Sports Illustrated : Ranking the NFL's Top Tight End Duos

[w8lifter]

Ranking the NFL's Top Tight End Duos​

Fads rule the NFL.

Whether it's the spread offense, the Wildcat or Joker defenders, successful schemes and ideas always are replicated around the league.

The current trend is the two-tight-end offense, centering around two tight ends that cause dangerous matchup problems for defenses. These two tight ends often, although not always, include one traditional tight end and one hybrid tight end.

While others had used the system successfully in the past, the now-defunct duo of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez in New England re-popularized the system, causing a widespread scramble for their own effective tight end sets.

In light of those developments, we're going to take a look around the league and rank each team by their top two tight ends for 2013. The rankings will be based on the tight ends' projected production in 2013, both as a receiving option and as a blocker. The two tight ends for each team will be taken from the depth charts at Ourlads.com.

Keep in mind that the rankings are based on both tight ends, although a top-end No. 1 tight end can definitely overcome a lesser No. 2.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1689210-ranking-the-nfls-top-tight-end-duos?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=programming

 

[w8lifter]

Ok, without looking at the whole article, where do you think the Cowboys would be ranked with their 2 starting TE's?

I guessed somewhere around 6th -10th place out of the 32 teams.

Even though Jason Witten should be one of the top 3, our #2 TE (Gavin Escobar) is an unknown entity at this point, since he has not played in a regular game, yet.

This article surprised me what they thought of Witten & Escobar and I think it will you, too.

:thumbsup

 

[Midswat]

I'm drawing a blank when it comes to other teams tight ends. I can name starters, no idea about reserves.

Could someone tell me where were ranked because I don't feel like clicking 37 Bleacher Report links to find out.

 

[Jon88]

3. Dallas Cowboys



Projected Duo: Jason Witten and Gavin Escobar

Jason Witten may get overshadowed by Antonio Gates and Rob Gronkowski when people look back at this era, but he's been the best, most consistent tight end of his time.

Matt Miller says it best about his receiving skills:


Jason Witten catches everything. He catches contested passes, high passes, low passes and passes that he has no business getting to. Witten has the best hands of any tight end in the NFL.

Witten still is a premier receiving threat, and his blocking skills are superb to boot.

The Cowboys also drafted Gavin Escobar in the second round to spell Witten and prepare for the future.

Escobar was one of the top tight end prospects in this year's draft, namely because of his athleticism and natural receiving skills as an ex-basketball player. He has been slapped with the "soft" label by some, but he should be a natural receiving threat a la Jermichael Finley at the very least

 

[eagle-9r-sknh8r]

Rob gronkowski overshadowing witten????
Based on what?

 

[2233boys]

Touchdowns

 

[ravidubey]

Gronkowski has sick skills, but injuries are becoming a serious problem for him. The amazing things about Witten are his consistency and ability to keep learning.

What discourages most fans is his lumbering running style, but that style disguises a gait that allows Witten to get behind defenses faster than people realize. He's an awesome mismatch and a great worker.

As for toughness, we've seen Witten play with a broken jaw. He prides himself on how he can wear defenders out. It's utterly unreal this guy was recovering from a ruptured spleen the first three games of the season. Gronkowski or Antonio Gates would have been on the sidelines watching.