Chris Morris
Modern N.F.L. offenses think pass-first on nearly every down. That aerial focus has made gods of quarterbacks with lightning-quick throwing motions and turned wide receivers into end zone deities of a different stripe — with the dance moves to prove it.
But the offensive evolution of pro football has also necessitated revolution at other positions. The mud-caked, run-stopping middle linebacker, once an archetype of an N.F.L. defensive player, has morphed into a versatile, savvy multitasker who also rushes the quarterback and defends the pass. Safeties have been forced to develop hybrid skills: sprinting the length of the field alongside fleet tight ends and charging at the line of scrimmage in run support.