I know we have carried a long snapper on the team as long as I can remember. My question is this: Why isn't a center capable of being the long snapper? The center will often make long shotgun snaps.
Why isn't a long snapper capable of serving as a center? I notice long snappers are usually smaller than centers (in weight) and tend to be leaner in their build.
Can anyone enlighten me why one guy CANNOT do both? It would save a valuable roster spot on the 53 if you could combine them.
The best answer: Because teams have tried it over the years and it failed.
Specific:
Shotgun snap - About 5 yards
Field Goal snap - 7.5 yards
Punt snap - 14 yards
At 5 yards a non-spiral can get to the QB with enough accuracy to work. A QB can adjust if the snap is not perfect.
On field goals, the margin for error is extremely small. Six inches off target is likely catastrophic; whereas 6 inches off target on shotgun would not be a big problem.
On punts, a snap that is 1 foot off target at 5 yards will be about 3 feet off target at 14 yards.
Other reasons
The snapper on punts must also be part of the punt coverage. When long snappers retire it is often this aspect that became a problem with age. A 260 pound long snapper is better in punt coverage than a 320 pound Center.
OLinemen don't have an incentive to be a good long snapper. Being a long snapper won't be the difference in winning a roster spot. If they are not good enough on OL to win a spot then they're really just a dedicated long snapper if that's what caused them to win a roster spot.
Team don't want their starting Center to play all of those special teams snaps.
Position players come and go. Teams prefer to have stability at long snapper, especially on field goals.
Practice time. It requires a lot of repetition to be a good long smapper.