I'm going to go to my grave thinking that Ty Montgomery could be an offensive matchup nightmare for defenses if an offense embraces it https://twitter.com/nick_underhill/status/1261385593629663233

I'm also writing about this whole concept for Monday.

Not just Montgomery, but hybrid matchup problem players that have proven to move the needle

OK, so, article dropped:

RBs don't matter, but do hybrid players? https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-hybrid-receivers-who-can-pose-a-rushing-threat-could-be-the-nfls-next-big-matchup-weapons

Answer - It looks like it, but only in one direction, and maybe not the way we think they do.

RBs motioning to slot or out wide just doesn't stress a defense the way we think it does anymore. They perform notably worse than TEs or WRs lined up in those spots.

They also perform worse than they do catching out of the backfield in many instances.

Christian McCaffrey is the poster child for this WR/RB hybrid skill set, but makes explosive receiving plays at a greater rate from the backfield than from WR alignments.

Moving a receiver to the backfield however, that does something fundamentally different to a defense. Now you have a personnel issue on defense.

If it happens regularly, you have one every huddle.

This changes numbers.

One of the first players/teams to do it a lot was NE with Hernandez.

Look at the confusion it causes pre-snap. Hernandez ends up 1 on 1 vs a safety, and it's goodnight.

Percy Harvin was a game-changer in this regard.

Motions into the backfield, and they run him into the light side of the defense for a big gain.

Cordarrelle Patterson might be the best player at doing this.

The Patriots are technically in 11 personnel (the back is a FB in Develin), so GB plays dime, but then line up in I-Formation and power the ball up the middle against a bunch of DBs.

Motion lets you get REALLY creative. The Vikings go from a lone tailback to suddenly having a lead blocker and a pulling lineman come around the edge right at a LB and a cornerback.

Patterson changed the count by becoming the rushing threat.

Here the Patriots line up with an empty backfield. Motion Patterson back in, and the Bills don't appear to change much to account for the run threat...easy first down.

Andy Reid with Tyreek Hill and this general concept? Just unfair.

You don't need to be a power player to run these plays, just be comfortable with a little contact, like Hill.

Can you imagine Dez Bryant running plays like these? Or Julio Jones?

These plays stress defenses, and work. Teams should run more of them, and covet these players.

Last point:

The league is swimming in these players atm. Even just this draft:

Lynn Bowden, Antonio Gibson, Laviska Shenault, and that's before you get into more prototype WRs who I think would do well in the role (Ceedee Lamb etc).

Embrace the hybrids!