Saints’ Starting Defense Strong In Preseason Win Over Bengals

Jonathan Vilma started 2009 where he left off in 2008.

The Saints’ middle linebacker scooped up a fumble, intercepted a Carson Palmer pass, and totaled over 110 return yards in the first half against a talented Cincinnati Bengals offense.

Newcomer Darren Sharper made two monster hits. One hit forced a fumble and another rung the bell of wide receiver Laverneus Coles.

It was the Saints offense, though, that had trouble first.

They could not punch it in the endzone after having a first and goal from the six yard line following Vilma’s fumble return.

Garrett Hartley then missed a 19-yard field goal wide to the left.

Both teams had trouble scoring early on due in part to a strange sequence of events that occured with about five minutes left in the opening quarter.

Facing a 3rd—and—5 conversion from the Saints’ 30 yard line, Carson Palmer’s pass was intercepted by Vilma, who was stripped by receiver Andre Caldwell.

The fumble was recovered by the Bengals and they restarted the drive at their own four yard line.

The Bengals then drive the ball to the Saints’ 12 yard line, but missed a 29-yard field goal.

The Saints scored both of their touchdowns with much—maligned players.

Drew Brees connected with tight end Jeremy Shockey three times for 61 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown pass for the first points of the game.

Once the second units took the field, Mark Brunell hit a wide open Robert Meachem on a deep post route for a 64-yard touchdown bomb in the third quarter.

Hartley redeemed his early miss with a 54-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to make the final score 17-7.

 

Other Observations

The goal line offense still needs a lot of work.

Lynell Hamilton did not help his chances of making this team with two fumbles, one near the goal line.

The Saints are giving Skyler Green every opportunity to make this team as the sixth wide receiver and Editor Queue | Bleacher Reportpunt returner.

Jason David gave up the only score allowed by the Saints defense.

The fact that the Saints ran the ball more than they threw it is an indication that the competition for the third running back is still wide open.

Neither punter distinguished themselves with inconsistent performances.

If the season started tomorrow, defensive end Anthony Hargrove would be on the roster.

Apparently, Jo-Lonn Dunbar is trying to convince the coaching staff that they don’t need to sign another linebacker. He had a game-high eight tackles.

The Saints defense swarms to the ball really well.

 

The Saints will travel to Houston this week in preparation for their preseason game against the Texans.

The Saints and Texans will square off in a pair of two-a-days on Wednesday and Thursday before their game on Saturday, Aug. 22.

New Orleans Saints To Work Out Linebackers Brooks and Smith

Having already lost linebackers Dan Morgan (retirement) and Stanley Arnoux ( Achilles) for the season, the Saints are prepared to be without backup Mark Simoneau (triceps) for several weeks and maybe the whole season.

The loss of Simoneau means that Jo-Lonn Dunbar is the only current backup linebacker who has started an NFL game (he has two career starts).

Enter Derrick Brooks and Derek Smith.

The Saints will work out both veteran linebackers on Wednesday.

Brooks, an 11-time pro-bowler, played his entire 14-year career in Tampa Bay.

The Bucs cut Brooks in the offseason in an attempt to start over with younger players.

Brooks’ production did drop off a bit last season. The 36-year old recorded a career-low 58 tackles in 2008.

Derrick Brooks was drafted in the first round of the 1995 NFL Draft.

He 25 career interceptions as a weakside linebacker suggest that Brooks has great natural instincts and is a tireless worker.

Brooks also has 24 career forced fumbles.

His best season came in 2002 when the Buccaneers won the Super Bowl.

That season Brooks intercepted a career-high five passes and scored four defensive touchdowns.

If Brooks indeed has enough left to play at a high level for at least one more season, he would fit well in defensive coordinator Gregg Williams’ attacking defense.

Derek Smith does not have the numbers or the accolades that Brooks has, but he was a full-time starter every year for the first 11 years of his career.

However, Smith seems more like a long shot to make the team.

He hasn’t recorded a sack since 2004 while his tackle totals of dwindled in each of the past three seasons.

Smith was limited to just six games last year, five with San Diego and one with Miami.

After Wednesday’s workouts, I expect the Saints to quickly sign one of the two veteran free agents.

Five Observations from New Orleans Saints Camp

The dawn of training camp brings with it many things.

Hope.

A sense of renewal and rejuvenation.

A break from the monotony of baseball.

A chance to see one’s favorite football team in person.

For all of these reasons and more, I made the journey to Metairie, LA, to see my Saints up close and personal on Saturday morning.

For over five months, I’ve noticed of the changes the Saints have made on defense—none bigger than importing defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.

There are a number of positions and roster spots up for grabs, and I wanted to make my own assessment.

Here are five observations from Saints camp.

 

1. Coach Williams’ impact is very noticeable.

Every time I hear someone describe Williams’ approach to defense, one word is always mentioned—aggressiveness.

By my account and the accounts of those I attended camp with, there is a good reason for this description.

I don’t know if Williams’ aggressiveness will translate to more wins, but what was evident Saturday is that every defender has the mentality of playing with intensity and forcing turnovers.

Every time that a ball hit the ground, whether it was a fumble or not, defenders swarmed to the ball and ran with it.

If the ball was caught, multiple defenders surrounded the receiver in an attempt to make a stop and force a fumble.

This is not your typical Saints’ defense.

2. Now I know why the Saints traded two draft picks for a punter.

The Saints went through three punters (and kickers) last season and finally settled on Glenn Pakulak.

Pakulak’s 47.7-yard punting average was good for fifth on the season and 15th all-time.

For this reason, many Saints’ fans, including myself, were scratching their heads when the Saints drafted two draft picks to move up and select Thomas Morstead in the fifth round.

After a two hours at practice, I now know why.

Pakulak was wildly inconsistent.

I timed his hang time under four seconds on multiple occasions.

Morstead, on the other hand, consistently recorded a hang time between 4.6 and 4.8 seconds.

If I were a betting man, I’d guess Morstead makes the team over Pakulak.

 

3. Cornerback may be a strength for this team.

Tracy Porter, Randall Gay, and Jabari Greer each looked solid as they stayed with receivers and broke up sure completions.

Porter and Gay primarily played with the first unit while Greer took reps with the second team.

Malcolm Jenkins better sign soon because it appears he is no better than fourth on the depth chart now.

On the other hand, there’s Jason David.

I hate to pick on the guy because he’s endured a lot while with the Saints, but he looked awful.

He was often matched up against receivers who are battling for the sixth receiver spot and looked two steps behind.

On one play, Skyler Green caught him flat-footed on a hitch and go route and blew past him for a big reception.

David will be battling with Reggie Jones and Leigh Torrence just to make the team.

 

4. Courtney Roby has the edge over Green for the final receiver spot.

Skyler Green’s play against Jason David was the only good play he made all day.

He dropped a pass during a drill and muffed two punts.

Roby caught everything thrown his way and didn’t drop a punt.

Green is probably the quickest receiver on the team, but Sean Payton will likely take Roby’s consistency and straight line speed over Green’s ups and downs.

 

5. The Saints aren’t going anywhere without Drew Brees.

Anyone who follows the Saints to any degree knows that Drew Brees is the most important player on the team.

In Saturday’s practice, Brees looked sharp and accurate.

The backup quarterback situation is a different story.

Both Mark Brunell and Joey Harrington looked shaky in seven-on-seven drills.

On one instance, Harrington rolled to his left and held the ball for a good six or seven seconds before firing an incomplete pass.

All of this with no pass rush.

 

Overall, I left practice feeling good with what I saw.

The defense was flying to the ball.

Brees and his receivers looked great, especially Marques Colston.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t get a good assessment of the line play because they generally practice on the opposite end of the field from where I was watching.

From other accounts, Bobby McCray looks like a starter at defensive end, even when Will Smith and Charles Grant return from suspension.

It seems that there is good reason for high levels of optimism surrounding this team.

New Orleans Saints: Here’s the Key to Winning the Division

In the NFL, every game counts.

Some just count more.

Just ask the Arizona Cardinals. Or the San Diego Chargers.

It is no coincidence that every team that at least tied for the best record within their own division won the division.

The Cardinals were a sub-par 3-7 outside the NFC West. Yet, they went 6-0 against their division rivals and won the division.

What was lost in Denver’s much-talked about historic collapse in the final three games of the season was the fact that they only went 3-3 within the AFC West while San Diego boasted a 5-1 division record.

The bottom line is this:

If you can’t beat the teams within your own division, don’t expect to win it. Or even to make the playoffs.

The Philadelphia Eagles were the only team last year to sport a losing record within their division (2-4) and still make the playoffs.

The six most important games this season on the Saints’ schedule are home dates against Atlanta, Carolina, and Tampa Bay and road games against Atlanta, Carolina, and Tampa Bay.

You can circle games against the New York Giants or New England Patriots all you want.

If the Saints don’t take care of business against the division, those other games don’t mean diddly.

 

Breaking Down the NFC South

One thing that the Saints’ three division opponents did significantly better than the Saints was was run the football.

Atlanta and Carolina ranked second and third in the league, respectively, averaging over 150 yards per game on the ground.

Tampa Bay was 15th as they averaged about 115 yards per game on the ground.

The Saints couldn’t quite hit 100 yards per game as they ranked 28th in the NFL.

Amazingly enough, the Saints’ run defense was the best in the division (117.8 yards per game). They ranked 17th, the Bucs 19th, the Panthers 20th, and the Falcons 25th.

While the Saints anemic rushing attack held to form against the division (599 yards in six games), the rush defense was a different story.

In six games against the Falcons, Bucs, and Panthers, the Saints allowed 147.3 yards on the ground per game.

Only once did they out-rush a division opponent. The Saints out-gained the Falcons 184-99 in a 29-25 victory.

In that game, the Saints took the lead in the fourth quarter and held on for the four-point win.

They held onto the lead because of their running game. Pierre Thomas gained 23 yards and a critical first down on the final drive.

Had Thomas not had that success on the ground, Atlanta would have gotten the ball back with enough time to score the winning touchdown.

The Saints were twice out-gained on the ground by over 100 yards to a division opponent.

In a 23-20 loss in week 13 to the Bucs, Tampa Bay out-gained New Orleans on the ground 149-44.

Carolina ran the ball down the Saints’ throats in week 17. They out-gained the Saints on the ground 234-50.

Now I know the Saints were out of the playoffs by week 17, and they were going for Dan Marino’s passing record, but your pride should never allow you to give up 234 yards on the ground.

If the Saints can corral their division’s running games, then punch your tickets for a home playoff game or two.

If not, then the Saints will be sitting at home in January watching Carolina and Atlanta in the playoffs again.

Top Five NFL Units: Wide Receivers

Loud.

Controversial.

“Me” Players.

Prima Donnas

These words are often used to describe the wide receivers. Sometimes these descriptions are well-warrented.

Terrell Owens, Randy Moss, and Brandon Marshall have all received a good deal of negative publicity over the course of their careers.

They are also some of the most athletic players on the field.

No other offensive position features a bigger collection of players that can run fast, jump high, and show a great deal of agility.

When I rank the best wide receiving units, it helps to have a bona fide number one guy, but you’ve got to have more than that.

You’ve got to have quality depth as well.

Here’s a look at the best wide receiver units in the NFL.

Why It Doesn’t Matter Who Starts at Cornerback For The New Orleans Saints

A depth chart can tell a story. It can tell us which players have impressed at camp, and which players are in the coach’s doghouse. Which players we can expect to see on the field and which players will be riding the bench.

It is a useful tool for coaches to affirm and motivate their players. Fans like myself use depth charts to keep up with our favorite teams and make informed fantasy draft decisions.

Sometimes, though, the depth chart doesn’t tell the whole story.

A peek at the most recent Saints’ cornerback depth chart shows the following order:

1) Jabari Greer

2) Randall Gay

3) Tracy Porter

4) Malcolm Jenkins

5) Jason David

As expected, Greer sits atop the depth chart. You wouldn’t place a guy you’ve been paying $22 million anywhere else.

Jenkins, this year’s first-round draft pick, may be down at number four, but that doesn’t mean he’s not going to play much.

Here’s why: Nickel and dime defenses.

The Saints will likely be in a nickel or dime defense as often as they are in their base 4-3. The Saints offense that averaged 28.9 points per game and led the league in scoring is back. Not only can the offense score a lot of points, but they can score them in bunches.

They may even be better than last year.

If the Saints can get up early by 10-14 points, then opposing teams are likely to abandon some of their run game in favor of the pass.

When teams begin to throw the ball a lot, they often use three, four, and sometimes five wide receivers in their formations. This means we will often see three or four cornerbacks on the field at the same time when the Saints are on defense.

So scramble the cornerback depth chart however you want. Heck, you can even put Jason David among the top three.

It’s one position where it just doesn’t matter.

Fleur-De-Lis Fever | 10 Predictions For the New Orleans Saints

The Saints summer break is almost over.

Training camp begins in less than three weeks.

Optimism is oozing out of from every Saints’ message board.

People calling into sports talk radio shows across Louisiana are hoping for a Super Bowl parade.

I guess it’s time to dust off the ol’ crystal ball and make some black and gold predictions.

 

1. Drew Brees will not lead the league in passing yardage.

Sorry to start off in such a negative fashion. It gets better. I promise.

Brees has been either first or second in the league in passing yardage in each of his three years in New Orleans. Because of improvements in the running game and the defense, Brees won’t have to throw as much this season as he did in seasons past. 

Philip Rivers, Brees’ former backup, will take Brees’ title as the passing leader.

 

2. The Saints will improve their turnover ratio from -4 to +4.

It’s not so much that the Saints turned the ball over at a high rate last season, it’s that their defense didn’t force a whole lot of them.

The defense only forced ten fumbles (29th in the league) the entire season and picked off 15 passes (t-11th). Of course, three of those interceptions came in a freakishly good game against the Green Bay Packers.

Gregg Williams promises a more aggressive defense. That should translate into more sacks and turnovers.

Also, Pierre Thomas should be handling the bulk of the carries for the first time in his career. He has only fumbled one time.

 

3. Jahri Evans and Marques Colston will each make their first Pro Bowl.

It’s amazing to me that Evans has never made the pro bowl even as an alternate.  Evans is often described as being the best offensive lineman on the squad. While his fellow linemen seem to always get whistled for pre-snap and holding penalties, Evans hardly does.

A healthy season means another 1,000+ yards for Marques Colston. The competition for the pro bowl has become a little less fierce with Terrell Owens, Torry Holt, and Plaxico Burress all exiting the conference.

 

4. Will Smith will have 10 sacks.

I think this happens whether or not Smith gets suspended for four games this season. 

Smith took the criticism like a man last season. He did not complain or talk about his injuries until after the season. Smith will look to put 2008 in the rear view mirror and have a great 2009.

 

5. Roman Harper will have at least 100 tackles.

Harper is the classic “in the box” safety. He is the poor man’s Roy Williams. He’s not great in coverage but is an asset in run support.

For the past two seasons, the free safety combo of Josh Bullocks and Kevin Kaesviharn has been one of the worst in the NFL.

To watch them in pass coverage was like watching a bunch of kids playing tag and they were the slow kid who was always it.

Now the active career leader in interceptions, Darren Sharper, patrols that back of the defense. This will allow Gregg Williams to play Harper closer to the line.

He won’t overtake Jonathan Vilma for the team lead in tackles, but he’ll easily finish in second for the third year in a row.

 

6. Tracy Porter will lead the team with four interceptions.

Interceptions are sometimes a misleading statistic, especially for cornerbacks. If an offense notices a weakness in a team’s pass defense, they are going to throw more often to that side of the field.

Jason David got the most interceptions last year because he got a lot of opportunities. This doesn’t all of a sudden make him the Saints’ best cornerback.

Other times, cornerbacks get a lot of interceptions because they are really good. Eric Allen, Deion Sanders, and Darrell Green immediately come to mind.

I think Porter will benefit from being picked on and being really good. Porter is essentially a rookie since he only played in five games last year. He will get picked on as the Saints’ second corner.

He will also prove to be really good and make opposing quarterbacks pay for their mistakes.

 

7. Mike Bell will be the Saints’ solution to the their short-yardage woes.

If the Saints are still looking for a back to fill their need for a short-yardage back, they shouldn’t look beyond the scope of their roster.

After Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush, Bell is the only back on the roster with any game experience. 

Bell was primarily a backup in Denver but did start three games.  He averaged 4.3 yards per carry and scored eight touchdowns on just 157 carries as a rookie.

Like Thomas, he does not have issues with fumbling the ball.

 

8. The Saints will finish in the top 15 in total defense.

Believe it or not, the Saints have accomplished this feat three times this decade. They were eighth in 2000, 14th in 2005, and 11th in 2006.

This year’s defense is probably the most talented Saints defense since 2000. That team featured feared pass rushers Joe Johnson, La’Roi Glover and Darren Howard.  They also had pro bowl linebackers Mark Fields and Keith Mitchell and strong safety Sammy Knight.

This year’s defense replaces injury-prone players like Hollis Thomas and Brian Young and appears to have a much better secondary than last year’s.

Middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma is as solid as they come and the pass defense appears much improved.

 

9. Garrett Hartley will be an asset in the kicking game.

In eight games Hartley made all 13 field goal and all 28 extra point attempts.  While he didn’t attempt any field goals from beyond 47 yards, he proved to be reliable. 

This year I expect coach Sean Payton to test Hartley’s range and allow him to attempt field goals in excess of 50 yards. 

 

10. The New Orleans Saints will finish with a record of…

 …10-6 and earn a wild card berth. 

The Saints will lose the division in a tie-breaker to the 10-6 Atlanta Falcons.

This team is talented enough to win 11 or 12 games, but the Saints have to figure out how to win on the road. The Saints went a spectacular 6-2 on the road in 2006, an acceptable 4-4 on the road in 2007, but a horrible 2-6 on the road in 2008.

The only games they won on the road last year (not counting the “home game” in London) were against lowly Kansas City and historically bad Detroit.

The overall schedule is a killer too. 

The bye comes too early (week 5), and they have to face the NFC East and the AFC East. 

The silver lining in the schedule is that Tampa Bay appears to be down this year and many of the tougher games (New England, Dallas and New York Giants) are at home. 

The toughest non-divisional road game looks to be in week two when the Saints are Philadelphia’s home opener.

 

There you have it — ten Saintly predictions. 

I can’t don’t want to make any playoff predictions yet because I don’t know who the opponents are going to be. My crystal ball runs on Windows and I haven’t upgraded to the playoff edition yet.

Of course, I only really care that the last one comes true. It doesn’t matter how they get to the playoffs as long as they get there.

Fleur-De-Lis Fever | 10 Predictions For the New Orleans Saints

The Saints summer break is almost over.

Training camp begins in less than three weeks.

Optimism is oozing out of from every Saints’ message board.

People calling into sports talk radio shows across Louisiana are hoping for a Super Bowl parade.

I guess it’s time to dust off the ol’ crystal ball and make some black and gold predictions.

 

1. Drew Brees will not lead the league in passing yardage.

Sorry to start off in such a negative fashion. It gets better. I promise.

Brees has been either first or second in the league in passing yardage in each of his three years in New Orleans. Because of improvements in the running game and the defense, Brees won’t have to throw as much this season as he did in seasons past. 

Philip Rivers, Brees’ former backup, will take Brees’ title as the passing leader.

 

2. The Saints will improve their turnover ratio from -4 to +4.

It’s not so much that the Saints turned the ball over at a high rate last season, it’s that their defense didn’t force a whole lot of them.

The defense only forced ten fumbles (29th in the league) the entire season and picked off 15 passes (t-11th). Of course, three of those interceptions came in a freakishly good game against the Green Bay Packers.

Gregg Williams promises a more aggressive defense. That should translate into more sacks and turnovers.

Also, Pierre Thomas should be handling the bulk of the carries for the first time in his career. He has only fumbled one time.

 

3. Jahri Evans and Marques Colston will each make their first Pro Bowl.

It’s amazing to me that Evans has never made the pro bowl even as an alternate.  Evans is often described as being the best offensive lineman on the squad. While his fellow linemen seem to always get whistled for pre-snap and holding penalties, Evans hardly does.

A healthy season means another 1,000+ yards for Marques Colston. The competition for the pro bowl has become a little less fierce with Terrell Owens, Torry Holt, and Plaxico Burress all exiting the conference.

 

4. Will Smith will have 10 sacks.

I think this happens whether or not Smith gets suspended for four games this season. 

Smith took the criticism like a man last season. He did not complain or talk about his injuries until after the season. Smith will look to put 2008 in the rear view mirror and have a great 2009.

 

5. Roman Harper will have at least 100 tackles.

Harper is the classic “in the box” safety. He is the poor man’s Roy Williams. He’s not great in coverage but is an asset in run support.

For the past two seasons, the free safety combo of Josh Bullocks and Kevin Kaesviharn has been one of the worst in the NFL.

To watch them in pass coverage was like watching a bunch of kids playing tag and they were the slow kid who was always it.

Now the active career leader in interceptions, Darren Sharper, patrols that back of the defense. This will allow Gregg Williams to play Harper closer to the line.

He won’t overtake Jonathan Vilma for the team lead in tackles, but he’ll easily finish in second for the third year in a row.

 

6. Tracy Porter will lead the team with four interceptions.

Interceptions are sometimes a misleading statistic, especially for cornerbacks. If an offense notices a weakness in a team’s pass defense, they are going to throw more often to that side of the field.

Jason David got the most interceptions last year because he got a lot of opportunities. This doesn’t all of a sudden make him the Saints’ best cornerback.

Other times, cornerbacks get a lot of interceptions because they are really good. Eric Allen, Deion Sanders, and Darrell Green immediately come to mind.

I think Porter will benefit from being picked on and being really good. Porter is essentially a rookie since he only played in five games last year. He will get picked on as the Saints’ second corner.

He will also prove to be really good and make opposing quarterbacks pay for their mistakes.

 

7. Mike Bell will be the Saints’ solution to the their short-yardage woes.

If the Saints are still looking for a back to fill their need for a short-yardage back, they shouldn’t look beyond the scope of their roster.

After Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush, Bell is the only back on the roster with any game experience. 

Bell was primarily a backup in Denver but did start three games.  He averaged 4.3 yards per carry and scored eight touchdowns on just 157 carries as a rookie.

Like Thomas, he does not have issues with fumbling the ball.

 

8. The Saints will finish in the top 15 in total defense.

Believe it or not, the Saints have accomplished this feat three times this decade. They were eighth in 2000, 14th in 2005, and 11th in 2006.

This year’s defense is probably the most talented Saints defense since 2000. That team featured feared pass rushers Joe Johnson, La’Roi Glover and Darren Howard.  They also had pro bowl linebackers Mark Fields and Keith Mitchell and strong safety Sammy Knight.

This year’s defense replaces injury-prone players like Hollis Thomas and Brian Young and appears to have a much better secondary than last year’s.

Middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma is as solid as they come and the pass defense appears much improved.

 

9. Garrett Hartley will be an asset in the kicking game.

In eight games Hartley made all 13 field goal and all 28 extra point attempts.  While he didn’t attempt any field goals from beyond 47 yards, he proved to be reliable. 

This year I expect coach Sean Payton to test Hartley’s range and allow him to attempt field goals in excess of 50 yards. 

 

10. The New Orleans Saints will finish with a record of…

 …10-6 and earn a wild card berth. 

The Saints will lose the division in a tie-breaker to the 10-6 Atlanta Falcons.

This team is talented enough to win 11 or 12 games, but the Saints have to figure out how to win on the road. The Saints went a spectacular 6-2 on the road in 2006, an acceptable 4-4 on the road in 2007, but a horrible 2-6 on the road in 2008.

The only games they won on the road last year (not counting the “home game” in London) were against lowly Kansas City and historically bad Detroit.

The overall schedule is a killer too. 

The bye comes too early (week 5), and they have to face the NFC East and the AFC East. 

The silver lining in the schedule is that Tampa Bay appears to be down this year and many of the tougher games (New England, Dallas and New York Giants) are at home. 

The toughest non-divisional road game looks to be in week two when the Saints are Philadelphia’s home opener.

 

There you have it — ten Saintly predictions. 

I can’t don’t want to make any playoff predictions yet because I don’t know who the opponents are going to be. My crystal ball runs on Windows and I haven’t upgraded to the playoff edition yet.

Of course, I only really care that the last one comes true. It doesn’t matter how they get to the playoffs as long as they get there.

Here’s The Best NFL Team a Salary Cap Can Buy: Defense and Specialists

It is the challenge of every NFL front office to draft and sign the best players and still remain under the salary cap. A team can usually only sign one or two highly priced free agents every year.

I’m picking my ultimate fantasy team but with the restriction of staying within the salary cap. This year’s cap is $127 million.

I value young players just entering their prime over older veterans who have one or two prime years left.  The younger players, unless they are recent top 10 picks, are cheaper than accomplished veterans in their early 30’s.

I also try my best to avoid players who have had multiple off-field issues or who come across as me-first players.

When I build a defense, I used a 4-3 scheme because more teams in the league use a 4-3 than a 3-4.  Because of this, I left out players like DeMarcus Ware who fit much better in a 3-4 than a 4-3.

As you’ll discover, however, this doesn’t mean I excluded all players currently in a 3-4 scheme.

If you missed my offense, click here.

 

Defensive Ends

Justin Tuck—estimated cap figure: $6 million. Age 26.

In his first season as a full-time starter, Tuck turned out an All-Pro year.  He recorded 12 sacks and forced three fumbles.  His tackle total of 52 is good for a defensive end and indicates that he’s focused on both the run and pass.

Robert Mathis—estimated cap charge: $6.86 million. Age 28.

I scratch my head as to why Raheem Brock starts over Mathis for the Colts.  Mathis’ numbers are clearly better. 

Anyway, Mathis starts for my team. He has averaged 10 sacks per season since his second year, and he has an eye-popping 30 forced fumbles in just six seasons. 

Backups—Mathias Kiwanuka, Bobby McCray (estimated total cap figure $4 million).

 

Defensive Tackles

Haloti Ngata—estimated cap figure: $2 million. Age 25.

This guy’s stats are not that impressive, but all he does is push one or two interior offensive linemen backwards for an entire game. Talk about a linebacker’s best friend.

Sedrick Ellis—estimated cap figure: $3.9 million. Age 24.

As a rookie, Ellis recorded four sacks in 13 games even though he had very little help around him.  Ellis will only get better each of the next few years as he becomes more acclimated to the NFL game and enters his prime years.

Backups– Fred Evans, Spencer Johnson (total estimated cap figure $3 million)

 

Linebackers

Patrick Willis—estimated cap figure: $2.25 million. Age 24.

Willis is already considered to be among the elite middle linebackers in the game today.  He is a tackling machine and has yet to miss a game in two seasons.  He made the All-Pro team as a rookie.

Chad Greenway—estimated cap figure: $1.5 million. Age 26.

When he was drafted two years ago, Greenway was older than most rookies.  This likely served as an advantage in his transition from college to the pros.

Greenway gives my team another tackling machine, this time at the strong side.  His five and a half sacks last year prove that he’s effective in blitz situations.

Thomas Davis—estimated cap figure: $2.2 million. Age 26.

Davis brings speed and athleticism as a weakside linebacker.  Davis is a perfect fit for covering some of the faster running backs coming out of the backfield.

Backups—Xavier Adibi, Dan Connor, Omar Gaither (total estimated cap figure $1.5 million).

 

Cornerbacks

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie—estimated cap figure: $1.5 million. Age 23.

If Rodgers-Cromartie isn’t the fastest player in the league, he’s close to it.  He was able to use his speed to help him make up for some rookie coverage mistakes. He will only get better with experience.

He intercepted four passes and had a 99-yard touchdown last year.

Aaron Ross—estimated cap figure: $1.7 million. Age 26.

Ross is a solid corner who was a important part of a Super Bowl-winning team. In each of his two seasons, he has three interceptions and one touchdown.

Backups—Samari Rolle, Corey Ivy, Tim Jennings, David Jones (total estimated cap figure $4.5 million)

 

Strong Safety

Quintin Mikell—estimated cap figure: $950,000. Age 28.

Mikell is a late bloomer who was a backup for the first four seasons have his career. He started all 16 games for the first time last season and responded with a stellar season.  He had 90 tackles, two forced fumbles and three interceptions.

Backup—Jordan Babineaux (estimated cap figure $1.8 million)

 

Free Safety

Ed Reed—estimated cap figure: $7.5 million. Age 30.

This defense may be calling Reed “Grandpa” since he’s almost 31, but he is the best free safety in the game and is showing no signs of slowing down.

Reed is a four-time All-Pro and ranks third among active players with 43 career interceptions.  His 11 career touchdowns prove that he also always a threat to score.

Backup—Danieal Manning (estimated cap figure $900,000)

 

Place Kicker

Jeff Reed—estimated cap figure: $1.5 million. Age 30.

Paying over a million dollars for a kicker may seem like a lot until you notice that Rob Bironas makes over $3 million.

Even though Pittsburgh is not the easiest place to kick field goals, Reed has been successful.  He has made over 90 percent of his field goals inside 40 yards and has made over half of his field goals outside of 50 yards.

Reed has made 17 field goals in the postseason and can kick in this league for another decade.

 

Punter

Mike Scifres—estimated cap figure: $1 million. Age 28.

Scifres has a strong leg and does an excellent job pinning his punts inside the 20-yard line. He’s only had one punt blocked in his career.

 

Kick/Punt Returner

Josh Cribbs—estimated cap charge: $900,000. Age 26.

Cribbs is great as a kick returner and a punt returner.  He has at least one kick return for a touchdown in each of his four seasons.  He also plays on kick and punt coverage teams.

Cribbs will be my fifth or sixth receiver and would be able to concentrate the vast majority of his time working on the return game.

I know that he is looking for a bigger, better contract, but he won’t be making near the $10 million per year that Devin Hester is making.

I have spent an estimated $55.46 million on my defense and special teams. Just as with my offense, many of my defensive players are still on their rookie contracts. 

This means that I am getting them at a bargain now, but I am going to have to make huge decisions in a few years as to who I keep and who I let go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s The Best NFL Team a Salary Cap Can Buy: Offense

It is the challenge of every NFL front office to draft and sign the best players and still remain under the salary cap.  A team can usually only sign one or two highly priced free agents every year.

I’m picking my ultimate fantasy team but with the restriction of staying within the salary cap. This year’s cap is $127 million.

I value young players just entering their prime over older veterans who have one or two prime years left.  The younger players, unless they are recent top 10 picks, are cheaper than accomplished veterans in their early 30’s.

I also try my best to avoid players who have had multiple off-field issues or who come across as me-first players.

When I build my offense, I allow myself to have a franchise quarterback, one dominant wide receiver, and a couple of well-above-average offensive linemen.

I focus my dollars on the passing game rather than a power running game because that is the trend in today’s NFL. The last Hall of Fame-caliber running back to win the Super Bowl was Marshall Faulk in 1999 with the St. Louis Rams.

Also, elite wide receivers tend to have more prime years than elite running backs (ask people who play in fantasy keeper leagues).

 

Quarterbacks

Philip Rivers- estimated cap figure: $9 million. Age 27. 

Rivers passed for just over 4,000 yards and threw for 34 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions in 2008.

Rivers’ youth, playoff experience, and prolific passing numbers make him my choice as the quarterback I would build my team around. 

His gutsy performance in the 2007 AFC championship game solidified his status as the unquestioned leader of his team.

Rivers will be looking for an extension this season and is worthy of the eight-year, $100 million contract he’s seeking.

Backups: Troy Smith, Matt Flynn ($1 million estimated total cap figure).

 

Running Backs

Matt Forte– estimated cap figure: $773,533. Age 23.

Forte proved that he can handle the load as the lead back by gaining over 1,200 yards and leading the team in receptions and touchdowns.

His versatility allows him to be on the field in passing situations and is a much cheaper alternative to Adrian Peterson, Maurice Jones-Drew, and Michael Turner.

Felix Jones-estimated cap figure: $1.5 million. Age 22.

In today’s NFL, it helps to spread the running load to a change-of-pace back and Jones fits the bill nicely. 

In games as Dallas’ change-of-pace back, he averaged almost nine yards per carry and scored three touchdowns.

He is also useful as a kick returner.

Backups: Shonn Greene, Jacob Hester ($1 million estimated total cap figure).

 

Fullback

Le’Ron McClain- estimated cap figure: $500,000. Age 24

McClain filled in for injured running backs Willis McGahee and Ray Rice and led the Ravens in rushing last season.

 

Wide Receivers

Andre Johnson- estimated cap figure: $6 million. Age 28 by the start of the season.

Johnson led the league in receptions and yards last season.  Let’s see what he can do with a franchise quarterback tossing him the ball.

Dwayne Bowe- estimated cap figure: $1 million. Age 24.

Bowe had 1,000 yards with a bunch of second rate quarterbacks passing him the ball. He will improve each season with Rivers.

Backups: Wes Welker, Devery Henderson, Demetrius Byrd ($5.5 million estimated total cap figure)

 

Tight Ends

Chris Cooley- estimated cap figure: $2.6 million. Age 27 by the start of the season.

Cooley posted career highs in receptions and yards last year but only had one touchdown. 

The Washington Post reported the Cooley was double-teamed consistently over the team’s final 12 games.  That should not be an issue in this offense.

Backups: Anthony Fasano, Zach Miller ($1 million estimated total cap figure).

 

Left Tackles

Ryan Clady– estimated cap figure: $2.1 million.  Age 23 one week before the season starts.

Clady is sometimes overlooked in favor of Joe Thomas and Jake Long but is just as good as those players and considerably cheaper.

Backup: Chris Williams ($500,000 estimated total cap figure).

 

Left Guards

Arron Sears- estimated cap figure: $500,000. Age 24.

Sears has started all 31 games in his career for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at left guard, and he’s considered to be one of the best young guards in the league.

Backup: Carl Nicks ($400,000 total estimated cap figure).

 

Center

Nick Mangold- estimated cap figure: $1.6 million. Age 25.

He has started every single game from day one.  Some consider him to already be the best center in football.  Who wouldn’t take a legitimate top five center for less than $2 million?

Backup: None

 

Right Guard

Jahri Evans- estimated cap figure: $2.792 million. Age 25.

Just like Mangold, Evans has started all 48 games in his career.  Evans is unique as a right guard in that he is an excellent pass protector.

Backup: Mark Setterstrom ($500,000 estimated total cap figure).

 

Right Tackle

Eric Winston– estimated cap figure: $3.2 million. Age 25.

There aren’t a whole lot of really good right tackles in the NFL, but Winston is one of them.  He, along with Evans, help to provide Rivers an excellent pocket on the right side.

Backup: Ryan O’Callaghan ($510,000 total estimated cap figure).

 

So far, I have spent about $42 million on my offense. That’s not bad at all since that leaves me about $85 million for my defense and specialists.

My frugal spending on this year’s offense is indicative of the fact that I need to save money for the next couple of years.

Rivers’ cap number will likely soar next season to anywhere between $11-16 million when I sign him to a Big Ben-type deal.

Most of my offensive players are still in their rookie contracts which means I am getting a bargain right now. 

Over the next couple of years, I’m going to want to lock up players such as Clady, Mangold, and possibly Forte to long, rich contracts.

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