Run-pass options have become a common sight in the NFL, but Baltimore Ravens safety Eric Weddle believes the wrinkle won’t be around much longer.
According to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley, Weddle said he believes RPOs are “just another phase” and will be out of the league in five years.
“It’s just a revolving door. It’s just like the Wildcat, and the quarterback run game, yada, yada, yada. Teams that run the ball and take shots are usually the hard teams to beat.”
Weddle isn’t necessarily wrong, since the sport is always evolving. Once defensive coaches discover the optimal strategy of how to contain something, offensive coaches implement a new kind of twist.
However, one key difference with run-pass options is coaches are simply attacking a numbers advantage. Defenses must always commit to stopping the run or pass, and smart quarterbacks can quickly determine the vulnerable area.
Plus, RPOs aren’t limited to post-snap reads.
Aaron Rodgers, for example, will occasionally take a snap and immediately whip a pass to a receiver. The offensive line will charge forward to run-block, yet a numbers advantage presented itself before the snap and Rodgers tried to attack it.
At some point, RPOs will probably be phased out of the league by something new and improved. But Weddle might also be underestimating their longevity.