Grade Your Positional Groups

BwareDWare94

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Evaluate your team's positional groups with a general grade scale.
 

 
Quarterback (Teddy Bridgewater, Shaun Hill): B-
The quarterback position in Minnesota is adequate with a solid starter with room to improve and one of the better backup quarterbacks in the league. It's not where it needs to be but it shouldn't be a week-to-week hindrance.
 
Running Back (Adrian Peterson, Jerick McKinnon, Matt Asiata): A-
This grade should be an obvious A, but Peterson has to clean up his fumbling issues, and McKinnon needs more usage in the coming season because he's the perfect running back to pair with Peterson. While McKinnon has blazing speed, perhaps his best attribute is how quickly he hits the hole and maximizes each carry. With teams scheming against Peterson's shiftiness, the quick-hitting McKinnon has a chance to shine in 2016. Asiata is a very solid third back who is more than adequate if needed, but should not get too many carries if backs 1 and 2 stay healthy.
 
Wide Receiver (Diggs, Treadwell, Wright, Johnson, Theilen, Patterson): B-
While Minnesota lacks the classic speed threat (Patterson should be that receiver, but he was much more raw than they realized), they still have playmakers on the outside. Stefon Diggs was perhaps the second best rookie receiver last year, showcasing fluid route running and sure hands. Treadwell may not be a burner but his catch radius is excellent, and I look for him to make plays on sloppy Bridgewater passes. Jarius Wright continues to be an underrated WR who generally makes 2-3 important catches per game. He's not on the scouting report, but he should be. Adam Theilen is an excellent special teamer with good size and sure hands when called upon. Cordarrelle Patterson is a great kick returner but if he never sees the field otherwise, that's all he'll ever be.
 
Tight End (Kyle Rudolph, MyCole Pruitt, Rhett Ellison): B+
There's no Gronk in this group but Rudolph is a solid tight end, though I personally believe Pruitt is going to make him expendable. Rhett Ellison is a great blocking tight end who the Vikings target unexpectedly 1-2 times a game, and Ellison usually makes the most of his catches.
 
Offensive Line (Boone, Smith, Kalil, Fusco, Sullivan, Berger, Harris, Cummings, Loadholdt): B
The B grade is based entirely on potential. I listed the guys who have a realistic shot to make the game-day roster, but I don't anticipate so many active players. Apparently the competitions are already underway and I'm hoping Minnesota can find a way to put the 5 best players on the field. What will define Minnesota's season is if the protection is better for Teddy Bridgewater.
 
Defensive Line (Griffin, Floyd, Joseph, Robison, Hunter, Johnson, Trattou): A+
This is perhaps the strongest positional group on Minnesota's roster, and again I listed guys I think will make the roster without question. Obviously a couple more spots will fill out with guys like Scott Crichton or Shamar Stephen, but there will be competition. Griffin and Hunter are going to terrorize QBs on passing downs, and Joseph and Floyd make up one of the best DT pairings in the league. Barring injury, defensive line is a non-issue for Minnesota.
 
Linebacker (Barr, Kendricks, Greenway, Cole, Robison, Watts): C
I understand that a C grade is preposterous when you see the first two names on this list, but both Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks have missed games due to injury in their short careers, and I do not trust the depth behind them. When healthy, Barr and Kendricks spend most of the time as the only two linebackers on the field, as both are great against the run, sideline-to-sideline linebackers who also excel in coverage. These are two great young players, but I want to see them play an entire season before I trust this positional group. After Barr and Kendricks, the dropoff is steep. Greenway is slow and becoming a worse tackler every year, and a liability in coverage. Audie Cole is fun to root for but has never taken the next step. Edmond Robison was a 7th rounder. Brandon Watts? Who? When healthy, the LB corps in Minnesota is B+. It'd be an obvious A if the depth was better.
 
Secondary (Rhodes, Waynes, Newman, Munnerlyn, Sherels, Smith, Sendejo, Harris): A
I love this secondary. Xavier Rhodes is not a definite shut down corner, but he will minimize the impact of any WR he faces. Trae Waynes will hopefully be a starter this coming season, and I look forward to seeing his ball-hawking skills come into play. Terence Newman is an ageless wonder, able to step in and and start if needed. Captain Munnerlyn has established himself as one of the best slot corners in the league, and while I really hated him in his first season, he has gained my trust. Marcus Sherels is an excellent PR who plays hard when needed at corner. Smith and Harris should make a nice safety combo, unless Harris is beaten out by Andrew Sendejo, but I hope that doesn't happen. Sendejo is fine at safety, but he's reckless. He tries to hit people constantly, but isn't careful enough to avoid crushing his own teammates now and then. He needs to be a special teamer.
 
Fun fact: Former Illinois State QB Tre Roberson is currently on the Vikings roster playing at CB. He'll never make the opening roster but let's see if he can make such a drastic transition and make it in the league.
 
Special Teams, Kicking (Locke, Walsh): C
Walsh has got to make up for his missed chip shot against Seattle last year, and hopefully Jeff Locke is a thing of the past after training camp. Walsh can be a great kicker, but he has to get his head right. Jeff Locke is a terrible punter and needs to be replaced. 
 
Special Teams, Coverage: A
The Vikings kick and punt coverage has gotten much better under Zimmer's staff and I simply do not worry about it anymore. 
 
Special Teams, Returning: A
Nobody has it better than us with Sherels at PR and Patterson at KR.
 

bosoxlover12

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Quarterback (Tom Brady, Jimmy Garoppolo, Jacoby Brissett): A+
It's Tom Fucking Brady. Not even a question
 
Running Back (LeGarrette Blount, Dion Lewis, James White, Brandon Bolden, Donald Brown): C+
A lot of depth at this position, that doesn't need to be used that often. Lewis and White are great receiving backs out of the backfield.
 
Wide Receiver (Edelman, Hogan, Amendola, Martin, Dobson, Washington, Mitchell): B
Edelman and Amendola are some of the most elusive, intelligent receivers in the league in the motion-based offense Patriots offense that they run. Hogan will be a solid upgrade over LaFell, and the others do their jobs decently well. 
 
Tight End (Rob Gronkowski, Martellus Bennett, Clay Harbor, James Develin): A+
Bennett forced the most broken tackles among TEs last year. Pair that with the best TE in the league, and it's the best pairing in the league, bar none. 
 
Offensive Line (Solder, Kline, Stork, Jackson, Vollmer, Cannon, Thuney, Mason, Andrews, Cooper, Waddle): C
Scar coming back to coaching will help this group a lot, but its a weak core overall. Bunch of guys that can do their job as best as they can but just aren't that talented. The key is to make sure they don't fuck up too much, and the Pats will be fine.
 
Defensive Line (Brown, Knighton, Branch, Valentine, Vellano): B-
This crew of guys are all really good in the run stopping department, which seems to be the focal for the Patriots defense this season. The addition of Knighton will be huge, and Brown will improve in his second year most likely as the best DL on the team. Real solid unit.
 
Linebacker (Collins, Hightower, Ninkovich, Sheard, Long, McClellin, Freeny, Flowers, Grissom): A-
The switch to a run-stopping 3-4 base defense will ultimately be best for this team, who while they generated pass rush last year were really bad at stopping the run. Now they will focus more on gap dominance and letting Collins and Hightower, two of the most dominant linebackers in the league, make plays. The core of Sheard, Nink, Long, and McClellin will do fine on the edge.
 
Secondary (Butler, Ryan, Coleman, Jones, McCourty, Chung, Harmon, Ebner, Richards): B+
Butler played phenomenally last year, earning Pro Bowl honors, and Ryan is a solid #2 corner. Hopefully Cyrus transitions quickly from dime into the starting nickel corner -- he's got the skillset Bill loves in his DBs. McCourty is a top safety, and Harmon does a good job at the backup FS. Chung was great as the box LB/SS last year and hopefully continues as such.
 
Special Teams, Kicking (Gostkowski, Allen): A-
Gostkowski is the best kicker in the NFL. Allen is a really solid punter, but not enough to keep up the A grade.  
 
Special Teams, Coverage: A+
Between Slater, Ebner, and Bolden, New England has arguably the best coverage unit in the entire league.
 
Special Teams, Returning: B
Law of averages here -- Edelman and Amendola are fantastic punt returners, but our current KRs are among the worst. Hopefully Cyrus Jones can step up and be solid as the KR of the future
 

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