The topic of quarterback development in the NFL has come to the forefront this week following the latest benching of a former first-round pick in Tua Tagovailoa. More specifically, the difference between coverage and pure-progression reads.
In its simplest terms, there are essentially two ways a signal-caller can attack an opposing defense. The first is a pre-snap dissection of coverage—accomplished mainly by identifying where the safeties are aligned—and the other is what’s called a pure progression read, which involves working through your options post-snap, based on the route concept, to find an open receiver. (Note: Pure progression reads are still loosely informed by coverage, though they aren't necessarily dictated by it.)
