Supply and Demand
How Wide Receiver Became the NFL's Most Employable Position
The Effects of Regulation
Enron. Tyco International. WorldCom.
Three of the worst corporate frauds in history occurred within an 18 month span, sending the financial markets into a death spiral. The general public lost any faith remaining in Wall Street and white collar society. Reckless decisions and almighty avarice destroyed investor portfolios and wiped out employee pension plans. Penniless in the streets we cry.
Greedy, ruthless bastards.
How Wide Receiver Became the NFL's Most Employable Position
Enron. Tyco International. WorldCom.
Three of the worst corporate frauds in history occurred within an 18 month span, sending the financial markets into a death spiral. The general public lost any faith remaining in Wall Street and white collar society. Reckless decisions and almighty avarice destroyed investor portfolios and wiped out employee pension plans. Penniless in the streets we cry.
In response President George W. Bush signed into law The Sarbanes Oxley Act on June 30th, 2002. "SOX" required executive management to bear responsibility for all information presented on company financial statements. Despite accounting's dominant role in the fraudulent activity, legislation dramatically raised the global need for accountants in a sick twist of irony. The SEC and Public Company Accounting Oversight Board raised overall audit requirements. The sun rose and firms couldn't hire enough bean counters. Accountants suddenly became the pretty girl everyone wanted to ask to prom, even though most of them were too nerdy to attend their own.
Speaking of nerds, one particularly handsome man strikes a cord in the hearts of NFL fans everywhere. Some remember him from his legendary battles with a meat head named Sean Salisbury(I mean his last name was a friggin STEAK) Others refer to him as "The Professor." I personally like to think of him as a prophet.
for 4,500 yards. Games will be higher scoring."-John Clayton 2004
The NFL saw a 6% increase year over year in total passing yards for 2004. And that was just the tip of the iceberg.
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| *QBs (position players omitted) llegal Contact Rule Enforced in 2004 "Defenseless Receiver" rule enacted during 2011 |
- Total passing yards increased by nearly 20% over the 10 year period.
- TPY increased every year except for 2005 & 2007.
- Before 2004, only Dan Marino accumulated a 5,000 yard passing season. (1984)
- Since 2004, NFL QBs have thrown for 5,000 yards 7 times.
- Brees(08',11',12',13'), Manning(13'), Brady(11'), Stafford(12')
Brain damage, like corporate fraud, is not for the faint of heart. Big wigs across NFL front offices feared the financial reaper heading for their pocket books and renowned reputations. Surely they heard the horror stories. Whispers of Super Bowl Shuffle winning quarterback Jim McMahon suffering from early stages of onset dementia and struggling to find his keys in the morning. Numerous former players taking their own lives due to the darkness of depression. Rumors began to swirl about when the league actually knew about the negative effects of concussions and why they chose to do sit and do nothing. It was time to act and act in a big way. And so began the most aggressive 10 years of regulation in NFL history.
2004's enforcement of illegal contact prohibited a defensive back from grabbing, touching, or physically berating a receiver farther than 5 yards off the line of scrimmage. Rule 12 Section 1 in the NFL's Code of Conduct fully describes the nature of "illegal contact", but the regulation actually first appeared in 1978. The lack of enforcement allowed Ronnie Lott and other hall of fame defensive backs to crush receivers up and down the field before the ball was in the air. After five yards, receivers can now run free leading to more offense and in theory less chance for player injury. It was a win-win in the eyes of every quarterback, wide receiver, and offensive coordinator.
More points, more yards, more fun for everybody right?
The "Defenseless Receiver"
September 1st, 2006.
Exit Paul Tagliabue. Enter Roger Goodell.
Exit Paul Tagliabue. Enter Roger Goodell.
In his own words, Roger Goodell likes "protecting the shield". For Goodell, protecting the NFL is about fostering the league's integrity, maintaining its tremendous domestic brand, and stretching the game into un-chartered global waters. In the face of an 18,000 player lawsuit and intense media scrutiny, Goodell demonstrated his passion for the game's integrity. So much so that he decided to instill further regulation.
It is a foul if a player initiates unnecessary contact against a player who is in a defenseless posture
(2) A receiver attempting to catch a pass; or who has completed a catch and has not had time to protect himself or has not clearly become a runner. If the receiver/runner is capable of avoiding or warding off the impending contact of an opponent, he is no longer a defenseless player;
Rules are often controversial in nature, but rarely are they so subjective. If you ask 10 former players to define a "defenseless posture", I'm betting you will hear 10 diverse responses. Referees began whistling defenseless receiver calls during the 2011 season. From 2010 to 2011, the NFL experienced another significant increase of 3.56% total passing yards YOY. It may be hard to define causation, but there is certainly correlation. Safeties and corners are now less willing to hit receivers high leading to some gruesome lower body injuries.
Make no mistake, I am huge proponent of player safety. To Goodell's credit, the NFL experienced a 13% decrease in concussions this season. I certainly don't want to see my childhood heroes go the tragic way of Junior Seau. Here's to hoping for another concussion decrease in 2014.
Now Hiring
This year's wide receiver class is the deepest and most talented group in recent memory. Sammy Watkins is a home run and a can't miss prospect. Mike Evans displays shades of a smaller, faster version of Jimmy Graham every time he touches the football. Marquise Lee and Brandin Cooks are burners that will take the top off of secondaries at the next level. Odell Beckham Jr. is an explosive and powerful talent considering his stature. And those are just a few of the marquee names. ESPN's Mel Kiper projects there could be as many as 8 wideouts selects in the first round of this year's draft.
But even if these guys sucked, it wouldn't matter. Scouts and GMs would still salivate at their "potential." Why? Because someone has to catch passes from quarterbacks who now throw the ball 50 times a game. Someone has to rack up yards and touchdowns so freely given, and so freely taken. Talk about a market need.
Wide Receivers in the modern era are like accountants. Ever so employable.
