Ranking NFL’s best position groups
The NFL’s best are recognized annually when Pro Bowl ballots are collected and all-pro votes tabulated.
But if you had to build an ideal roster by cherry picking the best positional groups by team from throughout the league, how would a super team look? Maybe something like this:
Quarterbacks — Eagles: There’s a valid argument the Patriots would have the best QB room in the league no matter who is backing up Tom Brady. But with all due respect to the four-time Super Bowl MVP and Brian Hoyer, the nod goes to the team that knocked New England off in Super Bowl LII. The Eagles’ Carson Wentz almost surely would have been league MVP in 2017 had he avoided a late-season knee injury. But Nick Foles didn’t miss a beat, stepping in to lead Philadelphia to its first Lombardi Trophy, winning Super Bowl MVP honors in the process. His presence should allow the team optimal insurance while Wentz continues to work his way back from reconstructive surgery. But if Foles’ tender shoulder forces Philly to drill further down its depth chart, even third stringer Nate “Studfeld” Sudfeld seems to have a promising future, whether as a starter elsewhere or as a quality backup. He’s already thrown five TD passes in extended preseason action this month.
Running backs — Saints: Last season, fellow Pro Bowlers Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram became the first teammates to surpass 1,500 yards from scrimmage in the same season. Kamara (81 catches during his rookie of the year campaign) is known for his receiving prowess, yet led the NFL with 6.1 yards a carry in 2017. Ingram has been the Saints’ leading rusher each of the past four years but doesn’t get enough credit for his hands (career-best 58 receptions in 2017). A suspension will cost him the first four games of the upcoming season, but New Orleans is carrying a pair of established veterans in Shane Vereen and Terrance West and shouldn’t have to overtax Kamara in Ingram’s absence.
Wide receivers/tight ends — Chiefs: In terms of pure depth, the Eagles have a strong case (Alshon Jeffery, Nelson Agholor, Mike Wallace, Kamar Aiken, Zach Ertz, Richard Rodgers and rookie Dallas Goedert). But when it comes to a top-end trio, perhaps no team has a better chance of producing three 1,000-yard pass catchers than the Chiefs’ combo of Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins. Aside from Rob Gronkowski, Kelce is the league’s best tight end, and Hill blossomed into a top-tier receiver in 2017 who has blazing speed. Now on his third team in two years, but with a fat contract in hand, Watkins could fulfill his estimable potential in Kansas City, though he and his wingmen may need to be patient with new QB Patrick Mahomes.
Offensive line — Eagles: The Cowboys are naturally compelling with LT Tyron Smith, G Zack Martin and C Travis Frederick each owning legit arguments that they top the charts at their respective positions. Dallas’ front five could be even better in 2018 with the addition of second-rounder Connor Williams at left guard. But the champion Eagles are the choice given their combo of quality and quantity. Jason Peters is coming back from a major knee injury but remains one of the premier left tackles of his generation. Mobile C Jason Kelce and mauling RT Lane Johnson both earned all-pro honors in 2017 while G Brandon Brooks emerged as a Pro Bowler. Stefen Wisniewski can play guard or center, while Chance Warmack and Isaac Seumalo bolster interior depth. And let’s not forget Halapoulivaati “Big V” Vaitai, who capably protected both Wentz and Foles last season after Peters went down.
Defensive line — Jaguars: Let’s get another obligatory Philly mention out of the way — they were loaded before adding Michael Bennett and Haloti Ngata in the offseason. But let’s look to “Sacksonville,” where the Jaguars’ front produced 47 of the team’s 55 sacks in 2017. Calais Campbell, who had a compelling case as NFL defensive player of the year, and Malik Jackson can cause havoc from inside and out. Look for rookie first-rounder Taven Bryan, who comes from a similar mold, to thrive under their tutelage. Yannick Ngakoue is a rising star as a pass rusher with 20 sacks over his first two seasons. Former all-pro Marcell Dareus has been unable to dislodge underrated tackle Abry Jones from the starting lineup. And though former first rounder Dante Fowler has been a disappointment overall, he can still bring a fastball off the edge in sub packages.
Linebackers — Broncos: This is tricky given linebacker corps in 4-3 and 3-4 fronts present a bit of an apples-tooranges comparison. It’s tempting to go with Carolina (Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis) or Seattle (Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright) since those defenses feature a pair of every-down backers who do many impressive things, especially in nickel defenses. But the same can be said of Denver’s Von Miller, who can fulfill many of the position’s traditional duties and is also the league’s preeminent edge rusher. Yet the Broncos are more than a one-man band. Shaquil Barrett and Shane Ray are also capable of causing havoc outside; even so, both are going to lose snaps to first-round pick Bradley Chubb, widely viewed as the 2018 draft’s top-rated defensive player. Brandon Marshall and Todd Davis are more than solid inside but could be pushed themselves by rookie Josey Jewell.
Secondary —Rams: This requires fresh thought with Seattle’s Legion of Boom and Denver’s No Fly Zone essentially disbanded. The Jags’ Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye are the league’s top corner tandem, and it’s tough to find a better safety combo than Minnesota’s Harrison Smith and Andrew Sendejo. But when it comes to the complete package, tough to beat the Rams — theoretically. Pro Bowl corners Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters are new to the program, which already had a solid nickel (ironically named Nickell Robey-Coleman). The Rams think so much of Lamarcus Joyner that he got the franchise tag this year. He and John Johnson start at safety, but both have experience playing corner, giving coordinator Wade Phillips further schematic flexibility.
Special teams — Rams: If only special teams got collective nicknames, because L.A. might rival some of the greatest lineups the NFL has ever seen. KR/PR Pharoh Cooper, K Greg Zuerlein and P Johnny Hekker doubled as all-pros and Pro Bowlers in 2017. Hekker is one of the game’s underrated weapons and could go down as one of the best punters in history.