If you were watching NFL games last weekend – and for much of the season – and didn’t notice Zach Ertz and Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis and Rob Gronkowski https://www.theredskinslockerroom.com/authentic-terry-mclaurin-jersey , well, you probably weren’t watching very carefully. Tight end, not too long ago almost an afterthought for many teams, has become a critical spoke in the offensive wheel. Indeed, for many quarterbacks, the tight end has become something of a security blanket. Certainly Gronk for Tom Brady and Delanie Walker for Marcus Mariota. It’s also been that way for years with Antonio Gates catching passes from Philip Rivers, or Greg Olsen for Cam Newton. From revitalized veterans such as Walker and Davis to impact rookies Evan Engram, David Njoku and Jonnu Smith, tight end has become a focal point in the league. ”It’s just transcendent to the point to where now the position has catapulted to a point where it’s just unbelievable,” says Gates, 37, who in his 15th pro season could be headed toward holding every significant receiving record for the position. And yes, that should spell Hall of Fame someday. ”So many guys that’s making so many plays. Such a threat, where the majority of the time when you go into a game plan you’re not thinking of doubling tight ends. Now you see, obviously Gronkowski is one name. The (Travis) Kelces of the world. Jason Witten is still playing well. Those are the guys that’s obviously, in situational football – third down – you’re trying to take them out of the game. ”It didn’t used to be like that. So, now when I watch games, it’s like a big brother situation. I’m like `Wow, the position has grown so much.’ And hopefully these guys can continue to keep that legacy going.” Actually, the legacy isn’t all that profound. There are only eight in Canton, the last being Shannon Sharpe in 2003. Tony Gonzalez certainly will join the club when eligible in 2019. For decades, the tight end was considered a glorified tackle. Even when John Mackey and Mike Ditka were stars in the 1960s and early `70s Montez Sweat Jersey , it was not a key part of the passing game. That changed quite a bit, more as an evolution though, since 1980.With the onset of uptempo attacks with spread principles, though, tight ends coming out of college often have been more pass catcher than pass protector. That is reflected in the way Gates and Witten and Davis and Olsen – all of whom have played at least 11 pro seasons – have built stellar careers. It’s also reflected in the numbers posted by Kelce or Ertz or Gronk. And even the newcomers: Engram is the most reliable target for Eli Manning on the injury-ravaged Giants. ”Zach is an elite receiver at that position,” says Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich, who could easily be talking about Kelce or Gronkowski or Walker. ”I haven’t been around too many guys that run routes like him. But there’s really kind of an emphasis on being the complete player because there’s not a whole lot of tight ends that can run routes the way he runs and be productive blocking at the line of scrimmage. Zach’s really done a good job and has really improved. He’s been physical, and a lot of that is just a mindset.” Many team’s mindset includes having more than one tight end on the field. That paid a different kind of benefit last year for New England when Gronkowski was lost to a back injury, but Brady had Martellus Bennett on hand. Playing a pair of tight ends at the same time can make for nightmare matchups for defenses. There’s no better example than Reed and Davis in Washington. ”Gruden is all about the tight ends,” Davis says of Redskins coach Jay Gruden. ”He loves to get the ball to Jordan Reed and he just has a track record for building an offense that’s friendly to the tight end’s position.” In Baltimore, where pretty much every wideout has been banged-up or lost to Joe Flacco, three of the top five receivers through seven weeks have been tight ends. Tennessee’s Walker ranks third among tight ends in 2017 with 32 receptions through Week 7. From 2015 through now, he ranks second among tight ends in receiving yards (2,212; behind Kelce’s 2,423) and third in receptions (191; behind Kelce’s 194 and Ertz’s 192). As versatile as any TE, Walker offers a comfort zone for the developing Mariota. The Jets like to use more than one tight end at a time, though only Austin Seferian-Jenkins is a receiving threat. Seferian-Jenkins is second on the team with 26 receptions, one behind wideout Jermaine Kearse, despite being suspended for the first two games of the season for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy last year.Seferian-Jenkins’ 26 catches match the total Jets tight ends had all of the past two seasons combined. ”When you have a couple of tight ends in the game, it’s a whole different ballgame,” offensive coordinator John Morton says. ”Just having him (Seferian-Jenkins) out there, a big-bodied guy going down the field Dwayne Haskins Redskins Jersey , that’s a big force, and him blocking. Along with Eric (Tomlinson) and Neal (Sterling), too. When you have those tight ends, you can get into different personnel groupings and try to create a mismatch, if you can, depending on what they’re playing. It’s been a great plus to have him out there, for sure.” Most every NFL coach will echo those sentiments. — AP Pro Football Writers Teresa M. Walker, Rob Maaddi and Josh Dubow, and Sports Writers Greg Beacham, Kyle Hightower and Dennis Waszak Jr., contributed. — LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Adrian Peterson has played against Aaron Rodgers more than a dozen times and knows not to be surprised by anything.So when the prolific quarterback led the Green Bay Packers to a comeback victory in Week 1 and played well on an injured left knee in Week 2, it was par for the course.“You see him hobbling around last week and how effortless he was making plays,” Peterson said. “That’s one thing I learned: When you’ve got Aaron Rodgers on your team, you’ve always got a chance to win a game.”Peterson and Rodgers meet on an NFL field for the 15th time Sunday. While Rodgers is showing he can still produce at less than 100 percent health, Peterson is now 33 and with the Washington Redskins, who have their sights set on containing Green Bay’s offense in the hopes of bouncing back from a bad loss to Indianapolis.“You’ve got to prepare every day like it’s a championship game,” Washington safety D.J. Swearinger said. “You’ve got to give (Rodgers) different looks on defense, you’ve got to confuse him and you’ve got to send pressure at him. That’s the only way you beat the greatest — by moving him off the spot and switching up the looks.”Rodgers’ ability to keep plays alive and ad-lib when options aren’t there are things that make him one of the NFL’s best. Redskins coach Jay Gruden said of Rodgers: “You don’t want anyone to be injured, but that’ll help a little bit because one of the strengths of his game is his ability to create off schedule.”Neither Packers coach Mike McCarthy nor Rodgers will say how injured the 34-year-old is. Rodgers said his knee was still sore even as he continues to play through the pain.“It’s just going to be something you’ve got to deal with for a while,” Rodgers said. “Take it week by week. It doesn’t seem like there’s a major setback at this point, so just being smart about it and trying to get ready to play.”One way to limit Rodgers and the Packers (1-0-1) is holding on to the ball https://www.theredskinslockerroom.com/authentic-dwayne-haskins-jersey , something the Redskins (1-1) struggled with against the Colts when they went 5 of 15 on third down. Part of that is getting Peterson going like he did in Week 1, and this may be the perfect opportunity because his 1,779 yards rushing against Green Bay are the most of any opponent during his career.“I don’t think anything brings out the best,” Peterson said. “Any game I’m a part of, I’m giving 110 percent. Obviously, the Vikings and Packers is a rivalry game, highly anticipated, so I don’t know if other guys play extra hard. I was giving all I had each time I played those guys.”Some things to watch when the Packers visit the Redskins:SMITH GROWS UPRedskins QB Alex Smith is on his third team since the 49ers took him first overall in 2005, the same draft Rodgers slipped to 24. While Rodgers said the two quarterbacks have developed a good friendship, McCarthy was San Francisco’s offensive coordinator during Smith’s rookie season and has been impressed by his ability to handle expectations, moving around and continue to make plays.“I was always amazed just to watch him continue to have success in the National Football League,” McCarthy said. “What he’s dealt with as far as the amount of change just speaks volumes about him as a football player and a person.”THE OTHER AARONThe Packers should have their three-man backfield back this weekend with the expected return of Aaron Jones. The tailback was suspended by the NFL for the first two games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.McCarthy has said Jamaal Williams and Ty Montgomery remain atop the depth chart, though it can’t hurt for the Packers to have another option on offense especially with Rodgers banged up. Jones, who showed flashes of potential as a rookie last season, can bring a slashing, physical presence to the backfield.BRUISED LINEWashington’s offense line that paved the way for a league-best 182 yards in Week 1 was not at its best last week and could use the upcoming time off after the Green Bay game. Left tackle Trent Williams is still dealing with soreness in his surgically repaired right knee, right guard Brandon Scherff injured his right knee against the Colts and left guard Shaun Lauvao could miss some time with a calf injury.With the of shifting center Chase Roullier to left guard and inserting journeyman center ON THE CORNERIt appears that the Packers might be without one of their top cornerbacks against the Redskins in Kevin King. He left the tie with the Vikings with a groin injury.If King can’t play, it will leave more snaps for rookie cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Josh Jackson and veteran Davon House. Alexander, the Packers’ first-round draft pick, is off to a good start in his NFL career in showing the potential to make big plays. His fourth-quarter interception last week against Minnesota was wiped out by a roughing-the-passer call on linebacker Clay Matthews.