How would we rank the position groups accounting for the depth at each position. We don't have to, but I separate the secondary into safeties and CBs and separate the linebackers into ILBs and OLBs. p.s. this is just opinion so let's not go crazy. 1. Defensive Line - this should be #1 on everybody's list 2. Running Backs - a lot of confidence in all the RBs and FB 3. Tight End - excited about Ryan Griffin. Hope Graham stays healthy. 4. QB - starter is above average, the backups definitely provided some excitement 5. Inside Linebackers - strength is in Cushing, everybody else has question marks 6. Wide Receiver - a lot of unproven youth behind the proven veteran. This will go up once I see Hopkins have a really good game or two. 7. Safeties - if Ed Reed is at 90%, i got no worries. Excited about Swearinger, not so much about Keo. 8. Offensive Line - assuming Wade Smith is back sooner than later, starters are very solid. They are only ranked this low because of the backups. 9. Outside Linebackers - the defense really needs this group to create more QB pressure. 10. Cornerbacks - The starters will be fine but Brandon Harris really concerns me if he has to take the place of any of the starters. 10. Special teams - I wish I could separate the kickers from the return and coverage teams. The kickers look great, the return and coverage teams are the worst position group of the team.
I agree with most of that. But I would move CBs up a few spots. If only because they do have Brice McCain off the bench who I think is one of the better nickels in the league. I'm not sure olbs or oline has even 1 legit player off the bench.
I'll rate each position group on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being supremely confident. QB - I'd give it a solid 7. Not spectacular but better than most. RB/FB - 9. Would be a 10 if Foster wasn't recovering from injury all preseason. TE - 8. Very solid and good depth. Also excited about Griffin. WR - 8. Once again solid with good depth, and so long as the young guns develop I could see that bumping up. OL - 7. Unsure about the RT position and both OL Rookies IR'd. Would liked to have had them get playing time to develop and push for starting jobs. Also concerned with the health of LG. DL - 8 with the probability of rising. You know what you'll get with Watt and Smith. Crick needs to answer the questions about if he'll become a starter. Earl needs to continue playing like he has and he'll be great. Jamison and McClain should be pretty good backup/rotational guys. OLB - 6. Reed is solid, plays the run well and contains. Hasn't shown explosion off the edge however. Whitney can either break out or bust, lets hope he can contain the run. Everyone else is a rookie or Braman. Braman isn't any good at his position so we have a huge question to answer here this year. Scary. ILB - 7. Cushing's back! And that's all we know. Mays is a pure 2 down player. Sharpton is always hurt, and Dobbins is a good goal line guy and STer. Tuggle may play here and has shown instinct, but we just don't know yet. S - 7. And only because we drafted a guy that I believe will be one of our starting safeties in the next year or two. Manning is a SS that we play deep, and Ed Reed is coming off injury and we just don't know. Keo is garbage, and Pleasant hasn't shown much either. If we stay healthy and Swearinger develops quickly, I'll be happy. Otherwise we should be worried. CB - 7. We've got Kareem and Joseph. An Joseph is coming off a double hernia, big unknown. McCain regressed last season before he got hurt, and Harris gets called for breathing on WRs. Bouye may help but who really knows. ST is split into 2 categories here: Kicking - 10. Lechler will probably be the best punter in history and Bullock is looking beastly with FGs and touchbacks. Coverage - 4. It's not the players, but the coach here. We have plenty of guys that are good STer's and we still don't cover well. It all comes down with poor schemes and preparation. Not instilling the process of adjusting on the fly and the awareness to not ****ing block in the back. Marciano will need to die before he'll get fired, which is pathetic.
our linebacking core could be the best in the league or the worst in the league, am I the only one that feels that way? If healthy, merciless will improve on sacks and hurries by scheme alone. the safeties and the o line are my biggest concerns.
Yeah, Bowman even played better than Willis last year. Would be real effin nice to have to Cushings on the field at the same time, and a beast of an OLB like Aldon Smith.
1. Defensive Line - With JJ Watt, Antonio Smith and solid depth for backups... easy. 2. Tight End - Owen Daniels looked like OD, I expect Graham to step up and the Griffin kid looked like a real steal with the phyiscal tools he seemed to have. James Casey he is not but I feel like more then either Graham or Daniels, he could be our Dressen. 3. Running Backs - Foster is elite, Tate is solid when healthy and Wood has potential to be something real nice. Much like TE, the lower numbers of bodies work in this groups favor due to the starter and the promise the 3rd stringer showed in preseason. 4. Special teams - Mainly off the strength of the Kicker, Punter and Long Snapper. 5. Wide Receiver - Andre Johnson is elite and is border line Hall of Fame at this point IMO. I think the talent of all the other WRs should make them one of the best in the NFL, it is now on the next position to get them the ball. 6. QB - Say what you will about Schaub, he is a starter in the NFL and his back ups have shown enough promise that if he were to go down, I'd be more worried about the coach's not adapting their plans enough to take advantage of their talents then the players themselves failing. But part of this position's success lies in the next one. 7. Offensive Line - Two legit Pro Bowlers, one also ran and two promising young guys on the right side. Only concern at this point is depth since our two promising draft picks got injured we have a vet back up in Ryan Harris and two guys I think are go no where projects in Gardner or White. As bad as the depth issue is, I like the starts and Ben Jones enough. 8. Inside Linebackers: Brian Cushing is elite at his position, I like the phyiscality that Mays, Dobbins and Sharpton bring, along with the promising rookie Tuggle, this group is stronger then I first thought it'd be. 9. Cornerback - Jonathan Joseph and Kareem Jackson are pro bowl caliber corners, behind them McCain is good although a bit shakey. Same can be said for Brandon Harris and Bouye is a unknown commodity at this level. That being said the starters carry them over the groups below. 10. Safety - Manning is proven in this defense, the concern lies with Reed, Keo, Swearinger and even Pleasant. Time will tell and if Reed returns to form, obviously this group takes a massive leap but at this point no telling what we will get from this position in the first few weeks. 11. Outside Linebackers - Would probably be higher, but too many questions regarding them. Will Mercilus improve on his previous season now that he is a starter? Will Reed bounce back to be as effective as he was his rookie year? How will the rookies Jefferson and Montgomery do in the regular season? Will Braman ever see the field outside of special team snaps? If Mercilus, Reed and one of the rookies does well this will be a fine squad maybe even the deepest if both rookies perform well but man none of that is guaranteed.
