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Special teams in one-third of the game
By Pat Kirwan
NFL.com Senior Analyst
(July 1, 2006) -- Building a 45-man roster is not an easy thing to do, and allocating enough roster spots for special teams players may be one of the most difficult personnel tasks.
Take away a roster spot for a kicker, punter and a return man or holder, and right away the game day roster is down to 42 players. That's not even a two-deep depth chart on both sides of the ball. So keeping a core of players whose main value is special teams really stresses the roster. Keep in mind there are close to 500 special teams plays per season per team. Most NFL teams are going to execute 31-32 special teams plays per game, and there is field position and ball transition to worry about on every play.
Before I get into a breakdown of special teams players around the league, keep in mind that each team has about as many special teams plays as running plays or nickel/dime defenses. The goal of most special teams coaches is to have a core of eight players they can count on to be on the 45-man roster very week, but they regularly have to deal with head coaches, coordinators, position coaches and even personnel directors who want those roster spots filled with players that may make a contribution on offense or defense.
Here is a typical roster breakdown on game day and the expectations most special teams coaches have for players that can contribute in a meaningful way. Keep in mind special teams coaches are looking for coverage players, tacklers and athletes to block in the open field. This model is based on a 4-3 defense. If it were a 3-4 defense, then switch the defensive linemen and linebacker numbers.
Position Active players Special teams
Offensive line . . 7. . . . . . . . .0
Quarterback. . . 3. . . . . . . . 0
Running back/Tight end 7. . . 2
Wide receiver . . . . . . . . 4. . . 1
Defensive line . . 7. . . . . . . . 1
Linebacker. . . . . 6. . . . . . . . 3
Defensive back . .9. . . . . . . 2
To appreciate the problems special teams coaches face, imagine telling a linebackers coach that his three backup linebackers, ones that may have to start at a moment's notice, that they should all be on the roster because of their special teams traits.
I went back and looked at the top three special teams contributors on every team to see just who is getting the most playing time for each team. There were some interesting results and some clear-cut philosophies around the league. Here's a look at the position breakdown for the top three players on all 32 teams (96 players) by the amount of special teams plays they were on the field.
Linebacker 41
Defensive back 32
Fullback 8
Wide receiver 4
Tight end 4
Running back 4
Defensive end 3
The Patriots, Chiefs and Titans all had three linebackers leading the team in special team plays. The Colts had three defensive backs leading the team in special teams plays. Even more interesting to me was that four teams-- Buffalo (Sam Aiken ), Carolina (Karl Hankton ), Dallas (Terrance Copper ), Pittsburgh (Sean Morey ) -- all had wide receivers leading the team in special team plays. None of these wide receivers are starters for their teams, but they have to take one of those roster spots on game day, and that means they are an injury away from having to play in certain personnel groupings.
The top three contributors on special teams around the NFL in 2005 averaged less just over one start per player during the regular season at a regular position. Sixty percent of the top contributors did not start one game last season, so when I saw that linebacker Ryan Nece down in Tampa Bay started 14 games and played 587 defensive snaps while leading the Bucs in special teams plays with 342, that jumped out at me. Nece was on the field for a total of 929 plays last season. In Pittsburgh, DE Brett Keisel played 284 snaps on special teams, but he backed up DE Kimo Von Oelhoffen and is now penciled in as the starter since Von Oelhoffen went to the Jets. That will put a strain on Steelers special teams.
Here's a look at the top special teams contributor on each team last year:
Team Player Pos. No. of plays Where are they now
ARI Harold Morrow FB 264. . . . . Free Agent
ATL Kevin McCadan * DB 314. . . . Carolina
BAL Darnell Dinkins * TE 342 . . . . Cleveland
BUF Sam Aiken WR 352. . . . . . . . Buffalo
CAR Karl Hankton WR 304. . . . . . Carolina
CHI Brandon Ayanbadejo LB 347. . Chicago
CIN Anthony Mitchell DB 340. . . . Cincinnati
CLE Sean Jones DB 347. . . . .. . . Cleveland
DAL Terrance Copper WR 321. . . . Dallas
DEN Keith Burns LB 320. . . .. . . . . . Denver
DET Wali Rainer * LB 354. . . . . . . Houston
GB Marviel Underwood DB 283. . Green Bay
HOU Tory Evans LB 388. . . . . . . . . Houston
IND Gerome Sapp * DB 272. . . . . . Baltimore
JAX Tracey White * LB 290. . . . . Green Bay
KC Gary Stills* LB 375. . . . . . . . . . Baltimore
MIA Yeremiah Bell DB 386. . . . . . . . Miami
MIN Rod Davis LB 309. . . . . . . . . . Minnesota
NE Don Davis LB 381. . . . . . . . . . . New England
NO Fred McAfee FB 307. . . . . . . . . New Orleans
NYG James Butler DB 402. . . . . . . . New York Giants
NYJ Rasheed Washington DB 285. . . New York Jets
OAK Tim Johnson * LB 387. . . . . . . . Baltimore
PHI Quinton Mitchell DB 411. . . . .. . .Philadelphia
PIT Sean Morey WR 307. . . . . . . . . .Pittsburgh
SD Stephen Cooper LB 407. . . . . . . .San Diego
SF Terry Jackson RB 310. . . . . . . . . .San Francisco
STL Madison Hedgecock LB 366. . . . .St. Louis
SEA Isaiah Kacyvenski LB 344 . . . . . . Seattle
TB Ryan Nece LB 342 . .. . . . . . . . . . .Tampa Bay
TEN Cody Spencer LB 366. . .. . . . . . Tennessee
WAS Mike Sellers FB 359. . . . . . . . . . Washington
* -- indicates 2005 team leader
Not only did the Ravens pick up the top special teams players from Kansas City (Gary Stills) and Oakland (Tim Johnson), but they also traded for the Colts' top special teams contributor (Gerome Sapp). The special teams coach in Baltimore has to feel very lucky to acquire three players that were on the field for 1,034 plays last season, and none of them started a game at a regular position.
There are still a few special teams guys on the street that were the top three contributors for their teams last season, and I'm sure if the special teams coach had a voice in the meetings right now, he might ask for Harold Morrow (264 plays), Bracy Walker (304 plays), Kenyatta Wright (267 plays) or Omar Easy (315 plays).
By Pat Kirwan
NFL.com Senior Analyst
(July 1, 2006) -- Building a 45-man roster is not an easy thing to do, and allocating enough roster spots for special teams players may be one of the most difficult personnel tasks.
Take away a roster spot for a kicker, punter and a return man or holder, and right away the game day roster is down to 42 players. That's not even a two-deep depth chart on both sides of the ball. So keeping a core of players whose main value is special teams really stresses the roster. Keep in mind there are close to 500 special teams plays per season per team. Most NFL teams are going to execute 31-32 special teams plays per game, and there is field position and ball transition to worry about on every play.
Before I get into a breakdown of special teams players around the league, keep in mind that each team has about as many special teams plays as running plays or nickel/dime defenses. The goal of most special teams coaches is to have a core of eight players they can count on to be on the 45-man roster very week, but they regularly have to deal with head coaches, coordinators, position coaches and even personnel directors who want those roster spots filled with players that may make a contribution on offense or defense.
Here is a typical roster breakdown on game day and the expectations most special teams coaches have for players that can contribute in a meaningful way. Keep in mind special teams coaches are looking for coverage players, tacklers and athletes to block in the open field. This model is based on a 4-3 defense. If it were a 3-4 defense, then switch the defensive linemen and linebacker numbers.
Position Active players Special teams
Offensive line . . 7. . . . . . . . .0
Quarterback. . . 3. . . . . . . . 0
Running back/Tight end 7. . . 2
Wide receiver . . . . . . . . 4. . . 1
Defensive line . . 7. . . . . . . . 1
Linebacker. . . . . 6. . . . . . . . 3
Defensive back . .9. . . . . . . 2
To appreciate the problems special teams coaches face, imagine telling a linebackers coach that his three backup linebackers, ones that may have to start at a moment's notice, that they should all be on the roster because of their special teams traits.
I went back and looked at the top three special teams contributors on every team to see just who is getting the most playing time for each team. There were some interesting results and some clear-cut philosophies around the league. Here's a look at the position breakdown for the top three players on all 32 teams (96 players) by the amount of special teams plays they were on the field.
Linebacker 41
Defensive back 32
Fullback 8
Wide receiver 4
Tight end 4
Running back 4
Defensive end 3
The Patriots, Chiefs and Titans all had three linebackers leading the team in special team plays. The Colts had three defensive backs leading the team in special teams plays. Even more interesting to me was that four teams-- Buffalo (Sam Aiken ), Carolina (Karl Hankton ), Dallas (Terrance Copper ), Pittsburgh (Sean Morey ) -- all had wide receivers leading the team in special team plays. None of these wide receivers are starters for their teams, but they have to take one of those roster spots on game day, and that means they are an injury away from having to play in certain personnel groupings.
The top three contributors on special teams around the NFL in 2005 averaged less just over one start per player during the regular season at a regular position. Sixty percent of the top contributors did not start one game last season, so when I saw that linebacker Ryan Nece down in Tampa Bay started 14 games and played 587 defensive snaps while leading the Bucs in special teams plays with 342, that jumped out at me. Nece was on the field for a total of 929 plays last season. In Pittsburgh, DE Brett Keisel played 284 snaps on special teams, but he backed up DE Kimo Von Oelhoffen and is now penciled in as the starter since Von Oelhoffen went to the Jets. That will put a strain on Steelers special teams.
Here's a look at the top special teams contributor on each team last year:
Team Player Pos. No. of plays Where are they now
ARI Harold Morrow FB 264. . . . . Free Agent
ATL Kevin McCadan * DB 314. . . . Carolina
BAL Darnell Dinkins * TE 342 . . . . Cleveland
BUF Sam Aiken WR 352. . . . . . . . Buffalo
CAR Karl Hankton WR 304. . . . . . Carolina
CHI Brandon Ayanbadejo LB 347. . Chicago
CIN Anthony Mitchell DB 340. . . . Cincinnati
CLE Sean Jones DB 347. . . . .. . . Cleveland
DAL Terrance Copper WR 321. . . . Dallas
DEN Keith Burns LB 320. . . .. . . . . . Denver
DET Wali Rainer * LB 354. . . . . . . Houston
GB Marviel Underwood DB 283. . Green Bay
HOU Tory Evans LB 388. . . . . . . . . Houston
IND Gerome Sapp * DB 272. . . . . . Baltimore
JAX Tracey White * LB 290. . . . . Green Bay
KC Gary Stills* LB 375. . . . . . . . . . Baltimore
MIA Yeremiah Bell DB 386. . . . . . . . Miami
MIN Rod Davis LB 309. . . . . . . . . . Minnesota
NE Don Davis LB 381. . . . . . . . . . . New England
NO Fred McAfee FB 307. . . . . . . . . New Orleans
NYG James Butler DB 402. . . . . . . . New York Giants
NYJ Rasheed Washington DB 285. . . New York Jets
OAK Tim Johnson * LB 387. . . . . . . . Baltimore
PHI Quinton Mitchell DB 411. . . . .. . .Philadelphia
PIT Sean Morey WR 307. . . . . . . . . .Pittsburgh
SD Stephen Cooper LB 407. . . . . . . .San Diego
SF Terry Jackson RB 310. . . . . . . . . .San Francisco
STL Madison Hedgecock LB 366. . . . .St. Louis
SEA Isaiah Kacyvenski LB 344 . . . . . . Seattle
TB Ryan Nece LB 342 . .. . . . . . . . . . .Tampa Bay
TEN Cody Spencer LB 366. . .. . . . . . Tennessee
WAS Mike Sellers FB 359. . . . . . . . . . Washington
* -- indicates 2005 team leader
Not only did the Ravens pick up the top special teams players from Kansas City (Gary Stills) and Oakland (Tim Johnson), but they also traded for the Colts' top special teams contributor (Gerome Sapp). The special teams coach in Baltimore has to feel very lucky to acquire three players that were on the field for 1,034 plays last season, and none of them started a game at a regular position.
There are still a few special teams guys on the street that were the top three contributors for their teams last season, and I'm sure if the special teams coach had a voice in the meetings right now, he might ask for Harold Morrow (264 plays), Bracy Walker (304 plays), Kenyatta Wright (267 plays) or Omar Easy (315 plays).