08-05-2015, 02:02 PM
This is tough because we really have no clue how some of the young guys look yet, so my list will be just assuming the rookies/guys we haven't seen on the field yet are mediocre at best. Just going to do top 5...
1. Andy Dalton - Most important position on the field. You can't just hand the ball off on every down and expect the run game to work. We need Andy to stay healthy yet again for a chance to contend for a title.
2. Tyler Eifert - Who's behind him on the depth chart? Other than the 2 JN posters that think Kroft is going to put up monster numbers as a rookie, most of us know what to expect realistically from the rookies. Eifert must stay healthy all year.
3a. Vontaze Burfict - Some of his haters won't admit it, but the defense looks entirely different with him out of the lineup. He's a tackling machine and our LB corp is likely the weakest positional group on the entire team.
3b. Geno Atkins - Same as Burfict, the defense is transformed when he's playing at a high level. I'm hoping all of our message board doctors are right when they claim it takes 42 months for the injury to heal, maybe it's finally healed up this season.
5. Nelson/Iloka - Who is even at S behind these guys? Let's all hope they play almost every snap yet again. I feel the talent gap between them and the backups is far greater than other positions.
Notable omission - A.J. Green - I'd have him somewhere in the top 10, but if the other receivers, TEs, and RBs are all healthy, Andy has plenty of guys to throw it around to. Yes, Andy throws some ducks sometimes, and A.J. is more likely to haul a bad pass in over some of the other guys, but this team has a lot of players capable of catching a football. Green is one of the best at his position in the league, but I'm much more concerned about the backups at TE, LB, and S right now.
1. Andy Dalton - Most important position on the field. You can't just hand the ball off on every down and expect the run game to work. We need Andy to stay healthy yet again for a chance to contend for a title.
2. Tyler Eifert - Who's behind him on the depth chart? Other than the 2 JN posters that think Kroft is going to put up monster numbers as a rookie, most of us know what to expect realistically from the rookies. Eifert must stay healthy all year.
3a. Vontaze Burfict - Some of his haters won't admit it, but the defense looks entirely different with him out of the lineup. He's a tackling machine and our LB corp is likely the weakest positional group on the entire team.
3b. Geno Atkins - Same as Burfict, the defense is transformed when he's playing at a high level. I'm hoping all of our message board doctors are right when they claim it takes 42 months for the injury to heal, maybe it's finally healed up this season.
5. Nelson/Iloka - Who is even at S behind these guys? Let's all hope they play almost every snap yet again. I feel the talent gap between them and the backups is far greater than other positions.
Notable omission - A.J. Green - I'd have him somewhere in the top 10, but if the other receivers, TEs, and RBs are all healthy, Andy has plenty of guys to throw it around to. Yes, Andy throws some ducks sometimes, and A.J. is more likely to haul a bad pass in over some of the other guys, but this team has a lot of players capable of catching a football. Green is one of the best at his position in the league, but I'm much more concerned about the backups at TE, LB, and S right now.
