this is what will be in the feb update
Roster Update – Next Gen
Transactions
• P Paul Ernster – Released to Free Agents
• P Sam Paulescu – Added to Broncos
• SS Marviel Underwood – Released to Free Agents
• DT Remi Ayodele – Released to Free Agents
• CB Alan Ball – Added to Cowboys
• DE Adrian Awasom – Released to Free Agents
• DE Dave Tollefson – Added to Giants
• CB Michael Coe – Added to Colts
• CB Keiwan Ratliff – Released to Free Agents
• WR Roy Hall – Released to Free Agents
• WR Devin Aromashodu – Added to Colts
• LB Jon Alston – Released to Free Agents
• SS Rashad Baker – Released to Free Agents
• SS Jarrod Cooper – Added to Raiders
• WR Chris McFoy – Added to Raiders
• FB Lousaka Polite – Added to Free Agents
• FB J.D. Runnels – Added to Free Agents
• LB Darrell McClover – Added to Free Agents
• CB Ade Jimoh – Added to Free Agents
• SS Kevin Payne – Added to Free Agents
• QB Gibran Hamdan – Added to Free Agents
• FB Paul Smith – Added to Free Agents
• TE Nate Jackson – Added to Free Agents
• CB Torrie Cox – Added to Free Agents
• WR Mark Jones – Added to Free Agents
• QB Jake Plummer – Added to Free Agents
• LB Victor Worsley – Added to Free Agents
• CB B.J. Tucker – Added to Free Agents
• FB John Kuhn – Added to Free Agents
• WR Shaun Bodiford – Added to Free Agents
• WR Carlyle Holiday – Added to Free Agents
• WR Chris Hannon – Added to Free Agents
• CB Dante Wesley – Added to Free Agents
• CB Chad Scott – Added to Free Agents
• LB Tim Dobbins – Added to Free Agents
• QB Tim Hasselbeck – Added to Free Agents
• QB Casey Bramlet – Added to Free Agents
• QB Chris Weinke – Added to Free Agents
• CB Dovonte Edwards – Added to Free Agents
• LB Mike Smith – Added to Free Agents
• DE Josh Savage – Added to Free Agents
• WR Mike Jennings – Added to Free Agents
• DT Manny Wright – Added to Free Agents
• LB Tony Gilbert – Added to Free Agents
Weapons
• QB Carson Palmer – Bengals – Loses Smart QB – Still has a rocket arm and is very accurate but was just too accurate with the opposing team this year with 20 INT’s.
• FB Jeremi Johnson – Bengals – Loses Crushing Run Blocker – Lead blocker for a terrible run game this season.
• LB Angelo Crowell – Bills – Becomes Brick Wall – Big time tackler. Big reason they decided to part with Takeo Spikes.
• SS Sean Jones – Browns – Becomes Big Hitter – Certified thumper out of Georgia.
• WR Joe Jurevicius – Browns – Becomes Possession Receiver – Tough receiver that still goes over the middle. 50 catches for 614 yards.
• LT Joe Thomas – Browns – Becomes Pass Block Weapon – The previous two left tackles taken in the top 4 picks have been big time busts (Robert Gallery, D’Brickashaw Ferguson). Not the case with Joe Thomas in his rookie season.
• WR Malcolm Floyd – Chargers – Loses Spec Catch – Has shown the ability to go up and make the spectacular catch…in practice.
• HB Darren Sproles – Chargers – Becomes Speed Weapon – He had a game saving catch and run vs. the Colts. A 58 yarder where he ran away from everyone.
• LT Flozell Adams – Cowboys – Becomes Pass Blocker – False starts aside. One of the best pass blockers in the league. Routinely shuts down opposing teams best pass rusher.
• LB Greg Ellis – Becomes Power Move DL – Missed the first 3 games then won Comeback Player of the Year with 12.5 sacks.
• WR Roddy White – Falcons – Becomes Route Running Weapon – Caught 80+ balls and 1,200+ yards. Shed the bust tag this season in a big way.
• K Morten Andersen – Falcons – Becomes Accurate Kicker – Has no leg anymore, but inside of 40 you can just about write down 3.
• LB Daryl Smith – Jaguars – Becomes Big Hitter – Moved to the MLB spot near the end of the year and the playoff run. Solid hitter.
• SS Kerry Rhodes – Jets – Becomes Smart Safety – Was a 100+ tackler in his rookie season. Since has picked off 9 passes in the next two years. Starting to turn into a player opposing QB’s will avoid.
• LB David Harris – Jets – Becomes Brick Wall – Had 126 tackles in 9 starts. Including 41 tackles in a two game stretch.
• QB Brett Favre – Packers – Becomes Accurate QB – Favre was at 66.5% completion this season and barely missed against the Seahawks.
• WR Greg Jennings – Packers – Becomes Route Running Weapon – Was Favre’s guy there for a while in scoring long touchdowns weekly.
• RT Mark Tauscher – Packers – Becomes Pass Blocker – In the playoffs held the NFL’s hottest pass rusher (Patrick Kerney) to 0 tackles then followed it up by holding Strahan to 2 tackles.
• HB Ryan Grant – Packers - Becomes Trucking Back – Tough physical runner who usually drags opposing tacklers.
• DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila – Becomes Finesse Move – Has averaged over 10 sacks a season over the past 7 seasons.
• LB Jon Beason – Panthers - Becomes Brick Wall – Defensive Rookie of the Year in about any other year. Responded to a new position with 140 tackles.
• LB Mike Vrabel – Patriots – Becomes Finesse Move Weapon - Had 12.5 sacks this season in New England.
• CB Nnamdi Asomugha – Raiders – Becomes Smart/Press Corner - Robbed of a Pro Bowl and All Pro because no one can say his name and he plays in Oakland.
• LB Ray Lewis – Becomes Smart LB – One of the best middle linebackers of all time just got the Smart LB weapon. Whoops.
• QB Ben Roethlisberger – Steelers – Becomes Cannon Arm – Has a big arm and finally got to show it a little more frequently this season as the Steelers opened up the passing game.
• TE Heath Miller – Steelers – Becomes Possession Receiver – Runs short routes and usually takes hits.
• WR Andre Johnson – Texans – Becomes Route Running Weapon – An injury prevented a Pro Bowl season. Reminiscent of TO.
Ratings Up
• DT Matt Toeaina – Bears – 69 to 74 – Signed off the Bengals practice squad. Played well for the Bears in jumping more experienced guys on the depth chart.
• DT Domata Peko – Bengals – 78 to 80 – The guy with the poofy Samoan hair. Racked up 52 tackles and 5 tackles for loss.
• WR Josh Reed – Bills – 75 to 77 – Was kept out of the endzone but had 51 catches and 578 yards.
• LT Jason Peters – Bills – 93 to 95 – One of the best left tackles in football. An All Pro 1st teamer.
• RT Langston Walker – Bills – 81 to 83 - Mans the right side of one of the biggest offensive lines in football.
• WR Glenn Martinez – Broncos – 70 to 73 – In addition to returning kicks and punts had 14 catches for 175 yards.
• TE Tony Scheffler – Broncos – 74 to 79 – One of Cutler’s favorite targets. Strictly pass catching tight end racked up 49 catches for 549 yards with 5 TD’s.
• QB Derek Anderson – Browns – 84 to 85 – The Good: 29 Touchdowns. The Bad: 56.5% completion. The Ugly: 19 INT’s
• HB Jamal Lewis – Browns – 86 to 89 – Ran for 1,304 yards with 9 TD’s when everyone thought he was done.
• FB Lawrence Vickers – Browns – 85 to 91 – One of the better lead blockers in football. Ran the ball 15 times and caught 13 passes.
• LT Joe Thomas – Browns – 87 to 89 – Will be that guy in 5 years that everyone votes for in the pro bowl because they don’t know who to vote for at offensive tackle.
• C Hank Fraley – Browns – 83 to 86 – Big pickup for Cleveland a couple years ago. Played very good this season on a potent offense.
• RT Kevin Shaffer – Browns – 87 to 89 – Had to move over to the right side because of Joe Thomas. Solid tackle.
• LB D’Qwell Jackson – Browns – 82 to 84 – Leading tackler on Cleveland with 100+ tackles.
• LB Leon Williams – Browns – 79 to 82 – Had 85 tackles and 4 sacks splitting time.
• DT Ethan Kelley – Browns - 81 to 83 – Took over for old man Ted Washington very early at nose tackle.
• DE Shaun Smith – Browns - 79 to 82 – Your basic 325 pound 3-4 defensive end. Played well recording 60+ tackles.
• SS Sean Jones – Browns – 86 to 87 – Almost at 100 tackles with 5 INT’s.
• TE Kellen Winslow – Browns – 94 to 95 – Played on bad knees and had 82 catches for 1,102 yards with 5 TD’s.
• WR Braylon Edwards – Browns – 93 to 94 – Had 4 out of the top 10 ten catches this season. Also had 16 scores to go along with 80 catches and 1,289 yards.
• WR Joe Jurevicius – Browns – 80 to 82 – Joey Joe Joe caught 50 passes for 600+ and 3 scores.
• WR Josh Cribbs – Browns – 66 to 69 – Returns kicks and punts, caught several passes and even rushed 9 times for 61 yards.
• CB Brandon McDonald – Browns – 69 to 76 – Pushed for playing time at nickel back the end of the season and broke up 10 passes.
• CB Daven Holly – Browns – 77 to 78 – Browns nickel/dime back had 48 tackles and 8 pass break ups.
• DT Chris Hovan – Bucs – 81 to 84 – Red head with the John Randle warrior paint started at defensive tackle the entire year for one of the top defenses in football.
• FS Tanard Jackson – Bucs – 84 to 86 – One of the top rookies this season. Started at Free Safety the whole year and had 13 pass break ups.
• SS Jermaine Phillips – Bucs – 86 to 88 – Forms one of the top young safety duos in the league. When he hits you it’s the end of the play.
• WR Larry Fitzgerald – Cardinals – 95 to 96 – Was hobbled and missed a game but still went to the Pro Bowl with 100 catches/1,409 yards and 10 scores.
• LB Calvin Pace – Cardinals – 79 to 83 – One of those new 3-4 hybrid LB’s. A bust before this season had a breakout year with 98 tackles and 6.5 sacks.
• CB Antrel Rolle – Cardinals – 83 to 84 – Will have his coverage meltdowns but after being benched finished with 5 INT’s for 231 yards and 3 TD’s. Magic with the ball in his hands who might be a FS next season.
• CB Eric Green – Cardinals – 78 to 82 – Took a high draft picks job at the start of the year before finishing the year on IR. Started the first 11 games.
• HB Michael Turner – Chargers – 85 to 86 – Will make a team very happy next year if San Diego can’t find the money. Will be a perfect fit in Dallas.
• HB Darren Sproles – Chargers – 77 to 79 – Averaged 27 yards a kick return with a score and 10 yards a punt return with a score. Lightning in a bottle.
• WR Chris Chambers – Chargers – 89 to 91 – Where was this guy in Miami? Going over the middle and looking like a true #1 receiver all of a sudden in SD.
• WR Vincent Jackson – Chargers – 84 to 85 – A very large man at 6’5 240 with good speed. A very solid #2 receiver for the Chargers.
• CB Quentin Jammer – Chargers – 88 to 90 - Was overshadowed by his playmaking counterpart, but he is the best corner on the team.
• CB Antonio Cromartie – 86 to 89 – Verdict is still out on this guys man to man coverage skills. But what is certain is that this guy is a playmaker. Apparently will get snaps on offense next season.
• SS Clinton Hart – Chargers – 77 to 81 – Was able to hold off Eric Weddle the whole year at Safety. Finished with 85 tackles and 5 INT’s.
• P Mike Scifres – Chargers – 82 to 88 – Averaged 59 yards a punt vs. the Colts including a 66 yard bomb.
• HB Kolby Smith – Chiefs – 76 to 78 – Averaged a better yards per carry than Larry Johnson. Still not pretty at 3.6
• WR Dwayne Bowe – Chiefs – 84 to 85 – Recovered nicely after ‘Hard Knocks’ made this guy look like a moron. Finished with 70 catches for 995 yards and 5 TD’s.
• DT Alfonso Boone – Chiefs – 80 to 82 – Picked up from the Bears in the offseason. Started every game he played in.
• DT Ron Edwards – Chiefs – 78 to 80 – Second year in KC. Started 15 games and had 3 sacks at the DT position.
• LB Napoleon Harris – Chiefs - 82 to 84 – Led KC with 116 tackles including 18 in the finale.
• CB Tyron Brackenridge – Chiefs – 67 to 69 – Played Nickel or Dime back for the Chiefs after starring in ‘Hard Knocks’. Willing hitter finished with 25 tackles and finished the year on IR.
• DT Ed Johnson – Colts – 78 to 81 – Starred for the Colts after injuries took down their DT position. Started every game after being undrafted out of Penn State.
• DT Darrell Reid – Colts – 76 to 78 – Had the hardest hit of the year on the Titans Chris Henry. Rotates in at DT. Finished with 31 tackles.
• LB Tyjuan Hagler – Colts – 73 to 76 – Injuries are this guys problem. A starter when healthy. 53 tackles on the year after missing 4 games and portions of other ones.
• LB Freddie Keiaho – Colts – 79 to 82 – Will be a star if he can stay healthy. Missed 5 games and had 81 tackles. Very fast and instinctive.
• TE Dallas Clark – Colts – 88 to 90 – An integral part of the Colts machine all year. 11 touchdowns.
• LT Tony Ugoh – Colts – 76 to 81 – The rookie responded well to protecting Manning’s’ blindside all season. Missed some games due to injury.
• LT Flozell Adams – Cowboys – 90 to 92 – Shutdown many big time pass rushers this season. Too many false start penalties trying to get an early jump though.
• LB Bradie James – Cowboys – 85 to 86 – Emotional LB for the Cowboys finished with 101 tackles and 3 sacks.
• LB Kevin Burnett – Cowboys – 74 to 78 – His development has put Bobby Carpenter on the market. Very explosive.
• CB Terence Newman – Cowboys – 92 to 94 – Deflected 12 passes and recorded 4 INT’s. Teams have started to shy away from him now after a rough start to his career.
• FS Ken Hamlin – Cowboys – 86 to 89 – Best season as a pro. Going to the Pro Bowl for the late Sean Taylor. Had 62 tackles and 5 INT’s.
• C Samson Satele – Dolphins – 76 to 81 – Known pass blocker was more than adequate run blocking this season. Might be a guard at some point but Dolphins might have found one here.
• CB Will Allen – Dolphins – 81 to 86 – Dr.Z from CNN SI had him as one of his two all pro corners. Finished with 14 pass breakups and 62 tackles with an INT.
• CB Michael Lehan – Dolphins – 75 to 77 – Moved his way up the depth chart to start 14 games. Had 59 tackles and 7 pass break ups with an INT.
• LT Vernon Carey – Dolphins – 81 to 85 – Had a better for a improved Dolphins offensive line which isn’t really saying much.
• WR Ted Ginn – Dolphins – 77 to 78 – Returned kicks and punts for the Dolphins and had 420 yards receiving with 2 receiving TD’s and 1 punt return TD.
• HB Brian Westbrook – Eagles – 95 to 96 – 1,333 rush yards with 7 TD’s along with 90 catches for 771 yards and 5 more TD’s = a great season.
• LB Chris Gocong – Eagles – 74 to 76 – Started 12 games in his second year as a pro. 66 tackles with 6.5 tackles for a loss.
• CB DeAngelo Hall – Falcons – 92 to 93 – Lost his head in a couple games but played better this year. Might have a new team next year.
• LB Manny Lawson – 49ers – 81 to 83 – Looked like the light bulb had went on when this guy went down 2 games into the season. Had 11 tackles with 2.5 for loss.
• DT Fred Robbins – Giants – 83 to 86 – Very quick first step led to 5.5 sacks.
• FB Madison Hedgecock – Giants – 84 to 88 – Got a nice one in a pickup from the Rams at the start of the year. Whether it’s because of his solid play or the announcers like saying his name, you will always hear his name during the course of a game.
• HB Ahmad Bradshaw – Giants – 74 to 79 – Very nice surprise here. Undrafted out of Marshall was playing at crunch time in the NFC Championship game.
• DE Justin Tuck – Giants – 82 to 88 – One of the better physiques in all of football. Just signed a nice 5 year extension because of his play. 60+ tackles and 10 sacks.
• LG Rich Seubert – Giants – 87 to 89 – The LG for an offensive line that would make just about any running back look good (no offense Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward or Ahmad Bradshaw).
• LT David Diehl – Giants – 88 to 90 – Forced to play LT a couple years ago when the Giants had no other choice, now he is a very good LT.
• RT Kareem McKenzie – Giants – 88 to 90 – Very strong RT more than held his own against sack machine Aaron Kampman.
• WR Steve Smith – Giants – 75 to 78 – Was banged up during the regular season, is very involved in the Giants Super Bowl run.
• WR Plaxico Burress – Giants – 93 to 94 – Gave pro bowler Al Harris the worst whooping of his life. The Patriots are going to have their hands full with Plaxico having a couple weeks of practice.
• QB Eli Manning – Giants – 85 to 87 – Was mediocre to bad in the regular season with a very good run game. His decision making has been second to none in the playoffs.
• C Shaun O’Hara – Giants – 86 to 89 – The center of one of the better offensive lines in the league.
• DE Michael Strahan – Giants – 92 to 95 – Turned it up in the postseason after recording 0 sacks in the first 3 games and last 4 games. The Giants have to be ecstatic he came back after posting 57 tackles and 9 sacks.
• DE Osi Umenyiora – Giants – 90 to 94 – Explosive pass rusher finished with 13 sacks and 5 forced fumbles. Second best season to 15 sack year in 05’.
• LB Mathias Kiwanuka – Giants – 80 to 81 – Switched to OLB after starting his career at end. Finished the season on IR.
• LB Kawika Mitchell – Giants – 80 to 81 – Started poorly but finished the season strong. 76 tackles and 3.5 sacks.
• CB Sam Madison – Giants – 84 to 85 – Did all they could have asked vs. Greg Jennings. Played an excellent game.
• CB Aaron Ross – Giants – 79 to 81 – Talented rookie out of Texas. Broke up 9 passes with 3 INT’s. Will be a starter going forward. Played the NFC Championship game with a separated shoulder.
• CB Kevin Dockery – Giants – 77 to 79 – Tough corner who has climbed the depth chart to be an integral part of the secondary. Has been injured during the playoffs.
• CB Corey Webster – Giants – 75 to 79 – Went the wrong way on the depth chart during the year falling to the bottom. Has rebounded quite nicely in the playoffs playing excellent.
• QB David Garrard – Jaguars – 86 to 88 – One of the best stories this year. 18/3 touchdown to INT ratio and a 64% completion percentage.
• WR Ernest Wilford – Jaguars – 77 to 81 – Big receiver had 45 catches and 518 yards. 4th year out of Virginia Tech.
• HB Fred Taylor – Jaguars – 92 to 93 – Fred Taylor returned with 1,202 yards with 5 TD’s and 5.4 yards per carry. Maybe it was MJD that lit his fire but he was very good last season and excellent this season.
• HB Maurice Jones-Drew – Jaguars – 89 to 90 – Would start for about 25 other teams but happens to back up Fred Taylor. Had 750+ rushing yards and 9 touchdowns.
• WR Reggie Williams – Jaguars – 79 to 82 – A top 10 pick in ‘04 had his best season with 629 yards and 10 scores.
• TE Marcedes Lewis – Jaguars – 81 to 82 – Physically gifted at 6’6 265 pounds he had 37 catches for 391 yards during the regular season. Also had 4 catches for 74 yards vs. the Patriots.
• LT Khalif Barnes – Jaguars – 87 to 88 – 3rd year left tackle for one of the best lines in the league.
• LG Vince Manuwai – Jaguars – 92 to 93 – Big time guard out of Hawaii. Pairs with Chris Naeole to from one of the best run blocking guard combos in the NFL.
• FS Reggie Nelson – Jaguars – 85 to 87 – Ball hawk safety had 5 INT’s in his rookie year out of Florida.
• FB Greg Jones – Jaguars – 85 to 88 – Had 119 yards rushing and just under 100 yards receiving with 3 total TD’s and led block for one of the best running games in the NFL.
• LB Daryl Smith – Jaguars – 87 to 88 – Showed his versatility by starting at MLB while Mike Peterson was out during the last part of the season and the playoffs. Peterson/Smith/Durant sounds like something next season at LB if it happens.
• LB Justin Durant – Jaguars – 75 to 77 – Rookie forced into action due to the injury to Mike Peterson. The Jags will find a way for him to start next year.
• WR Jerricho Cotchery – Jets – 87 to 88 – Only had 2 TD’s but did have 82 catches for 1,130 yards. Was highly productive in a bad offense.
• CB Darrelle Revis – Jets – 83 to 84 – The best rookie corner. Broke up 17 passes with 3 INT’s and recorded 87 tackles. Jets got it right with Revis and LB David Harris in the draft.
• CB Hank Poteat – Jets – 76 to 77 – Former Steeler picked off 2 passes battling for playing time at corner for the Jets.
• SS Kerry Rhodes – Jets – 95 to 96 – Has had a 100 tackle year and now a 5 INT year in his first 3 seasons.
• LB David Harris – Jets – Had over 125 tackles and 5 sacks in his rookie season.
• HB T.J. Duckett – Lions – 75 to 76 – Finished the year as the starter with a 5.2 YPC and had a 53 yard run. Who knew he could make it that far.
• WR Shaun McDonald – Lions – 82 to 83 – Last year in St. Louis he had 136 yards. This season he had 79 catches for 943 yards with 6 scores. That’s more catches, yards and touchdowns than Roy Williams/Calvin Johnson/Mike Furrey.
• QB Brett Favre – Packers – 94 to 96 – This season could have been his 4th MVP if not for Tom Brady/Randy Moss. Threw 28 touchdowns and had a 66.5 completion percentage leading his team to 13 wins and carrying them the first half of the season.
• HB Ryan Grant – Packers – 83 to 85 – One of the best backs the second half of the season. Came from nowhere and averaged 5.1 YPC and 8 touchdowns nearly reaching 1,000 yards.
• HB Brandon Jackson – Packers – 78 to 79 – Had his chance early to be the guy but injuries prevented that. When he was healthy again he was the clear cut #2.
• WR Greg Jennings – Packers – 89 to 92 – One of the most explosive young WR’s in the game. Was not healthy his rookie season. Was this year and had 920 yards and 12 touchdowns.
• WR James Jones – Packers – 80 to 82 – Was very involved the first 5 games of the season. Packers got a good one here who might make Driver expendable at some point.
• LG Jason Spitz – Packers – 84 to 87 – Has shown the most growth of any Packers offensive lineman this season. Good news for Packer fans: the top 3 guards on the roster that all had extensive playing time this season are all 25 or younger.
• LG Daryn Colledge – Packers – 77 to 80 – Second year guard out of Boise State. Lost his job in the regular season but now has it back for the playoffs due to injury.
• LT Chad Clifton – Packers – 93 to 94 – Underrated left tackle that just gets it done consistently. Also from Tennessee like C Scott Wells.
• RT Mark Tauscher – Packers – 92 to 93 – Shorter than ideal at 6’3 but is strong enough and moves fine.
• DT Johnny Jolly – Packers – 77 to 79 – Was a big part of the defensive tackle rotation before going on IR with a shoulder injury. Deflected 3 passes at the line in the opener.
• LB Brady Poppinga – Packers – 78 to 80 – The “other” guy at LB for the Packers. Played running downs and had 50 tackles.
• CB Tramon Williams – Packers – 70 to 73 – Very fast corner who is the new nickel back for the Packers. Also returns kicks and punts.
• CB Will Blackmon – Packers – 69 to 72 – Missed many games due to a foot injury. In the mix at corner in 3&4 receiver sets. Will be primary punt returner going forward.
• CB Frank Walker – Packers – 68 to 69 – First year and maybe only year in Green Bay after coming over from the Giants. 5th season out of Tuskegee.
• FS Nick Collins – Packers – 78 to 82 – Rarely in the play on passes downfield so depending on whom you ask that is probably a good thing.
• SS Atari Bigby – Packers – 77 to 86 – The whole world saw how hard this guy hits. 86 tackles and 5 INT’s for the safety from UCF.
• LB Jon Beason – Panthers – 86 to 89 – Defensive rookie of the year in just about any other season. Took over at MLB from Dan Morgan and had 140 tackles.
• SS Chris Harris – Panthers – 76 to 81 – Picked up from Chicago at the start of the season when they needed a safety. Had 97 tackles with a ridiculous 8 forced fumbles.
• HB Laurence Maroney – Patriots – 85 to 87 – Never on the field because the Pats were airing it out. When he was he had 835 yards and 6 touchdowns and played very well down the stretch when the weather was poor. Has exploded in the playoffs.
• HB Kevin Faulk – Patriots – 79 to 80 – One of the best players on the field vs. the Chargers in the playoff game. Had something like 29 catches.
• DT Vince Wilfork – Patriots – 93 to 94 – Bigger than any human should be. Run stuffer in the middle for the Patriots.
• FS James Sanders – Patriots – 80 to 82 – Started for 10 games at FS over former starter for 3 years Eugene Wilson.
• DE Tommie Kelly – Raiders – 82 to 86 – Large defensive end at 6’6 300 pounds. Missed for than half the year on the IR.
• TE Zach Miller – Raiders – 79 to 82 – Rookie TE had 44 catches and 444 yards on a team that couldn’t throw the ball.
• WR Jerry Porter – Raiders – 81 to 83 - This guy can be a star on the right team and if his head is on straight. Had 705 yards and 6 TD’s.
• CB Nnamdi Asomugha – Raiders – 95 to 97 – Will go to the Pro Bowl next year based on how good he was this year. Teams did not throw at him at all.
• HB Steven Jackson – Rams – 96 to 97 – Might have played with the worst offensive line in the NFL this season. He tore his groin early in the year ,missed 4 games and ran for over 1,000 yards.
• FS O.J. Atogwe – Rams – 87 to 89 – Shortened his name to O.J. because girls couldn’t remember Oshiomogho. Had 8 INT’s playing center field for the Rams.
• C Brett Romberg – Rams – 75 to 77 – Oft injured center for the Rams. From the U.
• LB Will Witherspoon – Rams – 90 to 91 – Looks like a tall strong safety out there at MLB. Speedy LB had 110 tackles and 7 sacks.
• FB Le’Ron McClain – Ravens – 81 to 86 – Rookie fullback got things started right with a halfback that rushed for 1,200 yards.
• WR Devard Darling – Ravens – 69 to 71 – Speedy receiver got more playing time this season and had 3 touchdowns and averaged 18.1 yards a catch.
• DE Haloti Ngata – Ravens – 86 to 88 – He was one of the top two players on the Ravens this season. Had 63 tackles and 3 sacks.
• DE Dwan Edwards – Ravens – 70 to 74 – Started 13 games due to injury and had 41 tackles and a sack.
• LG Jason Brown – Ravens – 82 to 89 – Started every game this season for the Ravens. A handful at 6’3 320.
• CB Corey Ivy – Ravens – 72 to 77 – Started 13 games as the Ravens healthiest corner this season. Had 57 tackles 3 sacks and an INT.
• TE Chris Cooley – Redskins – 90 to 92 – Had to block too often this season cause the Redskins couldn’t block anyone on the right side. Sill had 8 touchdowns.
• CB Fred Smoot – Redskins – 85 to 86 – This guy was excellent when called upon because of injury. He stepped up big time when Carlos Rogers went down.
• FS LaRon Landry – Redskins – 85 to 86 – Will move next year to FS to take over for Sean Taylor. Had 95 tackles as a rookie.
• DT Anthony Montgomery – Redskins – 77 to 80 – Run stuffer for the #4 rush defense in the NFL. Had 42 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss.
• C Jeff Faine – Saints – 83 to 85 – Very solid pass protector and good run helper. Is a free agent.
• WR Marques Colston – Saints – 90 to 92 – Had 98 catches for 1,202 yards with 11 touchdowns. Most receptions every for a player his first two years in the league.
• QB Drew Brees – Saints – 93 to 94 – He did make too many mistakes with 18 INT’s. However he played with no run game and poor blocking and still threw 28 touchdowns and completed 67.5% of his passes while setting an NFL record for completions in a season.
• DE Aaron Smith – Steelers – 94 to 95 – When he was in there, this defense was the talk of the NFL. When he got hut they couldn’t stop the run and started to get torched.
• TE Heath Miller – Steelers – 88 to 90 – A reliable pass catching target is also one of the best blocking tight ends.
• HB Willie Parker – Steelers – 92 to 93 – Has rushed for 4,000+ yards and 19 TD’s in the past 3 seasons.
• QB Ben Roethlisberger – Steelers – 92 to 93 – Earned a trip to the Pro Bowl completing 65.3% of his passes throwing 32 touchdowns.
• K Jeff Reed – Steelers – 82 to 84 – Made 23/25 field goals this year.
• P Daniel Sepulveda – Steelers – 83 to 85 – Big punter at 6’3 230 from Baylor.
• RT Willie Colon – Steelers – 79 to 80 – Took over for Max Starks in the middle of the year.
• LB James Harrison – Steelers – 87 to 88 – “Silverback” took over for Joey Porter and had 98 tackles, 8.5 sacks, an INT and 7 forced fumbles.
• FB Vonta Leach – Texans – 77 to 82 – A bull at 6’0 250 pounds. Caught 25 passes for 2 TD’s and rushed for another for the Texans.
• LB Morlon Greenwood – Texans – 86 to 87 – Had 119 tackles teaming with start MLB DeMeco Ryans.
• LB DeMeco Ryans – Texans – 91 to 92 – Took a step down with 128 tackles in his second season. That’s because he had 155 his rookie season.
• QB Sage Rosenfels – Texans – 76 to 79 – Had the Texans offense going smoothly there for several games. Completed 64.2% of his passes and threw 15 TD’s when Matt Schaub was injured.
• TE Owen Daniels – Texans – 86 to 87 – Had some bad drops and fumbled 4 times but caught 63 catches for 768 yards as a pass catching tight end.
• CB Fred Bennett – Texans – 77 to 79 – The Texans found their guy to go with fellow corner Dunta Robinson. Bennett had 14 pass breakups and 3 INT’s as a rookie.
• DE Mario Williams – Texans – 87 to 92 – Voted Defensive Lineman of the Year. Had 14 sacks in his second season looking like someone that will dominate the league for a long time. Looks to have a much higher upside than Reggie Bush.
• WR Roydell Williams – Titans – 72 to 75 – Roydell was the flavor of the week at WR there for a while in Tennessee. He tied for a team lead with 55 catches and had 719 yards with a team leading 4 touchdowns receiving. No catches in the playoff game.
• TE Bo Scaife – Titans – 80 to 81 – Speaks to the volume of the Titans passing problems that Scaife was very involved and had 46 catches. Missed the playoff game with a lacerated liver.
• DE Antwan Odom – Titans - 82 to 84 – Finished with 8 sacks in his best season as a four year pro.
• DE Kyle Vanden Bosch – Titans – 90 to 93 – Had 12 sacks and 60 tackles this year. In his 3 year stint in Tennessee he has 200 tackles and 31 sacks.
• DT Albert Haynesworth – Titans – 94 to 97 – When healthy is as good as any. Had 40 tackles with 6 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss.
• DT Tony Brown – Titans – 84 to 86 – The Titans were his 4th team in 4 seasons last year. This year he started all 16 games recording 52 tackles and 4 sacks.
• LB Ryan Fowler – Titans – 76 to 77 – The Titans starter at MLB before end the year on IR. 53 tackles on the year.
• LB Stephen Tulloch – Titans – 76 to 77 – Finished the year starting at MLB and starred in the playoffs shutting down LT. 45 tackles on the year and had 7 tackles in the playoff game.
• CB Cortland Finnegan – Titans – 84 to 87 – Broke up 13 passes while piling up 95 tackles at the corner position. Might have made the transition to #1 corner this year. Had a great leaping INT in the playoff game.
• FB Tony Richardson – Vikings – 94 to 97 – Returned to the Pro Bowl for the 3rd time this year with Minnesota. Fullback for the #1 rushing offense that averaged 165 yards a game on the ground.
• DT Pat Williams – Vikings – 95 to 97 – Best defensive tackle this season. Had 64 tackles with 11 tackles for loss including 2 sacks. Started every game this season at 35 years old. Has not missed a game in 3 years in Minnesota.
• LB E.J. Henderson – Vikings – 88 to 90 – Might have made the transition to great LB this season (or just played with 2 really good DT’s). Starred on the best rush defense in the league. Had 119 tackles and 4.5 sacks including 12.5 tackles for loss.
Ratings Down
• QB Brian Griese – Bears – 79 to 77 – Probably played himself out of a backup QB role in the NFL.
• LG Terrence Metcalf – Bears – 80 to 78 – Benched for John St. Clair. Ask any Dolphin fan about John St. Clair.
• C Olin Kreutz – Bears – 97 to 95 – Down year for Chicago’s line and the perennial pro bowler.
• RG Roberto Garza – Bears – 87 to 85 – Chicago was unable to run the ball inside this year.
• QB Carson Palmer – Bengals – 96 to 95 – Threw 20 INT’s this season on a bad Bengals team.
• FB Jeremi Johnson – Bengals – 95 to 91 – Johnson and the Bengals were unable to run the ball this year.
• QB J.P. Losman – Bills – 81 to 80 – Threw 6 picks in 8 games and was benched for the last 5 games of the season.
• CB Dre Bly – Broncos – 92 to 91 – Takes a lot of chances so he makes his share of plays but almost gives up some big ones gambling.
• FS John Lynch – Broncos – 93 to 92 – Going to a Pro Bowl because of injuries, still his play was down in a big way.
• CB Kenny Wright – Browns – 77 to 75 – Passed by two rookies on his way down the depth chart.
• LB Andra Davis – Browns – 88 to 85 – Split time with two other linebackers and might be the odd man out next year.
• LB Jeremiah Trotter – Bucs – 84 to 81 – Cut by Philly at the start of the year and backed up at MLB for the Bucs.
• HB Edgerrin James – Cardinals – 92 to 91 – Is starting to show his age now. Ran the ball a ton for the Cardinals and averaged 3.8 YPC.
• FS Terrence Holt – Cardinals – 82 to 78 – Free agent disappointment could be cut before next year.
• HB Larry Johnson – Chiefs – 95 to 94 – Had a very bad year in KC. His offensive line was mediocre for the first time this year and so was he.
• LG Brian Waters – Chiefs – 95 to 93 – Looked average for the first time this season.
• C Casey Wiegmann – Chiefs – 88 to 86 – Got beat up this year in the middle of the Chiefs Oline.
• SS Roy Williams – Cowboys – 92 to 89 – Is known for his inept pass coverage abilities and horse collaring receivers.
• CB Travis Daniels – Dolphins – 79 to 76 – This one didn’t pan out.
• TE L.J. Smith – Eagles – 85 to 84 – Has never really produced like he should have because he has always been hurt.
• QB Byron Leftwich – Falcons – 79 to 77 – In every chance he was given this season he played he threw inaccurate and made bad decisions. Did not respond well to pressure.
• QB Joey Harrington – Falcons – 80 to 79 – Hard to fault him with blocking that poor.
• HB Warrick Dunn – Falcons – 87 to 86 – Somehow was able to hold off Norwood the entire year in receiving most of the playing time.
• HB Jerious Norwood – Falcons – 85 to 82 – Unable to overtake Dunn because of his blocking and receiving deficiencies.
• LT Wayne Gandy – Falcons – 88 to 86 – Will be 37 years old in February coming off a torn ACL. The odds are against him.
• RT Todd Weiner – Falcons – 88 to 86 – Finished the year on IR with a knee injury.
• FS Jimmy Williams – Falcons – 80 to 77 – Has had a more than disappointing career after coming out of Virginia Tech.
• QB Alex Smith – 49ers – 81 to 80 – The #1 pick in ’05 draft has thrown 31 INT’s to just 19 TD’s. The underdog vs. Shaun Hill in the QB battle next year says it all.
• RT Kwame Harris – 49ers – 80 to 77 – Injuries to the Niner O-line shifted everyone around, he still couldn’t start.
• CB Nate Clements – 49ers – 94 to 92 – Down year after getting 80$ million. Verdict after year 1 is they overpaid.
• QB Chad Pennington – Jets – 82 to 81 – No credit by Jets fans just because he throws like a 12 year old girl. Smart QB, his arm is not NFL caliber.
• CB Andre Dyson – Jets – 79 to 78 – Must have found his way into Mangenious’ doghouse. Former starter and getting paid pretty decent money to sit the bench. Odds are he is cut.
• LG Edwin Mulitalo – Lions – 84 to 81 – Could have been his last year starting. Not good enough as a pass blocker.
• HB Tatum Bell – Lions – 76 to 75 – Mike Martz loved this guy and told the GM to trade for him. Now Martz is out of a job.
• RG Barry Stokes – Lions – 82 to 78 – Career backup signed by Detroit to add depth.
• WR Dwayne Jarrett – Panthers – 76 to 74 – Inactive on game days for a team starving for a second WR. Not a good sign for the second rounder.
• DE Julius Peppers – Panthers – 98 to 97 – Down year for one of the most athletic players in the game. Was banged up this season.
• LB Dan Morgan – Panthers – 88 to 87 – Has been banged up for several seasons now. One more serious injury and that could be it if not already,
• QB Daunte Culpepper – Raiders – 82 to 80 – Daunte had his moment in the sun vs. the Dolphins. Should be a backup somewhere next season.
• DT Gerard Warren – Raiders – 82 to 79 – “Big Money” got gashed big time in Oakland this year.
• RG Todd Steussie – Rams – 86 to 80 – Taken back by the Rams after being released early in the year because the Rams O-line was depleted. Getting close to a career.
• WR Isaac Bruce – Rams – 87 to 86 – Isaac might be out of St. Louis next season. He was just one of the Rams to have a down year.
• TE Todd Heap – Ravens – 95 to 94 – Injured most of the year with a hamstring and ended the year on the IR.
• RG Jason Fabini – Redskins – 86 to 82 – Crafty veteran who filled in for star guard Randy Thomas. There was a noticeable difference.
• RG Rick DeMulling – Redskins – 80 to 78 – Guard who excelled in the Colts system but is having a hard time in the real world.
• DE Charles Grant – Saints – 89 to 87 - Collected a lot of money in the offseason. The Saints got ripped off.
• LG Rob Sims – Seahawks – 84 to 82 – Might be replaced next year. A serious downgrade from Steve Hutchinson.
• RG Chris Gray – Seahawks – 82 to 80 – Old veteran guard who probably shouldn’t be starting anymore.
• DT Rocky Bernard – Seahawks – 85 to 84 – One of the defensive tackles moved out of the way for Ryan Grant’s 200 yard game.
• SS Tyrone Carter – Steelers – 78 to 76 – Looked like the slowest guy in football trying to tackle Garrard and MJD in the playoff game.
• LT Marvel Smith – Steelers – 92 to 90 – Admitted down year by the Steeler faithful. Was injured for the Jags playoff game.
• C Sean Mahan – Steelers – 82 to 79 – Dominated by bigger defensive lineman the majority of the year. It showed vs. the Jags.
• LG Alan Faneca – Steelers – 97 to 96 – Might have played his final season for the Steelers. Sure to get a big deal on the open market. Seattle was interested.
• FB Jameel Cook – Texans – 85 to 78 – Second string fullback for the Texans.
• SS Michael Boulware – Texans – 82 to 79 – No longer considered starting caliber, even on the Texans.
Contracts
• DE Justin Tuck – Giants – 5 year extension
Roster Update – Next Gen
Transactions
• P Paul Ernster – Released to Free Agents
• P Sam Paulescu – Added to Broncos
• SS Marviel Underwood – Released to Free Agents
• DT Remi Ayodele – Released to Free Agents
• CB Alan Ball – Added to Cowboys
• DE Adrian Awasom – Released to Free Agents
• DE Dave Tollefson – Added to Giants
• CB Michael Coe – Added to Colts
• CB Keiwan Ratliff – Released to Free Agents
• WR Roy Hall – Released to Free Agents
• WR Devin Aromashodu – Added to Colts
• LB Jon Alston – Released to Free Agents
• SS Rashad Baker – Released to Free Agents
• SS Jarrod Cooper – Added to Raiders
• WR Chris McFoy – Added to Raiders
• FB Lousaka Polite – Added to Free Agents
• FB J.D. Runnels – Added to Free Agents
• LB Darrell McClover – Added to Free Agents
• CB Ade Jimoh – Added to Free Agents
• SS Kevin Payne – Added to Free Agents
• QB Gibran Hamdan – Added to Free Agents
• FB Paul Smith – Added to Free Agents
• TE Nate Jackson – Added to Free Agents
• CB Torrie Cox – Added to Free Agents
• WR Mark Jones – Added to Free Agents
• QB Jake Plummer – Added to Free Agents
• LB Victor Worsley – Added to Free Agents
• CB B.J. Tucker – Added to Free Agents
• FB John Kuhn – Added to Free Agents
• WR Shaun Bodiford – Added to Free Agents
• WR Carlyle Holiday – Added to Free Agents
• WR Chris Hannon – Added to Free Agents
• CB Dante Wesley – Added to Free Agents
• CB Chad Scott – Added to Free Agents
• LB Tim Dobbins – Added to Free Agents
• QB Tim Hasselbeck – Added to Free Agents
• QB Casey Bramlet – Added to Free Agents
• QB Chris Weinke – Added to Free Agents
• CB Dovonte Edwards – Added to Free Agents
• LB Mike Smith – Added to Free Agents
• DE Josh Savage – Added to Free Agents
• WR Mike Jennings – Added to Free Agents
• DT Manny Wright – Added to Free Agents
• LB Tony Gilbert – Added to Free Agents
Weapons
• QB Carson Palmer – Bengals – Loses Smart QB – Still has a rocket arm and is very accurate but was just too accurate with the opposing team this year with 20 INT’s.
• FB Jeremi Johnson – Bengals – Loses Crushing Run Blocker – Lead blocker for a terrible run game this season.
• LB Angelo Crowell – Bills – Becomes Brick Wall – Big time tackler. Big reason they decided to part with Takeo Spikes.
• SS Sean Jones – Browns – Becomes Big Hitter – Certified thumper out of Georgia.
• WR Joe Jurevicius – Browns – Becomes Possession Receiver – Tough receiver that still goes over the middle. 50 catches for 614 yards.
• LT Joe Thomas – Browns – Becomes Pass Block Weapon – The previous two left tackles taken in the top 4 picks have been big time busts (Robert Gallery, D’Brickashaw Ferguson). Not the case with Joe Thomas in his rookie season.
• WR Malcolm Floyd – Chargers – Loses Spec Catch – Has shown the ability to go up and make the spectacular catch…in practice.
• HB Darren Sproles – Chargers – Becomes Speed Weapon – He had a game saving catch and run vs. the Colts. A 58 yarder where he ran away from everyone.
• LT Flozell Adams – Cowboys – Becomes Pass Blocker – False starts aside. One of the best pass blockers in the league. Routinely shuts down opposing teams best pass rusher.
• LB Greg Ellis – Becomes Power Move DL – Missed the first 3 games then won Comeback Player of the Year with 12.5 sacks.
• WR Roddy White – Falcons – Becomes Route Running Weapon – Caught 80+ balls and 1,200+ yards. Shed the bust tag this season in a big way.
• K Morten Andersen – Falcons – Becomes Accurate Kicker – Has no leg anymore, but inside of 40 you can just about write down 3.
• LB Daryl Smith – Jaguars – Becomes Big Hitter – Moved to the MLB spot near the end of the year and the playoff run. Solid hitter.
• SS Kerry Rhodes – Jets – Becomes Smart Safety – Was a 100+ tackler in his rookie season. Since has picked off 9 passes in the next two years. Starting to turn into a player opposing QB’s will avoid.
• LB David Harris – Jets – Becomes Brick Wall – Had 126 tackles in 9 starts. Including 41 tackles in a two game stretch.
• QB Brett Favre – Packers – Becomes Accurate QB – Favre was at 66.5% completion this season and barely missed against the Seahawks.
• WR Greg Jennings – Packers – Becomes Route Running Weapon – Was Favre’s guy there for a while in scoring long touchdowns weekly.
• RT Mark Tauscher – Packers – Becomes Pass Blocker – In the playoffs held the NFL’s hottest pass rusher (Patrick Kerney) to 0 tackles then followed it up by holding Strahan to 2 tackles.
• HB Ryan Grant – Packers - Becomes Trucking Back – Tough physical runner who usually drags opposing tacklers.
• DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila – Becomes Finesse Move – Has averaged over 10 sacks a season over the past 7 seasons.
• LB Jon Beason – Panthers - Becomes Brick Wall – Defensive Rookie of the Year in about any other year. Responded to a new position with 140 tackles.
• LB Mike Vrabel – Patriots – Becomes Finesse Move Weapon - Had 12.5 sacks this season in New England.
• CB Nnamdi Asomugha – Raiders – Becomes Smart/Press Corner - Robbed of a Pro Bowl and All Pro because no one can say his name and he plays in Oakland.
• LB Ray Lewis – Becomes Smart LB – One of the best middle linebackers of all time just got the Smart LB weapon. Whoops.
• QB Ben Roethlisberger – Steelers – Becomes Cannon Arm – Has a big arm and finally got to show it a little more frequently this season as the Steelers opened up the passing game.
• TE Heath Miller – Steelers – Becomes Possession Receiver – Runs short routes and usually takes hits.
• WR Andre Johnson – Texans – Becomes Route Running Weapon – An injury prevented a Pro Bowl season. Reminiscent of TO.
Ratings Up
• DT Matt Toeaina – Bears – 69 to 74 – Signed off the Bengals practice squad. Played well for the Bears in jumping more experienced guys on the depth chart.
• DT Domata Peko – Bengals – 78 to 80 – The guy with the poofy Samoan hair. Racked up 52 tackles and 5 tackles for loss.
• WR Josh Reed – Bills – 75 to 77 – Was kept out of the endzone but had 51 catches and 578 yards.
• LT Jason Peters – Bills – 93 to 95 – One of the best left tackles in football. An All Pro 1st teamer.
• RT Langston Walker – Bills – 81 to 83 - Mans the right side of one of the biggest offensive lines in football.
• WR Glenn Martinez – Broncos – 70 to 73 – In addition to returning kicks and punts had 14 catches for 175 yards.
• TE Tony Scheffler – Broncos – 74 to 79 – One of Cutler’s favorite targets. Strictly pass catching tight end racked up 49 catches for 549 yards with 5 TD’s.
• QB Derek Anderson – Browns – 84 to 85 – The Good: 29 Touchdowns. The Bad: 56.5% completion. The Ugly: 19 INT’s
• HB Jamal Lewis – Browns – 86 to 89 – Ran for 1,304 yards with 9 TD’s when everyone thought he was done.
• FB Lawrence Vickers – Browns – 85 to 91 – One of the better lead blockers in football. Ran the ball 15 times and caught 13 passes.
• LT Joe Thomas – Browns – 87 to 89 – Will be that guy in 5 years that everyone votes for in the pro bowl because they don’t know who to vote for at offensive tackle.
• C Hank Fraley – Browns – 83 to 86 – Big pickup for Cleveland a couple years ago. Played very good this season on a potent offense.
• RT Kevin Shaffer – Browns – 87 to 89 – Had to move over to the right side because of Joe Thomas. Solid tackle.
• LB D’Qwell Jackson – Browns – 82 to 84 – Leading tackler on Cleveland with 100+ tackles.
• LB Leon Williams – Browns – 79 to 82 – Had 85 tackles and 4 sacks splitting time.
• DT Ethan Kelley – Browns - 81 to 83 – Took over for old man Ted Washington very early at nose tackle.
• DE Shaun Smith – Browns - 79 to 82 – Your basic 325 pound 3-4 defensive end. Played well recording 60+ tackles.
• SS Sean Jones – Browns – 86 to 87 – Almost at 100 tackles with 5 INT’s.
• TE Kellen Winslow – Browns – 94 to 95 – Played on bad knees and had 82 catches for 1,102 yards with 5 TD’s.
• WR Braylon Edwards – Browns – 93 to 94 – Had 4 out of the top 10 ten catches this season. Also had 16 scores to go along with 80 catches and 1,289 yards.
• WR Joe Jurevicius – Browns – 80 to 82 – Joey Joe Joe caught 50 passes for 600+ and 3 scores.
• WR Josh Cribbs – Browns – 66 to 69 – Returns kicks and punts, caught several passes and even rushed 9 times for 61 yards.
• CB Brandon McDonald – Browns – 69 to 76 – Pushed for playing time at nickel back the end of the season and broke up 10 passes.
• CB Daven Holly – Browns – 77 to 78 – Browns nickel/dime back had 48 tackles and 8 pass break ups.
• DT Chris Hovan – Bucs – 81 to 84 – Red head with the John Randle warrior paint started at defensive tackle the entire year for one of the top defenses in football.
• FS Tanard Jackson – Bucs – 84 to 86 – One of the top rookies this season. Started at Free Safety the whole year and had 13 pass break ups.
• SS Jermaine Phillips – Bucs – 86 to 88 – Forms one of the top young safety duos in the league. When he hits you it’s the end of the play.
• WR Larry Fitzgerald – Cardinals – 95 to 96 – Was hobbled and missed a game but still went to the Pro Bowl with 100 catches/1,409 yards and 10 scores.
• LB Calvin Pace – Cardinals – 79 to 83 – One of those new 3-4 hybrid LB’s. A bust before this season had a breakout year with 98 tackles and 6.5 sacks.
• CB Antrel Rolle – Cardinals – 83 to 84 – Will have his coverage meltdowns but after being benched finished with 5 INT’s for 231 yards and 3 TD’s. Magic with the ball in his hands who might be a FS next season.
• CB Eric Green – Cardinals – 78 to 82 – Took a high draft picks job at the start of the year before finishing the year on IR. Started the first 11 games.
• HB Michael Turner – Chargers – 85 to 86 – Will make a team very happy next year if San Diego can’t find the money. Will be a perfect fit in Dallas.
• HB Darren Sproles – Chargers – 77 to 79 – Averaged 27 yards a kick return with a score and 10 yards a punt return with a score. Lightning in a bottle.
• WR Chris Chambers – Chargers – 89 to 91 – Where was this guy in Miami? Going over the middle and looking like a true #1 receiver all of a sudden in SD.
• WR Vincent Jackson – Chargers – 84 to 85 – A very large man at 6’5 240 with good speed. A very solid #2 receiver for the Chargers.
• CB Quentin Jammer – Chargers – 88 to 90 - Was overshadowed by his playmaking counterpart, but he is the best corner on the team.
• CB Antonio Cromartie – 86 to 89 – Verdict is still out on this guys man to man coverage skills. But what is certain is that this guy is a playmaker. Apparently will get snaps on offense next season.
• SS Clinton Hart – Chargers – 77 to 81 – Was able to hold off Eric Weddle the whole year at Safety. Finished with 85 tackles and 5 INT’s.
• P Mike Scifres – Chargers – 82 to 88 – Averaged 59 yards a punt vs. the Colts including a 66 yard bomb.
• HB Kolby Smith – Chiefs – 76 to 78 – Averaged a better yards per carry than Larry Johnson. Still not pretty at 3.6
• WR Dwayne Bowe – Chiefs – 84 to 85 – Recovered nicely after ‘Hard Knocks’ made this guy look like a moron. Finished with 70 catches for 995 yards and 5 TD’s.
• DT Alfonso Boone – Chiefs – 80 to 82 – Picked up from the Bears in the offseason. Started every game he played in.
• DT Ron Edwards – Chiefs – 78 to 80 – Second year in KC. Started 15 games and had 3 sacks at the DT position.
• LB Napoleon Harris – Chiefs - 82 to 84 – Led KC with 116 tackles including 18 in the finale.
• CB Tyron Brackenridge – Chiefs – 67 to 69 – Played Nickel or Dime back for the Chiefs after starring in ‘Hard Knocks’. Willing hitter finished with 25 tackles and finished the year on IR.
• DT Ed Johnson – Colts – 78 to 81 – Starred for the Colts after injuries took down their DT position. Started every game after being undrafted out of Penn State.
• DT Darrell Reid – Colts – 76 to 78 – Had the hardest hit of the year on the Titans Chris Henry. Rotates in at DT. Finished with 31 tackles.
• LB Tyjuan Hagler – Colts – 73 to 76 – Injuries are this guys problem. A starter when healthy. 53 tackles on the year after missing 4 games and portions of other ones.
• LB Freddie Keiaho – Colts – 79 to 82 – Will be a star if he can stay healthy. Missed 5 games and had 81 tackles. Very fast and instinctive.
• TE Dallas Clark – Colts – 88 to 90 – An integral part of the Colts machine all year. 11 touchdowns.
• LT Tony Ugoh – Colts – 76 to 81 – The rookie responded well to protecting Manning’s’ blindside all season. Missed some games due to injury.
• LT Flozell Adams – Cowboys – 90 to 92 – Shutdown many big time pass rushers this season. Too many false start penalties trying to get an early jump though.
• LB Bradie James – Cowboys – 85 to 86 – Emotional LB for the Cowboys finished with 101 tackles and 3 sacks.
• LB Kevin Burnett – Cowboys – 74 to 78 – His development has put Bobby Carpenter on the market. Very explosive.
• CB Terence Newman – Cowboys – 92 to 94 – Deflected 12 passes and recorded 4 INT’s. Teams have started to shy away from him now after a rough start to his career.
• FS Ken Hamlin – Cowboys – 86 to 89 – Best season as a pro. Going to the Pro Bowl for the late Sean Taylor. Had 62 tackles and 5 INT’s.
• C Samson Satele – Dolphins – 76 to 81 – Known pass blocker was more than adequate run blocking this season. Might be a guard at some point but Dolphins might have found one here.
• CB Will Allen – Dolphins – 81 to 86 – Dr.Z from CNN SI had him as one of his two all pro corners. Finished with 14 pass breakups and 62 tackles with an INT.
• CB Michael Lehan – Dolphins – 75 to 77 – Moved his way up the depth chart to start 14 games. Had 59 tackles and 7 pass break ups with an INT.
• LT Vernon Carey – Dolphins – 81 to 85 – Had a better for a improved Dolphins offensive line which isn’t really saying much.
• WR Ted Ginn – Dolphins – 77 to 78 – Returned kicks and punts for the Dolphins and had 420 yards receiving with 2 receiving TD’s and 1 punt return TD.
• HB Brian Westbrook – Eagles – 95 to 96 – 1,333 rush yards with 7 TD’s along with 90 catches for 771 yards and 5 more TD’s = a great season.
• LB Chris Gocong – Eagles – 74 to 76 – Started 12 games in his second year as a pro. 66 tackles with 6.5 tackles for a loss.
• CB DeAngelo Hall – Falcons – 92 to 93 – Lost his head in a couple games but played better this year. Might have a new team next year.
• LB Manny Lawson – 49ers – 81 to 83 – Looked like the light bulb had went on when this guy went down 2 games into the season. Had 11 tackles with 2.5 for loss.
• DT Fred Robbins – Giants – 83 to 86 – Very quick first step led to 5.5 sacks.
• FB Madison Hedgecock – Giants – 84 to 88 – Got a nice one in a pickup from the Rams at the start of the year. Whether it’s because of his solid play or the announcers like saying his name, you will always hear his name during the course of a game.
• HB Ahmad Bradshaw – Giants – 74 to 79 – Very nice surprise here. Undrafted out of Marshall was playing at crunch time in the NFC Championship game.
• DE Justin Tuck – Giants – 82 to 88 – One of the better physiques in all of football. Just signed a nice 5 year extension because of his play. 60+ tackles and 10 sacks.
• LG Rich Seubert – Giants – 87 to 89 – The LG for an offensive line that would make just about any running back look good (no offense Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward or Ahmad Bradshaw).
• LT David Diehl – Giants – 88 to 90 – Forced to play LT a couple years ago when the Giants had no other choice, now he is a very good LT.
• RT Kareem McKenzie – Giants – 88 to 90 – Very strong RT more than held his own against sack machine Aaron Kampman.
• WR Steve Smith – Giants – 75 to 78 – Was banged up during the regular season, is very involved in the Giants Super Bowl run.
• WR Plaxico Burress – Giants – 93 to 94 – Gave pro bowler Al Harris the worst whooping of his life. The Patriots are going to have their hands full with Plaxico having a couple weeks of practice.
• QB Eli Manning – Giants – 85 to 87 – Was mediocre to bad in the regular season with a very good run game. His decision making has been second to none in the playoffs.
• C Shaun O’Hara – Giants – 86 to 89 – The center of one of the better offensive lines in the league.
• DE Michael Strahan – Giants – 92 to 95 – Turned it up in the postseason after recording 0 sacks in the first 3 games and last 4 games. The Giants have to be ecstatic he came back after posting 57 tackles and 9 sacks.
• DE Osi Umenyiora – Giants – 90 to 94 – Explosive pass rusher finished with 13 sacks and 5 forced fumbles. Second best season to 15 sack year in 05’.
• LB Mathias Kiwanuka – Giants – 80 to 81 – Switched to OLB after starting his career at end. Finished the season on IR.
• LB Kawika Mitchell – Giants – 80 to 81 – Started poorly but finished the season strong. 76 tackles and 3.5 sacks.
• CB Sam Madison – Giants – 84 to 85 – Did all they could have asked vs. Greg Jennings. Played an excellent game.
• CB Aaron Ross – Giants – 79 to 81 – Talented rookie out of Texas. Broke up 9 passes with 3 INT’s. Will be a starter going forward. Played the NFC Championship game with a separated shoulder.
• CB Kevin Dockery – Giants – 77 to 79 – Tough corner who has climbed the depth chart to be an integral part of the secondary. Has been injured during the playoffs.
• CB Corey Webster – Giants – 75 to 79 – Went the wrong way on the depth chart during the year falling to the bottom. Has rebounded quite nicely in the playoffs playing excellent.
• QB David Garrard – Jaguars – 86 to 88 – One of the best stories this year. 18/3 touchdown to INT ratio and a 64% completion percentage.
• WR Ernest Wilford – Jaguars – 77 to 81 – Big receiver had 45 catches and 518 yards. 4th year out of Virginia Tech.
• HB Fred Taylor – Jaguars – 92 to 93 – Fred Taylor returned with 1,202 yards with 5 TD’s and 5.4 yards per carry. Maybe it was MJD that lit his fire but he was very good last season and excellent this season.
• HB Maurice Jones-Drew – Jaguars – 89 to 90 – Would start for about 25 other teams but happens to back up Fred Taylor. Had 750+ rushing yards and 9 touchdowns.
• WR Reggie Williams – Jaguars – 79 to 82 – A top 10 pick in ‘04 had his best season with 629 yards and 10 scores.
• TE Marcedes Lewis – Jaguars – 81 to 82 – Physically gifted at 6’6 265 pounds he had 37 catches for 391 yards during the regular season. Also had 4 catches for 74 yards vs. the Patriots.
• LT Khalif Barnes – Jaguars – 87 to 88 – 3rd year left tackle for one of the best lines in the league.
• LG Vince Manuwai – Jaguars – 92 to 93 – Big time guard out of Hawaii. Pairs with Chris Naeole to from one of the best run blocking guard combos in the NFL.
• FS Reggie Nelson – Jaguars – 85 to 87 – Ball hawk safety had 5 INT’s in his rookie year out of Florida.
• FB Greg Jones – Jaguars – 85 to 88 – Had 119 yards rushing and just under 100 yards receiving with 3 total TD’s and led block for one of the best running games in the NFL.
• LB Daryl Smith – Jaguars – 87 to 88 – Showed his versatility by starting at MLB while Mike Peterson was out during the last part of the season and the playoffs. Peterson/Smith/Durant sounds like something next season at LB if it happens.
• LB Justin Durant – Jaguars – 75 to 77 – Rookie forced into action due to the injury to Mike Peterson. The Jags will find a way for him to start next year.
• WR Jerricho Cotchery – Jets – 87 to 88 – Only had 2 TD’s but did have 82 catches for 1,130 yards. Was highly productive in a bad offense.
• CB Darrelle Revis – Jets – 83 to 84 – The best rookie corner. Broke up 17 passes with 3 INT’s and recorded 87 tackles. Jets got it right with Revis and LB David Harris in the draft.
• CB Hank Poteat – Jets – 76 to 77 – Former Steeler picked off 2 passes battling for playing time at corner for the Jets.
• SS Kerry Rhodes – Jets – 95 to 96 – Has had a 100 tackle year and now a 5 INT year in his first 3 seasons.
• LB David Harris – Jets – Had over 125 tackles and 5 sacks in his rookie season.
• HB T.J. Duckett – Lions – 75 to 76 – Finished the year as the starter with a 5.2 YPC and had a 53 yard run. Who knew he could make it that far.
• WR Shaun McDonald – Lions – 82 to 83 – Last year in St. Louis he had 136 yards. This season he had 79 catches for 943 yards with 6 scores. That’s more catches, yards and touchdowns than Roy Williams/Calvin Johnson/Mike Furrey.
• QB Brett Favre – Packers – 94 to 96 – This season could have been his 4th MVP if not for Tom Brady/Randy Moss. Threw 28 touchdowns and had a 66.5 completion percentage leading his team to 13 wins and carrying them the first half of the season.
• HB Ryan Grant – Packers – 83 to 85 – One of the best backs the second half of the season. Came from nowhere and averaged 5.1 YPC and 8 touchdowns nearly reaching 1,000 yards.
• HB Brandon Jackson – Packers – 78 to 79 – Had his chance early to be the guy but injuries prevented that. When he was healthy again he was the clear cut #2.
• WR Greg Jennings – Packers – 89 to 92 – One of the most explosive young WR’s in the game. Was not healthy his rookie season. Was this year and had 920 yards and 12 touchdowns.
• WR James Jones – Packers – 80 to 82 – Was very involved the first 5 games of the season. Packers got a good one here who might make Driver expendable at some point.
• LG Jason Spitz – Packers – 84 to 87 – Has shown the most growth of any Packers offensive lineman this season. Good news for Packer fans: the top 3 guards on the roster that all had extensive playing time this season are all 25 or younger.
• LG Daryn Colledge – Packers – 77 to 80 – Second year guard out of Boise State. Lost his job in the regular season but now has it back for the playoffs due to injury.
• LT Chad Clifton – Packers – 93 to 94 – Underrated left tackle that just gets it done consistently. Also from Tennessee like C Scott Wells.
• RT Mark Tauscher – Packers – 92 to 93 – Shorter than ideal at 6’3 but is strong enough and moves fine.
• DT Johnny Jolly – Packers – 77 to 79 – Was a big part of the defensive tackle rotation before going on IR with a shoulder injury. Deflected 3 passes at the line in the opener.
• LB Brady Poppinga – Packers – 78 to 80 – The “other” guy at LB for the Packers. Played running downs and had 50 tackles.
• CB Tramon Williams – Packers – 70 to 73 – Very fast corner who is the new nickel back for the Packers. Also returns kicks and punts.
• CB Will Blackmon – Packers – 69 to 72 – Missed many games due to a foot injury. In the mix at corner in 3&4 receiver sets. Will be primary punt returner going forward.
• CB Frank Walker – Packers – 68 to 69 – First year and maybe only year in Green Bay after coming over from the Giants. 5th season out of Tuskegee.
• FS Nick Collins – Packers – 78 to 82 – Rarely in the play on passes downfield so depending on whom you ask that is probably a good thing.
• SS Atari Bigby – Packers – 77 to 86 – The whole world saw how hard this guy hits. 86 tackles and 5 INT’s for the safety from UCF.
• LB Jon Beason – Panthers – 86 to 89 – Defensive rookie of the year in just about any other season. Took over at MLB from Dan Morgan and had 140 tackles.
• SS Chris Harris – Panthers – 76 to 81 – Picked up from Chicago at the start of the season when they needed a safety. Had 97 tackles with a ridiculous 8 forced fumbles.
• HB Laurence Maroney – Patriots – 85 to 87 – Never on the field because the Pats were airing it out. When he was he had 835 yards and 6 touchdowns and played very well down the stretch when the weather was poor. Has exploded in the playoffs.
• HB Kevin Faulk – Patriots – 79 to 80 – One of the best players on the field vs. the Chargers in the playoff game. Had something like 29 catches.
• DT Vince Wilfork – Patriots – 93 to 94 – Bigger than any human should be. Run stuffer in the middle for the Patriots.
• FS James Sanders – Patriots – 80 to 82 – Started for 10 games at FS over former starter for 3 years Eugene Wilson.
• DE Tommie Kelly – Raiders – 82 to 86 – Large defensive end at 6’6 300 pounds. Missed for than half the year on the IR.
• TE Zach Miller – Raiders – 79 to 82 – Rookie TE had 44 catches and 444 yards on a team that couldn’t throw the ball.
• WR Jerry Porter – Raiders – 81 to 83 - This guy can be a star on the right team and if his head is on straight. Had 705 yards and 6 TD’s.
• CB Nnamdi Asomugha – Raiders – 95 to 97 – Will go to the Pro Bowl next year based on how good he was this year. Teams did not throw at him at all.
• HB Steven Jackson – Rams – 96 to 97 – Might have played with the worst offensive line in the NFL this season. He tore his groin early in the year ,missed 4 games and ran for over 1,000 yards.
• FS O.J. Atogwe – Rams – 87 to 89 – Shortened his name to O.J. because girls couldn’t remember Oshiomogho. Had 8 INT’s playing center field for the Rams.
• C Brett Romberg – Rams – 75 to 77 – Oft injured center for the Rams. From the U.
• LB Will Witherspoon – Rams – 90 to 91 – Looks like a tall strong safety out there at MLB. Speedy LB had 110 tackles and 7 sacks.
• FB Le’Ron McClain – Ravens – 81 to 86 – Rookie fullback got things started right with a halfback that rushed for 1,200 yards.
• WR Devard Darling – Ravens – 69 to 71 – Speedy receiver got more playing time this season and had 3 touchdowns and averaged 18.1 yards a catch.
• DE Haloti Ngata – Ravens – 86 to 88 – He was one of the top two players on the Ravens this season. Had 63 tackles and 3 sacks.
• DE Dwan Edwards – Ravens – 70 to 74 – Started 13 games due to injury and had 41 tackles and a sack.
• LG Jason Brown – Ravens – 82 to 89 – Started every game this season for the Ravens. A handful at 6’3 320.
• CB Corey Ivy – Ravens – 72 to 77 – Started 13 games as the Ravens healthiest corner this season. Had 57 tackles 3 sacks and an INT.
• TE Chris Cooley – Redskins – 90 to 92 – Had to block too often this season cause the Redskins couldn’t block anyone on the right side. Sill had 8 touchdowns.
• CB Fred Smoot – Redskins – 85 to 86 – This guy was excellent when called upon because of injury. He stepped up big time when Carlos Rogers went down.
• FS LaRon Landry – Redskins – 85 to 86 – Will move next year to FS to take over for Sean Taylor. Had 95 tackles as a rookie.
• DT Anthony Montgomery – Redskins – 77 to 80 – Run stuffer for the #4 rush defense in the NFL. Had 42 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss.
• C Jeff Faine – Saints – 83 to 85 – Very solid pass protector and good run helper. Is a free agent.
• WR Marques Colston – Saints – 90 to 92 – Had 98 catches for 1,202 yards with 11 touchdowns. Most receptions every for a player his first two years in the league.
• QB Drew Brees – Saints – 93 to 94 – He did make too many mistakes with 18 INT’s. However he played with no run game and poor blocking and still threw 28 touchdowns and completed 67.5% of his passes while setting an NFL record for completions in a season.
• DE Aaron Smith – Steelers – 94 to 95 – When he was in there, this defense was the talk of the NFL. When he got hut they couldn’t stop the run and started to get torched.
• TE Heath Miller – Steelers – 88 to 90 – A reliable pass catching target is also one of the best blocking tight ends.
• HB Willie Parker – Steelers – 92 to 93 – Has rushed for 4,000+ yards and 19 TD’s in the past 3 seasons.
• QB Ben Roethlisberger – Steelers – 92 to 93 – Earned a trip to the Pro Bowl completing 65.3% of his passes throwing 32 touchdowns.
• K Jeff Reed – Steelers – 82 to 84 – Made 23/25 field goals this year.
• P Daniel Sepulveda – Steelers – 83 to 85 – Big punter at 6’3 230 from Baylor.
• RT Willie Colon – Steelers – 79 to 80 – Took over for Max Starks in the middle of the year.
• LB James Harrison – Steelers – 87 to 88 – “Silverback” took over for Joey Porter and had 98 tackles, 8.5 sacks, an INT and 7 forced fumbles.
• FB Vonta Leach – Texans – 77 to 82 – A bull at 6’0 250 pounds. Caught 25 passes for 2 TD’s and rushed for another for the Texans.
• LB Morlon Greenwood – Texans – 86 to 87 – Had 119 tackles teaming with start MLB DeMeco Ryans.
• LB DeMeco Ryans – Texans – 91 to 92 – Took a step down with 128 tackles in his second season. That’s because he had 155 his rookie season.
• QB Sage Rosenfels – Texans – 76 to 79 – Had the Texans offense going smoothly there for several games. Completed 64.2% of his passes and threw 15 TD’s when Matt Schaub was injured.
• TE Owen Daniels – Texans – 86 to 87 – Had some bad drops and fumbled 4 times but caught 63 catches for 768 yards as a pass catching tight end.
• CB Fred Bennett – Texans – 77 to 79 – The Texans found their guy to go with fellow corner Dunta Robinson. Bennett had 14 pass breakups and 3 INT’s as a rookie.
• DE Mario Williams – Texans – 87 to 92 – Voted Defensive Lineman of the Year. Had 14 sacks in his second season looking like someone that will dominate the league for a long time. Looks to have a much higher upside than Reggie Bush.
• WR Roydell Williams – Titans – 72 to 75 – Roydell was the flavor of the week at WR there for a while in Tennessee. He tied for a team lead with 55 catches and had 719 yards with a team leading 4 touchdowns receiving. No catches in the playoff game.
• TE Bo Scaife – Titans – 80 to 81 – Speaks to the volume of the Titans passing problems that Scaife was very involved and had 46 catches. Missed the playoff game with a lacerated liver.
• DE Antwan Odom – Titans - 82 to 84 – Finished with 8 sacks in his best season as a four year pro.
• DE Kyle Vanden Bosch – Titans – 90 to 93 – Had 12 sacks and 60 tackles this year. In his 3 year stint in Tennessee he has 200 tackles and 31 sacks.
• DT Albert Haynesworth – Titans – 94 to 97 – When healthy is as good as any. Had 40 tackles with 6 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss.
• DT Tony Brown – Titans – 84 to 86 – The Titans were his 4th team in 4 seasons last year. This year he started all 16 games recording 52 tackles and 4 sacks.
• LB Ryan Fowler – Titans – 76 to 77 – The Titans starter at MLB before end the year on IR. 53 tackles on the year.
• LB Stephen Tulloch – Titans – 76 to 77 – Finished the year starting at MLB and starred in the playoffs shutting down LT. 45 tackles on the year and had 7 tackles in the playoff game.
• CB Cortland Finnegan – Titans – 84 to 87 – Broke up 13 passes while piling up 95 tackles at the corner position. Might have made the transition to #1 corner this year. Had a great leaping INT in the playoff game.
• FB Tony Richardson – Vikings – 94 to 97 – Returned to the Pro Bowl for the 3rd time this year with Minnesota. Fullback for the #1 rushing offense that averaged 165 yards a game on the ground.
• DT Pat Williams – Vikings – 95 to 97 – Best defensive tackle this season. Had 64 tackles with 11 tackles for loss including 2 sacks. Started every game this season at 35 years old. Has not missed a game in 3 years in Minnesota.
• LB E.J. Henderson – Vikings – 88 to 90 – Might have made the transition to great LB this season (or just played with 2 really good DT’s). Starred on the best rush defense in the league. Had 119 tackles and 4.5 sacks including 12.5 tackles for loss.
Ratings Down
• QB Brian Griese – Bears – 79 to 77 – Probably played himself out of a backup QB role in the NFL.
• LG Terrence Metcalf – Bears – 80 to 78 – Benched for John St. Clair. Ask any Dolphin fan about John St. Clair.
• C Olin Kreutz – Bears – 97 to 95 – Down year for Chicago’s line and the perennial pro bowler.
• RG Roberto Garza – Bears – 87 to 85 – Chicago was unable to run the ball inside this year.
• QB Carson Palmer – Bengals – 96 to 95 – Threw 20 INT’s this season on a bad Bengals team.
• FB Jeremi Johnson – Bengals – 95 to 91 – Johnson and the Bengals were unable to run the ball this year.
• QB J.P. Losman – Bills – 81 to 80 – Threw 6 picks in 8 games and was benched for the last 5 games of the season.
• CB Dre Bly – Broncos – 92 to 91 – Takes a lot of chances so he makes his share of plays but almost gives up some big ones gambling.
• FS John Lynch – Broncos – 93 to 92 – Going to a Pro Bowl because of injuries, still his play was down in a big way.
• CB Kenny Wright – Browns – 77 to 75 – Passed by two rookies on his way down the depth chart.
• LB Andra Davis – Browns – 88 to 85 – Split time with two other linebackers and might be the odd man out next year.
• LB Jeremiah Trotter – Bucs – 84 to 81 – Cut by Philly at the start of the year and backed up at MLB for the Bucs.
• HB Edgerrin James – Cardinals – 92 to 91 – Is starting to show his age now. Ran the ball a ton for the Cardinals and averaged 3.8 YPC.
• FS Terrence Holt – Cardinals – 82 to 78 – Free agent disappointment could be cut before next year.
• HB Larry Johnson – Chiefs – 95 to 94 – Had a very bad year in KC. His offensive line was mediocre for the first time this year and so was he.
• LG Brian Waters – Chiefs – 95 to 93 – Looked average for the first time this season.
• C Casey Wiegmann – Chiefs – 88 to 86 – Got beat up this year in the middle of the Chiefs Oline.
• SS Roy Williams – Cowboys – 92 to 89 – Is known for his inept pass coverage abilities and horse collaring receivers.
• CB Travis Daniels – Dolphins – 79 to 76 – This one didn’t pan out.
• TE L.J. Smith – Eagles – 85 to 84 – Has never really produced like he should have because he has always been hurt.
• QB Byron Leftwich – Falcons – 79 to 77 – In every chance he was given this season he played he threw inaccurate and made bad decisions. Did not respond well to pressure.
• QB Joey Harrington – Falcons – 80 to 79 – Hard to fault him with blocking that poor.
• HB Warrick Dunn – Falcons – 87 to 86 – Somehow was able to hold off Norwood the entire year in receiving most of the playing time.
• HB Jerious Norwood – Falcons – 85 to 82 – Unable to overtake Dunn because of his blocking and receiving deficiencies.
• LT Wayne Gandy – Falcons – 88 to 86 – Will be 37 years old in February coming off a torn ACL. The odds are against him.
• RT Todd Weiner – Falcons – 88 to 86 – Finished the year on IR with a knee injury.
• FS Jimmy Williams – Falcons – 80 to 77 – Has had a more than disappointing career after coming out of Virginia Tech.
• QB Alex Smith – 49ers – 81 to 80 – The #1 pick in ’05 draft has thrown 31 INT’s to just 19 TD’s. The underdog vs. Shaun Hill in the QB battle next year says it all.
• RT Kwame Harris – 49ers – 80 to 77 – Injuries to the Niner O-line shifted everyone around, he still couldn’t start.
• CB Nate Clements – 49ers – 94 to 92 – Down year after getting 80$ million. Verdict after year 1 is they overpaid.
• QB Chad Pennington – Jets – 82 to 81 – No credit by Jets fans just because he throws like a 12 year old girl. Smart QB, his arm is not NFL caliber.
• CB Andre Dyson – Jets – 79 to 78 – Must have found his way into Mangenious’ doghouse. Former starter and getting paid pretty decent money to sit the bench. Odds are he is cut.
• LG Edwin Mulitalo – Lions – 84 to 81 – Could have been his last year starting. Not good enough as a pass blocker.
• HB Tatum Bell – Lions – 76 to 75 – Mike Martz loved this guy and told the GM to trade for him. Now Martz is out of a job.
• RG Barry Stokes – Lions – 82 to 78 – Career backup signed by Detroit to add depth.
• WR Dwayne Jarrett – Panthers – 76 to 74 – Inactive on game days for a team starving for a second WR. Not a good sign for the second rounder.
• DE Julius Peppers – Panthers – 98 to 97 – Down year for one of the most athletic players in the game. Was banged up this season.
• LB Dan Morgan – Panthers – 88 to 87 – Has been banged up for several seasons now. One more serious injury and that could be it if not already,
• QB Daunte Culpepper – Raiders – 82 to 80 – Daunte had his moment in the sun vs. the Dolphins. Should be a backup somewhere next season.
• DT Gerard Warren – Raiders – 82 to 79 – “Big Money” got gashed big time in Oakland this year.
• RG Todd Steussie – Rams – 86 to 80 – Taken back by the Rams after being released early in the year because the Rams O-line was depleted. Getting close to a career.
• WR Isaac Bruce – Rams – 87 to 86 – Isaac might be out of St. Louis next season. He was just one of the Rams to have a down year.
• TE Todd Heap – Ravens – 95 to 94 – Injured most of the year with a hamstring and ended the year on the IR.
• RG Jason Fabini – Redskins – 86 to 82 – Crafty veteran who filled in for star guard Randy Thomas. There was a noticeable difference.
• RG Rick DeMulling – Redskins – 80 to 78 – Guard who excelled in the Colts system but is having a hard time in the real world.
• DE Charles Grant – Saints – 89 to 87 - Collected a lot of money in the offseason. The Saints got ripped off.
• LG Rob Sims – Seahawks – 84 to 82 – Might be replaced next year. A serious downgrade from Steve Hutchinson.
• RG Chris Gray – Seahawks – 82 to 80 – Old veteran guard who probably shouldn’t be starting anymore.
• DT Rocky Bernard – Seahawks – 85 to 84 – One of the defensive tackles moved out of the way for Ryan Grant’s 200 yard game.
• SS Tyrone Carter – Steelers – 78 to 76 – Looked like the slowest guy in football trying to tackle Garrard and MJD in the playoff game.
• LT Marvel Smith – Steelers – 92 to 90 – Admitted down year by the Steeler faithful. Was injured for the Jags playoff game.
• C Sean Mahan – Steelers – 82 to 79 – Dominated by bigger defensive lineman the majority of the year. It showed vs. the Jags.
• LG Alan Faneca – Steelers – 97 to 96 – Might have played his final season for the Steelers. Sure to get a big deal on the open market. Seattle was interested.
• FB Jameel Cook – Texans – 85 to 78 – Second string fullback for the Texans.
• SS Michael Boulware – Texans – 82 to 79 – No longer considered starting caliber, even on the Texans.
Contracts
• DE Justin Tuck – Giants – 5 year extension
