With Eric Weddle now on the Rams, this was a very important offseason signing.ĩ2. His prime is over, but he still has some left in the tank. In his prime, Thomas was second best free safety of all-time, behind only Reed. Earl Thomas– S, Baltimore Ravens (Last year: 37)Įven after a devastating leg injury that hindered his ability to command the money he wanted, Thomas lands in Baltimore to fill the shoes once occupied by Ed Reed. He’s a thumper that terrorizes pass catchers over the middle.ĩ3. He’s the prototype new-school linebacker who makes up for a lack of size in aggressiveness and speed. Deion Jones – LB, Atlanta Falcons (Last year: NR)ĭeion Jones acts as Dan Quinn’s Kam Chancellor in the middle of the field on passing downs. He’s a unique weapon that makes things easier for Mitchell Trubisky.ĩ4. ![]() He’s Darren Sproles if Sproles were a viable feature back. The Bears’ confidence in Cohen can be traced to the team’s willingness to let Jordan Howard go to Philadelphia for just a fifth-round pick. ![]() Tarik Cohen – RB, Chicago Bears (Last year: NR) He’ll soon enter the downside of his career, but he’s still one of the most underrated cover corners in the league.ĩ5. Casey Hayward – CB, Los Angeles Chargers (Last year: 39) Roquan Smith – LB, Chicago Bears (Last year: NR)įrom Dick Butkus to Brian Urlacher to Roquan Smith? Okay, those are lofty comparisons, but Smith has the talent to become one of the league’s defensive stalwarts for the next 10 to 12 seasons.ĩ6. That cleary irked him, seeing as McCoy joined their NFC South rival, the Panthers, over the Browns and Ravens. Tampa Bay released him and gave Ndamukong Suh his No. He’s not the same player he once was, but he has some gas left in the tank. Gerald McCoy – DT, Carolina Panthers (Last year: NR) He’s an All-Pro caliber player in the making.ĩ8. Bradley Chubb – EDGE, Denver Broncos (Last year: NR)Ĭhubb’s rookie season was rather quiet for an edge rusher who notched 12 sacks. Expect him to make a big jump in Year 3.ĩ9. Humphrey has already exhibited shutdown cornerback tendencies. Mosley and Eric Weddle, the Ravens will be looking for other defensive players for help. Marlon Humphrey – CB, Baltimore Ravens (Last year: NR)Īfter an offseason that saw Baltimore lose Terrell Suggs, Za’Darius Smith, C.J. Melvin Ingram, EDGE, Los Angeles Chargersġ00. Here were the 25 players that nearly made my list, but were squeezed out in the evaluation process: Here are the number of players for each position, on the list: Derwin James, a safety who sometimes acts as a nickel cornerback or linebacker, is another example. For instance, Tyrann Mathieu plays as both a safety and a nickel cornerback, depending on the game plan. In addition to slot defenders, I have nine ‘hybrid’ defensive players on the list, showcasing the importance of versatility in defensive players that primarily focus on pass defense. There are eight players on my list that do most of their work - three on offense, five on defense - out of the slot. With the way the game is changing, there is a heavy importance on the middle of the field, specifically with pass-catchers who work primarily out of the slot, and the defensive backs who guard them between the hashes. Although no rookies made my list, I did include 10 second-year players, showcasing the potential I see in the 2018 NFL Draft class. Following them are these teams - Chicago Bears (6), Los Angeles Chargers (6), Cleveland Browns (5), New Orleans Saints (5), Houston Texans (4) Jacksonville Jaguars (4) and New England Patriots (4) The Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys come in with the most players (7). 70 percent of my decision to place a player on my list is based off that player’s last two or three seasons of play, and 30 percent is based off their potential in 2019. ![]() My rule in creating this beast is what I like to call the 70/30 rule. After making my first ever Top 50 list last summer, I decided to expand the list to 100 players this summer, in honor of the NFL’s 100 year anniversary.īefore diving in, here are some other notes and facts about my list:
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