A surgical instrument comprising an anvil and a firing member is disclosed. The anvil comprises longitudinal rows of staple forming pockets including inner rows of forming pockets, outer rows of forming pockets, and intermediate rows of forming pockets positioned between the inner rows of forming pockets and the outer rows of forming pockets. The firing member comprises cams configured to position the anvil which do not extend laterally beyond the inner rows of forming pockets. In other embodiments, the cams of the firing member do not extend laterally to the inner rows of forming pockets.
