Our friends over at Bleeding Green Nation decided to figure out the average height and weight of NFL rosters around the league and the takeaway is pretty great.
The Patriots have the shortest roster in the league with an average height of 73.63 inches, or a hair taller than 6’1 1/2. Despite being the shortest team, the Patriots have the sixth heaviest roster at 247.9 pounds. This is the same measurement as long snapper Joe Cardona.
That’s hilarious to me for some reason (although I really wanted the average to match fullback James Develin at 6’3, 255 pounds). How can such a short team be so squatty and fat?
The Patriots have shrunk from an average height of 73.92 and increased in weight from 247.7 pounds, both from 2015. So this team is now shorter and squattier.
I think this actually speaks to an interesting team building strategy by the Patriots. On offense, the Patriots are relying on shorter, shiftier wide receivers in lieu of the traditional, bigger outside receivers. The offense relies on players getting open quickly and shorter players generally have greater foot speed to get open.
On defense, the Patriots are getting taller on the defensive line, but they’re taking more risks with shorter defensive backs now that teams are in love with lanky corners. Head coach Bill Belichick has also always been a proponent of larger linebackers, like Dont’a Hightower and Jamie Collins, instead of the lighter linebackers that are spreading through the league.
For the record, there doesn’t seem to be a relationship between height and weight and a team’s ability to win on the field, so this is just a fun exercise.
UPDATE: If you wonder what Joe Cardona thinks about this:
I guess you can call me mean https://t.co/FOUJMCXpFW
— Joe Cardona (@joecardona93) 21. Juli 2016