Top five: Atlanta, New England, Tennessee (!), Green Bay, Pittsburgh. Bottom five: Jets, Rams, 49ers, Browns, Lions
Posted by
David (aka David)
Jun 27 '17, 20:25
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This will NOT format well.
"A few notes before we get started:
Grades in each chart are from the 2016 season (see key below for a guide).
Picks for best and worst starter are based on average grades throughout their careers, not just how they played in 2016.
1. Atlanta Falcons
Biggest strength: Julio Jones is the most dominant receiver in the league, almost impossible to cover one-on-one. He led the league in 2016 with 3.12 receiving yards gained per route run, the third time in four seasons he has topped that category.
Biggest weakness: There isn't much to dislike about the defending NFC champions, but outside linebacker De'Vondre Campbell needs to take a significant step forward in his second NFL season. As a rookie last season, he played 548 regular-season snaps but recorded only 15 defensive stops, less than a quarter of league leader Chris Kirksey's 63. Three different players topped 60 defensive stops in 2016.
By the numbers: Quarterback Matt Ryan had a passer rating of 128.9 when given a clean pocket last season (132.5 if you include the postseason). His overall PFF grade was 93.5, the highest of his career. The team's 2017 fortunes might come down to how close he can come to repeating that.
2. New England Patriots
Biggest strength: After returning from suspension in Week 5, Tom Brady posted his best PFF grade since we started evaluating players a decade ago. His 99.3 grade was almost six points higher than any other quarterback last season, and he threw a total of three turnover-worthy passes in 12 regular-season games.
Biggest weakness: The Patriots still haven't adequately replaced Jamie Collins, who was traded to Cleveland midway through last season. They retained Dont'a Hightower at the other linebacker spot but need someone to step up beside him. Their latest attempt is former Jets defender David Harris, who should help.
By the numbers: No player on the Patriots' roster had more total pressures than defensive end Trey Flowers' 35 last season, and Hightower had as many pressures (25) as several of their defensive linemen.
3. Tennessee Titans
Biggest strength: Jurrell Casey is a model of consistency -- he has never graded lower than 84.1 over the course of his six-year career. Routinely one of the top pass-rushers on the defensive interior, Casey has racked up a combined 50 sacks, hits and hurries in each of the past four seasons.
Biggest weakness: The Titans have plenty of weapons, but their biggest hole on offense is No. 2 tight end. Phillip Supernaw struggled as a run-blocker last season, which isn't good for someone who doesn't bring much to the table in the passing game (12 targets in his three-year career).
By the numbers: With a PFF grade of 72.4, quarterback Marcus Mariota ranked 24th in the NFL last season. But the Titans have surrounded him with weapons heading into his third year, including rookie No. 5 overall pick Corey Davis, who ranked fourth in the draft class in average yards per route run (3.56).
4. Green Bay Packers
Biggest strength: Though Aaron Rodgers struggled early last season, he was nearly unstoppable once he hit his stride. He had a 90.3 passer rating under pressure in 2016, throwing 13 touchdown passes and only two picks when hurried.
Biggest weakness: Green Bay's secondary was eviscerated for large portions of 2016, and cornerback LaDarius Gunter was a particular weak spot in the playoffs. Gunter gave up seven catches for 152 yards in the NFC Championship Game loss to the Falcons -- matching up mostly with Julio Jones -- and he allowed four touchdowns in two playoff starts.
By the numbers: We saw converted running back Ty Montgomery's true potential when he was moved into the backfield last season. He led the league in yards per carry after contact (5.1) and gained 370 of his 451 rushing yards after getting hit. He broke 18 tackles on just 72 carries.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers
Biggest strength: The strength in Pittsburgh is still its offensive weapons, with wide receiver Antonio Brown and running back Le'Veon Bell both in the conversation as the best player at their respective positions. Bell gained 3.0 yards per carry after first contact last season, breaking 47 tackles on 261 carries.
Biggest weakness: The Steelers keep trying to find a new stud pass-rusher and successor to James Harrison at outside linebacker. Bud Dupree has been the latest swing and a miss. He has only 41 total pressures over his first two seasons in the league.
By the numbers: Beginning in Week 4 last season, the Steelers' offensive line allowed just 87 total pressures, nine fewer than any other line. Including the playoffs, Pittsburgh's O-line had the best pass-blocking efficiency score in the league (86.0).
6. Oakland Raiders
Biggest strength: Khalil Mack has developed into the best edge rusher in the league. He led all players with 96 total pressures last season and trailed only Von Miller in defensive stops among edge rushers (44).
Biggest weakness: The Raiders had one of the league's best offensive lines last season, but right tackle was a constant issue. Marshall Newhouse is slated to start there in 2017. His highest career PFF grade: 69.4.
By the numbers: Derek Carr was the least-pressured quarterback in the league last season (23.9 percent of his dropbacks). Left tackle Donald Penn allowed just one sack all season, but it was the one that resulted in Carr's injury in Week 16, effectively ending the team's Super Bowl aspirations.
7. Dallas Cowboys
Biggest strength: Travis Frederick, who allowed only nine total pressures last season, has emerged as one of the league's best centers. He hasn't allowed a sack over the past two seasons and is also a great run-blocker.
Biggest weakness: For the first time in a while, the Cowboys' offensive line has a potential weak spot. Former top-10 pick Jonathan Cooper, who is projected to start at left guard, has consistently graded below average, surrendering 27 total pressures in only 1,020 snaps.
By the numbers: Ezekiel Elliott led the league in total rushing yards and yards after contact, with 938 coming after he was hit. Elliott averaged 2.9 yards per carry after first contact -- or the same figure that Doug Martin averaged ... total.
8. Los Angeles Chargers
Biggest strength: Rookie Joey Bosa hit the ground running and become one of the game's most dominant defensive linemen, picking up where he left off in college. He notched 59 total pressures in 12 games, the most any player has recorded in his first dozen NFL games over the past decade.
Biggest weakness: The Chargers' Achilles' heel for years has been the offensive line, and it remains a weak spot, even with potential reinforcements from the draft and free agency. Only Matt Slauson graded higher than 74 last season among the players slated to start in 2017.
By the numbers: Casey Hayward, who played mainly in the slot with Green Bay before joining San Diego, became the Chargers' No. 1 corner early in the 2016 season after top cover man Jason Verrett got injured. Hayward allowed just one touchdown all season and a passer rating of 53.4 when targeted.
9. Kansas City Chiefs
Biggest strength: Justin Houston is an elite edge rusher when healthy, but he has played just 16 regular-season games over the past two seasons. While he played just 349 total snaps in 2017, Houston still managed a three-sack, nine-pressure game against Denver after getting back on the field.
Biggest weakness: With the release of Jeremy Maclin, the Chiefs have no true outside threat at receiver and will be leaning heavily on Tyreek Hill's development as a passing weapon. Albert Wilson and Chris Conley gained just 0.96 yards per route run in 2016.
By the numbers: Cornerback Marcus Peters has the league's highest playmaker index, either breaking up a pass or intercepting it on 19.5 percent of targets. He was targeted 60 fewer times in 2016 than he was as a rookie.
10. Carolina Panthers
Biggest strength: Linebacker Luke Kuechly is a transcendent talent, but concussions are a lingering concern. Though he has missed nine games over the past two seasons, he has graded as PFF's No. 1 and No. 2 LB during that time.
Biggest weakness: The Panthers have surrounded quarterback Cam Newton with a stable of tall receivers, who still haven't been able to elevate the Carolina passing game. Devin Funchess went backward in Year 2, catching just 42.6 percent of his targets and dropping six of 29 catchable passes.
By the numbers: Newton's passer rating under pressure last season was 44.4, which ranked 33rd in the league, one spot behind Ryan Fitzpatrick. Newton was much better when given a clean pocket (90.9). That drop of 46.5 is more than 10 points greater than the league average of 34.2.
11. Seattle Seahawks
Biggest strength: Russell Wilson remains one of the NFL's best quarterbacks, despite an offensive line that left him under siege often. On plays in which he was pressured, Wilson picked up 1,560 yards through the air, leading the NFL, while his 10 touchdowns under pressure tied for third best in the league.
Biggest weakness: With a grade of 41.9 last season, defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin tied for 113th among players on the defensive interior. He made just 18 tackles that resulted in a defensive stop and didn't make much of an impact as a pass-rusher or against the run.
By the numbers: Though he wasn't quite as dominant last season, Richard Sherman has been one of the NFL's best cornerbacks since 2014. Over the past three seasons, his passer rating allowed of 60.2 ranks first among cornerbacks who have played at least 500 snaps in coverage.
12. Minnesota Vikings
Biggest strength: While Harrison Smith's play dropped slightly in 2016, he remains one of the league's most complete safeties. He earned strong grades against the run and in coverage in 2016 and had nine total pressures on the blitz.
Biggest weakness: Brian Robison has been a productive pass-rusher throughout his Vikings career, but he had only 49 total pressures in 502 passing snaps last season and was outplayed by Danielle Hunter over the season, especially against the run.
By the numbers: First-round pick Laquon Treadwell played just 79 total snaps all season and was targeted only three times as a rookie. The Vikings' 2016 rookie class made little impact, and the team needs those players to step up in Year 2.
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Biggest strength: Mike Evans produced his best season in 2016, ranking second among wide receivers with a PFF grade of 93.3. His 2.28 yards per route run ranked sixth in the league, and 12 of his 96 catches went for touchdowns.
Biggest weakness: Moving into a starting role in his third season in the league, guard Kevin Pamphile struggled in pass protection, allowing 37 total pressures last season. Only four starting guards in the league had a lower PFF grade than his 44.7.
By the numbers: The Buccaneers' additions this offseason should give quarterback Jameis Winston even more potential to make plays downfield. Free-agent pickup DeSean Jackson led the league with 579 yards on passes thrown more than 20 yards downfield, while rookie third-round pick Chris Godwin had 504 yards on such passes in his final season at Penn State.
14. Arizona Cardinals
Biggest strength: Patrick Peterson continues to excel, despite tracking opposing teams' best wide receivers all over the field most weeks. He was the least targeted corner in the NFL last season, getting thrown at once every 8.5 snaps in coverage.
Biggest weakness: The Cardinals' tight end position is particularly worrisome, as Jermaine Gresham remains the entrenched starter. Gresham gained only 1.16 yards per route run in 2016, which ranked 32nd among TEs.
By the numbers: With Calais Campbell leaving for the Jaguars in free agency, Arizona has no interior defensive lineman on its roster who had more than 10 total pressures in 2016. Campbell had 56 by himself.
15. Philadelphia Eagles
Biggest strength: Brandon Graham generates more pressure than almost every other edge rusher in the league, though he doesn't always convert those pressures into sacks. He produced 83 total pressures in 2016, trailing only Khalil Mack.
Biggest weakness: Cornerback is a glaring weakness, with much expected of third-round rookie Rasul Douglas. The Eagles are also hoping second-rounder Sidney Jones can recover from his pre-draft Achilles injury and contribute in 2017. Jalen Mills is likely to start again, but the 2016 seventh-round pick allowed 63.7 percent of the passes thrown his way to be caught last season.
By the numbers: Over the first five weeks of the 2016 season, rookie Carson Wentz was the second-highest-graded quarterback, trailing only Derek Carr. From Week 6 onward, however, he ranked 30th. He had a 32.8 passer rating when under pressure in 2016.
16. New York Giants
Biggest strength: Landon Collins had a breakout 2016 after switching to strong safety and was a Defensive Player of the Year contender. He had 46 defensive stops in the regular season, eight more than any other safety.
Biggest weakness: Both offensive tackle spots were major problems for the Giants last season. Ereck Flowers and Bobby Hart combined to allow 105 total pressures. While Eli Manning had a down 2016 season, the Giants need to improve his pass protection dramatically if he wants to rebound this season.
By the numbers: Manning's box-score stats look fine, but his PFF grade of 53.0 was the lowest of his career since his rookie year and ranked 27th overall. His 71.7 adjusted completion percentage ranked 23rd.
17. Washington Redskins
Biggest strength: Trent Williams was the highest-graded offensive tackle last season, standing out as a run-blocker and allowing just two sacks, one hit and 13 hurries in 506 pass-blocking snaps. Coming off his best season and still only 29 when the 2017 season begins, Williams should remain one of the NFL's premier left tackles in 2017.
Biggest weakness: While the Redskins' biggest strength is along the offensive line, their main weakness is on the opposite side of the trenches. Ziggy Hood has graded above 40.9 in just two of his eight seasons in the NFL and has struggled as both a pass-rusher and run-stopper.
By the numbers: Though Kirk Cousins' future in Washington remains up in the air, he has developed into a solid starter. His 85.9 PFF grade ranked eighth among quarterbacks last season, and he has improved his grade each of the past four seasons.
18. Chicago Bears
Biggest strength: Jerrell Freeman was the top-graded linebacker (93.8) in the league in 2016, but he missed four games due to suspension. He has been an elite playmaker over the past two seasons, notching 59 defensive stops last season and 51 the season before.
Biggest weakness: The Bears have several major question marks among their starters with no clear standout at receiver or in the secondary. Plus, free-agent signee Dion Sims was one of the lowest-graded tight ends in the league last season, particularly as a blocker.
By the numbers: The interior of the offensive line -- guards Josh Sitton and Kyle Long and center Cody Whitehair -- combined to surrender only 30 total pressures in 2016, but tackles Charles Leno and Bobby Massie gave up a combined 73.
19. Baltimore Ravens
Biggest strength: Marshal Yanda is the league's best guard and might be the best overall offensive lineman. He switched from right to left guard midway through last season and didn't skip a beat, allowing just six total pressures.
Biggest weakness: The Ravens' top weakness might be the player lining up next to Yanda -- right tackle James Hurst. Though he didn't give up a sack in 305 snaps last season, he allowed 14 total pressures and has consistently graded poorly as both a run- and pass-blocker.
By the numbers: Quarterback Joe Flacco's 71.4 PFF grade ranked 25th in the league last season. It marked the second consecutive season he posted a career-low grade. Though Jeremy Maclin helps, the Ravens' offense still lacks weapons. Flacco needs to reverse this decline if Baltimore hopes to contend in the AFC North.
20. New Orleans Saints
Biggest strength: Quarterback Drew Brees now has five 5,000-yard passing seasons, more than every other quarterback in NFL history ... combined. He completed 73.5 percent of his passes when he wasn't pressured last season.
Biggest weakness: Cornerback Delvin Breaux came back down to Earth in his second NFL season. He missed 10 games to injury and struggled when he was on the field. For his career, Breaux has allowed 12 touchdowns and a passer rating of 98.1 when targeted.
By the numbers: Pass-rusher Cameron Jordan had 79 pressures in 2016, up nine from his total in 2015. He also batted down four passes at the line and missed only four tackles.
21. Houston Texans
Biggest strength: Defensive end J.J. Watt, who has been the best player in the league for the majority of his career, missed 13 games in 2016 but is now healthy. He has the three highest-graded PFF seasons for an interior defender over the past decade, averaging a mark of 98.1 in those seasons.
Biggest weakness: Houston's defense is in good shape, but offensive line and quarterback remain significant question marks headed into the season. Guard Xavier Su'a-Filo surrendered seven sacks and 39 total pressures and earned below-average run-blocking grades last season.
By the numbers: Offensive tackle Chris Clark led the league in pressures surrendered in 2016, coughing up 67 in 602 passing snaps. That was eight more than any other tackle. Clark also posted the second-worst pass-blocking efficiency score among tackles.
22. Miami Dolphins
Biggest strength: Ndamukong Suh might never justify the $114 million contract he signed in 2015, but the tackle has been better in Miami than he was in Detroit and is one of the league's most impactful defensive linemen. Suh has notched 118 total pressures and 80 defensive stops over the past two seasons.
Biggest weakness: Miami is another team with offensive line issues; the Dolphins slated to start at guard averaged a PFF grade of 57.9 in 2016. Jermon Bushrod had the league's lowest run-blocking grade of 34.9, and Ted Larsen surrendered 15 total pressures in 581 snaps.
By the numbers: Quarterback Ryan Tannehill's had a 116.6 rating when throwing from a clean pocket, but that tumbled to 49.1 when hurried. That drop of 67.5 points was almost double the league average drop of 34.2. Tannehill faced the sixth-most pressure in the league.
23. Cincinnati Bengals
Biggest strength: Injury robbed A.J. Green of a career year in 2016 -- he averaged 2.86 yards per route run on 95 targets in 10 games, trailing only Julio Jones.
Biggest weakness: Cincinnati's offensive line had been a strength for years, but it now has major weak spots, particularly at left tackle with Cedric Ogbuehi, who allowed nine sacks and 43 pressures in just 680 snaps in 2016.
By the numbers: Stalwart tackle Andrew Whitworth, who left for the Rams in free agency, surrendered just 15 pressures in 1,064 snaps in 2016. Things were much worse on the right side. Jake Fisher allowed 13 pressures in just 300 snaps, while Eric Winston gave up eight in 279 snaps. The Bengals' pass protection is likely to suffer a significant hit in 2017 without Whitworth.
24. Jacksonville Jaguars
Biggest strength: Free-agent acquisition Calais Campbell is one of the league's most disruptive interior forces, and he had the best season of his career in 2016 at age 30. With J.J. Watt injured, Campbell's 90.4 PFF grade trailed only Aaron Donald.
Biggest weakness: While the Jaguars are stocking up on interior defenders, they don't have much talent on the edge. Rookie third-round pick Yannick Ngakoue had a respectable 47 total pressures last season, but he was extremely poor as a run defender.
By the numbers: Blake Bortles' PFF grade collapsed from 80.3 in 2015 to 52.9 last season. His passer rating while under pressure was just 49.7, and he threw nine interceptions and just three TDs.
25. Denver Broncos
Biggest strength: Outside linebacker Von Miller had 79 total pressures and led all edge rushers with 53 defensive stops last season.
Biggest weakness: Donald Stephenson was one of the worst starting tackles in the league in 2016. He's expected to remain a starter this season, moving from right tackle to the left side. Stephenson surrendered 50 pressures and committed 12 penalties in 744 snaps.
By the numbers: Cornerback Aqib Talib didn't allow a single touchdown and gave up a passer rating of just 49.5 when targeted in 2016, the second-best figure in the league. With a 92.9 grade, his teammate Chris Harris Jr. was the best-graded corner overall.
26. Indianapolis Colts
Biggest strength: Andrew Luck had a career year in 2016, bouncing back from a disaster the season before in which he missed nine games. Luck ended 2016 with a PFF grade of 92.4, trailing only Tom Brady, Matt Ryan and Aaron Rodgers. His passer rating when given a clean pocket was 112.0.
Biggest weakness: T.Y. Hilton is a solid receiver, but the Colts have been in need of a secondary threat for some time and have yet to successfully develop one. Phillip Dorsett and Donte Moncrief combined for 110 targets last season, and they caught only 57.3 percent of them.
By the numbers: The Colts' cornerbacks last season surrendered 11 touchdowns and had only three interceptions when targeted, and they allowed a catch on 60.4 percent of throws their way.
27. Buffalo Bills
Biggest strength: Buffalo's running game is one of the best in the league, and free-agent fullback signing Patrick DiMarco should make it even better. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor has added 1,148 rushing yards over the past two seasons, while LeSean McCoy is one of the league's most dynamic backs.
Biggest weakness: The Bills' linebacker corps is a big unknown heading into the season. Last year's second-round pick Reggie Ragland missed the entire 2016 season with a knee injury. He should be an immediate starter this season. Preston Brown played well to begin last season, but he was poor overall, missing 10 tackles and allowing 80.8 percent of passes thrown his way to be caught.
By the numbers: Quarterback Tyrod Taylor's 80.1 passer rating under pressure ranked sixth in the league last season, one spot behind Tom Brady. He ranked fifth in 2015 (87.6).
28. Detroit Lions
Biggest strength: Free-agent pickup T.J. Lang has developed into one of the league's best pass-blocking guards -- he didn't allow a sack or hit for the Packers last season. That's good news for quarterback Matthew Stafford, who dropped back to pass a whopping 658 times in 2016. Lang should be an immediate upgrade.
Biggest weakness: Like Buffalo, Detroit's linebackers are a major weakness. Rookie first-round pick Jarrad Davis will be asked to play immediately. New addition Paul Worrilow was benched in Atlanta last season. He has missed 54 tackles in almost three seasons' worth of snaps.
By the numbers: Without Calvin Johnson around last season, Stafford made an effort spread the ball around. Four players (three receivers and tight end Eric Ebron) were targeted at least 85 times, and Theo Riddick saw another 62 targets from the backfield.
29. Cleveland Browns
Biggest strength: Joe Thomas has been the standard of pass-blocking at left tackle since he entered the league in 2007. While 2016 wasn't the best season of his career, he still graded out as the fifth-best tackle (89.1) in the league.
Biggest weakness: The Browns have invested heavily in young receivers -- they picked five in the 2016 draft -- but have yet to see significant returns on the group. Outside of Kenny Britt, their receiving corps remains more potential than production. Terrelle Pryor, who signed with the Redskins in free agency, had almost double the targets of the rest of the receiver corps combined last season.
By the numbers: The Browns added reinforcements in free agency along the offensive line with guard Kevin Zeitler and center JC Tretter. Including those two projected starters, the Browns' starting five had an average 2016 PFF grade of 83.2, giving Cleveland one of the league's top lines headed into the season.
30. San Francisco 49ers
Biggest strength: Soon-to-be 33-year-old Joe Staley is on the downside of his career -- his PFF grade dropped for the third straight season in 2016 -- but he is still productive. Despite allowing 39 pressures, Staley was a solid run-blocker. Overall, he ranked as the No. 25 offensive tackle in the league.
Biggest weakness: Zane Beadles started games at left tackle, left guard and center for the 49ers last season, but he managed only a PFF grade of 40.2.
By the numbers: No interior defender played more snaps last season than rookie DeForest Buckner (1,007). While he was solid overall, the 49ers have already indicated that they'd like to manage his snaps better to get a bigger impact in 2017.
31. Los Angeles Rams
Biggest strength: Aaron Donald just earned the top spot on PFF's Top 50 as the best player in the league heading into the season. He had 82 total pressures last season, by far the most of any interior defender.
Biggest weakness: The right side of the offensive line still looks weak, with no clear answer at right tackle. Jamon Brown played only 395 snaps in 2016, but still surrendered four sacks when lined up at guard. His prospects at tackle do not seem bright.
By the numbers: The Rams' season hinges on the development of second-year quarterback Jared Goff. He had a passer rating of just 37.4 under pressure last season, and he completed only 40.2 percent of such passes. His 39.4 PFF grade ranked 33rd out of 34 qualifiers.
32. New York Jets
Biggest strength: Leonard Williams, the No. 6 overall pick in 2015, is already one of the league's top defensive linemen. He played all over the line for the Jets last season, posting 55 pressures. His 48 defensive stops trailed only Damon Harrison among interior defenders.
Biggest weakness: The Jets' secondary remains an issue. New York will likely rely on two rookies to start at safety, and there are no standouts at cornerback.
By the numbers: Josh McCown, who is leading the Jets' quarterback competition by default, completed just 36.2 percent of his passes under pressure in 2016. Bryce Petty wasn't much better at 48.5 percent. Second-year player Christian Hackenberg never got on the field in 2016 but could get a shot this season."
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