A few years back, when I asked Doug Baldwin — one of the pre-eminent slot receivers of the last decade — about the importance of the position, he summed it up pretty well.

“The slot receiver’s kind of the quarterback of the receivers,” he said in 2015. “More so because the slot receiver has more responsibilities in terms of reading coverages and different adjustments based on what coverages you’re seeing. It’s a lot more complicated. … You have to know a lot more. You have to stay within the confines and the framework of the offense — you have a lot of freedom because you have a little bit more space, but at the same time, your job is usually to get someone else open, or to get open on a crucial down where it’s one-on-one. You have to be versatile, and you have to understand how your route goes into the concept, based on the different coverages you can see.”

Danny Amendola was a dependable slot receiver, even at the age of 34. Amendola doesn't have much of a future in the NFL, but he should have a solid season or two remaining in the tank. Keelan Cole (RFA), WR, Jaguars.

10. Adam Humphries | 9. Golden Tate | 8. Dante Pettis | 7. Cooper Kupp | 6. Jarvis Landry | 5. Julian Edelman | 4. Adam Thielen | 3. JuJu Smith-Schuster | 2. Antonio Brown | 1. Tyreek Hill

It was an apt description in 2015, and though Baldwin has retired, the role of the slot receiver is quite similar to what it was then — and in 2019, one could argue that it’s even more important now. Three- and four-receiver sets are now the norm in the NFL, which means that teams will have double slot packages in which big and small receivers work together. And there’s no shame to the position — it’s not just for the Wes Welkers of the world anymore. Guys who can win outside just fine find themselves in the slot quite frequently, and you’ll find a few names that will rank highly on our upcoming list of outside receivers on this list as well.

Other Top 11 lists: Tight ends | Centers | Guards | Offensive tackles | Edge defenders | Interior defensive linemen | Linebackers | Safeties | Outside cornerbacks | Slot defenders

So, here are the 11 best slot receivers in the NFL as we head into the 2019 season.

When watching Jacksonville’s 2018 passing offense, two things are abundantly clear — Jaguars receivers had one heck of a time with consistent production with Blake Bortles and Cody Kessler throwing the ball all over the place, and the acquisition of Nick Foles was a necessity to give those receivers any chance of improvement. Among those receivers, Westbrook may have the most potential, as he brought in 59 slot receptions on 83 targets for 646 yards and five touchdowns. Not bad for a second-year receiver who’s never had a lot of help from his quarterbacks at the NFL level.

Westbrook uses nimble feet and an impressive catch radius to make contested catches, and he has a good knack for getting open in zones. His drop rate was a problem at times, but with a credible quarterback at the helm, Westbrook could be a rising star in a big hurry.

Sixth in a series

Leading up to NFL free agency that begins Wednesday at 3 p.m. (teams can begin negotiating with agents representing free agents from opposing teams Monday), we will look at the top free agents from a different position group each day, including the Texans' needs. Today, we focus on the wide receivers and tight ends.

Top players

1. Golden Tate, WR, Eagles

He can play inside or outside and wants to sign with a team that'll make him a starter.

2. Tyrell Williams, WR, Chargers

He's 6-4 and coming off his best season with 41 catches for 653 yards and five touchdowns. He's a big target who has speed to get open down the field.

3. Jamison Crowder, WR, Washington

The best prospect at slot receiver. He's undersized but 25 with 13 starts and 95 receptions over the last two seasons.

More Texans/NFL Coverage

4. Randall Cobb, WR, Packers

He turns 29 in August. He has 164 catches over the last three seasons but hasn't been a legitimate deep threat in years.

5. Cole Beasley, WR, Cowboys

Best Free Agent Slot Receivers 2020

He's 29 and a slot receiver coming off the second-best season of his career with 65 receptions for 672 yards and three touchdowns.

Best of the rest

John Brown, WR, Ravens; Dontrelle Inman, WR, Colts; Phillip Dorsett, WR, Patriots; Adam Humphries, WR, Bucs; Chris Conley, WR, Chiefs; Chris Hogan, WR, Patriots; Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Bills; Devin Funchess, WR, Panthers; Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Patriots; Donte Moncrief, WR, Jaguars; Jordan Matthews, WR, Eagles. Tavon Austin, WR, Cowboys; Jared Cook, TE, Raiders; Demetrius Harris, TE, Chiefs; Dwayne Allen, TE, Patriots; Tyler Eifert, Bengals; Jesse James, TE, Steelers.

Texans' interest/needs

The Texans need a fourth receiver and perhaps a fifth, backs outside and inside. Because Will Fuller, who starts opposite DeAndre Hopkins, and slot receiver Keke Coutee combined to miss 19 games because of injuries, general manager Brian Gaine should use the draft or free agency or both to solve this problem. Ideally, Fuller and Coutee stay healthy the entire season, and the fourth receiver doesn't play much. Tight end isn't a problem. They drafted two last year — Jordan Akins and Jordan Thomas — and they're happy with both. Ryan Griffin returns as the starter.

PREVIOUS

March 4: Offensive line

March 5:Defensive backs

March 6:Running backs

Top Free Agent Slot Receivers Online

March 7:Defensive line

Top Slot Receivers Nfl

March 8:Linebackers