David Hunter
The NFL season is merely a few weeks away and teams are getting ready to lock down their rosters to a final 53. Teams playing their 3rd and 4th pre-season games are largely evaluating starting roles along with the final 12-13 players who will crack their rosters to possibly be active for game days. T.D. has a great article coming tomorrow that is also a good read on the general cut downs. This is a slightly deeper examination, going more position by position.
Let’s go about assembling our own 53 Man Roster.
Quarterbacks
Teams usually keep 2 active quarterbacks now with a new rule, implemented at the start of the 2011 season, negating the need for a 3rd QB “emergency” and allowing for the 3rd QB to be used in various roles while being able to re-insert the #1 or #2 QB.
This has allowed teams to keep a 3rd QB, usually somebody who may be a bit more athletic such as a Brad Smith, in an effort to roll out specialized packages that involve a read-option play or ties going back to the Single Wing formation (I hate the term Wildcat).
This also allows a 46th man to be active, again allowing teams to keep just 2 QBs while activating another player who can excel on ST coverage/returning as a blocker.
Running Backs
Teams usually keep 4-5 RBs or up to 6 with the inclusion of a FB. Usually the first 2 RBs are the key starters, primarily utilized on 1st & 2nd Down. Teams like the New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, or Pittsburgh Steelers have utilized their 3-5 RBs as specialty role players. Usually these guys may be rookies & used on ST or “3rd Down” backs who specialize in pass protection and pass catching. They can also be split out wide as an additional wide receiver in an empty backfield formation. The FB, such as a Marcel Reese in Oakland, has to be versatile enough to be a blocker but in a pinch they can step in and run the ball or catch the ball.
So at this point, we’ll go with keeping 2 QBs and 5 RBs (1 being a FB). That is 7 spots locked up.
Wide Receivers
This can be as thin as 5 or as many as 8 depending upon their usage on ST as gunners/returners and the role played in the offensive scheme. A run heavy offense doesn’t have as much of a reliance as a passing attack like the New Orleans Saints. Then digging deeper, WRs usually learn certain positions such as the X (left outside WR), Z (right outside WR), or Y (inside slot WR). A WR that is able to learn all “3” (or 4 with the W, other slot WR) can help save a team a roster spot that can be used elsewhere. Teams can stash young rookies at the back end, such as the 6th or 7th spot to let them learn the ropes on ST and fill-in if an injury strikes a starter or key backup. Teams can also stash a role player such as a Devery Henderson, a player who has great speed but lacks the overall ability to stick as starter, as a 5th WR to exploit defenses that lack great vertical speed. A receiver like a Josh Cribbs can be potent due to his ST abilities alone while offering up a little as a #4/#5 WR.
We have 7 spots locked up. We’ll stick with 6 WRs here, giving us 13 spots locked up on the 53 Man Roster.
Tight Ends
With more and more teams rolling to 2 TE sets, don’t be surprised if teams stick with as many as 4 TEs on a 53 man roster. Everybody knows the receiving types such as a Tony Gonzalez but the blocking TE is equally valuable to most teams and often, the smart teams, will keep a 3rd or even a 4th TE solely due to their blocking ability to help on goal line packages and in the return game. Some teams will treat their 3rd or 4th TE as an “extra” OL if they possess big enough size.
Keeping 3 TEs, a receiver, blocker, and STer will take us up to 16 spots. We have over 1/4th of the 53 Man Roster already finalized.
Offensive Line
This is where it gets interesting. Teams usually keep 10-13 OL mainly due to injuries and having enough backups to handle some serious bad luck going on. Teams also use a roster spot on guys who are dubbed, “swing tackles,” because they can handle being outside at OT as well as inside at OG. Usually the LS (long snapper) will be kept as an OL for their ST ability.
Let’s go a little light here and keep just 10 OL. 1 guy can be a swing tackle and 1 will be our LS. That takes our total up to a robust 26. Now you can start to get an idea of how tough it is to build a 53 Man Roster and how scheme can impact nearly every position. Quick Breakdown could be 2 LT, 2 LG, 2 C (1 being a LS/Backup), 2 RG, and 2 RT.
Defensive Line
Defense will be all about scheme. A 4-3 needs more DL whereas a 3-4 can get by using fewer. A hybrid scheme utilizing both fronts have to be extra sharp in their roster building, relying on the versatility of the players being coached and scouted. Teams usually go 3 deep and up to 9-11 players here due to ST reliance and the sheer physicality of the position.
We’ll go with 8 players here (4 DE, 4 DT) and pretend we’re rolling with a 4-3 Defense. 1 of our players can offer versatility being able to play outside or inside. This can also be where a pass rush specialist is kept for “Nickel” downs aka 3rd Down and Long situations.
53 Man Roster Count: 34 Players
Linebackers
Since we are rolling with a 4-3, we don’t have as much of a reliance as a 3-4 or hybrid would. Most teams usually keep anywhere from 6-9 players with the back end working primarily on ST. A team, depending on the scheme, may keep more at a certain position (such as ILB in a 3-4) due to the importance placed on players in their scheme. If a team has a valuable player who can play down or up, they can save themselves a roster spot at either DL or LB.
We have 31 roster spots taken up. Since we are a 4-3 defense, we’ll roll with 6 LBs with our #5 and #6 LBs being primarily STers who can chip in if injuries kill us. That jumps our total up to 40 spots filled on our 53 Man Roster. Only 13 spots left!
Defensive Backs
Cornerbacks are a premium in the NFL and again, specialization has led to even more necessary roster spots needed. With the evolution of the spread out 3 & 4 receiver looks, teams have had to roll with more Nickel looks by inserting a “Nickel” aka 3rd Down CB to match up against a slot WR. As a team you definitely need depth on the outside CB spots and maybe 1-2 specialized CBs who can play inside along with being ST demons such as a Corey Graham or safety Matt Slater.
Wait, we also need some safeties too! We need that big thumping SS but also that Troy Polamalu/Ed Reed-like roaming FS who can ballhawk. This is where the depth and ST abilities can start to get more interesting as some players can stick because they offer ST coverage/return abilities over somebody who may be more physically talented but also more physically one-dimensional. You sure you want to keep that big hitting SS as your #2 SS over say the #9 CB who is a ST demon but may not see the field at all otherwise?
We have 40 spots filled. Now many of you may be thinking, well just keep X amount and leave 2 spots for the leftover K and P but it’s not that easy. We’ll keep 10 DBs boosting us to 50 Men on our roster. That leaves 3 spots. Quick Breakdown could be 6 CBs (1 Nickel), 2 FS, and 2 SS.
Kicker/Punter
Some teams have aging, accurate kickers who can be ace on the field goals and finish out the years by kicking 85% of their attempts. But we have a downside. That downside is that they don’t have the leg strength to boom the ball out of the end zone on kickoffs. Maybe they only get it 2-3 yards into the end zone, allowing return opportunities or worse, can’t even kick it that far. This is where roster spots can be locked up by kickoff specialists, primarily being paid to make sure that the opposing teams automatically need 80 yards to score a touchdown every drive. Punters can also serve as holders on field goals or PATs so they offer additional versatility entwined with their ability to try and pin teams deep.
So there we have it, we have our final 3 roster spots filled in and a complete 53 Man Roster. Not every roster is built the same so as you watch the final 2 games of the pre-season, feel free to ‘become the head coach’ and predict the final 53 Man Rosters of your favorite NFL Teams. May not be as easy as you think!
Final “David Hunter” 53 Man Roster
2 QBs
5 Running Backs (1 FB)
6 Wide Receivers
3 Tight Ends
10 Offensive Linemen
8 Defensive Linemen
6 Linebackers
10 Defensive Backs
3 Kickers
Credit Philly.com for feature image
