Defensive end

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Defensive end Everson Griffen with the Minnesota Vikings (No. 97 in white jersey) rushing Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (No. 6 in black jersey) at Soldier Field

Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football.

This position has designated the players at each end of the

defensive line,[1][2] but changes in formations
over the years have substantially changed how the position is played.

History

The defensive end position (DE) in a base 4–3 defense
The Philadelphia Eagles jersey of Reggie White, widely considered one of the best defensive ends in the history of the National Football League, on display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio

Early formations, with six- and seven-man lines, used the end as a containment player, whose job was first to prevent an "end run" around his position, then secondarily to force plays inside.

When most teams adopted a five-man line, two different styles of end play developed: "crashing" ends, who rushed into the backfield to disrupt plays, and "stand-up" or "waiting" ends, who played the more traditional containment style. Some teams would use both styles of end play, depending on game situations.

Traditionally, defensive ends are in a

snap of the ball in order to get a jump on the rush
and stop the play.

It is usually the job of the defensive end in run defense to keep outside or containment, which means that no one should get to their outside; they must keep everything to the inside. If they have an

routes
run close to the line of scrimmage.

In the

offensive tackles to get a sack. Defensive ends in the 3–4 defense average a height of 6-foot-3 – 6-foot-8 and a weight of 285–315 lbs.[citation needed
]

See also

References