Long post alert.
First off...exactly to the above quote.
Secondly...I'm going to throw something out here, only because it's been something I've been thinking about when it comes to helping Petras out.
Legend:
Y: LaPorta
H: Lachey
X: Wide out (Tracy is #1 X, but anyone who runs this spot)
Z: Slot WR (Ragaini is #1 Z, but anyone who runs this spot)
12 personnel
...........................................H..T..G..C..G..T............................................Y
..................Z......................................Q..................................X
........
...........................................................T
12 personnel
.....H......................................T..G..C..G..T..Y.........................X
.............................Z.........................Q
.......
.........................................................T
Hopefully the format turns out. This is a personnel grouping that we already use a ton, but I don't know that I've ever seen us use this formation. The defining characteristic in the first one is that the Y is outside our X receiver, who is off the ball. The 2nd formation is different because the H is outside our Z and we're unbalanced to the X/Y side of the formation (to the right on the diagram above).
Here's where I think this could help our offense without wholesale changes:
* Personnel grouping would lend itself to more of a "normal" defensive structure, such as a regular 4-3/3-4...unless it's 3rd and long most teams probably aren't going to match our 12 personnel group with a nickel/dime personnel grouping of their own.
* Putting a TE wide forces the defense to dictate some of their coverage responsibilities. For example, if they put a LB/S out there wide on him, we know we're going to get man coverage or at least some form of man coverage. If a CB stays over the top of him, we might still get some man coverage, but if a CB is out there on the TE, that means we have our X (in the 1st diagram) or our Z (in the 2nd diagram) matched up on a safety 1 on 1. Additionally, if the CB stays over top of the TE, we're probably more likely to get zone coverage but the safety alignment will give some of that away.
* There is nothing in our 1 back offense that we can't run. We can still run our zone plays to either side, we still have our jet sweep options (with both receivers, depending on the formation) and depending on the alignment of the Z in the 1st alignment or the X in the 2nd alignment (w/ nasty splits) we have crack opportunities, which can lead to fake crack play action down the line.
* Quite frankly, both LaPorta and Lachey CAN be matchup nightmares depending on who they have covering them. I think both are 6'4"+ and both of them can move (side note...looked up some HS track info and Lachey's 200 time as a HS junior would have him finish 6 meters ahead of a HS Soph Tyler Goodson were they to have raced each other). If you try to cover either of these guys man to man with a safety or LB, I feel like we could win some of those matchups just due to their size/ability to box out a smaller defender.
* The 2nd formation is unbalanced, which means that the Y is unable to release for a pass. But in assisting identify the coverage, this formation (much like some our existing formations) allows us to protect the passer with at least 6 and then adding in a RB would be 7 man pro.
* If we wanted to run our zone boot stuff, we don't have the flexibility in these formations to run them with the H/Y receivers, but we could still motion our X/Z guys into the backfield wing position and have them drag behind the LOS into the flat, a job usually reserved for LaPorta (or Pottebaum). We could have them kick a DE as well, although we're certainly not going to get the same level of physicality that we would with a TE-type.
* And, if we wanted to take advantage of defenses who get their safeties a little too nosy in the run game, i.e. something more than a 7 man box, we can throw the uncovered/bubble stuff and we've got a bigger blocker out there with the ball in the hands of one of our X/Z receivers.
There it is. Feel free to rip it apart as necessary.