2021 Starters Year in Review

[Nobody]

Well, the tape is apparently just not going to drop for this week's game so I figured I'd put some thoughts down on how I feel about how various players performed in 2021. This is going to be overwhelmingly qualitative, but here are the criteria I'm going to be looking at:

AVAILABILITY - Missing 2 or 3 games won't consequentially impact things. If you miss a month or half a year (or worse), then this will be weighted more heavily in how I'm grading guys.

PERFORMANCE - Straight-forward. Were you consistently assignment-sound? Did you make the number + kind of plays that is expected for your particular position on this team.

CONSISTENCY - Were you broadly consistent across the arc of the season?

CLUTCH - When we needed a play to be made, did you make a play? This is particularly important for positions that are set up to be play-making positions on this team (Edge, ILB, Safety, QB, WR).


I'm going to start with the Defense. Also, I'm not pulling punches here. There will be some Fs. Further, some guy's grades (eg SMB) are going to be overwhelmed by Availability. I'm not copping out with an "NA" grade. If you aren't available, you aren't helping your team. It sucks but, that is one of the primary reasons why you don't draft Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley so early! RBs get injured often and catastrophically!

Alright, starting front and working to the backend. These are prospective starters only (so no JTS or the guys that played a ton of CB this year).

[Nobody]

Jason Pierre-Paul

Grade - F

This one is easy. His availability wasn't there overall and, when it was, it was manufactured (because he played like the corpse of Jason Pierre-Paul due to his injuries and possibly age). He shouldn't have been on the field. He had one game this year (against Chicago) where he played well and was a positive difference-maker. Every other game he was effectively a liability. This was true particularly in Pass Rush (every metric out there puts him at the absolute bottom of the barrel for Edge players in the NFL, but he was uncustomarily extremely bad in the run game as well and he had several catastrophic drops in Pass Coverage (to the tune of 134.2 Passer Rating against).

Outside of Chicago, by every way to measure a player, his play hurt our defensive unit.

[Nobody]

Vita Vea

Grade - B

Despite the fact that he didn't miss much time with his injury, you have to factor in the significant snap count he was on here. If his snap count wasn't throttled back so dramatically (the median snap count for the top 20 iDL in snap count in the NFL is 768...Vita was only 578 by comparison), I'd give him a B+, but that snap count has to impact his 2021 evaluation.

However, his play on the field was truly difference-making and consistently so. He was right around the bottom-end of top 10 iDL in the league (between 10 and 20) in Pass Rush, but he was consistent where other guys are more spikey. Further, most of the guys up there aren't remotely running games (to free Edge players or ILB) to the degree that Vita is, so his production numbers are a bit misleading. This defense runs so many Twists and Stunts and Slants with its Nose. He is a huge difference-maker schematically in the run game if not production-wise. He needs to clean up some of the missed tackle in the run game. He had too many opportunities to create play losses by himself, but he didn't finish. But, overwhelmingly, that isn't what this defense asks from him in the run game. Dominate the Center, re-establish the line of scrimmage a yard deep on singles and make the ball declare in a way it doesn't want to, and hold up against double-teams (which he does amazingly). And when Bowles wants to do it, allow for lighter boxes.


Very good year that could have been elite if not for the availability/snap count issues.

[Nobody]

Ndamukong Suh

Grade - D+

Like Vea, Suh finally saw his snap count diminish significantly for the first time in his career. He's always been an iron man in terms of snap count. Not this year. 687 is about 1.5 games worth of snaps below the median snap count of the top 20 iDL snap counts in the NFL. He's always right near the top. This year, we saw him on the sideline a lot more than he was historically.

And when he was in, he wasn't a difference-maker overall. He had 4 games this year where he played like a difference-maker; ATL * 2, NO (1st game), and NYG. Outside of those 4? He had a few clutch plays in other games but, overall, barely a replacement-level player. His overall Pass Rush metrics are abysmal (nearly JPP-level bad in Win Rate and Pass Rush Productivity). He's next to last in qualifying iDL for Run Stops and his Missed Tackle rate was horrendous. Add to that the loss of his biggest factor (that historically Iron Man snap count), and D+ actually feels charitable.

[Nobody]

William Gholston

Grade - B-

For a Strongside iDL in this defense, he was again an Iron Man (and that position takes a beating). Played all 16 games. His snap count was a little low because we played more sub this year, but really right where it should be (given that he is coming off in sub a lot).

Made a lot of clutch plays, Chi, NO1, and Wash were the only games that he played poorly. Outside of that, he was consistent in both phases and an absolute difference-maker in Pass Rush. Strongside iDL in these defenses don't put up the kind of play-making/pass rush that Gholston did this year (particularly given how often that position is running games to free up Edge/ILB/3 Tech). Good in the run game, but not up to his standards historically (if they were, I'd go solid B).

[13F11B]

Agree with all of what you posted. The team needs to replace both JPP and Suh this off-season. I hope they can both summon better efforts for the playoffs but they have not been solid this season at all.

[Nobody]

Shaquille Barrett

Grade - A

Availability down a hair at the end of the year, but nothing huge.

Just a tremendous year consistency-wise, production-wise, clutch-wise, despite seeing a lot of TE/Slot/RB chips in key situations. Only 2 games saw Barrett putting less than 4 Pressures on the QB. Even had a few game-changing plays taken away from him due to bad penalties. His Pressure numbers, Pressure Rate, Win %, Pass Rush Productivity puts him at about the #10ish Edge player in the NFL. He was actually exceptional in Coverage this year. He's easily the best Edge player in coverage in the entire NFL for 2021 (Passer Rating, Snaps/Target, Rec/Target...all tops by a ton...and he has a lot of Stops in Pass Coverage) and he played a LOT of snaps in Coverage (which hurts his Pass Rush numbers). His tape in coverage is consistently good, even on snaps where the concept is meant to take advantage of an Edge player (eg a Wheel route or a 2nd vert through where he's playing Flat and he has to read a vert and then carry that vert...or when we play a 2 Zone Cloud where he is scrambling out to get under a CB who is bailing deep).

Though not as good in the run game as he was in Pass Rush and in Coverage, he didn't miss tackles, was broadly assignment sound, and made several key plays (he's a particularly good run game player against a Pull though...I'd put him as a top 10 Edge when he's playside against Counters, Power O, and the stray Pin & Pull).

[Nobody]

Devin White

Grade - D- (go ahead and let the irate booing commence)

There have been rumors of a hip issue for the last bit of time. Arians just recently said he's not injured, but its hard to believe he wasn't dinged for a stretch of 2-3 games within the last few months.

This and Safety are the play-making position for this defense. Those two positions are set up to make a gang of plays. Its just not happened this year despite all the scheming in the world to have those plays made. There have been far, far too many times a schemed-and-executed blitz has freed him up to deliver a gamestate-changing play loss...and he just hasn't made the play. Devin has 4 games this year where I watched the tape + you look at his metrics and I come out thinking "he played well." That's NE, Philly, Washington, Buffalo. If those 4 games were what he offered for the whole year, he'd be looking at a B+ grade. He was solid enough in the Dallas game (missed some tackles he has to make and had some coverage issues...but alright). But, unfortunately, there are 11 other games...and in those 11 other games, I would collectively grade him as an F.

I gave a significant breakdown of his play in the Jets tape thread, but he's just not getting it done in any phase. And as of recent? Well, he looks like either (a) a hurt football player or (b) someone whose motor (brain and body) has slowed down significantly because he's either shying away from contact or because he's made so_so_so many costly processing errors this year and he is suffering from that "body slows down" tragedy that so often comes with that for football players. However, we're at the end of year 3. I find it verrrrrrrrrrrrrry hard to believe that all of a sudden Devin's body is slowing down because the processing errors that have consistently plagued his career-to-date are weighing on him. He has always played a million miles-per-hour despite that in the past.

So, I have to think something is wrong with him physically. His motor isn't there. He's actively shying away from contact. He's passively accepting defeat when Guards get to him on the 2nd level. He's passively accepting defeat when he gets wrongfooted by some action and chased set-dressing while the ball is going the other way (barely making the attempt to change direction and even jog back the other way). Something weird is going on with his tape the last 5 weeks or so (his Buffalo game notwithstanding). I would love to have Arians questioned about this and have him answer it but, unfortunately, our media folk (outside of Ledyard) don't actually watch tape commensurate with even being able to ask these questions.

C to C gap he's been bad in run fits (in reading and fitting and in taking on Guards and/or making the play). On the perimeter, he's just not been consistent in any assignment (he's had an assignment-error/loss hand in a lot/most of the perimeter runs that have gotten out the gate). He's not remotely made the plays in the perimeter or HB Screen game that he_has_to_make. He's not finishing the plays that are schemed for him to deliver a huge play win for our defense and cripple down and distance/drives for the other team. He's been "better" in coverage this year, but "better" still puts him in the bottom 1/3 of ILBs in the NFL in coverage (in year 3, he still covers grass far, far, far too much as a Hole or Seam/Hook defender and gives up an unmolested Over route beyond him or a Hitch/Stick route right next to him).

The only thing that keeps this from an F is the combination of (a) I think he's playing through injury (even if Arians won't admit it) which is commendable (but man...if you're going to be a liability, your coach has to either take you out or talk up your effort post-game), (b) he's had two big plays called back on him, (c) he has had a handful of clutch plays, and (d) those 4 games mentioned above.

+++++++++++++++

Whatever is going on with him, I'd like Arians or Devin to talk about it...because his play as of recent has been so uninspiring, its hard to stomach watching his tape. Even when he was making loads of assignment errors in year 1, year 2 (sans playoffs), and through the first .75 of this year, he was still playing with reckless abandon. Just a missile everywhere (like Whitehead). Make mistakes, but play fast doing it. For whatever reason, this last stretch of the season, he is looking like a contact-averse, timid, quick-to-downthrottle/give-up-on-a-play kind of player. Its a stark contrast to his typically explosive-if-error-prone play.

He's injured...or disgruntled (I can't think of a possible reason for this? Pro Bowl? Surely he didn't think he warranted the nod? Nothing is contractually in play...so this line of thinking makes no sense)...or somehow all of his processing errors have finally gotten to him and his actual play has slowed down because he doesn't trust his eyes/brain (and this predates LVD going off the field)...or he's saving his body.

Whatever it is, it needs to not be present in the playoffs. We need the guy from the NO/GB/KC postseason games last year.

[ATrain]

@Nobody Bottom line, if you had to sign White to an extension and big contract or let him walk, what would you choose if you had to pick one today?

[acmillis]

@Nobody Bottom line, if you had to sign White to an extension and big contract or let him walk, what would you choose if you had to pick one today?

We don’t have to, so the answer does not matter

[Nobody]

@Nobody Bottom line, if you had to sign White to an extension and big contract or let him walk, what would you choose if you had to pick one today?

If I was an NFL GM, I would (a) never sign a RB to a 2nd contract and (b) never sign an ILB to a 2nd contract that isn't both (i) DB/Kuechly/LVD level of play and (ii) has a clean bill of health (that writes of Kuechly!) so you can reasonably project them to both have 2nd contract availability and not experience a drop-off (both of those things are extreme anomalies at the ILB position...just like RB).

That should answer your question.

EDIT - And there is that too (what @acmillis points out). We've got two years of service left so contract extension isn't something we need to be concerned about. Honestly, by that point, the entire team and the trajectory of the franchise will be reconfigured (and not for the better), so I'm not going to worry about it.

[Nobody]

Lavonte David

Grade - B-

By the time all is said and done, he'll have missed 5 games. That is a lot of games to miss. While his play on the field has been excellent, this has to throttle it back.

Had two bad games in a row against the Rams and Pats. Outside of those two games, he's been excellent in all phases. Still as assignment sound and instinctive a football player as you could ever ask for. His incredible ability to read > react > fit and finish C to C or either blow up a play on the perimeter or make it or take on/out a guard appropriately for the easy rally and finish by his mates is as good as ever. He makes so many plays "that he doesn't make" (eg doesn't get the credit for in the stat sheet) that its no wonder that the casual NFL fan has no idea how good he is.

Still one of the top box coverage players in the NFL (despite getting assignments that most box coverage players don't get).

Still makes tons of plays and clutch ones at that (be it Stops or Forced Fumbles/Recoveries).

On the relatively rare occasion he is called upon to blitz, he still does a very good job.

If it weren't for the time missed, I'd put him at B+...but 5 games is 5 games.

[Nobody]

Carlton Davis

Grade - C

When all is said and done, he'll have missed 6 games this year. Like LVD, that is a lot of games to miss.

He's been as good as ever against perimeter Screens (his ability to read > react > destroy blocks and make plays or turn them to help is 2nd to none for NFL CBs).

Although he hasn't been as good as he was last year in Coverage (last year he was a top 3 CB), he's still been a top 15 CB in Coverage this year when he's been on the field and being consistent on the whole (his only poor game was against LA and one of the TDs he gave up was clearly a coverage miscommunication).

However, while his Run Defense has been solid, he fell off considerably compared to last year and he missed far, far too many tackles this year (particularly in Coverage).

Good year for your average CB (injuries not withstanding). But CD's trajectory hasn't been "good CB"...he was elite last year. So that puts this year as a disappointment, unfortunately, both in terms of on-field performance and in terms of availability. If he didn't miss all of that time, I'd put his grade squarely in the B- category (last year, he was an "A" CB in both Run Defense and in Coverage). But that is a lot of time to miss.

[Nobody]

Sean Murphy-Bunting

Grade - D-

Pretty easy grade here. He's effectively going to have missed 9+ games (he barely played game 1 after getting injured on a Coverage Loss snap where he gave up a TD).

When he's played, he's been marginally effective and inconsistent. As usual, his play is completely uneven in Coverage. He's a very good underneath box zone player. He's versatile enough that you can trust him to roll to 2 Deep and basically play Safety when we play 2 Cloud. He's a solid bail player in Match Quarters. But he gets beat so, so often in Man (anything where he is challenged vertically on and he doesn't have help is going to be scary). And he is still giving up so much cushion on the boundary and allowing easy pitch-and-catch in key situations.

Good Run Defender. Good against Perimeter Screens. Versatile but unreliable Coverage player who will make a play now and again (or capitalize when a teammate makes a play). Same as ever with him, though this time he missed half the year. SMB is a "solid C to C+ player." This year he was a little worse likely due to sample size and he missed so much time.

[Nobody]

Jamel Dean (I'm doing 3 CBs and 3 Safeties as both of these guys play so often in sub that they're effectively "starters")

Grade - B-

He'll have missed some time (a few games and snaps tantamount to about 1.5 games during games) as injury risk was a huge thing for him coming out of college and its the same in the NFL. So that is a small factor here.

Terrible Run Defender (he's had multiple costly plays here this year).

Very poor against the Perimeter Screen Game (he' had multiple costly plays here this year).

However...there are not many CBs in the NFL who can cover better than Dean (he can play boundary, inside, zone, man, match). That was never more true than this year. Coming into the league, he was a hugely capable Man defender (particularly Press). However, he has improved considerably in Zone and Matchup coverages. His processing skills have gotten good enough whereby he can leverage that ridiculous frame/length to force incompletions or entice QBs to just to the other side.

If he was a better Run Defender and better against the Perimeter Screen Game (and he's really poor in all aspects from processing to effort to block destruction to willingness to stick his head in there to actually making tackles and with appropriate leverage), he would be pushing elite status. But he's so bad in those phases that he just can't be.

But Coverage is everything now and he's good enough and versatile enough that he can do enough work to offset that. He's been good enough in Coverage, that I'd give him a B if not for all of the snaps (nearing 4 games worth) lost due to injury. You're talking an "A" Coverage player at this point (and a versatile one). If Dean could stay healthy and improve in his two weak areas, he would easily ascend to a top 5 CB in the league (but I don't see any of those 3 things happening).

[Nobody]

Antoine Winfield

Grade - A-

By the end of things, he'll have missed 4 games. That throttles back what would otherwise be an easy A in terms of Performance, Consistency, and Clutch.

Simply put, he's been one of the best Safeties in the league in 2021 in nearly every way you want a Safety to be great. His missed a few too many tackles, but he is always in position to make the play (and EARLY because he is such a great processor) and he's always there with the right leverage with respect to his responsibility and he pretty much always makes the play or gets enough for the troops to rally.

His Run Support has been fantastic no matter his alignment and no matter his responsibility. His ability to diagnose Perimeter Screens and make a play has been excellent. Despite playing an abundance of varying coverage responsibilities (there aren't many Safeties that can play FS and make plays sideline to sideline as well as they play deep half as well as they play Press Man against bigger receivers in the Slot as well as they can play the varying box assignments in our myriad of Zones...Winfield plays so many different assignments and plays them all very well...he makes plays, he forces incompletions, and he forces QBs to go to their next progression because he takes away 2nd reads - which gives us time to get home).

Obviously, he was excellent on the blitz as well this year as well.

Despite playing 4 less games than him, he has more Stops, a better Passer Rating against, less YPG given up, considerably less YAC than Kevin Byard (one of the best in the business along with Poyer and a few others) ...and the same number of Pressures, Forced Fumbles...and ZERO Penalties (Byard and pretty much every other Safety having 3 or 4...and Safety penalties are (a) you got beat and were going to give up a play and (b) they're crushing to the gamestate because they're yards and automatic first downs).

Simply put, this has been an All Pro year by the kid except for the shortened resume (which may get him clipped in the end because Williams, Ward, and Smith all played well also and have more games under their belts).

[Snake]

Very happy to hear that about AW.

[Grahamburn]

I’m going to hope we get the defense through today healthy. They’d be 100% for the first time since week 1 assuming LVD and Shaq return. The depth the Bucs go in these playoffs hinges on their performance.

Maybe a few weeks off can also invigorate JPP?

[BJJ34]

What about Tryon?

His first year after a year away from College Ball.

He played well in the end of the year from the eye test but it’s nearly impossible to tell who’s playing well from the Tv views.

Anthony Nelson looked like a guy who should play some downs in the playoffs too, from the eye test. Can you give me a round up of these two?

[Primeminister]

I love the Dean write up. It’s good to see that he has improved in coverage.

[Nobody]

@Primeminister , its really too bad he is so poor in the run/screen game and made of glass. If he was even average at those things he would be a perennial top 12 CB in the league-ish (as floor). With those three issues...its really difficult to place him.

@BJJ34 , I'll try to get a Nelson and JTS review up once I've gotten all the starters done. I'm actually thinking about doing a film breakdown of Nelson all to himself (probably my last one before I let crappy Gamepass lapse). His second half of the season was on a nice upward trajectory; not just production but actual toolset to get the production and assignment soundness. I'm really impressed with this kid. In the latter half of the season, he was doing a lot of things right that players with his frame/dimensions/limitations have to do right (I'll elaborate in a later breakdown).

@Grahamburn , would love to see it! Same thing with Suh. That might show that a lot of his latter half (sub-par) play was rationing for the playoffs.

[Nobody]

Jordan Whitehead

Grade - B-

Missed 3 games and stray snaps beyond that. Due to those availability issues, I'm going to throttle back what would have otherwise been a B performance.

The only bad thing I can say about Whitehead is that he misses too many tackles, but the real problem is that the bulk of them aren't in the run game. As a Run Support player, he's actually a very good tackler. He takes great angles while at the same time being maximally aggressive. Guy brings the absolute lumber and typically gets his man to the ground (and when he's in the box and he's got to fit the run C to C or he's the Force player...guy is incredible). Its actually in the open field in the passing game where he misses the bulk of his tackles. Too many misses there.

Outside of that, his 2021 was really stellar in all other phases. He played so many different assignments (like Winfield, though not nearly as much Man responsibility nor as much FS responsibility as Winfield). Dominant box player; Run Support, Blitz, Seam/Hook, Curl/Flat.

Very good Match Quarters defender regardless of alignment (and he played deep half and interior defender).

His Coverage metrics and tape show a top 20 Coverage Safety in the NFL overall and his Box Coverage is even better (where he is probably around a 12ish in the NFL in 2021).

As a Run Support defender and against Perimeter Screens? 2nd highest Stop % in the league w/ #1 Ave Depth of Stop and top 4 in Stops despite missing 3 games. He's absolutely top 5 in the league here; instincts, aggression, physicality, technical soundness in assignment.

And his kind of play is absolutely infectious.

Overall, excellent year from Whitehead. Hopefully he gives us a good final effort in the playoffs, because I doubt we'll be able to bring him back next year.

[MJW]

Ndamukong Suh

Grade - D+

Like Vea, Suh finally saw his snap count diminish significantly for the first time in his career. He's always been an iron man in terms of snap count. Not this year. 687 is about 1.5 games worth of snaps below the median snap count of the top 20 iDL snap counts in the NFL. He's always right near the top. This year, we saw him on the sideline a lot more than he was historically.

And when he was in, he wasn't a difference-maker overall. He had 4 games this year where he played like a difference-maker; ATL * 2, NO (1st game), and NYG. Outside of those 4? He had a few clutch plays in other games but, overall, barely a replacement-level player. His overall Pass Rush metrics are abysmal (nearly JPP-level bad in Win Rate and Pass Rush Productivity). He's next to last in qualifying iDL for Run Stops and his Missed Tackle rate was horrendous. Add to that the loss of his biggest factor (that historically Iron Man snap count), and D+ actually feels charitable.

Suh is a great example of why I was against the whole "bring back everyone" game plan last offseason. He was in clear decline last year. This year he was a liability. Next year he won't be back, but we haven't really been developing anyone behind him. We're kind of forced into a corner.

[Pirate Life]

I’m going to hope we get the defense through today healthy. They’d be 100% for the first time since week 1 assuming LVD and Shaq return. The depth the Bucs go in these playoffs hinges on their performance.

Maybe a few weeks off can also invigorate JPP?

They weren't healthy in Week 1 either. Whitehead was out.

[Terry Tate]

Ndamukong Suh

Grade - D+

Like Vea, Suh finally saw his snap count diminish significantly for the first time in his career. He's always been an iron man in terms of snap count. Not this year. 687 is about 1.5 games worth of snaps below the median snap count of the top 20 iDL snap counts in the NFL. He's always right near the top. This year, we saw him on the sideline a lot more than he was historically.

And when he was in, he wasn't a difference-maker overall. He had 4 games this year where he played like a difference-maker; ATL * 2, NO (1st game), and NYG. Outside of those 4? He had a few clutch plays in other games but, overall, barely a replacement-level player. His overall Pass Rush metrics are abysmal (nearly JPP-level bad in Win Rate and Pass Rush Productivity). He's next to last in qualifying iDL for Run Stops and his Missed Tackle rate was horrendous. Add to that the loss of his biggest factor (that historically Iron Man snap count), and D+ actually feels charitable.

Suh is a great example of why I was against the whole "bring back everyone" game plan last offseason. He was in clear decline last year. This year he was a liability. Next year he won't be back, but we haven't really been developing anyone behind him. We're kind of forced into a corner.

DId we have anyone to develop?

Drafting Trask may prove to have been a smart, long term move with hindsight but I really wanted an IDL in the first two rounds. Everyone knew JPP and Suh were on the cusp of aging out. This offseason, we simply have to do something. Which might force us to draft for need or sign an expensive free agent.

Still, while not ideal, we won a Super Bowl and are in a good position to try for two. It's hard to cry too much.

[King Bootz]

Suh is a great example of why I was against the whole "bring back everyone" game plan last offseason. He was in clear decline last year. This year he was a liability. Next year he won't be back, but we haven't really been developing anyone behind him. We're kind of forced into a corner.

DId we have anyone to develop?

Drafting Trask may prove to have been a smart, long term move with hindsight but I really wanted an IDL in the first two rounds. Everyone knew JPP and Suh were on the cusp of aging out. This offseason, we simply have to do something. Which might force us to draft for need or sign an expensive free agent.

Still, while not ideal, we won a Super Bowl and are in a good position to try for two. It's hard to cry too much.

That's kind of the point she's making. And it's an extremely valid point. We didn't even try to get someone to develop. We could've gotten better, younger, cheaper at the position but we didn't bother trying because we were so hell bent on bringing everyone back.

As a result, the defense is nowhere near what it was a season ago overall. Especially the run D. Suh ranking so poorly against the run is part of that reason.

You have to know when it's time to move on and we missed that boat. We missed an opportunity to get better at numerous key spots and it shows on the field. Now we are basically rely on Brady to do it all. Gonna be a hard task in the playoffs.

[Terry Tate]

DId we have anyone to develop?

Drafting Trask may prove to have been a smart, long term move with hindsight but I really wanted an IDL in the first two rounds. Everyone knew JPP and Suh were on the cusp of aging out. This offseason, we simply have to do something. Which might force us to draft for need or sign an expensive free agent.

Still, while not ideal, we won a Super Bowl and are in a good position to try for two. It's hard to cry too much.

That's kind of the point she's making. And it's an extremely valid point. We didn't even try to get someone to develop. We could've gotten better, younger, cheaper at the position but we didn't bother trying because we were so hell bent on bringing everyone back.

As a result, the defense is nowhere near what it was a season ago overall. Especially the run D. Suh ranking so poorly against the run is part of that reason.

You have to know when it's time to move on and we missed that boat. We missed an opportunity to get better at numerous key spots and it shows on the field. Now we are basically rely on Brady to do it all. Gonna be a hard task in the playoffs.

Speaking solely about the draft, it's hard to say what we missed until a few years later. My own gripes are that we didn't need to draft a QB this year, we should be on in on cashing in on the Brady window. It's possible that Licht thought the same way as me but didn't see anyone worth his picks. We did address edge with Tryon, that is something.

That said, if we are relying on Brady more than last year, it's due to injury and not a bad offseason. If we were going into the playoffs with a healthy Godwin, Fournette, JPP, Barrett and David, along with a less crazy AB, we'd be betting favorites. Don't be a prisoner of the moment.

[mdb1958]

It will be interesting to see how our pass catchers handle the intensity. Suh may rise up and he may not with the incentives. JPP not being able to deliver may be the one that hurts us the most. Nelson seems the happiest to finally get extra snaps but Tryon needs to step up as he's been like a fish out of water, playing like an un-prepared college kid.