“The data says we have an offensive line, Mr. Glazer.”
So Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Richt selected the center/guard in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Unnecessary? perhaps. Stupid? i doubt it. In line with the trend of emerging leagues? Apparently.
That’s why NextGen’s statisticians compile and provide raw data tracked by sensors in NFL players’ gaming equipment, including football.
NFL teams obtain tons of performance numbers for research, but fans only see a fraction of the nuggets. Leave the rest locked. Perhaps someday the NFL will sell everything to fans?
One recently released data point shows quarterbacks are holding onto the ball longer than ever before. do not have Execute a play-action pass.
Therefore, there is a growing tendency not to throw quickly. And that doesn’t just include weak quarterbacks who play too slow, but also the great players in the game.
NextGen’s “Time To Throw” measures the number of seconds from the snap of the ball to the quarterback’s release.
According to NextGen, consider the following:
In 2016, Tyrod Taylor was the only quarterback to average more than 2.80 seconds on non-play-action attempts. In 2023, 10 QBs were at the top, including league MVP Lamar Jackson, Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes and Offensive Rookie of the Year CJ Stroud.
The group of 10 quarterbacks with a time over 2.80 seconds in 2023 is the largest in the Next Generation Statistics era (since 2016). On the other side of the spectrum (and against the league’s trend), Tua Tagovailoa puts out the ball at a fast pace, and his time to throw such a pass this season was the fastest in the Next Generation Stats era.
Joe is intrigued. Logic says it makes sense to invest more draft capital in offensive linemen because quarterbacks are holding the ball for significantly more time.
NextGen also added that plays taking longer than five seconds for QBs to throw are on the rise. In 2016, there were 517 pass attempts lasting longer than five seconds. Last year, that total was 615.
Baker Mayfield averaged a 2.71-second “Time To Throw” last season, the fastest average time of Mayfield’s career and the 10th fastest pitcher.
Joe thinks that bodes well for Mayfield in Liam Cohen’s new offense. Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford averaged 2.8 seconds of Time To Throw during their best years with the Rams, where Cohen’s offense was born.
