Slotback
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Slotback (SB), also called slot receiver, is one of the 11 positions in gridiron football, responsible for covering a ''slot''; the playing area between the offensive tackle and the wide receiver. A player who lines up between those two players and behind the line of scrimmage fills that "slot".
The slotback position is a fixture of Canadian football and indoor football where they act as extra receivers. It is also used in American football where the position requires a versatile player who must combine the receiving skills of a wide receiver, the ball-carrying skills of a running back, and the blocking skills of a tight end.[1] In the modern NFL, the slotback is often referred to as the "flex"[2] position.
Slotbacks can line up as far as 5 yards behind the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped. In both Canadian and indoor football, slotbacks can make a running start toward the line of scrimmage before the snap. In the NFL, this would be called illegal motion. However, most professional leagues such as the Canadian Football League, the World Football League, and the XFL allow forward motion. There is a difference between a wide receiver and slot receiver.
Role
[edit]Slotbacks are mostly used as receivers and sometimes running backs and are often used to provide pass protection on blitzes and blocking as required on running plays. They may be preferred over a wide receiver or tight end for receiving short passes or hand-offs because they line up closer to the quarterback. When formations containing slotbacks are used in American football, the team often has to go without a tight end, a fullback, or a running back since there are only 11 players allowed on the offense and 7 of those are on the line of scrimmage. This is one of the reasons that slotbacks are less common in the American game.
In Canadian football, there are 12 players per side on the field. With 3 downs, the CFL is a much more pass-heavy game. Slotbacks are similar to wide receivers, with the exception that they line up closer to the quarterback and can use the waggle (motion before the snap). Canadian slotbacks rarely run the ball and are almost always sent out to receive passes. They will block on the lesser-called run plays, as the tight end position is essentially obsolete in the CFL.
However, as NFL teams have increasingly "defaulted to three- and four-receiver sets" in recent years, the slot receiver has become a fixture of American football formations.[3] A slotback is typically treated as a third wide receiver and may be expected to be a "possession receiver" that can reliably catch a pass when covered by a safety since they are most commonly used when converting medium-distance third-down conversions.
Slotbacks are used effectively in the flexbone formation where they are used as extra receivers. They are usually relatively smaller and faster players and are used for short passes and short runs to get extra yards or a first down or third down drive.
Players are not drafted to the slotback position in the NFL; it is filled as needed by a wide receiver or running back with the necessary skill set to effectively play the position. Slotbacks must be able to block, catch, and evade tacklers while still being highly productive. In 2019, the Navy Midshipmen football team's slotbacks gained over 1,500 all-purpose yards.[4]
Examples
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In the 21st century, the NFL has seen more slotbacks, with players like Larry Fitzgerald shifting to the position to extend their careers. [5] Christian McCaffrey, who entered the NFL in 2017, recorded over 1,000 scrimmage yards in four of his first six seasons, including 1,000 rushing and receiving yards in 2019 by mainly playing at Slot-Back.[6] Darren Sproles, though limited as a running back, thrived as a slotback, with a standout 2011 season totaling over 1,300 yards and 9 touchdowns.[7] In the CFL, slotbacks are key, often featured in 3-slotback, 2-wide receiver sets, and four of the league's top players—Allen Pitts, Milt Stegall, Ray Elgaard, and Terry Vaughn—were slotbacks. In American football, slotbacks are typically listed as wide receivers.[8]
See also
[edit]- H-back, a similar position.
References
[edit]- ^ Association, American Football Coaches (2000). Offensive football strategies. Human Kinetics. ISBN 9780736001397.
- ^ "Fantasy 101: Flex". NFL.com. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
- ^ "The NFL's 11 best slot defenders". June 2019.
- ^ Wagner, Bill (29 November 2019). "Navy slotback corps has been quite productive". capitalgazette.com. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
- ^ "Larry Fitzgerald And The Increased Importance Of The Slot Receiver". www.azcardinals.com. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
- ^ "Christian McCaffrey Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
- ^ "Darren Sproles Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
- ^ Alder, James. "What's the Slot in Football? Here's an Easy Explanation". LiveAbout.