A surgical instrument for treating a tissue of a patient, comprising: (a) a shaft assembly; (b) an end effector extending from the shaft assembly along a jaw centerline, the end effector comprising: (i) a first jaw having an anvil configured to form a plurality of staples pressed against the anvil, and (ii) a second jaw, wherein the first and second jaws are configured to transition between an open configuration and a closed configuration; and (c) a staple cartridge received within the second jaw, the staple cartridge comprising: (i) a deck (73; 438) facing the anvil, wherein the deck defines a plurality of staple openings, wherein the plurality of staples are positioned respectively within the plurality of staple openings, (ii) a first terminal driver assembly positioned adjacent to a distal tip of the staple cartridge, wherein the first terminal driver assembly is configured to receive a first terminal portion of the plurality of staples, the first terminal driver assembly at least partially defining a storage space therebelow within the second jaw, and (iii) a wedge sled configured to slide proximate to the deck from a proximal sled position to a distal sled position and engage the first terminal driver assembly and force the terminal portion of the plurality of staples toward the anvil for formation in tissue, wherein at least a majority of the length of the wedge sled is configured to fit within the storage space and not slide distally beyond the first terminal driver assembly when the wedge sled is in the distal sled position; wherein the wedge sled has a first cam ramp configured to engage the first terminal driver assembly, the first cam ramp further comprising: a leading cam surface defining a steep angle slope, and an intermediate cam surface defining a gradual angle slope, the gradual angle slope being angled less than the steep angle slope relative to the deck, wherein the staple cartridge further comprises a driver cam configured to be engaged by the leading cam surface to lift the driver assembly upward toward the first jaw over a relatively short distance for decreasing an elongation of the wedge sled, and wherein the driver cam is further configured to be engaged by the intermediate cam surface to further lift the drive assembly upward toward the first jaw over a relatively long distance for providing enough force to compress the first and second staples against the anvil for use in tissue. (a) a shaft assembly; (b) an end effector extending from the shaft assembly along a jaw centerline, the end effector comprising: (i) a first jaw having an anvil configured to form a plurality of staples pressed against the anvil, and (ii) a second jaw, wherein the first and second jaws are configured to transition between an open configuration and a closed configuration; and (i) a first jaw having an anvil configured to form a plurality of staples pressed against the anvil, and (ii) a second jaw, wherein the first and second jaws are configured to transition between an open configuration and a closed configuration; and (c) a staple cartridge received within the second jaw, the staple cartridge comprising: (i) a deck (73; 438) facing the anvil, wherein the deck defines a plurality of staple openings, wherein the plurality of staples are positioned respectively within the plurality of staple openings, (ii) a first terminal driver assembly positioned adjacent to a distal tip of the staple cartridge, wherein the first terminal driver assembly is configured to receive a first terminal portion of the plurality of staples, the first terminal driver assembly at least partially defining a storage space therebelow within the second jaw, and (iii) a wedge sled configured to slide proximate to the deck from a proximal sled position to a distal sled position and engage the first terminal driver assembly and force the terminal portion of the plurality of staples toward the anvil for formation in tissue, wherein at least a majority of the length of the wedge sled is configured to fit within the storage space and not slide distally beyond the first terminal driver assembly when the wedge sled is in the distal sled position; (i) a deck (73; 438) facing the anvil, wherein the deck defines a plurality of staple openings, wherein the plurality of staples are positioned respectively within the plurality of staple openings, (ii) a first terminal driver assembly positioned adjacent to a distal tip of the staple cartridge, wherein the first terminal driver assembly is configured to receive a first terminal portion of the plurality of staples, the first terminal driver assembly at least partially defining a storage space therebelow within the second jaw, and (iii) a wedge sled configured to slide proximate to the deck from a proximal sled position to a distal sled position and engage the first terminal driver assembly and force the terminal portion of the plurality of staples toward the anvil for formation in tissue, wherein at least a majority of the length of the wedge sled is configured to fit within the storage space and not slide distally beyond the first terminal driver assembly when the wedge sled is in the distal sled position; a leading cam surface defining a steep angle slope, and an intermediate cam surface defining a gradual angle slope, the gradual angle slope being angled less than the steep angle slope relative to the deck,