The Slot is Dead

[WeezyBengal]

I think the Bengals are going to obliterate and innovate on what the "slot receiver" is this year.

I don't think they are going to have one dedicated "slot receiver". They will mix and match personnel. You will see Chase, Geiseki, Yoshi, Chase Brown, Burton, and even maybe Higgins all line up in that slot position.

I think this will be an innovation that many other teams in the NFL start copying as teams continue to try and take WRs out of the game with cover 2 and cloud coverage.

I'm excited about the possibilities. The Bengals finally have the personnel to dictate the concept.

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

Well, it took Taylor 5 years to figure out that being utterly predictable in formation, personnel, and alignment is pretty darn stupid.

Always being in 11 with Boyd in the slot had to go. And good riddance.

I think Weezy (is that Jefferson's related?) is right. We want to be more unpredictable. I think we'll see some 12 this year (2 TEs). Some TEs in the slot (especially Gesicki but Hudson, McLachlan, and All coukd be too). Various WRs. And, gasp, maybe even a RB.

[HarleyDog]

(06-21-2024, 03:57 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: I think Weezy (is that Jefferson's related?) is right. 

He has asthma you inconsiderate bastid~! 

[*ochocincos*]

(06-21-2024, 03:57 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: Well, it took Taylor 5 years to figure out that being utterly predictable in formation, personnel, and alignment is pretty darn stupid.

Always being in 11 with Boyd in the slot had to go. And good riddance.

I think Weezy (is that Jefferson's related?) is right. We want to be more unpredictable. I think we'll see some 12 this year (2 TEs). Some TEs in the slot (especially Gesicki but Hudson, McLachlan, and All coukd be too). Various WRs. And, gasp, maybe even a RB.

Part of me wonders if it's because they felt Boyd was one of the best 3-4 receiving options they had, so they needed to go 3-WR sets so often because they needed to get Boyd, Higgins, and Chase out there.
With Boyd gone and Gesicki added, one has to think they don't feel they need to go 3-WR sets as often and can be more creative with 12 and maybe even some 13, 21, or 22 personnel.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(06-21-2024, 01:53 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: I think the Bengals are going to obliterate and innovate on what the "slot receiver" is this year.

I don't think they are going to have one dedicated "slot receiver". They will mix and match personnel. You will see Chase, Geiseki, Yoshi, Chase Brown, Burton, and even maybe Higgins all line up in that slot position.

I think this will be an innovation that many other teams in the NFL start copying as teams continue to try and take WRs out of the game with cover 2 and cloud coverage.

I'm excited about the possibilities. The Bengals finally have the personnel to dictate the concept.

Nice thread Weezy, I am seeing the same thing. Losing Boyd might be the best blessing in disguise we have had in years. Chase of course had
his best game as a pro against the Chiefs playing primarily out of the Slot. Gesicki and Hudson both can play in the Slot as TE's and are a size 
mismatch. All of Charlie Jones, Trenton Irwin and Jermaine Burton can play in the Slot as well.

Don't know about Tee or Yoshi as they don't have the quickest short area quickness needed in the Slot, but yeah, tons of possibilities to be had
in motions and different alignments to frustrate the hell out of secondary's. 

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

The Boyd slander in this thread is absurd.

Good riddance he's gone? The best blessing in disguise we've had in years? That's some cold and disrespectful shit for a guy who was an absolute professional and very productive for us for years.

I'm not saying Boyd's best days are ahead of him, they're likely not, but there's going to be a time when Higgins gets dinged up (he always does) and you're going to have Chase, a 3rd round rookie, and a 6th round pick with 116 career receiving yards out there at WR... or Chase, Irwin, Sample, and a TE who had 244 yards last year and 362 yards the year before.... and you should remember this thread then.

Also people acting like Boyd force's Zac's hand in offensive concepts as if the first 2 years of Zac without Chase he didn't do the exact same shit. Or the first year without Chase OR Higgins we didn't still run a primarily 3 WR offense with a combination of Boyd, Ross, A Tate, and Erickson despite that being a trashpile of a WR group. But sure, it's Boyd's fault and now we're free from his tyranny of dictating how Zac's offense will be.

[*rfaulk34*]

(06-21-2024, 04:58 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Nice thread Weezy, I am seeing the same thing. Losing Boyd might be the best blessing in disguise we have had in years. Chase of course had
his best game as a pro against the Chiefs playing primarily out of the Slot. Gesicki and Hudson both can play in the Slot as TE's and are a size 
mismatch. All of Charlie Jones, Trenton Irwin and Jermaine Burton can play in the Slot as well.

Don't know about Tee or Yoshi as they don't have the quickest short area quickness needed in the Slot, but yeah, tons of possibilities to be had
in motions and different alignments to frustrate the hell out of secondary's. 

He played a few snaps there but not primarily. You may just be remembering the long touchdown YAC.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(06-21-2024, 06:02 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: The Boyd slander in this thread is absurd.

Good riddance he's gone? The best blessing in disguise we've had in years? That's some cold and disrespectful shit for a guy who was an absolute professional and very productive for us for years.

I'm not saying Boyd's best days are ahead of him, they're likely not, but there's going to be a time when Higgins gets dinged up (he always does) and you're going to have Chase, a 3rd round rookie, and a 6th round pick with 116 career receiving yards out there at WR... or Chase, Irwin, Sample, and a TE who had 244 yards last year and 362 yards the year before.... and you should remember this thread then.

Also people acting like Boyd force's Zac's hand in offensive concepts as if the first 2 years of Zac without Chase he didn't do the exact same shit. Or the first year without Chase OR Higgins we didn't still run a primarily 3 WR offense with a combination of Boyd, Ross, A Tate, and Erickson despite that being a trashpile of a WR group. But sure, it's Boyd's fault and now we're free from his tyranny of dictating how Zac's offense will be.

Slander for saying it might be a blessing in disguise? Nah, loved Boyd when he was here and I thank him for being a damn good Receiver for us
but he could only play in the Slot with his lack of speed and he was dropping balls last year and even one that could of put us into the Playoffs.

No way his best days are ahead of him.

Both Burton and Charlie Jones have great hands from history just the same as Boyd before he started dropping balls. We will see.

Versatility is a great thing to have and to be able to use more motions and different looks should only help the team instead of having one player
locked into the Slot and the others locked into the outside. More to think about now. Live in the past if you want, Burton falling to the 3rd was a 
bit of a surprise to most and only because of his poor character after a big game in college.

I think Jermaine Burton could be a #1 in the NFL with his talent, I could never say that about Tyler Boyd.

I guess now you could call it Boyd slander lmao!!!

(06-21-2024, 08:56 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: He played a few snaps there but not primarily. You may just be remembering the long touchdown YAC.

It was more than a few snaps pretty sure, but yeah, the big plays out of the Slot for Chase stood out big time as they should.

Ja'Marr Chase is an absolute mismatch in the Slot against Slot Corners and Linebackers. They don't stand a chance with his quicks, speed, 
strength, balance etc.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(06-21-2024, 10:02 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Slander for saying it might be a blessing in disguise? Nah, loved Boyd when he was here and I thank him for being a damn good Receiver for us
but he could only play in the Slot with his lack of speed and he was dropping balls last year and even one that could of put us into the Playoffs.

No way his best days are ahead of him.

Both Burton and Charlie Jones have great hands from history just the same as Boyd before he started dropping balls. We will see.

Versatility is a great thing to have and to be able to use more motions and different looks should only help the team instead of having one player
locked into the Slot and the others locked into the outside. More to think about now. Live in the past if you want, Burton falling to the 3rd was a 
bit of a surprise to most and only because of his poor character after a big game in college.

I think Jermaine Burton could be a #1 in the NFL with his talent, I could never say that about Tyler Boyd.

I guess now you could call it Boyd slander lmao!!!


It was more than a few snaps pretty sure, but yeah, the big plays out of the Slot for Chase stood out big time as they should.

Ja'Marr Chase is an absolute mismatch in the Slot against Slot Corners and Linebackers. They don't stand a chance with his quicks, speed, 
strength, balance etc.

Boyd ran a 4.58 at the Combine. Higgins ran a 4.59 at his Pro Day (which means ~4.66 at the Combine as you add .07 to Pro Day 40s). The idea that Boyd is too slow to play outside while Higgins isn't is a weird one. Boyd plays the slot because Tee doesn't. Boyd played more outside before then, and he had back-to-back 1k seasons.

Boyd had 5 drops last year, his career worst. 5 drops is Tee Higgins' career best.

Boyd dropped that pass in Week 10. We had 8 games before that and 8 games after it to have won more. If we are looking back to Week 10 to say "we could have been in the playoffs!" then that's one hell of a specific target that we're pointing at in a season full of other opportunities. Hell, even in that very same game Burrow threw up 2 4th quarter INTs. One that flew over Drew Sample's hands into a defender and one on 1st and goal from the 9 that would have needed to go through the bodies of 3 defenders to even reach the WR. Just an absolutely terrible throw and then an absolutely terrible decision. How many people are banging the "Burrow cost us the playoffs in Week 10" drums? Or the refusing to not limp himself out there and hurt the team for the first four weeks? Nope, all Boyd's fault.

5 years in and Zac seems to pretty much exclusively use motions only to determine if the opposing defense is in man or zone for his QB rather than give his WRs an advantage by letting them get momentum. That's never been Tyler Boyd magically holding Zac Taylor back.

I think I have yet to see a single WR drafted by the Bengals (and many undrafted by the Bengals) that SOMEONE on this board didn't think had the talent to be a #1 WR before they ever played a snap. Statistically, Burton isn't going to do much his rookie year.

It is slander when people are saying "good riddance". It's also straight up scapegoating that apparently Boyd held us back from the playoffs last year and Boyd has been holding back Zac's offensive scheme. I'm pretty sure Boyd also is the reason the train derailed in Ohio, and also Boyd is the cause of inflation. That's pure nonsense and some cold shit to a guy who did his job as a Bengal for years.

[KillerGoose]

(06-21-2024, 03:57 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: Well, it took Taylor 5 years to figure out that being utterly predictable in formation, personnel, and alignment is pretty darn stupid.

Always being in 11 with Boyd in the slot had to go. And good riddance.

I think Weezy (is that Jefferson's related?) is right. We want to be more unpredictable. I think we'll see some 12 this year (2 TEs). Some TEs in the slot (especially Gesicki but Hudson, McLachlan, and All coukd be too). Various WRs. And, gasp, maybe even a RB.

Taylor wasn't being predictable in any of these ways. I'm not sure why you or anyone would say this. In 2023, there were 1,123 plays with a player lined up in the slot. 

Boyd accounted for 521 of those. Tanner Hudson played roughly the same amount of snaps in the slot as Chase did. Four different RBs logged snaps in the slot. 

In 2022, Hayden Hurst logged roughly the same amount of snaps in the slot as....Chase. Four RBs logged snaps in the slot, Boyd accounted for less than half the snaps. 

In 2021, CJ Uzomah logged the second most snaps in the slot. Four RBs. 

The Bengals have never ran an offense where they just trotted Boyd out in the slot and were predictable in any meaningful way. This is the NFL, you can't get away with that. 

[Bengalbug]

(06-21-2024, 11:03 PM)KillerGoose Wrote: Taylor wasn't being predictable in any of these ways. I'm not sure why you or anyone would say this. In 2023, there were 1,123 plays with a player lined up in the slot. 

Boyd accounted for 521 of those. Tanner Hudson played roughly the same amount of snaps in the slot as Chase did. Four different RBs logged snaps in the slot. 

In 2022, Hayden Hurst logged roughly the same amount of snaps in the slot as....Chase. Four RBs logged snaps in the slot, Boyd accounted for less than half the snaps. 

In 2021, CJ Uzomah logged the second most snaps in the slot. Four RBs. 

The Bengals have never ran an offense where they just trotted Boyd out in the slot and were predictable in any meaningful way. This is the NFL, you can't get away with that. 

People would be surprised to learn how frequently guys like Jefferson, hill and aj brown line up in the slot.

23.6, 31.1, 24.9.. respectively

This isn’t all that new of a concept, others teams are doing it/and have been doing it… bengals included.

[Bengalbug]

(06-21-2024, 10:52 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Boyd ran a 4.58 at the Combine. Higgins ran a 4.59 at his Pro Day (which means ~4.66 at the Combine as you add .07 to Pro Day 40s). The idea that Boyd is too slow to play outside while Higgins isn't is a weird one. Boyd plays the slot because Tee doesn't. Boyd played more outside before then, and he had back-to-back 1k seasons.

Boyd had 5 drops last year, his career worst. 5 drops is Tee Higgins' career best.

Boyd dropped that pass in Week 10. We had 8 games before that and 8 games after it to have won more. If we are looking back to Week 10 to say "we could have been in the playoffs!" then that's one hell of a specific target that we're pointing at in a season full of other opportunities. Hell, even in that very same game Burrow threw up 2 4th quarter INTs. One that flew over Drew Sample's hands into a defender and one on 1st and goal from the 9 that would have needed to go through the bodies of 3 defenders to even reach the WR. Just an absolutely terrible throw and then an absolutely terrible decision. How many people are banging the "Burrow cost us the playoffs in Week 10" drums? Or the refusing to not limp himself out there and hurt the team for the first four weeks? Nope, all Boyd's fault.

5 years in and Zac seems to pretty much exclusively use motions only to determine if the opposing defense is in man or zone for his QB rather than give his WRs an advantage by letting them get momentum. That's never been Tyler Boyd magically holding Zac Taylor back.

I think I have yet to see a single WR drafted by the Bengals (and many undrafted by the Bengals) that SOMEONE on this board didn't think had the talent to be a #1 WR before they ever played a snap. Statistically, Burton isn't going to do much his rookie year.

It is slander when people are saying "good riddance". It's also straight up scapegoating that apparently Boyd held us back from the playoffs last year and Boyd has been holding back Zac's offensive scheme. I'm pretty sure Boyd also is the reason the train derailed in Ohio, and also Boyd is the cause of inflation. That's pure nonsense and some cold shit to a guy who did his job as a Bengal for years.

If Burton or Iosivas can have a Chris Henry rookie type year… that would be a win. 30 catches, 400 yards and a handful of TDS.

[Soonerpeace]

(06-21-2024, 11:03 PM)KillerGoose Wrote: Taylor wasn't being predictable in any of these ways. I'm not sure why you or anyone would say this. In 2023, there were 1,123 plays with a player lined up in the slot. 

Boyd accounted for 521 of those. Tanner Hudson played roughly the same amount of snaps in the slot as Chase did. Four different RBs logged snaps in the slot. 

In 2022, Hayden Hurst logged roughly the same amount of snaps in the slot as....Chase. Four RBs logged snaps in the slot, Boyd accounted for less than half the snaps. 

In 2021, CJ Uzomah logged the second most snaps in the slot. Four RBs. 

The Bengals have never ran an offense where they just trotted Boyd out in the slot and were predictable in any meaningful way. This is the NFL, you can't get away with that. 

Thank you saw that post earlier and was going to come back with what you posted. Issac was unusually off in outer space with those comments.

[SladeX]

Long Live the Slot!

[Soonerpeace]

I’ve said this several times. We will see if it’s accurate. I think you see Tee & then Burton or Isovias at WR and both Gesicki & Chase in the slot at times and Sample as the blocking back. Obviously on obvious passing downs. The Bengals are desperately trying to eliminate the double teams on Tee & Chase.

[*rfaulk34*]

(06-21-2024, 10:02 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Slander for saying it might be a blessing in disguise? Nah, loved Boyd when he was here and I thank him for being a damn good Receiver for us
but he could only play in the Slot with his lack of speed and he was dropping balls last year and even one that could of put us into the Playoffs.

No way his best days are ahead of him.

Both Burton and Charlie Jones have great hands from history just the same as Boyd before he started dropping balls. We will see.

Versatility is a great thing to have and to be able to use more motions and different looks should only help the team instead of having one player
locked into the Slot and the others locked into the outside. More to think about now. Live in the past if you want, Burton falling to the 3rd was a 
bit of a surprise to most and only because of his poor character after a big game in college.

I think Jermaine Burton could be a #1 in the NFL with his talent, I could never say that about Tyler Boyd.

I guess now you could call it Boyd slander lmao!!!


It was more than a few snaps pretty sure, but yeah, the big plays out of the Slot for Chase stood out big time as they should.

Ja'Marr Chase is an absolute mismatch in the Slot against Slot Corners and Linebackers. They don't stand a chance with his quicks, speed, 
strength, balance etc.

52 snaps wide
11 snaps slot
1 snap backfield

"don't stand a chance" is a bit hyperbolic. I know it's still the offseason and everyone gets worked up about potential, but the other guys are pros too and get paid a lot of money to stop the offense. I'm just over the hyping up and then falling short of SBs at this point. 

Things like "what if", "lets hope". That stuff is all bullshit. I'm looking forward to the start of the season and the potential, just keeping it a little more real. 

[Housh]

I think Yoshi is gonna run alot of slot so he can block in the run game. Boyd didn’t really put much effort in run blocking and with Yoshi actually being a bad ass WR unlike Stanley Morgan i think he’s gonna get alot of snaps in the slot. Big guy, got stronger this offseason so he’s even bigger than he was his rookie year it just makes sense. Jamarr and Tee are great run blockers so a Yoshi, Jamarr, Tee lineup keeps us pretty unpredictable and boosts the run game.

I actually predict Charlie Jones is gonna have a hard time finding minutes because if Burton can run block then there’s just no spot for Charlie outside of kick returns.


Charlie Jones kinda needs to win the slot job imo

[jj22]

3wr set is foundation of Zac’s offense and we saw in the AFCC game what happens when Boyd is out and they double Chase and Tee. Slot duty’s sound like they’ll be handled by a variety of players who provide a wider range of skills / options then with a singular player.

Not a bad plan. Yoshi looks like an outside receiver and we need to keep him there if they want to see if he can replace Tee. Everyone else including TE’s should be able to hold the slot down. I don’t think it’s dead.

[Bengalbug]

(06-22-2024, 10:19 AM)Housh Wrote: I think Yoshi is gonna run alot of slot so he can block in the run game. Boyd didn’t really put much effort in run blocking and with Yoshi actually being a bad ass WR unlike Stanley Morgan i think he’s gonna get alot of snaps in the slot. Big guy, got stronger this offseason so he’s even bigger than he was his rookie year it just makes sense. Jamarr and Tee are great run blockers so a Yoshi, Jamarr, Tee lineup keeps us pretty unpredictable and boosts the run game.

I actually predict Charlie Jones is gonna have a hard time finding minutes because if Burton can run block then there’s just no spot for Charlie outside of kick returns.


Charlie Jones kinda needs to win the slot job imo

I can’t tell if this is legit or sarcasm.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(06-21-2024, 10:52 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Boyd ran a 4.58 at the Combine. Higgins ran a 4.59 at his Pro Day (which means ~4.66 at the Combine as you add .07 to Pro Day 40s). The idea that Boyd is too slow to play outside while Higgins isn't is a weird one. Boyd plays the slot because Tee doesn't. Boyd played more outside before then, and he had back-to-back 1k seasons.

Boyd had 5 drops last year, his career worst. 5 drops is Tee Higgins' career best.

Boyd dropped that pass in Week 10. We had 8 games before that and 8 games after it to have won more. If we are looking back to Week 10 to say "we could have been in the playoffs!" then that's one hell of a specific target that we're pointing at in a season full of other opportunities. Hell, even in that very same game Burrow threw up 2 4th quarter INTs. One that flew over Drew Sample's hands into a defender and one on 1st and goal from the 9 that would have needed to go through the bodies of 3 defenders to even reach the WR. Just an absolutely terrible throw and then an absolutely terrible decision. How many people are banging the "Burrow cost us the playoffs in Week 10" drums? Or the refusing to not limp himself out there and hurt the team for the first four weeks? Nope, all Boyd's fault.

5 years in and Zac seems to pretty much exclusively use motions only to determine if the opposing defense is in man or zone for his QB rather than give his WRs an advantage by letting them get momentum. That's never been Tyler Boyd magically holding Zac Taylor back.

I think I have yet to see a single WR drafted by the Bengals (and many undrafted by the Bengals) that SOMEONE on this board didn't think had the talent to be a #1 WR before they ever played a snap. Statistically, Burton isn't going to do much his rookie year.

It is slander when people are saying "good riddance". It's also straight up scapegoating that apparently Boyd held us back from the playoffs last year and Boyd has been holding back Zac's offensive scheme. I'm pretty sure Boyd also is the reason the train derailed in Ohio, and also Boyd is the cause of inflation. That's pure nonsense and some cold shit to a guy who did his job as a Bengal for years.

Forty times aside, Tee plays on the outside because of his size being a mismatch against smaller Corners.

I never said "good riddance" in Boyd leaving. Get your shit together brother.

Big catches are big catches in big moments. Zac and his scheme also aren't something I was talking about when talking about Boyd.

His TD drop in the big Texans game is on him, nobody else, it was a drop.

You trying to blame Tee and Zac for Boyd's shortcomings is odd. That is some cold shit to say about a coach that has got us to a Super Bowl 
and a player who has made big catches in getting us there. That is pure nonsense on you TLL and I always liked you as a poster.

(06-22-2024, 09:48 AM)rfaulk34 Wrote: 52 snaps wide
11 snaps slot
1 snap backfield

"don't stand a chance" is a bit hyperbolic. I know it's still the offseason and everyone gets worked up about potential, but the other guys are pros too and get paid a lot of money to stop the offense. I'm just over the hyping up and then falling short of SBs at this point. 

Things like "what if", "lets hope". That stuff is all bullshit. I'm looking forward to the start of the season and the potential, just keeping it a little more real. 

Thanks Rfaulk, I guess I was just seeing the big plays but still. It is something to see and reiterates the fact that Ja'Marr could be great 
used in the Slot at times. One thing I know is Chase is WAY faster than Boyd and has WAY better balance and a knack for avoiding big hits.

I understand, we want a Super Bowl win, but I can still see the possibilities and there is nothing wrong with that.

If you don't like to talk about what ifs and hope I guess don't be a Bengals fan.

But I know you aren't like that lol

It is Bullshit to throw things out the window in the Offseason. The more options, variety, versatility, unpredictability and motions the better.