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The NFL MVP has never been awarded to a wide receiver, but team-builders around the league are showing the football world that the value of an elite pass-catcher is almost priceless in this era.
With Justin Jefferson inking a four-year, $140 million deal this week, the league’s shift toward a pass-centric approach has made wide receivers the most valuable asset in the NFL after the quarterback. While traditionalists will scoff at building a team around a pass-catcher in a “line-of-scrimmage league,” Jefferson’s deal is part of a trend that has completely flipped the marketplace.
Five of the top eight highest-paid non-quarterbacks are now wide receivers, including A.J. Brown (three years, $96 million, $32 million average), Amon-Ra St. Brown (four years, $120 million, $30 million average), Tyreek Hill (four years, $120 million, $30 million average) and Jaylen Waddle (three years, $84.75 million, $28.25 million average).
With CeeDee Lamb and Ja’Marr Chase poised to join the $30 Million Club” in the near future, league executives are treating wide receivers like face of the franchise-type players in the team-building process. The seismic shift in wide receiver perception and compensation has changed the blueprint that executives and coaches are utilizing to build contenders in a league built around the passing game.
General managers and coaches have traditionally built around the franchise quarterback, with the left tackle or blindside protector also viewed as an essential piece of the offensive puzzle. While most team-builders continue to prioritize the offensive line, it appears some coaches and scouts prefer playmakers over protectors when allocating resources to upgrade the team.
“This is my personal opinion: If they ask me, invest in guys that touch the ball and score touchdowns,” 49ers offensive line coach Chris Foerster said Wednesday. “And then there’s a range of guys — second, third, fourth round, fifth round even — that we will find starting offensive…
Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/whats-behind-wide-receiver-revolution-flipping-nfl-marketplace
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Publish date : 2024-06-07 15:41:55
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