Projecting the Jaguars Starters: Defense

(Photo Credit- AP/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

A few days ago I wrote an article where I projected the starters for the Jacksonville Jaguars offense. Today, we will be covering the defense. Just as a side note for this article, the Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley is a big believer in using rotations. So while the people I’m going to list might be snap one starters, most of these positions- especially on the defensive line and linebackers- will be a revolving door. With that being said, lets get to it.

Defensive End/LEO- Chris Clemons

Clemons was one of the big name signings for the Jaguars in the off-season. Clemons had a slow year in 2013 due to injury, but the Jaguars hope that reuniting him with his former defensive coordinator Gus Bradley will help him return to his old ways of averaging 11 sacks a season. Clemons, a seasoned veteran, was also brought in to be a good locker room presence and show the young guys how to act and play like a professional and Super Bowl champion.

Defensive Tackle- Sen’Derrick Marks

Marks proved to be one of the best 2012 off-season pickups for the Jaguars. He was a constant force in the middle and he played well enough to earn himself a big contract this off-season. There is no doubt in my mind that he will be a day one starter and will make a huge impact again this season.

Defensive Tackle- Ziggy Hood

Hood came over from Pittsburgh this off-season. He and Marks should make a good team in the middle. The combination has the potential to be like the Jaguar glory days when Marcus Stroud and John Henderson plugged up the middle. Hood has more than proved himself in his 6 year career and moving back to the middle should help improve his stats.

Defensive End- Red Bryant

Bryant followed his teammate Chris Clemons from Seattle to Jacksonville. The reunion with their former defensive coordinator Gus Bradley should make the transition easier since they will be in the same defensive scheme. Bryant has a proven track record and should be a solid day one starter.

Outside Linebacker- Dekoda Watson

Watson spent the first four years of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, while in Tampa he was never a starter. He comes to Jacksonville with the opportunity to be a day one starter. I expect him to take full advantage of the opportunity and make a name for himself. Like I said though the defensive line and linebackers will be part of a mass rotation so everybody will get playing time.

Middle Linebacker- Paul Posluszny

Poz has been the anchor of this Jaguar defense since he arrived in 2011. Last season he recorded a career high 162 tackles. He is without a doubt one of the most underrated defensive players in the league. Even with the rotations that the Jags like to run, Poz is one of the guys that doesn’t miss many snaps. Barring an injury, he will 100% be a day one starter.

Outside Linebacker- Geno Hayes

Geno Hayes started 14 games for the Jaguars last season and recorded 78 tackles in the process. Unless someone makes a big push during the preseason, Hayes will be a starter week one.

Corner- Dwayne Gratz

Gratz started eight games last season for the Jags and played pretty well. He missed some of the season with an injury. If he comes back healthy, he will definitely be a starter on day one.

Corner- Alan Ball

Really outside of Gratz I don’t believe there is a guaranteed starter at corner for the Jags. Ball played pretty well last season and I think gave himself the opportunity to be the front runner for the number two corner spot.

Free Safety- Johnathan Cyprien

Cyprien played pretty well last season for a rookie. He would have moments of brilliance, and then the next play would give up a huge play. He is the type of safety you want on your team. He is fast, reckless, and can lay the wood (anybody that doesn’e believe me just search on youtube ” Johnathan Cyprien highlights”). As long as he cuts down the mistakes this season, he should be fine. He is for sure the safety of the future for the Jags.

Strong Safety- Winston Guy

This is one of the most talked about position battles for the Jags heading into training camp. For most of last season, Winston Guy and Josh Evans split reps at strong safety. In my mind there is no clear cut winner. It will be interesting to see how the battle progresses through the preseason. I give Guy the edge because he is a little big bigger and more physical and Bradley loves big guys that can hit hard.

So this in my mind, is who the Jaguars will line up with on day one. It will be interesting to see how things shake out!

 

Follow me on Twitter- @Gator0595

Projecting the Giants Starters: Special Teams

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

With training camp just around the corner, we here at Pro Football 366 want to take a look at the potential starters for each team. Today’s team: The New York Giants.

Check out the Projected Giants Offensive Starters here.

Check out the Projected Giants Defensive Starters here.

Kicker- Josh Brown

Josh Brown had a solid season last year kicking for the Giants. He made 23/26 FG attempts and all of his extra point attempts. He also nailed 35 touchbacks on 70 kickoffs. Barring an injury he will be the Giants kicker next season.

Punter- Steve Weatherford

Steve Weatherford was busy last season. The Giants spiraling offense led to many punts and Steve Weatherford turned out to be one of the lone bright spots on the Giants last season. He is also a very good holder on field goals. I look forward to many punts inside the twenty this season from Weatherford.

Long Snapper- Zak DeOssie

Zak DeOssie has been an excellent long snapper for the Giants for many years. He is always the first one down to make a tackle on punts and he is the captain of the special teams unit. Zak DeOssie is a true New York Giant.

Kick Returner- Trindon Holliday

Trindon Holliday has been a force to be reckoned with on special teams the past few seasons. He does have a fumbling problem which would drive Tom Coughlin mad but if he could get them under control then he will make this team and be the kick returner.

Punt Returner- Odell Beckham Jr. 

One of the many intangibles that Odell Beckham Jr. brings to the table is his ability to return kicks and punts. He has good speed and in college he constantly put the LSU offense in good field position to score.

Can The Patriots Get Back To Their Old Ways?

(Photo Credit- AP)

The New England Patriots are an interesting team coming into this season. After losing last season in the AFC Championship game to the Broncos 26-16, you have to think that they will be coming out hungry and ready to get their revenge. To start, they have beefed up their defense by adding corner Darrelle Revis among others. However, one thing that remains a concern for the Patriots is their offense. They just don’t seem interested in beefing up the wide receiving corp. There is potential there however. If Danny Amendola and Rob Gronkowski can stay healthy this year they will definitely have some of the pieces of a dangerous offense. However, they just don’t seem to have a big guy on the outside that can be a true game changer. In my opinion, this is one of the biggest parts of any offense.

Pretenders or Contenders: Baltimore Ravens

AP

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be analyzing all 32 teams and telling you why they will or won’t be playing in January.

Today we will be analyzing the Superbowl XLVII champion Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens were a team that was coming off of the dreaded Superbowl hangover. After making the playoffs 5 years in a row, the team finished just 8-8.

Fantasy Football: Breaking Down the Top Ten Tight Ends

(Photo Credit: John Paulsen, 4for4)

Pro Football 366 has broken down the top ten quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers. Naturally, the top ten tight ends would follow.

I have a huge SPOILER ALERT to start things off: If you couldn’t tell by the picture, Jimmy Graham is my number one ranked tight end. Not only is he the number one ranked tight end right now, but Graham finished 55 points better than the next tight end (Vernon Davis) in an ESPN standard league.

The main problem with the tight end position is that there is only one Jimmy Graham. If your not picking in the middle of the second round, you probably won’t have the chance to draft him. So you need to find a guy that can just be reliable every week. If you play in a standard league, eight points from a tight end is a solid week. Six tight ends averaged 7.9 (basically 8) points a game or better last season. One of those guys, Tony Gonzalez, retired. The tight end position is thin and they are often drafted too early. I’d recommend setting some rules to your draft strategy. Don’t pick a tight end in the first four rounds unless its Graham or Thomas. And don’t be afraid to pick a guy a round early later in the draft.

With all that being said, lets jump into the top ten tight ends.

Check out the rest of our TE Rankings.
Check out our 2014 Fantasy Draft Kit for more information on drafting and rankings.

Projecting the Jaguars Starters: Offense

(Photo Credit: Espn.com)

Training camp is just around the corner so we here at pro football 366 are going to be taking a look at all 32 teams and predict their starters. Today we will cover the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Quarterback- Chad Henne

Henne started last year and played average. He was great at padding up his stats in a blow out but would make critical mistakes late in close games. With a revamped offensive line and receiving corp, offensive line, and run game hopefully Henne can take his game to the next level.

Running Back- Toby Gerhart

Gerhart was brought in from Minnesota to be the starter. He hasn’t had to take a full load because he was behind the super human known as Adrian Peterson. However, all the Jaguar coaches have had nothing but high praises for Gerhart and they said he has the potential to be a “cowbell”.

Left Tackle- Luke Joeckel

Joeckel went down with an injury last season that kept him out the last 11 games of the season. He should be 100% and good to go on opening day. Joeckel had some troubles last season switching to right tackle then back to left tackle. He did however show signs that he can be a dominant tackle for years to come.

Left Guard- Zane Beadles

 The Jaguars are paying Beadles a lot of money to come in and be an anchor on this young offensive line. He is one of the best guards in the game and I fully expect him to dominate this season.

Center- Mike Brewster

Brewster played at guard last year. He has been sitting behind long time Jaguar center Brad Meester, but with Meester retiring he is poised to step in and be the starter. The Jaguar coaches seem confident that Brewster can be a solid center for years to come.

Right Guard- Brandon Linder

I think the rookie will get the nod for right guard on opening day. Hopefully he will prove that he deserves the starting spot this training camp and pre season. Right now he is the starter because of the lack of competition behind him.

Right Tackle- Austin Pasztor

Pasztor, a second year undrafted player started 12 games for the Jags last season and played very well. He has impressed the coaching staff and has most likely earned the starting day nod.

Tight End- Marcedes Lewis

At 6’6, Lewis provides a great safety blanket for any quarterback. Lewis had a pro bowl season in 2009 but then fell off production wise after that due to a revolving door of coaches and play books. Lewis is looking to have a breakout season with the improved offense.

Wide Receiver #1- Cecil Shorts

Shorts had a very productive season last year. Once concern with him has been his health later in the season. With the improved receiving corp I think he is poised to have a breakout year.

Wide Receiver #2- Allen Robinson

Robinson gets the nod for the #2 receiver spot for me over Marqise Lee because of his size. Shorts and Lee are both 6’0 and small so having the 6’3 210lbs Robinson starting opposite of Shorts will provide Henne with a big Anquan Boldin “go up and get it” type of  reciever.

Wide Receiver #3- Marqise Lee

Lee has a great build to be a productive slot receiver. It will be a stiff competition between him and Ace Sanders for the slot position, but in the end I predict Lee winning the battle. The Jags will be running a lot of four receiver sets this year so all of the receivers should get production.

Hopefully the Jags will have a great bounce back season. Keep following pro football 366 for more great articles!

 

Follow me on twitter- @Gator0595

Potential Stadium Issues Loom for Raiders

Photo Credit: sfgate.com

The Oakland Athletics have added an additional ten years to their lease at the O.co Coliseum.  Hearing that in passing it may not seem like a big deal. However, this puts the Oakland Raiders, the shared tenants of the O.co Coliseum, in a huge bind going forward as they want to build a new stadium.

The original plan was to let the lease of the O.co Coliseum run out at the end of 2015, knock it down, and build two new stadiums (one for baseball and one for football) where the old stadium was. Since the Athletics have agreed to play in the O.co Coliseum for ten more years, that plan is completely squashed.

Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis has been clear saying that he wants a new stadium in which the Raiders are the only tenants, not a shared stadium with the Athletics. He says the only way to do that is for the stadium “to come down. So (the Athletics) staying does make a problem, there’s no two ways about it.”

If the Raiders can’t get their way in Oakland there is definitely an outside chance that they move out of the Bay Area. Obviously the original plan was for them to stay in Oakland, but if a new deal can’t get done then who’s to say they don’t pack up and move back to Los Angeles? That may be the only option for the Raiders unless they want to stay in the O.co Coliseum for another ten years.

Another potential option is the Raiders temporarily moving in with the San Francisco 49ers at the brand new Levi’s Stadium until a new stadium in Oakland is complete. However, the Raiders already said that they want a building in which they are the lone tenants so this may not be an option.

The Raiders are definitely in a bad situation in this and the future of football in Oakland is murky right now. This will surely be an interesting story to keep an eye on.

Projecting the Giants Starters: Defense

MADDIE MEYER/GETTY IMAGES

With training camp just around the corner, we here at Pro Football 366 want to take a look at the potential starters for each team. Today’s team: The New York Giants.

Check out the Projected Giants Offensive Starters here.

Right Defensive End- Jason Pierre-Paul

Jason Pierre-Paul is now entering his fifth season in the NFL and it just so happens that this is a contract year for him. After bursting onto the seam in 2011 with 16.5 sacks he has had two lackluster seasons to follow. I am expecting big things from Jason Pierre-Paul this season.

Defensive Tackle 1- Cullen Jenkins

With Linval Joseph signing with the Vikings via free agency Cullen Jenkins is now the number 1 DT on the Giants. He is a versatile pass rusher who can even slide outside and play defensive end if needed. I expect a better season from Jenkins this year.

Defensive Tackle 2- Jonathan Hankins

Jonathan Hankins is a big body who can stuff up the gap. He is entering his second year in the league and big things are expected from him. I think he will rise up to the challenge and take that second DT spot.

Left Defensive End- Damontre Moore

For the first time in well over a decade the Giants have a question mark at the left end position. For years Michael Strahan dominated as one of the best pass rushers in Giants history. His successor, Justin Tuck, was a more than capable replacement and was a great leader of the defense. It is now time to pass the torch to the future who is Damontre Moore. There will be a competition between Moore and Robert Ayers but at the end of the day I believe Moore will get the job.

Strongside Linebacker- Jameel McClain

The Giants signed an excellent player when they got Jameel McClain from Baltimore this offseason. McClain is a good leader and a versatile player. He is very good against the run and is a tackling machine. He is going to help this team this season.

Middle Linebacker- Jon Beason

Jerry Reese got a steal when he traded a 7th round for a franchise MLB in Jon Beason. Beason is now the defense’s signal caller and is definitely in consideration to become one of the captains of the defense. He did break his foot during OTA’s which does put his Week 1 availability in some doubt, but he will still be available and effective in the majority of the games this season.

Weakside Linebacker- Spencer Paysinger

Many people like Jacquian Williams in this spot because of his speed and athleticism but I am giving the nod to Paysinger here. Paysinger has always been willing to do whatever it takes to help the team win, whether it be special teams or regular duty linebacker. He is less injury prone than Williams and he averaged close to five tackles per game last season and I expect that production to go up this season.

Left Cornerback- Prince Amukamara

Since Prince Amukamara was drafted in the first round of the 2011 draft he has been a solid cornerback in the NFL. He is a good tackler and he is a good cover corner. He has done a very good job and I believe that he will continue to do a very good job for the New York Giants.

Right Cornerback- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

When Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie decided to sign with the Giants this offseason I was elated. He has had a very interesting career with stints in Arizona, Philadelphia, and Denver but I think that he can make the Giants his long term home. He will be the guy who we can stick on Dez Bryant and DeSean Jackson when we play the Cowboys and Redskins. This is the number one cornerback the Giants have needed for a while.

Strong Safety- Antrel Rolle

For the past few seasons Antrel Rolle has been the vocal leader of the New York Giants. He isn’t afraid to call people out or talk trash. He backs up what he says and he plays at a high level. He is entering a contract year so I expect more big things from Rolle this season.

Free Safety- Stevie Brown

This probably would have been Will Hill’s position before he was released after a third suspension in as many seasons for substance abuse. However, Stevie Brown is just as good as Will Hill when he is 100% healthy and he is the “ball-hawk” type safety that can really be a game changer for the Giants. If his torn ACL is healed (which it should be) I think Brown will pick up right where he left off in 2012.

Pretenders or Contenders: Atlanta Falcons

PHOTO CREDIT: CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be analyzing all 32 teams and telling you why they will or won’t be playing in January.

One of the toughest teams to analyze has to be the Atlanta Falcons. Over the last six years the Falcons have posted just one losing season, with four playoff appearances. However, the Falcons are just 1-4 in the playoffs they were viewed as perennial contenders and a NFC superpower up until this year.

My biggest concern with this team is we don’t know what team is going to show up. We could very easily see the 2008-2012 Falcons who could contend with anyone, or we can see this years version of the team who other than Matt Ryan, couldn’t seem to get anything done.

Offensively the Falcons should be able to score points with a top tier quarterback, and a duo of top receivers. The only thing different this year is who is playing tight end, and can Steven Jackson actually replace Michael Turner after failing to do so last year. The Falcons suffered some major injuries last year in Julio Jones missing more than half of the season and with Roddy White and Jackson being banged up for a decent portion of the year this offense never seemed to get going.

However three skill players were not the biggest difference for this team. Through Ryans career he has never been sacked more than 28 times before 2013 in which he was sacked a whopping 44 times. Their GM Thomas Dimitroff did take action trying to prevent this from happening again by drafted one of the most polished offensive lineman in the draft in Jake Matthews.

During Matthews college career he was forced to block for a sandlot style QB in Johnny Manziel so he should have no problem protecting a less erratic QB in Ryan. I would say realistically the team should be able to lower its sacks allowed to the 25-30 range, If this happens and the all of the talent around Ryan stays upright this team could easily post 24-31 points a game.

However that might not be enough to win more than 8 games if the defense doesn’t improve. After ranking 27th in points allowed a year ago there should not be much optimism for this group. There were some impact rookies last year in Desmond Trufant and Paul Worillow but they are not at the stages of their careers respectively where they can handle carrying a defense.

The Falcons are counting on Tyson Jackson and Paul Soliai to be impact players just months after signing them off the street. The problem with free agency is there is a reason the player is no longer being sought after by their former team, whether it be monetary, attitude or play related. This is why we see year after year players who are projected to be excellent fall flat on their face with horrible seasons. I would be safe by saying if one of these players does not play up to expectations the defensive line for the Falcons will be in the lower tier once again.

All in all I see the Falcons missing the playoffs again this year.. There are far to many question marks with not enough clear answers. I feel a 7-9 to 8-8 season is the best case scenario for a team that suddenly sees itself in transition.

Projecting the Giants Starters: Offense

Image via Football Schedule/Flickr

With training camp just around the corner, we here at Pro Football 366 want to take a look at the potential starters for each team. Today’s team: The New York Giants.

Quarterback: Eli Manning

Unless he gets injured in training camp or preseason Eli Manning will be the Week 1 starter for the New York Giants. This offseason he did have surgery on his ankle but he is believed to already be 100%. After a rough season last year Eli Manning will be looking to restablish himself as an elite Quarterback in the NFL once again.

Running Back: Rashad Jennings

The backfield of the New York Giants has the potential to be interesting. With the signing of Rashad Jennings and the questions surrounding David Wilson’s health the Giants should have a good competition brewing in training camp. While Peyton Hillis, Andre Williams, and Michael Cox are all on the roster, I believe the starting job is between Jennings and Wilson. I give the slight nod to Jennings simply because we know he is 100% healthy.

Fullback: John Conner

While the fullback may be a dying position in the NFL, it is still an important position for the New York Giants. The Giants also have a tough decision to make at this position in training camp as Henry Hynoski and John Conner are going to be competing for the lone fullback spot on the roster. It will be a competitive race that I think Conner will come out ahead in simply because of his ability to move people in the hole.

Wide Receiver 1: Victor Cruz

This is probably the second easiest position to project on the Giants after Eli Manning. Victor Cruz is entering his fifth season in the NFL (fourth full season) and he has come out and said that he wants to be a leader on the offense. He will have that opportunity this coming season.

Wide Receiver 2: Rueben Randle

The Giants took Odell Beckham Jr. with the twelfth pick in the draft this past May. However, Rueben Randle will still be ahead of Beckham Jr. on the depth chart for at least the first part of the season. Randle had a very good year last season and has a somewhat similar playing style to Hakeem Nicks who was not re-signed after a poor season last year.

Tight End: Larry Donnell

This is the position on the Giants that is absolutely wide open. Every player on the roster is essentially competing for the starting job. When all is said and done I believe that it will be Donnell who comes out on top. He has been in the Giants system for a few years now and Jerry Reese has always been very high on him.

Left Tackle: Will Beatty

If Will Beatty is healthy come week 1 then the job is undoubtedly his. He admits to trying to hard to be the hero last year after receiving a big contract and I think he will bounce back and be one of the leaders of the offensive line this season.

Left Guard: Geoff Schwartz

The Giants signed a huge piece to the offensive line puzzle this season when they landed Geoff Schwartz via free agency this season. Schwartz will provide veteran leadership and stability to an offensive line that needs both of those intangibles.

Center: Weston Richburg

When the Giants drafted Richburg in the second round of this year’s draft they drafted the best pure center in the draft. Richburg has a “throwback” style of play and has a very high football IQ. The Giants don’t normally start rookies but they realize that this guy could anchor down the center position for the next ten to twelve years.

Right Guard: Chris Snee

If Snee is healthy then I think that this is his job for one more season. Snee has been the Giants best offensive lineman in recent memory and he feels as if he has unfinished business after his 2013 season was cut short by injuries.

Right Tackle: Justin Pugh

A lot of people are saying that the Giants should move Pugh to guard but I don’t like that idea. Pugh was excellent at right tackle last season and that was as a rookie. It would be wise to let him continue to grow as a player at right tackle before moving him because his confidence has to be high playing there.

 

—

Follow me on twitter: @DanD15