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Line of Scrimmage: NFL GameChangers '10: O-Line and TEs

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07/09/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The news that you are being forced to move to Detroit is, in most cases, best broken gently. No disrespect to the Motor City, which is on the way back under mayor Dave Bing and has produced some of the greatest music in the history of recorded sound, but even most Detroiters understand why many job candidates would choose Miami, Dallas, or San Diego over Motown.

That sentiment, however, is not shared by new Lions tight end Tony Scheffler, who was dealt from Denver to Detroit in a three-way April trade that also saw linebacker Ernie Sims shipped to Philadelphia. Scheffler, the former Western Michigan star and Chelsea, MI native, was ecstatic about the notion of playing for the Lions, the team he rooted for as a kid.

"Restore the Roar!" Scheffler exclaimed to a Denver Post reporter who reached him for comment soon after the deal was made.

Of course, it wasn't just about hometown pride for Scheffler, who had worn out his welcome during four uneven seasons in Denver. A perennial "next big thing" in the hopeful eyes of Broncos fans (not to mention fantasy football enthusiasts), the No. 61 overall pick in the 2006 Draft never posted as many as 50 catches in a year, failed to became the red-zone force that his 6-5, 255- pound frame seemed to predict (14 touchdowns in four years), and did not develop great on-field chemistry with any of the quarterbacks with whom he worked in Denver.

The last straw for Scheffler as a Bronco came late last season, when complaints about his role in Josh McDaniels' offense filtered back to the head coach, who in turn benched him for a critical Week 17 matchup with the Chiefs. The Broncos lost the game, missed the playoffs, and Scheffler was essentially done in Denver.

"It's unfortunate the way it ended there," Scheffler told the Post. "But it's a business and I'm excited about playing for the Lions."

In Detroit, he'll be a critical new piece of a passing game that is attempting to grow by leaps and bounds in 2010. The league's 27th-ranked scoring attack of a year ago brought in the likes of Scheffler, wideout Nate Burleson, and first- round running back Jahvid Best as it attempts to better last year's 2-14 mark. That said, the Lions won't mature unless second-year quarterback Matthew Stafford does the same. Stafford's new tight end reports that he likes what he sees.

"He's a great guy and a heck of a quarterback," Scheffler told the Lions website of Stafford. "It's really something to be a part of a team with a young quarterback with a live arm and a great feel for the game. I was able to play with Jay Cutler in Denver and came up with him - there are a lot of similarities.

"You can tell when a quarterback has command of the huddle, the respect of the guys and Matthew definitely has that here."

Exactly how Scheffler will be utilized in coordinator Scott Linehan's offense remains to be seen. The team has another promising tight end in 2009 first- round pick Brandon Pettigrew, but Pettigrew comes off an ACL tear and may take some time to find his sea legs. That could present a meaningful opportunity early on for Scheffler.

"I hope (I can do) some of the same stuff in Detroit that I was able to do with Coach [Mike] Shanahan," Scheffler said. "I kind of got away from it last year in Coach McDaniels' new scheme out there in Denver. But I love to catch the ball and stretch the field."

Below, as the fifth installment of our eight-part "GameChangers" series, we look at five incoming tight ends, as well as five offensive linemen who will enter their first year in a new uniform as central figures in their team's 2010 development:

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5. Ed Dickson, Ravens (rookie, Oregon) - If longtime Ravens tight end Todd Heap didn't sense that he was on borrowed time when Baltimore chose Dickson in the third round of the April draft, he probably got the message when the Ravens selected another tight end, BYU's Dennis Pitta, one round later. Heap is still on the team, but it's clear that Baltimore's future at the position rests with his younger position-mates, most notably Dickson. The 6-4, 250-pound Dickson came up big within Oregon's spread offense in 2009, earning Pac-10 First-Team honors by hauling in 42 receptions for 551 yards and six touchdowns. He needs to work on his blocking and adjust to a pro-style attack, but Dickson should be able to make an early impact regardless for a Baltimore team with a myriad of offensive weapons.

4. Benjamin Watson, Browns (free agent, from Patriots) - Watson was generally reliable but never became a star in his six years with New England, and there's a school of thought that says that failure stemmed in part from the vast amount of weapons he had to compete with on his own team. In Cleveland, with which Watson signed a three-year, $12 million deal, that won't be as much of a problem. A Browns team that was very thin at receiver after trading Braylon Edwards last season remains so, as Watson and ex-Buccaneers tight end Alex Smith were the only high- or moderate-level pass catchers introduced to work with Cleveland's bevy of new quarterbacks. If Watson can develop some chemistry with new signal-caller Jake Delhomme, look for the former first-rounder to better his career-high of 49 catches, established in 2006.

3. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots (rookie, Arizona) - With Watson and disappointing short-timer Chris Baker having made their exit from New England, the Patriots will enter 2010 looking to turn the page at the tight end position as well. Enter Gronkowski, whose was undeniably productive at Arizona (75 receptions and 16 TDs in two seasons) but entered the Draft with major red flags due to injury. Gronkowski missed all of 2009 with a serious back problem, one that required surgery to shave off a disk that was touching his spinal cord. Gronkowski was not healthy enough to participate at the combine, but that didn't deter New England from selecting him early in the second round, number 42 overall. Like the Ravens, the Patriots doubled up at the position, taking Florida tight end Aaron Hernandez in the middle of the fourth round.

2. Tony Scheffler, Lions (trade, from Broncos) - Beyond receiving the fresh start he craved, this is a critical year for Scheffler for other, more tangible reasons. He'll be operating on a one-year, $1.176 deal as a restricted free agent, and his ability to get a big contract on the open market entering 2011 will be contingent on his effectiveness in year one with the Lions. Scheffler has also battled injuries at various stages of his career - he's already missed some OTA time with a foot problem - and will have to display his durability if he's looking for a windfall deal next season. If motivation has ever been an issue for Scheffler, that shouldn't be the case during what will be a pivotal 2010 for the 27-year-old.

1. Jermaine Gresham, Bengals (rookie, Oklahoma) - With apologies to the reliable but moderately skilled Reggie Kelly, the Bengals have needed a high- quality tight end for years. They seem to have finally found that player in Gresham, the No. 21 overall pick in the April draft, though the 6-5, 261- pounder comes with some question marks as well. Gresham missed all of 2009 due to surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right knee, and also tore his left ACL as a high schooler. Between injuries, Gresham was a behemoth for Oklahoma, catching 25 touchdown passes for one of college football's elite programs in 2007-2008. If he can stay on the field, Gresham should be a regular over-the- middle target for Carson Palmer, and could change the complexion of a Cincinnati offense that also has the dangerous Chad Ochocinco and Antonio Bryant on the outside.

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5. Maurkice Pouncey, C/G, Steelers (rookie, Florida) - Knowing that their once- scary running game had become a shell of its former self over the past two years, the Steelers used their first-round draft choice (No. 18 overall) on Pouncey, who should step in immediately on the interior line. Pittsburgh will likely open with Pouncey at right guard, with the inconsistent Justin Hartwig remaining at center, but it is seen as a fait accompli that Pouncey will eventually move to the middle. There have also been suggestions that Pouncey could shift to right tackle, after incumbent Willie Colon was lost for the season with a torn Achilles suffered at mini-camp. That might be a little too much, too soon for the not-yet-21-year-old Pouncey, and could also hamper the team's ability to do more inside running, which was what his selection was all about in the first place.

4. Mike Iupati, G, 49ers (rookie, Idaho) - Though Iupati was actually the second offensive linemen selected by the 49ers in the April draft - Rutgers tackle Anthony Davis went six picks before him in the first round - it is Iupati who could have the more immediate impact for a San Francisco team that can't rank No. 25 in NFL rushing again if it truly wants to compete for a playoff berth. The first pure guard taken in the Draft, the 6-5, 331-pound Iupati was a first-team All-American despite toiling in relative obscurity at Idaho. If he can come far enough in his technique during training camp and the preseason, look for Iupati to beat out the disappointing David Baas at left guard and immediately begin opening holes for Frank Gore.

3. Russell Okung, T, Seahawks (rookie, Oklahoma State) - One of the reasons the Seahawks were listed prominently among the NFL's draft-day winners was Okung, who "slipped" to Seattle at No. 6 after speculation that he could go as early as No. 2 to the Lions. Detroit's decision to target DT Ndamukong Suh was the first thing that broke the Seahawks' way, and the second was that the Chiefs went defense as well by taking S Eric Berry at No. 5. That left Pete Carroll with little decision to make, as it was well-known that Seattle would have to strengthen the left tackle position following the retirement of Walter Jones. With a legitimate blind-side protector now in the fold, look for Matt Hasselbeck's effectiveness and the Hawks' win total to both make a jump in 2010.

2. Alan Faneca, G, Cardinals (free agent, from Jets) - OK, so maybe at 33, Faneca is past his prime. And maybe all of the plaudits he gets have more to do with reputation than with his actual play of late. But, rest assured, Faneca at 75 percent of his powers is still better than the vast majority of guards in the NFL, and the Cardinals in particular haven't possessed an interior linemen of his caliber in recent memory. With Faneca in the fold, Ken Whisenhunt can actually make the running game a regular feature of his offense, as opposed to just talking about it. And with Kurt Warner and Anquan Boldin no longer wearing Cardinals uniforms, Faneca's presence will be a welcome one for a team that simply has to run the football to succeed.

1. Trent Williams, T, Redskins (rookie, Oklahoma) - Okung vs. Williams was a major debate topic for the pundits in the days leading up to the '10 Draft, and you have to believe that Washington, drafting fourth, had some major internal debates along those lines as well. While Okung was viewed as the more polished player, one that could step in immediately at left tackle, Williams is more athletic and is seen as possessing a higher ceiling. Trouble is, Williams played predominantly at right tackle as a collegian, and will have to make an adjustment to the more demanding left side at the game's highest level. The Skins recently traded for Jammal Brown in the event that Williams falls on his face, but all indications are that it will be Williams protecting Donovan McNabb's blind side, with Brown on the right. You could argue that it's Williams' development in Mike Shanahan's offense, more so than McNabb's, that will tell the tale for the 2010 Washington Redskins.

Next up at the Line of Scrimmage: 2010 GameChangers Part VI - Defensive Backs