. I wonder what led to that while Bill was still here in 2022; Johnson wasn't resigned with the specific reason that we were moving away from the position.

Gonzalez had the skillset to play FB.

Josh left, Obie wanted to go two TE sets, but Aaron was closer to FB than inline TE… even if he had the athleticism and strength to play both.

 

[signbabybrady]

Good point on Develin as well. I wasn't a fan of us doing away with the FB position. I wonder what led to that while Bill was still here in 2022; Johnson wasn't resigned with the specific reason that we were moving away from the position.

I think Bill has more of an affinity for 2 TEs. Josh is the one who liked the FB more.

 

[PancakeBlockPaul]

The bigger question at hand, and I kinda buried it is (my fault) is: how important is TE blocking the success of an OL? How well does our current TE unit block? Alongside a competent OL, are we missing strong, blocking TE's?

I have always considered the TE position an extension of the OL. They’re basically a slimmed down, more athletic OT that can catch. But it depends on what type of O is run really. Will they NEED to block? If not then they need better hands etc. Gronk really was a freak specimen. Elite hands, blocking, size etc. I think our current group is decent at both but can use an upgrade. Prob the draft next year. I’m down to see more heavy sets….

 

[PancakeBlockPaul]

I think Bill has more of an affinity for 2 TEs. Josh is the one who liked the FB more.

Let’s do both!

 

[Ross12]

Hunter Henry is the top TE option, and while he is a good receiver, his blocking is so-so. Austin Hooper is after him, and he's not really any better. That's why I suspect a guy like Dippre makes the team as the 3rd TE purely due to blocking talent. Also lets you use Henry as more of a receiver.

 

[patman52]

CJ Dippre has solid chance to make the roster. And next year attention in the draft on TEs needs to be directed just as LT was this year.

Agree, draft or FA or trade even. I would like to have some who could hold up for 2-3 seconds against a DE

 

[PP2]

This is somewhat what I tried to get at, in order to lead into the question I buried about our current OL/TE's. I think that, even as a first-ballot HoF'er, Gronk's blocking was something very few teams have ever had at the TE position, let alone his pass catching. Given how badly we want our run game and OL to hum along, it makes Gronk's dominance even more obvious.

Very few is an understatement. You could probably count on one hand the number of TE's in NFL history who could put an elite DE on his ass.

We essentially had 6 OL every time he was on the field and six position players.