Your Top 10 TEs of all-time

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Bryan
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Your Top 10 TEs of all-time

Post by Bryan »

This is probably my favorite position to rank, because the criteria is so flexible. The position itself has changed over the years. Teams would feature two TEs, and they would have completely different roles in the same offense. I think in general, the rankings of TEs are the most fluid. When Sporting News released their Top 100 NFL Players of all-time list in 1999, only 3 TEs made the list (Mackey #48, Winslow #73, Ditka #90) and I don't think they even had those three correct (would not have had Ditka included). The PFHOF TEs are kind of bizarre as well...there are only 8 TEs, and if I made a top 10 list I would probably leave a lot of those guys off the list. TEs also have a short shelf-life. One of the best TEs I ever saw was Mark Bavaro, but he didn't last long enough to be a HOFer. Its just kind of a mental exercise in itself to come up with a list of top TEs, and there is plenty of room for discussion. Here is mine with comments:

10) Dave Casper - Dr. Z would always rave about Casper's blocking, and he would list Casper as his best TE of all-time. He didn't put up big numbers and was kind of done after 30.

9) Jason Witten - not really a difference maker, but just so consistent. The Rod Carew of TEs.

8) Shannon Sharpe - he was probably the first TE who really spent his entire career as a slot WR. I never liked him, but he had staying power to be annoying for several years.

7) Jackie Smith - I love watching film of Jackie; he was a freakish athlete who didn't really have a great supporting cast. His numbers don't really differentiate him from other TEs, but they also don't tell the total story. Smith was a tremendous blocker, too.

6) Kellen Winslow - one of the rare players who actually 'changed the game'. Loved watching those Charger teams.

5) John Mackey - similar to Jackie Smith in that his overall numbers aren't all that spectacular, but watching film gives you a glimpse of how unique Mackey was. No one could stop him.

4) Antonio Gates - always a threat, another freakish athlete with soft hands who remained productive for a long time.

3) Tony Gonzalez - was a machine...1st team all-pro in 3 different decades

2) Rob Gronkowski - not the most durable, but a game changer when he was on the field.

1) Travis Kelce - this guy has made me a believer. His resume` doesn't have any holes.
rhickok1109
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Re: Your Top 10 TEs of all-time

Post by rhickok1109 »

I'm puzzled as to why you leave Ditka off this list (and I'm a Packer fan).

He was the first tight end who was an outstanding receiver AND blocker. Mackey was good at both but Ditka was a better receiver in his prime. I'd rank him at least third.
Brian wolf
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Re: Your Top 10 TEs of all-time

Post by Brian wolf »

I only go for blocker-recievers ... Not huge wideouts

Casper
Ditka
Gronk
Bavaro
Witten
Gates
Smith
Mackey
Kramer
Winslow
RichardBak
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Re: Your Top 10 TEs of all-time

Post by RichardBak »

I'm too lazy to list 10. But #1 in my book remains Ditka. Think what he could've done w/ today's rules. Maybe Gronk #2 and Mackey #3.
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Bryan
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Re: Your Top 10 TEs of all-time

Post by Bryan »

I view Ditka as being great with the Bears, and average with the Eagles and Cowboys. So I am not seeing the sustained production. But that is JMO, and perhaps the minority opinion (which wouldn't be a first for me on PFRA).
RichardBak
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Re: Your Top 10 TEs of all-time

Post by RichardBak »

Well, Ditka's a Polack/Uke from Pittsburgh (his last name actually was Dyczko), so I gotta go with blood. But Gronkowski ain't exactly Irish, either, so consider my top 2 as interchangeable.

Unless someone at Ellis Island changed his grandpa's name from Mackiewicz, I'm pretty sure Mackey's not Polish. :D

But being a huge Colts fan, he was great to watch. I remember those end-around plays in '68 and that tipped-ball TD in SB IV.
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TanksAndSpartans
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Re: Your Top 10 TEs of all-time

Post by TanksAndSpartans »

Where would you have Ozzie Newsome and Charlie Sanders?
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Bryan
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Re: Your Top 10 TEs of all-time

Post by Bryan »

TanksAndSpartans wrote:Where would you have Ozzie Newsome and Charlie Sanders?
Newsome was probably the first 'huge wideout' TE. I'd rank him just outside the top 10. He was a great receiver. That said, I thought his numbers would be more impressive than they were. For instance, in 1980 Newsome only had 594 yards and 3 TDs. I thought he would have contributed more in that big season for Cleveland. In general, his YPC and TD totals were much lower than I would have thought. They are noticeably lower than Jerry Smith's, and Smith played in much fewer games than Newsome. After he turned 30, Newsome became merely serviceable. I'm guessing that when Newsome retired he was the all-time leading TE receiver, but I don't think that accomplishment carries much weight in retrospect. In general, I thought Newsome's receiving totals would be more distinguishable from other TEs considering his receiving prowess, but that wasn't really the case.

Sanders was a surprising HOF selection to me. He has honors (7 pro bowls, 2 All Pro) and was a 'dreaded' all-decade 2nd team choice, but his overall stats are worse than Ray Chester's and many of the seasons in which Sanders won honors his numbers were worse than Bob Tucker in the same conference. I haven't seen a lot of Sanders on film, and the Lions offenses of the 70's were really boring. He has only one season of over 600 yards (656), one season of over 5 TDs (6)...so maybe I am missing something about Sanders but I don't really get it. I don't really see much separation between Sanders, Chester, Tucker, Bob Trumpy, etc.
Brian wolf
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Re: Your Top 10 TEs of all-time

Post by Brian wolf »

I wanted to add other tight ends who were clutch like Sharpe, Newsome, Francis, Novachek, Gonzalez and Kelce but only Francis was an accomplished blocker though the Cowboys thought Novachek was underrated as a blocker. Arbanas is underrated also and ends like Nickel, Pihos and Fears were proto-types for the position ...
RichardBak
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Re: Your Top 10 TEs of all-time

Post by RichardBak »

Sanders came along a few years after Ditka and Mackey had started to "revolutionize the game" (that tired phrase), so he was always talked up (at least locally) as being a pioneer and in that mold of great blocker/great pair of hands/No.1 or 2 principal receiver. You can't ignore 7 PB or 3 All-Pro selections (including one 2nd Team) in 10 seasons. He was one of the first guys who played basketball in college to excel in the NFL, and his leaping ability and willingness to really sacrifice his body (as receiver and blocker) made for nice highlight reel catches. Teammates and coaches liked him and respected him. So did opponents. Butkus always spoke very highly of him.

The biggest drawback was playing in Detroit when he did. He appeared in exactly one playoff game in 10 years--that dismal 5-0 loss at Dallas when he didn't register a single catch. So he was off the national radar, as the Lions generally sucked for most of his career. Of course he did have that great game vs. Oakland in the 1970 Turkey Day game (2 acrobatic TD catches), which got him some national recognition.

It took decades for him to get elected. I think his off-field persona---he genuinely was a great guy, involved in all sorts of community groups and charities, he was a TE coach for Detroit and a member of the "Lions family"---and some campaigning by the Lions and friends finally helped get him in. Good for Charlie, who at least lived long enough to accept his bust. He died of cancer a while back at age 68.
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