What Kind Of Impact Can Brandon Pettigrew Have As a Rookie?

"With the 20th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions select...Brandon Pettigrew, Tight End, Oklahoma State."

...WHAT?!

This was my (over)reaction at the time of the selection, as I'm sure it was for many others considering the number of front seven defensive players still waiting to be drafted as well as a starting caliber LT prospect. But the Lions brass stuck to their word and drafted the best player left on their board, and with good reason.

Many say that a tight end doesn't have enough impact on a team to be drafted in the first round and that is often why some of the best players in the draft fall to round 2. However, unlike drafting a LT or defensive player, Pettigrew can help the Lions offense on two fronts: blocking and receiving.

If you've done your homework you already know what a terrific blocker analysts have been saying Pettigrew is, but I don't think the casual fan understands what this means.  As a tight end his main blocking responsibility is in the run game, and they can do any number of things with him.

Linehan can have him help double team the defensive end and then have him release to a linebacker, essentially helping to block two players. They can split him out wide and have him "crack block," or come back inside, on a linebacker making sure that the runner can get to the corner. He can be motioned into the middle of the line (but behind it) on inside runs and act almost as a fullback.

He can help in the passing game as well though. From his normal position outside the tackle he can "chip," or just quickly hit, the defensive end to restrict the outside rush and help either Backus or Cherilus before going out for a short-intermediate length route. There's a multitude of things the coaching staff can do with Pettigrew as a blocker, but his biggest impact on the offense might just be as a receiver.

It's no secret our biggest threat on the field is wide receiver, Calvin Johnson. The man is a physical freak, but even he has trouble getting open when being double teamed the majority of the game, and this is where Pettigrew is useful.

If offensive coordinator Scott Linehan can establish Pettigrew as a receiving threat early in games, then it will be much tougher for teams to double Calvin on the outside. If Pettigrew is put on the same side as Johnson it makes it harder for the safety on that side to double Johnson on deep throws because he must account for Pettigrew too. That is unless the opposing team wants to try to cover Pettigrew with a linebacker, which often leads to disaster.

As a pass catcher, it has been said that Pettigrew doesn't have blazing speed but he does have incredible hands. This is just fine because a lot of productive tight ends don't have great speed either. For example: Jason Witten, Heath Miller, Todd Heap, etc. It is his ability to use his big body and catch the football that will help this team the most, especially on third down when Stafford/Culpepper have to fit the ball in to someone in a tight space.

I fully expect Pettigrew to have a huge impact on this offense and team his rookie season if he can stay healthy; probably more of an impact than any other rookie.