Imagine you have an NFL team and you want to strike fear into your opponents with your aerial attack. How could we put together a five wide set to make corners shake in their cleats?
Let’s start with Jordy Nelson. In addition to being 6’3″ and fast and having amazing hands and the ability to win contested throws, he also runs perfect routes, allowing him to play any receiver spot against any defender. He’s most effective on the outside where he can go vertical, drag, or run sideline routes that defy physics. You know, like when he toes the line and stretches to grab pass that’s seven feet out of bounds or slips through the Bears secondary to catch a 60 yard bomb and set up the game winning field goal.
On the other side, we’ll go with Davante Adams. After all, when your number 1 option was number 1 in the NFL for touchdowns last year, why not make your number 2 option the guy who was number 2 in the NFL for touchdowns last year? Davante dropped a lot of his sophomore antics and made some big time plays last year (like his first catch to set the tone against Seattle and that silly back end zone, knee slide catch against the Eagles). He looks like a star in the making in this offense (when healthy).
In the slot, we can throw Randall Cobb in there. He’s shifty, quick, and tough, making him perfect for a slot role. Think about all the great Cobb highlights over his relatively short career – the hail mary in the playoffs against the Giants, the game winner and division clincher against the Bears, the lung-popping one-handed grab in the playoffs against the Cardinals. I don’t know why people think he’d not worth his contract – defensive coordinators certainly feel differently than Packer fans.
At tight end: former Pro Bowl tight end Martellus Bennett. He had 700 yards and 7 touchdowns en route to a Super Bowl victory last year, but his real value is he’s 6’6″, catches everything and is extremely tough to bring down. He’s like Richard Rodgers except… well, actually, I take that back – he’s not like Richard Rodgers. After the aforementioned trio, no opponent wants to see Martysaurus Rex busting down the seam.
That’s a fear-inducing lineup, but we’re not done yet.
For the fifth, we could either roll out a rising gem in the rough like Geronimo Allison (who stepped up in limited opportunities on a big stage last year and has the look of a poor man’s Hakeem Nicks) or, we could get really silly and march Lance Kendricks out there – that’s right, a two tight end set with capable blockers who can also own the middle of the field.
Oh, and if that’s not enough passing options for you, we’ll play a receiver* at running back, too!
Just one more thing: let’s have the greatest quarterback of all time throw to them.
There, that should do it.