I like the concept of the league’s “Next Gen Stats” division. They’ve got tracking chips in the shoulder pads of players, and they use the resulting data to put together various reports. But some of their numbers are more useful than others.
The “cushion” stat, for example, shows the distance to the nearest defender at the time of the snap. Seems like it might be useful, with defenders in theory taking a couple of steps back when they’re facing guys like Tyreek Hill, DK Metcalf or Jameson Williams. Defenses don’t like getting beat over the top.
But it doesn’t seem to play out that way. Looking at the last three years, I see Rondale Moore, Devin Duvernay, Sterling Shepard, Marquise Brown and Zay Flowers as the guys who saw the most separation in seasons. Moore (pictured) has three of the top 10 seasons. The Cardinals and Ravens have seven of those 10 wide receivers.
| BIG CUSHION RECEIVERS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Tm | Cush |
| 2021 | Rondale Moore | Ariz. | 8.0 |
| 2021 | Devin Duvernay | Balt. | 7.9 |
| 2021 | Sterling Shepard | NYG | 7.7 |
| 2021 | Marquise Brown | Balt. | 7.7 |
| 2023 | Zay Flowers | Balt. | 7.7 |
| 2022 | Tyler Lockett | Sea. | 7.5 |
| 2022 | Rondale Moore | Ariz. | 7.5 |
| 2023 | Jakobi Meyers | L.V. | 7.3 |
| 2022 | Greg Dortch | Ariz. | 7.3 |
| 2023 | Rondale Moore | Ariz. | 7.3 |
| 2022 | Chris Olave | N.O. | 7.2 |
| 2023 | Jerry Jeudy | Den. | 7.2 |
| 2022 | Ben Skowronek | LAR | 7.2 |
| 2021 | Deonte Harris | N.O. | 7.2 |
| 2023 | Dontayvion Wicks | G.B. | 7.2 |
| 2023 | Elijah Moore | Cle. | 7.1 |
| 2021 | Kadarius Toney | NYG | 7.1 |
| 2022 | Kalif Raymond | Det. | 7.1 |
| 2023 | Kendrick Bourne | N.E. | 7.1 |
| 2021 | Darnell Mooney | Chi. | 7.1 |
| 2023 | Jahan Dotson | Was. | 7.1 |
| 2022 | Treylon Burks | Ten. | 7.1 |
| 2021 | Allen Robinson | Chi. | 7.1 |
| 2023 | Cooper Kupp | LAR | 7.1 |
| 2022 | Devin Duvernay | Balt. | 7.1 |
| 2023 | Robert Woods | Hou. | 7.1 |
| 2021 | Zay Jones | L.V. | 7.1 |
The vast majority of these receivers, I notice, are guys who line up a lot in the slot. I think what’s happening here is that they’re often lining up off the line of scrimmage. That is, it’s not that defensive backs are taking a step or two back (respecting their speed), it’s that the receivers themselves more often, are retreating by a few yards, creating separation in the opposite direction.
Moore, as an example, has spent most of his first three seasons catching quick throws in the flat, with the hope of creating yards after the catch (which hasn’t happened all that much). He’s even lined up as a wingback at times, perhaps contributing to him averaging 8 yards of cushion in 2021.
Regardless, with an absence of playmaker-type receivers on the list, I don’t see this is a useful scouting tool. Most of the stats they put together, in fact, I see having very little value. They have a couple that I will look through, but I think this technology could be utilized in better ways.
—Ian Allan