Winning in the slot requires deception, patience and a great understanding of coverages. Slot releases against linebackers and rolled safeties can be executed with much more creativity than most releases for outside receivers. Slot receivers have more space to manipulate defenders and more freedom to attack angles and use change of speed. This is why great slot receivers come in so many different shapes and sizes. From the smaller guys like Cole Beasley to bigger targets like Jimmy Graham – the physical traits can vary, but the ability to manipulate defenders and understanding of coverages is common amongst all great slot receivers and route runners.

When releasing in the slot, the first thing that is important is to understand the coverage shell so that the receiver can predict what linebacker or safety’s responsibilities are that he’s releasing off of. Is he a hook to curl player? Is he a flat player? Is he playing man to man? What is his leverage?

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If the slot receiver knows what the defender is trying to take away, he can use that information to his advantage, but he must study film and must be keyed in to the nuances of the coverage alignments and adjust his plan on the fly. For example in a Cover 2 shell, the outside linebacker will generally line up inside of the slot receiver so that he can wall the receiver off from running inside. On slot releases vs. Cover 2, attacking the linebacker’s inside leverage will threaten him the most because that is the area of the field he is trying to protect.

Conversely, in a Cover 4 or Cover 3 look – that outside linebacker is the flat defender. He will likely align closer to head up on the slot receiver and will not fight as hard to take away an inside release, but fight harder to take away an outside release.

It is important that slot receivers attack the defender’s leverage, but even more important that he understands where the defender is vulnerable. Threaten his vulnerable areas, make him panic and manipulate him from there. Beyond attacking the defender’s leverage, the receiver also wants to attack angles. Make the defender move his feet and have a plan based on how he reacts.

Attacking angles gives the receiver immediate control of the route because it forces the defender to fight to defend his leverage and puts him in a reactionary mode from that point forward. Against a head up to outside leverage slot defender, the receiver wants to use a

“Stretch Release,” which requires him to attack the defender’s “outside short arm” (1-2 yards beyond the defender’s outside arm). The receiver’s ultimate goal is to run vertically without being disrupted by the defender. By attacking “short arm” and aiming at an angle of 1-2 yards beyond the defender’s alignment, it forces the defender to make a decision right away.

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Does he run outside aggressively to cut the receiver off? He leaves himself vulnerable to a clean inside release. Does he play patiently and sit inside after the release? The receiver should have room to work outside.

“Never run paper routes!” In other words, do not run a route the way it is drawn on paper in the playbook with a straight stem and no lateral movement. The receiver wants to take advantage of the space he has to work with and make the linebacker or safety over him defend the whole space. The goal for the receiver in the end is to be where the quarterback expects him to be on time. The way in which he gets there is a creative process that can vary depending on the receiver’s skill set and his match up advantages with the defender.

Julian Edelman put on a clinic for slot receivers in the Super Bowl against the Rams by using the same stem on different routes to make them feel the same to the defense and by patiently working his way to the open holes in zone coverage time after time. His success in this game had less to do with any physical abilities and more to do with a consistent understanding of the Rams’ coverages and a well prepared plan to find the vulnerabilities in each of them. The play calling by the coaches and decision making of the quarterback put Edelman in favorable situations, but he did a masterful job of manipulating zone coverage throughout the game. He is the perfect example of how deception, patience and coverage recognition can lead to success for slot receivers at the highest levels of the game.