Grading the secondaries (1 Viewer)

[Despyzer]

TSN grades each unit in their annual preview guide. Here are the secondaries:

A

Cowboys

A-

Colts

B+

Jets

49ers

B

Ravens

Dolphins

Raiders

Chargers

Titans

Cardinals

Packers

Vikings

Eagles

Seahawks

Buccaneers

B-

Bills

Broncos

Patriots

Bears

Giants

Redskins

C+

Jaguars

Panthers

Lions

C

Bengals

Browns

Chiefs

Steelers

Falcons

C-

Texans

Saints

Rams

 

[Chase Stuart]

Jets secondary should get two Pro Bowlers this year. Like TSN's rating.

 

[Jene Bramel]

Think the Steelers and Panthers and Raiders (maybe) are a tier low. Niners a tier high. A few others are questionable. Bengals and Lions might be better. Patriots and Giants could be worse.

 

[FUBAR]

Nice curve they're grading on.

Only 3 teams are below average?

 

[Despyzer]

Nice curve they're grading on. Only 3 teams are below average?

Blame the public school system.

 

[Pickle Rody]

Don't quite understand how the Eagles secondary grades out to a B. I think they have one of the top 3 secondaries in the NFL, if not the best. Going on last years performance, I can see how folks might downgrade them, but with the addition of Asante Samuel, they vault right back up to the top in my eyes.

 

[valhallan]

Nice curve they're grading on. Only 3 teams are below average?

Blame the public school system.

Blame Canada

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

Don't quite understand how the Eagles secondary grades out to a B. I think they have one of the top 3 secondaries in the NFL, if not the best. Going on last years performance, I can see how folks might downgrade them, but with the addition of Asante Samuel, they vault right back up to the top in my eyes.

I also question the Cowboys as the #1 secondary. Sure Adam (The Artist Formerly Known As Pacman) Jones is a boost, but is Ken Hamlin at FS, Roy Williams at SS (if he even starts, that is) and Anthony Henry really scaring offenses?Baltimore's 2nd CB is also a bit iffy.I'd grade SD and GB at least on part with them.I'm expecting more from the Lions with Bodden's addition, but I can see a lower ranking.

 

[Despyzer]

Don't quite understand how the Eagles secondary grades out to a B. I think they have one of the top 3 secondaries in the NFL, if not the best. Going on last years performance, I can see how folks might downgrade them, but with the addition of Asante Samuel, they vault right back up to the top in my eyes.

They say that Dawkins' skills have declined and his durability has become an issue.

 

[Despyzer]

I also question the Cowboys as the #1 secondary. Sure Adam (The Artist Formerly Known As Pacman) Jones is a boost, but is Ken Hamlin at FS, Roy Williams at SS (if he even starts, that is) and Anthony Henry really scaring offenses?

This was my big complaint as well. They admit that this was somewhat of a weakness for the team last year, but that the addition of Jones and Jenkins give them great depth and allow them to rely less on Roy Williams. I agree that they are putting too much stock in Pacman though.

 

[TLEF316]

Jets secondary should get two Pro Bowlers this year. Like TSN's rating.

Key word being should. Rhodes has been hosed at least once already.

 

[gianmarco]

The Saint's C- is generous (putting it mildly).

 

[FUBAR]

I also question the Cowboys as the #1 secondary. Sure Adam (The Artist Formerly Known As Pacman) Jones is a boost, but is Ken Hamlin at FS, Roy Williams at SS (if he even starts, that is) and Anthony Henry really scaring offenses?

Did something happen to Terrence Newman? Newman and Jones make one of the best CB duos in the league. Roy prevents them from being #1 though. I might put the Colts 1st, but that may be more of s system thing. Bob and Marlin are the only two I'd be "scared" of.Oakland might just be the top secondary.

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

I also question the Cowboys as the #1 secondary. Sure Adam (The Artist Formerly Known As Pacman) Jones is a boost, but is Ken Hamlin at FS, Roy Williams at SS (if he even starts, that is) and Anthony Henry really scaring offenses?

Did something happen to Terrence Newman? Newman and Jones make one of the best CB duos in the league. Roy prevents them from being #1 though. I might put the Colts 1st, but that may be more of s system thing. Bob and Marlin are the only two I'd be "scared" of.Oakland might just be the top secondary.

The CBs are a jumble with Pacman joining Henry and Newman. Henry was rumored to be moving to safety in some sets.You are correct that I should have mentioned him.Regardless, this is an overrated group.

 

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

Chargers will grade out as an A this year with all the talent they have back there.

 

[Rushmore]

I expect the Bengals to have a very good secondary this season. I can understand the ranking though, as they are very young, but they will prove to be better than that when it's all said and done.

 

[FUBAR]

I also question the Cowboys as the #1 secondary. Sure Adam (The Artist Formerly Known As Pacman) Jones is a boost, but is Ken Hamlin at FS, Roy Williams at SS (if he even starts, that is) and Anthony Henry really scaring offenses?

Did something happen to Terrence Newman? Newman and Jones make one of the best CB duos in the league. Roy prevents them from being #1 though. I might put the Colts 1st, but that may be more of s system thing. Bob and Marlin are the only two I'd be "scared" of.Oakland might just be the top secondary.

The CBs are a jumble with Pacman joining Henry and Newman. Henry was rumored to be moving to safety in some sets.You are correct that I should have mentioned him.Regardless, this is an overrated group.

Any chance Henry takes over as SS? I don't think he has the makeup for it, but he'd be better than Roy, if they let Roy move to LB?Nickel back sets seem to make sense with this group IMO. Their LBs are good too - but somewhat overrated IMO.

 

[culdeus]

I also question the Cowboys as the #1 secondary. Sure Adam (The Artist Formerly Known As Pacman) Jones is a boost, but is Ken Hamlin at FS, Roy Williams at SS (if he even starts, that is) and Anthony Henry really scaring offenses?

Did something happen to Terrence Newman? Newman and Jones make one of the best CB duos in the league. Roy prevents them from being #1 though. I might put the Colts 1st, but that may be more of s system thing. Bob and Marlin are the only two I'd be "scared" of.Oakland might just be the top secondary.

The CBs are a jumble with Pacman joining Henry and Newman. Henry was rumored to be moving to safety in some sets.You are correct that I should have mentioned him.Regardless, this is an overrated group.

Any chance Henry takes over as SS? I don't think he has the makeup for it, but he'd be better than Roy, if they let Roy move to LB?Nickel back sets seem to make sense with this group IMO. Their LBs are good too - but somewhat overrated IMO.

More likely to see Roy cut before camp.

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

I also question the Cowboys as the #1 secondary. Sure Adam (The Artist Formerly Known As Pacman) Jones is a boost, but is Ken Hamlin at FS, Roy Williams at SS (if he even starts, that is) and Anthony Henry really scaring offenses?

Did something happen to Terrence Newman? Newman and Jones make one of the best CB duos in the league. Roy prevents them from being #1 though. I might put the Colts 1st, but that may be more of s system thing. Bob and Marlin are the only two I'd be "scared" of.Oakland might just be the top secondary.

The CBs are a jumble with Pacman joining Henry and Newman. Henry was rumored to be moving to safety in some sets.You are correct that I should have mentioned him.Regardless, this is an overrated group.

Any chance Henry takes over as SS? I don't think he has the makeup for it, but he'd be better than Roy, if they let Roy move to LB?Nickel back sets seem to make sense with this group IMO. Their LBs are good too - but somewhat overrated IMO.

More likely to see Roy cut before camp.

They won't cut Roy, but they could scale back his usage.The Cowboys, like the Eagles, have more DBs that could start than they can get onto the field at once. As the NFL moves to RBBC, the other change is more 3-WR sets (and TEs running routes). Look for more 3-CB / nickel packages and/or cover-1 with one safety deep. Roy W is a perfect nickel guy as he can play in the box and retreat if needed - it is just his pass defense is quite weak.Corners and safeties are hard to collect, so look for Dallas to work all 5 in the rotation.

 

[jurb26]

These rankings are rather putrid IMO. Too much to even get into.

 

[Despyzer]

These rankings are rather putrid IMO.

That's why I said they were grades and not rankings. I mentioned in another thread that I am beginning to think they might have arrived at these grades in isolation and not in comparison to other teams. They don't appear in this format in the magazine.

 

[jurb26]

These rankings are rather putrid IMO.

That's why I said they were grades and not rankings. I mentioned in another thread that I am beginning to think they might have arrived at these grades in isolation and not in comparison to other teams. They don't appear in this format in the magazine.

I see. Still when even grading players you can't just do it in a vacuum. You have to grade them in respect to their peers. TSN isn't going to gain a lot of credibility from these rankings IMO.

 

[Despyzer]

These rankings are rather putrid IMO.

That's why I said they were grades and not rankings. I mentioned in another thread that I am beginning to think they might have arrived at these grades in isolation and not in comparison to other teams. They don't appear in this format in the magazine.

I see. Still when even grading players you can't just do it in a vacuum. You have to grade them in respect to their peers. TSN isn't going to gain a lot of credibility from these rankings IMO.

I agree with what you are saying, but it was never their intent to rank them. That's just the way that I chose to compile them and share them with you guys.

 

[twitch]

Imo, the Chargers have by far the best secondary in the league. They were a nightmare for Manning and Brady last year in the playoffs. And this year, Cromartie becomes the best CB in the game. One safety spot may possibly be a bit of a liability. But overall, the strongest group because imo, theyre one of the few teams with an actual 'shutdown' CB. Dallas at #1? Is that some kindof joke?

 

[jurb26]

These rankings are rather putrid IMO.

That's why I said they were grades and not rankings. I mentioned in another thread that I am beginning to think they might have arrived at these grades in isolation and not in comparison to other teams. They don't appear in this format in the magazine.

I see. Still when even grading players you can't just do it in a vacuum. You have to grade them in respect to their peers. TSN isn't going to gain a lot of credibility from these rankings IMO.

I agree with what you are saying, but it was never their intent to rank them. That's just the way that I chose to compile them and share them with you guys.

I understand that they may not have proposed them as "rankings." By grading them however they have essentially done just that. When I read that team 1 is given an A and team 2 is given a B. Inherently I understand that team 1 is of a higher standard or rating. Sure they may not have gone into so much detail as to break them down by grade segment (we don't know which of the group of As or group of Bs they think are best), but we do know that the segments themselves have ranked the majority of the teams. Furthermore, even being vague and generalized in the system there are glaring mistakes IMO. I guess that is my only point.

 

[jurb26]

Imo, the Chargers have by far the best secondary in the league. They were a nightmare for Manning and Brady last year in the playoffs. And this year, Cromartie becomes the best CB in the game. One safety spot may possibly be a bit of a liability. But overall, the strongest group because imo, theyre one of the few teams with an actual 'shutdown' CB. Dallas at #1? Is that some kindof joke?

Dal for sure is worth #1 consideration if you ask me. Newman, contrary to popular opinion, is the best CB in the NFL IMO. There is no doubt he is top 5. Jones was a top 5 CB before his personal matters got in the way and if he can regain even 70% of his previous ability he is an enormous upgrade to their team. SD maybe be underrated, but I wouldn't say they are the best or even in the 1st tier.The real joke is Indy ranked #2 in their own tier if you ask me. Take away Sander, the only above average player on the unit, and this is a bottom 3 unit IMO.

 

[tombonneau]

Not sure how Dallas rates a #1. They were middle of the pack last year (#13) and their big addition was a guy who hasn't played football in over a year that no other owner was touching with a barge pole.

Not to mention the "leader" of the secondary has spent the offseason crawling out from under the bus his teammates and coaches threw him under.

 

[Iwannabeacowboybaby!]

Nice curve they're grading on. Only 3 teams are below average?

No way you can grade the Cowboys as an A, it was their main weakness last year. Sure, they MAY have improved and possibly significantly but to rank them as the best secondary in the league, I don't think they've earned it.Another is the Lions....a C+. That's slightly above average, are you kidding me. The Lions don't have an above average secondary, they are terrible. I think Curtis could have had 400 yards and 6 td's if he wanted to last year versus the Lions in that game versus Philly.

 

[Iwannabeacowboybaby!]

Not sure how Dallas rates a #1. They were middle of the pack last year (#13) and their big addition was a guy who hasn't played football in over a year that no other owner was touching with a barge pole.Not to mention the "leader" of the secondary has spent the offseason crawling out from under the bus his teammates and coaches threw him under.

I agree with you but I wanted to throw in there that they also added a 1st round selection (Jenkins) who's also looking good so far to the secondary.