How well are the NY Jets blocking in TE, WR and RB? (2023)

Find out the status of the New York Jets skill position lock

The offensive line of a football team is generally recognized with praise or criticism for the overall blocking quality of the offensive line. Are too many bags allowed? He's on the offensive line. Do a lot of holes crop up in the running game? It's a great job from the offensive line.

But let's not forget: The five offensive linemen aren't the only ones blocking the offense. Skill position players also play a vital role in blocking a team.

While offensive linemen are undoubtedly responsible for most of the quality offensive blocking, there is no question that tight ends, wide receivers, and running backs play such a big role that they can make the offensive line look a bit much worse. little worse than it really is. .

TEs and WRs (and full-backs for the few teams that still use them) are often tasked with running key blocks in the running game, especially on the outside. Some of the best outside running back teams in the NFL, most notably the 49ers, get many of their best runs by locking down their players in the skill position. Strong run blockers in TE and WR are often what separates great running attacks from good ones. Running the ball efficiently is an 11-man feat, not a 5-man feat.

In pass protection, TEs and RBs are occasionally called in to provide additional help to linemen, and they also play a crucial role in catching lightning.

It's not always the offensive line's fault when a big sack is allowed; Often a TE or RB is at fault. Consider this: According to the PFF, TEs and RBs were accused of allowing a total of 96 sacks in 2022, compared to 721 for offensive linemen. This means that there was an 11.8% chance that a TE or RB and not an offensive lineman would be responsible for a sack (considering only sacks attributable to TEs, RBs, or linemen and not QBs or other factors).

Breaking it down, it can be argued that the combined effort of TEs and RBs on pass defense is almost as important as that of a single offensive lineman. If 11.8% of the sacks were attributed to TEs and RBs, that means 88.2% of the sacks were attributed to offensive linemen, which can be broken down as 17.6% of the blame of each of the five linemen, not much above marks 11.8%. In essence, TEs and RBs are almost as valuable as an offensive sixth lineman when it comes to preventing sacks.

The bottom line: ability position lock is important.

Let's analyze the blocking capacity of thenew york jetsTight ends, wide receivers and running backs kick off the 2023 season.

tight ends

passport protection

The Jets used their TEs heavily for pass defense last season, finishing 10th out of 32 teams with 106 pass-blocking plays from the TE position. The results were less than ideal as their TE unit placed 26th with an allowable pressure rate of 9.6%.

Tyler Conklinhe led Jets TEs with 62 pass blocking plays, ranking 11th in the league among TEs. Conklin was credited with allowing seven pressures (one sack), earning him the fifth-highest ranking among TEs. Its allowable impression rate of 11.3% placed it 50th out of 54 qualifiers.

However, to be fair to Conklin, I did review the pressure he was said to have allowed, and some of it was iffy. There were several pressures that caused the quarterback to roll to Conklin's side, allowing the defender to easily break away from the block and pursue the quarterback.

This is one of those pieces.

Sure, Conklin could probably execute that slice block a bit better, but with Mike White rolling to the side of Conklin's defender, there's little Conklin can do in this situation to avoid a sack. It is an easy game for the defender. Also, Conklin is coming from behind, making this a near impossible block. This bag likes Mike LaFleur more than anyone.

On another play in the same Buffalo game, Conklin was blamed for another pressure of exactly the same nature. Removing those two strains would reduce Conklin's strain rate for the entire season to 8.1%, just slightly above the position average of 7.0%.

This highlights one of the big problems with evaluating ability position blocking based on allowed pressure: it's such a small sample of plays that one or two questionable pressures here or there could skew the representation of player blocking performance during the game. the season can change completely. And since stress is subjective, it's a statistic that leads to some controversial conclusions.

Conklin has shown in the past that he is a talented pass blocker. His Vikings movie is littered with impressive one-on-one replays against notable front-runners. There aren't many tight ends that have tunes like these two on tape.

Only Conklin blocks Chandler Jones 1v1, giving Cousins ​​enough time to hit his WR for a 60-yard TDpic.twitter.com/AmJy6GMBfs

—Joe Blewett (@Joerb31)March 18, 2022

(Video) No Wide Receiver has EVER scored a Touchdown on him! 🤯 #shorts

Tyler Conklin 1v1 contra Nick Bosa 😱#Jets pic.twitter.com/CWttISeMnE

—Michael Nania (@Michael_Nania)March 17, 2022

The Vikings had a lot of faith in Conklin's pass blocking. In 2021, he led all tight ends with 98 pass-blocking snaps.

Because of his proven talent as a pass-blocker, I think the Jets had enough confidence in Conklin to give him a lot of tough pass-blocking tasks and it seemed to be taking a toll on his stats. So was his 2021 season with Minnesota: Conklin was credited with allowing ten pressures, but watching video of him made it clear that his duties were more difficult than typical tight ends. Not all pressures are the same.

Conklin will preferably improve his rush numbers in 2023, but he should still be considered an asset on pass defense due to his ability to handle tough assignments. Regardless of what his printed PFF ratings numbers say, Conklin's pass blocking movie is impressive.

Conklin had plenty of standout one-on-one moments for the Jets in 2022, including that appearance against Myles Garrett where he fought back.

Conklin is also an effective block and release player. This makes him a useful helper for tackles that need help, like rookie RT Max Mitchell on this play against Cleveland. Conklin creates a lot of movement on Jadeveon Clowney before going his route.

CJ UzomahHe played 38 pass-blocking plays and allowed three pressures in 2022, giving him a 7.9% pressure rate, which ranked 32nd of 54 TEs. His career pressure rate is 7.0%, which is the position average from 2022.

However, two of the three pressures allowed by Uzomah were sacks, including that horrible miss against Buffalo. Uzomah seems to lose connection to the servers for a moment and remains inactive while A.J. Epenesa runs past him unlocked by a strip sack.

On a positive note, Uzomah can use its excellent length to provide good edge protection in a duel. Here's a solid one-on-one replay from Uzomah on the left edge that helps set up a third down conversion.

Based on his movie in 2022 and prior to joining the Jets, I consider Uzomah to be a good pass blocker. He doesn't have Conklin's big flashes and occasionally makes big mistakes, but overall he seems to perform with solid consistency.

jeremy jerk's pass blocking can't be rated as he only played three pass blocking plays in 2022 (no rushing allowed).

barrel lock

I studied every run-blocking play the Jets took in 2022 and counted the performance of each blocker, giving them credit for helping positive runs and blaming them for allowing crowded runs. The resultsare published here.

I thought Conklin had a great season in the running game. On my chart, I credited Conklin with 30 assists and 12 stops allowed, giving him a 2.5-to-1 ratio, which put him third best on the team.

While Conklin's blocks are rarely noticeable or overwhelming, Conklin consistently performs his tasks, generating just enough movement to get the job done. He rarely got hit.

Here Conklin moves through the formation before the snap and then snaps the defender off the rim to open up a hole up the middle for Michael Carter.

This time, Conklin pins Myles Garrett inside to give Breece Hall the lead. Also, he checks out Jeremy Ruckert in the lead on the second level.

By contrast, I thought Uzomah was in big trouble as a run blocker in 2022. In my movie study, I credited him with 29 assists and 26 legal assists, a ratio of 1.16-to-1. For reference, I calculated that the ratio The league average would be 2.0 to 1 if you did this study for the entire NFL. Based on his total net influence versus expectations, I calculated that Uzomah is the third most damaging run blocker on the Jets, ahead of only Laken Tomlinson and Duane Brown.

Uzomah seemed reckless in the running game and played with poor technique that caused him to frequently miss blocks. He would often bow his head, dive into the blocks, or lean against the blocks.

Here, on the left edge, Melvin Ingram swims inside Uzomah for a six-yard loss.

This time, Uzomah moves in and tries to throw a cut block at Ingram. Uzomah telegraphs the block as he lowers his head and lunges at Ingram. Ingram reads it, easily dodges Uzomah and stops Michael Carter for a one-yard lead.

The offensive line blocks this play well, but watch out for Uzomah on the right edge. Look how far he lets the edge runner push him. This sends Zonovan Knight to the inside lane and is tripped by Uzomah's man. With a more powerful edge lock from Uzomah, this could have been a much better run.

Uzomah's run blocking has been one of the offense's most overlooked issues in 2022. While he was never an elite blocker for the TE position, he is capable of so much more than he gave to the Jets last year.

In Cincinnati, I thought Uzomah was a pretty average run blocker with a boom or bust aspect to his game. He was inconsistent, but with his enormous size and athleticism, Uzomah's highlights often bounced off the canvas. These standout moments were enough to even it out.

Uzomah provided some of those notable highlights in New York, but not as often as he did with the Bengals, and his propensity for errors increased significantly. His consistency ranged from average to poor.

The Jets need Uzomah to bounce back in 2023, or they need Ruckert to take his place.

Ruckert's blocking performance in the season finale against Miami was more impressive than anything Uzomah displayed in 2022.

LI kid Jeremy Ruckert showed amazing blocking potential in Miami 👀pic.twitter.com/V2r5MWswR5

—Michael Nania (@Michael_Nania)9 January 2023

wide receiver

Among their three skill position units, the Jets' WRs have the best prospects in the block division. You're ready to enjoy some of the best blocking in the league in WR.

It all depends on two men:corey davisYall lazy.

Davis (6'3, 209) and Lazard (6'5, 227) not only have impressive builds for the role, but have also shown throughout their careers that they have the technique and tenacity to make their mark. to maximize the running game

According to my chart, Davis was the most efficient run-blocker on the Jets last year, posting a 3.5-to-1 ratio of assists (21) to objects allowed (6).

Davis is a very willing blocker, applying wide angles of attack to his defenders and finishing with physicality at the point of contact.

The return of Corey Davis' run block was a big boost for the#Jets pic.twitter.com/WAw4viwL11

—Michael Nania (@Michael_Nania)28. November 2022

Everyone knows how solid Corey Davis was at catching the ball, but my gosh, his run blocking is on a different level this year. He is instrumental in helping them run the ball out well. He's locked up. Almost like another TE.

Check it out here... (and MC too!)pic.twitter.com/itWPVhPL5A

—Michael Nania (@Michael_Nania)21. October 2022

The same qualities can be seen in Lazard's game.

Allen Lazard's excellent blocking fits right there#Jetsgrievancepic.twitter.com/FL0tXWBbZ9

—Michael Nania (@Michael_Nania)March 15, 2023

Outside of Davis and Lazard, there's not much that stands out, though the rest of the unit certainly isn't bad in the running game.

Denzel Mims has blocking potential thanks to his height (6'3, 207), but his delivery and technique are inconsistent. Garrett Wilson is a limited blocker because of his height (6'2", 192 yds), ​​despite working as hard as he can. Mecole Hardman is even shorter than Wilson (5'10, 187) and is rarely called upon to perform key blocks. However, it should be noted that Hardman's ability to threaten defenses on the move before the snap can help create trajectories, which essentially has the same effect as a good block.

Overall, the Jets' WR unit should put in an impressive performance with Davis and Lazard leading the way in the running game.

runners

breece roomhe did a good job of pass protection in a small sampler last season, allowing pressure on 22 pass-blocking plays. He finished 15th out of 73 qualifying RBs with a 4.6% allowed rush rate.

With Hall's excellent size for the position and willingness to block, he has the potential to be an excellent pass blocker.

Breece Hall with a good pickup in Pass Propic.twitter.com/sazoliK5Fe

—Michael Nania (@Michael_Nania)23. August 2022

Hall also showed great instinct and focus in his rookie season. On this play, he could have prevented a safety with an impressive one-on-one block. There are a lot of moving parts here, so look at the part first (from both angles) and then we'll get started.

Before the snap, you can see Hall watching the right side of the Jets' offensive line (this is clearest in the end zone camera angle). He points out that the number 31 falls on the line of scrimmage. At this point, Hall knows the Jets will have a free runner if the No. 31 attacks (which is probably based on his lineup). Hall knows this because he knows that RG (Nate Herbig) will draw, which means RT (Alijah Vera-Tucker) will be behind in a 1v2 situation. So Hall knows he has to go there and help AVT when attacking No. 31.

When Hall confirms that the No. 31 is coming after the snap, Hall brushes off the fake play so he can come and pick up his man. AVT charges in to capture #31, freeing #91 right in the middle. Hall attempts the slice block and successfully sets the No. 91 to the ground, giving Zach Wilson enough time to break free and throw the ball away. That should have been a disaster. Hall's fantastic attention and warning reaction saved the day.

Beyond Hall, it's a mixed picture. There is another running back on the team who has a positive attitude towards pass protection, but there are two running backs who need to improve in this area.

Zonovan Knightjoins Hall on the positive column. Knight, like Hall, did well in a very small sample in his rookie season. Knight was credited with not allowing a pass rush on 18 pass blocking plays. Here's a strong take on Knight.

stand on the negative sidemichael carterand newbieIsrael Abanikanda, which carry substantial red flags in passport protection.

In 2022, Carter blocked the pass on 56 snaps (15 among RBs) and allowed the second-highest rush among RBs with 11. His 19.6% impression rate ranked third among 73 qualifiers.

Unlike Conklin, Carter's film doesn't excuse its print numbers. His mistakes used to be egregious.

Carter is in a bad mood about this attempt to stop the linebacker at the limit.

Judging by Carter's first move off the snap (he's jumping forward instead of out), I'm not sure he didn't recognize the linebacker as a potential threat until after the snap. Ideally, in this situation, one would like to see Carter straighten up and catch the runner instead of trying to take him down, but since Carter didn't see him until it was too late, all he could do was dive in and try to take him down. knock him down in one last sentence.

Passport protection awareness may be a problem for Carter. The Dolphins trick him here with a well-disguised Blitz attack.

The No. 29 hides behind the outside linebacker and only reveals himself as a blitz threat just before the snap (he deserves credit for timing the snap nicely). If you look at Carter's eyes before they slam shut, you can tell that he isn't looking in the direction of #29 as he begins to charge toward the line. Carter doesn't realize #29's threat until long after he takes the snapshot, and by then it's too late. In an ideal world, Carter would recognize the number 29 before the snap, ignore the fake play (as Hall did in the previous clip), and head off to pick up the number 29.

Carter's struggles in 2022 were a continuation of his rookie year in 2021. He is the only RB in the NFL allowed three sacks in each of the past two seasons and leads all RBs with six sacks allowed during that period.

Abanikanda had problems with passport blocking at the university. In 2022, he was ranked 182nd out of 199 FBS qualified brokers with an allowed press ratio of 14.8%. He has allowed two sacks in each of the past two seasons. Considering that Abanikanda also has issues with dropping and general receiving production, it's unlikely he'll play many snaps in the passing game as a rookie.

If Hall and Knight can stay healthy, the Jets should be fine. But if they have to turn to Carter and Knight to rack up a significant amount of blocked passes, there could be trouble.