Post by Danchat on Jun 2, 2020 9:26:19 GMT -6
Please read the introduction of Part 1 of this article here before you start this one. It will explain how my CB grading system works and how exactly these numbers were created.
Once you've read that, let's get straight to the rankings:
Top 10 CBs in 2019
#1 - NE Stephon Gilmore - 9.07
Gilmore had a season for the history books. He totally shut down #1 WRs, allowing a microscopic 44.6% passes that came his way. He was also an elite playmaker with 6 interceptions and 14 knockdowns. QBs had a 38.36 QB Rating when throwing at him - QBs are better off abandoning whatever WR he's covering.
#2 - NE J. C. Jackson - 8.71
The Patriots really know what they're doing! Jackson was a UDFA in the 2018 draft, and has already become a lockdown CB! He allowed only 377 yards in coverage and gave up 0 TDs. Add in 5 picks and 8 knockdowns - the sky is the limit for Jackson.
#3 - BUF Tre'Davious White - 7.61
White has proven himself as a top notch NFL CB for multiple years now. He gave up 0 TDs and notched 6 interceptions, with 13 knockdowns to boot. QBs had a 52.66 rating when throwing his way, which is all the more impressive since he usually shadows #1 WRs.
#4 - KC Bashaud Breeland - 7.17
This is a major surprise - the Chiefs added Breeland on a one year deal after a failed stint in Green Bay, and by my metrics, he had a fantastic year. QBs avoided him more often than any other CB in the entire league, and he held guys like Keenan Allen to 38 yards, Diggs to 45 yards, and Allen Robinson to 24 yards. The Chiefs inked him to another 1 year deal, which seems like a steal to me.
#5 - CLV Denzel Ward - 6.94
Many were surprised when the Browns spent the 4th overall pick on Ward, but so far, he's been worth the selection. While the rest of the Browns' defense underachieved big time, Ward shut down #1 WRs by allowing just 45.8% of passes his way to be completed. He only had 2 picks, but only gave up 454 yards and 1 TD. Hopefully he will be able to play a full season in 2020 and power the Browns defense to have a better year.
#6 - KC Charvarius Ward - 6.58
Another 2018 UDFA, Ward came out of nowhere and had a fantastic first season as a starter. Ward allowed only 46.4% of passes coming his way to be completed, and was able to limit guys like DeAndre Hopkins, Kenny Golladay, and Courtland Sutton. Unless this was a very fluky season, Ward should only improve his game from here.
#7 - GB Kevin King - 6.4
After rough 2017 & 2018 seasons, King emerged as the Packers' #2 CB with a dominant 2019 season. He ended up as the #1 playmaker in the NFL with 15 knockdowns and 5 interceptions. However, his shaky coverage (815 yards & 4 TDs) limits him from landing in the top 5, but the Packers have to be excited with this major improvement of his.
#8 - PIT Joe Haden - 6.25
If only the Browns wouldn't have cut Haden, they'd have two shutdown CBs. Haden capped off his 10th year in the NFL with 5 picks and 57.8% completion allowed with a somewhat low 11.79 yards per catch. While not a dominant CB, he can hold his own going up against the best WRs in the league.
#9 - LAR Troy Hill - 6.21
Hill has a bit of a small sample size here, but once Peters and Talib were traded away, Hill was bumped up to the #2 job and shut down most of the guys he faced, including Calvin Ridley, Josh Gordon, and Auden Tate. So while he really doesn't belong in the top 10 (he would likely having lower scores if he shadowed other teams' #1 WRs), he's clearly shown enough to be a full time starting CB.
#10 - NE Jason McCourty - 6.1
You've got to be kidding me, 3 Patriots in the top 10? Even their nickel CB in his 11th year of his career had a phenomenal season. McCourty allowed 47.6% of pass his way to be completed for a very low 9.9 yards per catch. He was among the league's most highly-targeted CBs, but only gave up 298 yards and 0 TDs. Belichick really can coach these guys up!
Other notable names who are considered to be top CBs:
#17 SF Richard Sherman
#18 BLT Marcus Peters
#22 PHI Darius Slay
#28 NO Marshon Lattimore
#33 MIA Byron Jones (highest paid CB in the league)
#66 LAR Jalen Ramsey
Bottom 10 CBs in 2019
#86 - DEN Chris Harris Jr. (now LAC) - 2.77
Shockingly, the longtime great CB Harris Jr. lands in the bottom 10. One of the best nickel CBs of the past 10 years, he showed little playmaking ability with just 5 knockdowns and a single pick. He gave up 64.6% of passes that came his way, and allowed 6 TDs. The Chargers picked him up on a 2 year $20M deal, and will hope to see him rebound.
#87 - JAX D. J. Hayden - 2.71
With Ramsey's trade midway through the year, Hayden played full-time after just being their nickel CB. He failed to notch an interception and gave up 66% of passes that came his way. Since being the 12th overall pick in the 2013 draft, Hayden has continually had poor seasons.
#88 - NYG DeAndre Baker - 2.69
A late 1st round pick in the 2019 draft, Baker has recently been arrested for holding up a cookout and stealing several thousands of dollars. Before that, though, teams ripped him up for 859 yards & 7 TDs, resulting in a 113.2 passer rating when targeting him. He allowed 14.8 yards per catch and was a poor playmaker, making him an easy target. His NFL career is now in limbo, and not just due to his poor play.
#89 - MIA Jomal Wiltz - 2.64
As much as an NFL nerd as I am, I've never heard of Wiltz before. Even more confusingly, as of March 2020 he's changed his name to Jamal Perry. That aside, he spent 2017 & 2018 on the Patriots' practice squad before being handed the Dolphins' nickel CB job in 2019. Wiltz/Perry was subsequently torched for 7 TDs and QBs had a 120.2 rating when throwing his way. The Dolphins has since poured money and draft picks into CB, so he shouldn't see the field for them barring any injuries happening.
#90 - CIN B. W. Webb (now FA) - 2.6
The definition of a journeyman incarnate, Webb has played for 6 different teams for each a single season. Webb was forced into the lineup full-time thanks to injuries to Kirkpatrick and Dennard, and resulted in 876 yards, a 67.4% completion rate, and a measly 6 knockdowns and 1 pick. Teams should plug in practice squad guys into the lineup over vets like Webb.
#91 - NO P. J. Williams - 2.56
The Saints' nickel CB has consistently been poor in coverage, giving up 695 yards and 6 TDs with only 3 pass deflected and no picks. Teams target him more often than most nickel CBs. The Saints keep bringing him back and I don't know why.
#92 - NO Eli Apple (now CAR) - 2.51
The Saints really need to upgrade their CB corps. Apple was a massive bust when drafted by the Giants, and has played just as bad in New Orleans, giving up 69% of passes coming his way. He offers no playmaking ability, though teams didn't target him as often as the average CB.
#93 - MIN Xavier Rhodes (now IND) - 2.4
How the mighty have fallen. Rhodes had a mediocre 2018 season, but plummeted to rock bottom in 2019, allowing a whopping 75.6% passes to be completed. He failed to intercept a single pass, and QBs that went his way had a 121 passer rating when doing so. He managed to knock down 9 passes, but no longer has the ability to run with WRs on deep routes. The Colts will try to fix him on a one year deal, but I have a hard time seeing him crack their starting lineup. His days of being an effective CB are likely over now.
#94 - LAC Desmond King - 1.9
The Chargers' nickel CB had a truly abysmal season after being a good player in years past. He scored poorly in nearly every category, allowing a 71.9% completion rate, 563 yards for a guy who played 60% of the snaps, 3 TDs to 0 picks, and knocking down a paltry 2 balls. The Chargers signed his replacement in Chris Harris Jr, and they were unable to trade him, so he's likely stuck as a backup now.
#95 - WAS Josh Norman (now BUF) - 1.7
One of the few CBs who was straight-up benched midseason, Norman has been one of the highest paid CBs and was a bust for Washington. He somehow gave up 9 TDs on just 32 catches! He allowed over 14 yards per catch, 69.6% passes completed, and had a single pick and 3 knockdowns. The Skins had enough and found more success playing late rounder Jimmy Moreland over him. The Bills will try to rehab Norman, but he will likely only be a backup for them.
2020 CB Groups Based Solely on 2019 Play
This is not a perfect measure of ranking each group, as rookies give teams zero impact, but I think it's still worth examining who has the best group based on my grades (including FA moves as well).
#1 - Patriots
New England won this spot by a landslide. Stephon Gilmore had a year for the ages and is a true lockdown CB who can put a WR on an island. 2nd year UDFA J. C. Jackson was my second highest rated CB in the entire league! So they've got two lockdown CBs and also Jason McCourty, who was a dominant nickel CB. Their 4th CB played at a league average rate - truly a spoil of riches.
#2 - Ravens
Marcus Peters may not be rated as highly as he would be, mostly due to his nature to give up a lot of catches, but both he and Marlon Humphrey pass as #1 CBs. Jimmy Smith was a bit below average as the third wheel but with a full season of Peters, he won't be needed as much. With Peters' elite playmaking ability and Humphrey's airtight coverage, passing on the Ravens will be very difficult.
#3 Seahawks
This all depends if Quinton Dunbar goes to prison for holding up a cookout... but if that doesn't happen, Seattle's CB group looks ready to dominate. Dunbar is a fantastic playmaker and worked as a #1 CB for the Redskins, and should allow for less pressure to be put on Shaq Griffin, who got exposed against other teams' best WRs. Tre Flowers was rated very highly by my metrics, as he quietly had a 4 pick season and proved his status as an NFL starter.
#4 - Eagles
It has seemed like the Eagles' CB group has been torched for years on end, but at least on paper, those days should be over. They added stud CB Darius Slay, who should benefit greatly from having a real pass rush compared to what Detroit provided. Avonte Maddox quietly had a quality season and should work as the #2, while the nickel spot will likely be a competition between veteran Robey-Coleman and young'un Rasul Douglas.
#5 - 49ers
I wonder how good this unit is since their pass rush was ferocious, and any poor play could be masked by that. Sherman lead the group as the star CB and held WRs to 7.5 yards a catch, lowest in the league. Former UDFA Emmanuel Moseley supplanted Ahkello Witherspoon as the starter alongside Sherman with a great first year, with 9 knockdowns and 2 picks. Witherspoon was benched, but was rated average by my metrics. Nickel CB K'Waun Williams is a quality option too.
#6 - Steelers
The Steelers' group isn't anything special, but it's as solid as can be. Joe Haden is a fine #1 CB, Steven Nelson turned in a solid year one as their #2, and Mike Hilton is an above average nickel CB. The Steelers' pass defense should remain one of the best in the league.
Worst CB Groups
#28 - Vikings
Only a couple of years ago this unit was locking teams down, but now it has been gutted. Only Mike Hughes remains - though, the departures of Rhodes and Waynes is actually a positive according to my metrics. Still, the Vikings are left with nobody to take on other teams' #1 WRs, and it will be up to 1st rounder Jeff Gladney, 3rd rounder Cameron Dantzler, and the suspension-plagued Holton Hill to rebuild the position. Expect some rough outings from this squad as they figure things out.
#29 - Falcons
Atlanta has basically copied Minnesota's approach at the CB position, but with less upside. Only Isaiah Oliver remains, and his first year as a starter went very poorly. Their #1 of the past, Desmond Trufant, was cut, and their past #2 Robert Alford was cut the year prior. They reached for A.J. Terrell in the 1st round and they will hope sophomore 4th rounder Kendall Sheffield is ready for action. This unit will likely be torched mercilessly in 2020.
#30 - Cardinals
Things went bottom up for this group in 2019 as 2nd round rookie Byron Murphy tanked, and when Patrick Peterson returned from his suspension, opposing WRs beat him up badly. Peterson will be in year 10 and will turn 30 years old, so I can't expect him to return to form. The only other CB on the roster with any upside/experience I can see is Robert Alford, a 31 year old CB who spent all of 2019 on the IR. This is a tire fire waiting to happen.
#31 - Broncos
Letting longtime star CB Chris Harris go hurts (though he had a poor year), especially as it leaves the Broncos with no true #1. They acquired A.J. Bouye in a trade which was more of a salary dump, as he gave up over 1000 yards receiving and displayed little playmaking ability. Young players like Duke Dawson, Isaac Yiadom, and Davontae Harris all took their turns getting torched in 2019. They did plan on using Bryce Callahan as their nickel CB but he spent the whole year on the IR. Michael Ojemudia was added as a 3rd rounder, but he won't save this group from being among the worst in the NFL.
#32 - Panthers
This group legitimately looks like an expansion team's CB corps. Donte Jackson is the only CB with any experience on the team, and his 2019 season was awful. They legitimately don't have another CB on the team who has made an NFL start. Only a single other CB on the team remains who was drafted by Carolina - 4th round rookie Troy Pride Jr. Other camp bodies include T.J. Green, a failed Colts safety/nickel CB, a guy legitimately named "Corn Elder", and Kenny Robinson, an XFL safety who may have to be moved to CB. The Panthers should look to add several free agents, or any WR from DeAndre Hopkins to Laquon Treadwell will be able to get open against this CB group. Update: The Panthers gave CB Eli Apple a one year, $3M deal, but he finished #92 on my list. As a below replacement level CB, his impact will likely be marginal.
And finally, I end off with a few more short rankings:
Top 10 Playmakers:
1 Kevin King GB
2 Stephon Gilmore NE
3 J.C. Jackson NE
4 Desmond Trufant ATL
5 Bashaud Breeland KC
6 Tre'Davious White BUF
7 Denzel Ward CLV
8 Joe Haden PIT
9 Emmanuel Moseley SF
10 Malcolm Butler TEN
Bottom 10 Playmakers:
86 Vernon Hargreaves III HST
87 Greedy Williams CLV
88 Nickell Robey-Coleman LA
89 William Jackson III CIN
90 T.J. Carrie CLV
91 Eli Apple NO
92 Brandon Carr BLT
93 P.J. Williams NO
94 Desmond King II LAC
95 Isaac Yiadom DEN
Least Targeted CBs:
1 Bashaud Breeland KC
2 Taron Johnson BUF
3 Charvarius Ward KC
4 Rock Ya-Sin IND
5 Avonte Maddox PHI
6 K'Waun Williams SF
7 Jimmy Moreland WAS
8 Byron Jones DAL
9 Chris Harris Jr. DEN
10 Adoree' Jackson TEN
Most Targeted CBs:
86 Buster Skrine CHI
87 A.J. Bouye JAX
88 Jason McCourty NE
89 Mike Hughes MIN
90 Darryl Roberts NYJ
91 Johnathan Joseph HST
92 Levi Wallace BUF
93 Mike Hilton PIT
94 Justin Coleman DET
95 Ronald Darby PHI
If you are interested in seeing the entire spreadsheet of CB Grades, you can reach it here on this google sheet.
Thanks for reading my article! Let me know what you think about my CB Grades and who you think might be overrated or underrated. Where there any rankings that surprised you? Let me know!
Once you've read that, let's get straight to the rankings:
Top 10 CBs in 2019
#1 - NE Stephon Gilmore - 9.07
Gilmore had a season for the history books. He totally shut down #1 WRs, allowing a microscopic 44.6% passes that came his way. He was also an elite playmaker with 6 interceptions and 14 knockdowns. QBs had a 38.36 QB Rating when throwing at him - QBs are better off abandoning whatever WR he's covering.
#2 - NE J. C. Jackson - 8.71
The Patriots really know what they're doing! Jackson was a UDFA in the 2018 draft, and has already become a lockdown CB! He allowed only 377 yards in coverage and gave up 0 TDs. Add in 5 picks and 8 knockdowns - the sky is the limit for Jackson.
#3 - BUF Tre'Davious White - 7.61
White has proven himself as a top notch NFL CB for multiple years now. He gave up 0 TDs and notched 6 interceptions, with 13 knockdowns to boot. QBs had a 52.66 rating when throwing his way, which is all the more impressive since he usually shadows #1 WRs.
#4 - KC Bashaud Breeland - 7.17
This is a major surprise - the Chiefs added Breeland on a one year deal after a failed stint in Green Bay, and by my metrics, he had a fantastic year. QBs avoided him more often than any other CB in the entire league, and he held guys like Keenan Allen to 38 yards, Diggs to 45 yards, and Allen Robinson to 24 yards. The Chiefs inked him to another 1 year deal, which seems like a steal to me.
#5 - CLV Denzel Ward - 6.94
Many were surprised when the Browns spent the 4th overall pick on Ward, but so far, he's been worth the selection. While the rest of the Browns' defense underachieved big time, Ward shut down #1 WRs by allowing just 45.8% of passes his way to be completed. He only had 2 picks, but only gave up 454 yards and 1 TD. Hopefully he will be able to play a full season in 2020 and power the Browns defense to have a better year.
#6 - KC Charvarius Ward - 6.58
Another 2018 UDFA, Ward came out of nowhere and had a fantastic first season as a starter. Ward allowed only 46.4% of passes coming his way to be completed, and was able to limit guys like DeAndre Hopkins, Kenny Golladay, and Courtland Sutton. Unless this was a very fluky season, Ward should only improve his game from here.
#7 - GB Kevin King - 6.4
After rough 2017 & 2018 seasons, King emerged as the Packers' #2 CB with a dominant 2019 season. He ended up as the #1 playmaker in the NFL with 15 knockdowns and 5 interceptions. However, his shaky coverage (815 yards & 4 TDs) limits him from landing in the top 5, but the Packers have to be excited with this major improvement of his.
#8 - PIT Joe Haden - 6.25
If only the Browns wouldn't have cut Haden, they'd have two shutdown CBs. Haden capped off his 10th year in the NFL with 5 picks and 57.8% completion allowed with a somewhat low 11.79 yards per catch. While not a dominant CB, he can hold his own going up against the best WRs in the league.
#9 - LAR Troy Hill - 6.21
Hill has a bit of a small sample size here, but once Peters and Talib were traded away, Hill was bumped up to the #2 job and shut down most of the guys he faced, including Calvin Ridley, Josh Gordon, and Auden Tate. So while he really doesn't belong in the top 10 (he would likely having lower scores if he shadowed other teams' #1 WRs), he's clearly shown enough to be a full time starting CB.
#10 - NE Jason McCourty - 6.1
You've got to be kidding me, 3 Patriots in the top 10? Even their nickel CB in his 11th year of his career had a phenomenal season. McCourty allowed 47.6% of pass his way to be completed for a very low 9.9 yards per catch. He was among the league's most highly-targeted CBs, but only gave up 298 yards and 0 TDs. Belichick really can coach these guys up!
Other notable names who are considered to be top CBs:
#17 SF Richard Sherman
#18 BLT Marcus Peters
#22 PHI Darius Slay
#28 NO Marshon Lattimore
#33 MIA Byron Jones (highest paid CB in the league)
#66 LAR Jalen Ramsey
Bottom 10 CBs in 2019
#86 - DEN Chris Harris Jr. (now LAC) - 2.77
Shockingly, the longtime great CB Harris Jr. lands in the bottom 10. One of the best nickel CBs of the past 10 years, he showed little playmaking ability with just 5 knockdowns and a single pick. He gave up 64.6% of passes that came his way, and allowed 6 TDs. The Chargers picked him up on a 2 year $20M deal, and will hope to see him rebound.
#87 - JAX D. J. Hayden - 2.71
With Ramsey's trade midway through the year, Hayden played full-time after just being their nickel CB. He failed to notch an interception and gave up 66% of passes that came his way. Since being the 12th overall pick in the 2013 draft, Hayden has continually had poor seasons.
#88 - NYG DeAndre Baker - 2.69
A late 1st round pick in the 2019 draft, Baker has recently been arrested for holding up a cookout and stealing several thousands of dollars. Before that, though, teams ripped him up for 859 yards & 7 TDs, resulting in a 113.2 passer rating when targeting him. He allowed 14.8 yards per catch and was a poor playmaker, making him an easy target. His NFL career is now in limbo, and not just due to his poor play.
#89 - MIA Jomal Wiltz - 2.64
As much as an NFL nerd as I am, I've never heard of Wiltz before. Even more confusingly, as of March 2020 he's changed his name to Jamal Perry. That aside, he spent 2017 & 2018 on the Patriots' practice squad before being handed the Dolphins' nickel CB job in 2019. Wiltz/Perry was subsequently torched for 7 TDs and QBs had a 120.2 rating when throwing his way. The Dolphins has since poured money and draft picks into CB, so he shouldn't see the field for them barring any injuries happening.
#90 - CIN B. W. Webb (now FA) - 2.6
The definition of a journeyman incarnate, Webb has played for 6 different teams for each a single season. Webb was forced into the lineup full-time thanks to injuries to Kirkpatrick and Dennard, and resulted in 876 yards, a 67.4% completion rate, and a measly 6 knockdowns and 1 pick. Teams should plug in practice squad guys into the lineup over vets like Webb.
#91 - NO P. J. Williams - 2.56
The Saints' nickel CB has consistently been poor in coverage, giving up 695 yards and 6 TDs with only 3 pass deflected and no picks. Teams target him more often than most nickel CBs. The Saints keep bringing him back and I don't know why.
#92 - NO Eli Apple (now CAR) - 2.51
The Saints really need to upgrade their CB corps. Apple was a massive bust when drafted by the Giants, and has played just as bad in New Orleans, giving up 69% of passes coming his way. He offers no playmaking ability, though teams didn't target him as often as the average CB.
#93 - MIN Xavier Rhodes (now IND) - 2.4
How the mighty have fallen. Rhodes had a mediocre 2018 season, but plummeted to rock bottom in 2019, allowing a whopping 75.6% passes to be completed. He failed to intercept a single pass, and QBs that went his way had a 121 passer rating when doing so. He managed to knock down 9 passes, but no longer has the ability to run with WRs on deep routes. The Colts will try to fix him on a one year deal, but I have a hard time seeing him crack their starting lineup. His days of being an effective CB are likely over now.
#94 - LAC Desmond King - 1.9
The Chargers' nickel CB had a truly abysmal season after being a good player in years past. He scored poorly in nearly every category, allowing a 71.9% completion rate, 563 yards for a guy who played 60% of the snaps, 3 TDs to 0 picks, and knocking down a paltry 2 balls. The Chargers signed his replacement in Chris Harris Jr, and they were unable to trade him, so he's likely stuck as a backup now.
#95 - WAS Josh Norman (now BUF) - 1.7
One of the few CBs who was straight-up benched midseason, Norman has been one of the highest paid CBs and was a bust for Washington. He somehow gave up 9 TDs on just 32 catches! He allowed over 14 yards per catch, 69.6% passes completed, and had a single pick and 3 knockdowns. The Skins had enough and found more success playing late rounder Jimmy Moreland over him. The Bills will try to rehab Norman, but he will likely only be a backup for them.
2020 CB Groups Based Solely on 2019 Play
This is not a perfect measure of ranking each group, as rookies give teams zero impact, but I think it's still worth examining who has the best group based on my grades (including FA moves as well).
#1 - Patriots
New England won this spot by a landslide. Stephon Gilmore had a year for the ages and is a true lockdown CB who can put a WR on an island. 2nd year UDFA J. C. Jackson was my second highest rated CB in the entire league! So they've got two lockdown CBs and also Jason McCourty, who was a dominant nickel CB. Their 4th CB played at a league average rate - truly a spoil of riches.
#2 - Ravens
Marcus Peters may not be rated as highly as he would be, mostly due to his nature to give up a lot of catches, but both he and Marlon Humphrey pass as #1 CBs. Jimmy Smith was a bit below average as the third wheel but with a full season of Peters, he won't be needed as much. With Peters' elite playmaking ability and Humphrey's airtight coverage, passing on the Ravens will be very difficult.
#3 Seahawks
This all depends if Quinton Dunbar goes to prison for holding up a cookout... but if that doesn't happen, Seattle's CB group looks ready to dominate. Dunbar is a fantastic playmaker and worked as a #1 CB for the Redskins, and should allow for less pressure to be put on Shaq Griffin, who got exposed against other teams' best WRs. Tre Flowers was rated very highly by my metrics, as he quietly had a 4 pick season and proved his status as an NFL starter.
#4 - Eagles
It has seemed like the Eagles' CB group has been torched for years on end, but at least on paper, those days should be over. They added stud CB Darius Slay, who should benefit greatly from having a real pass rush compared to what Detroit provided. Avonte Maddox quietly had a quality season and should work as the #2, while the nickel spot will likely be a competition between veteran Robey-Coleman and young'un Rasul Douglas.
#5 - 49ers
I wonder how good this unit is since their pass rush was ferocious, and any poor play could be masked by that. Sherman lead the group as the star CB and held WRs to 7.5 yards a catch, lowest in the league. Former UDFA Emmanuel Moseley supplanted Ahkello Witherspoon as the starter alongside Sherman with a great first year, with 9 knockdowns and 2 picks. Witherspoon was benched, but was rated average by my metrics. Nickel CB K'Waun Williams is a quality option too.
#6 - Steelers
The Steelers' group isn't anything special, but it's as solid as can be. Joe Haden is a fine #1 CB, Steven Nelson turned in a solid year one as their #2, and Mike Hilton is an above average nickel CB. The Steelers' pass defense should remain one of the best in the league.
Worst CB Groups
#28 - Vikings
Only a couple of years ago this unit was locking teams down, but now it has been gutted. Only Mike Hughes remains - though, the departures of Rhodes and Waynes is actually a positive according to my metrics. Still, the Vikings are left with nobody to take on other teams' #1 WRs, and it will be up to 1st rounder Jeff Gladney, 3rd rounder Cameron Dantzler, and the suspension-plagued Holton Hill to rebuild the position. Expect some rough outings from this squad as they figure things out.
#29 - Falcons
Atlanta has basically copied Minnesota's approach at the CB position, but with less upside. Only Isaiah Oliver remains, and his first year as a starter went very poorly. Their #1 of the past, Desmond Trufant, was cut, and their past #2 Robert Alford was cut the year prior. They reached for A.J. Terrell in the 1st round and they will hope sophomore 4th rounder Kendall Sheffield is ready for action. This unit will likely be torched mercilessly in 2020.
#30 - Cardinals
Things went bottom up for this group in 2019 as 2nd round rookie Byron Murphy tanked, and when Patrick Peterson returned from his suspension, opposing WRs beat him up badly. Peterson will be in year 10 and will turn 30 years old, so I can't expect him to return to form. The only other CB on the roster with any upside/experience I can see is Robert Alford, a 31 year old CB who spent all of 2019 on the IR. This is a tire fire waiting to happen.
#31 - Broncos
Letting longtime star CB Chris Harris go hurts (though he had a poor year), especially as it leaves the Broncos with no true #1. They acquired A.J. Bouye in a trade which was more of a salary dump, as he gave up over 1000 yards receiving and displayed little playmaking ability. Young players like Duke Dawson, Isaac Yiadom, and Davontae Harris all took their turns getting torched in 2019. They did plan on using Bryce Callahan as their nickel CB but he spent the whole year on the IR. Michael Ojemudia was added as a 3rd rounder, but he won't save this group from being among the worst in the NFL.
#32 - Panthers
This group legitimately looks like an expansion team's CB corps. Donte Jackson is the only CB with any experience on the team, and his 2019 season was awful. They legitimately don't have another CB on the team who has made an NFL start. Only a single other CB on the team remains who was drafted by Carolina - 4th round rookie Troy Pride Jr. Other camp bodies include T.J. Green, a failed Colts safety/nickel CB, a guy legitimately named "Corn Elder", and Kenny Robinson, an XFL safety who may have to be moved to CB. The Panthers should look to add several free agents, or any WR from DeAndre Hopkins to Laquon Treadwell will be able to get open against this CB group. Update: The Panthers gave CB Eli Apple a one year, $3M deal, but he finished #92 on my list. As a below replacement level CB, his impact will likely be marginal.
And finally, I end off with a few more short rankings:
Top 10 Playmakers:
1 Kevin King GB
2 Stephon Gilmore NE
3 J.C. Jackson NE
4 Desmond Trufant ATL
5 Bashaud Breeland KC
6 Tre'Davious White BUF
7 Denzel Ward CLV
8 Joe Haden PIT
9 Emmanuel Moseley SF
10 Malcolm Butler TEN
Bottom 10 Playmakers:
86 Vernon Hargreaves III HST
87 Greedy Williams CLV
88 Nickell Robey-Coleman LA
89 William Jackson III CIN
90 T.J. Carrie CLV
91 Eli Apple NO
92 Brandon Carr BLT
93 P.J. Williams NO
94 Desmond King II LAC
95 Isaac Yiadom DEN
Least Targeted CBs:
1 Bashaud Breeland KC
2 Taron Johnson BUF
3 Charvarius Ward KC
4 Rock Ya-Sin IND
5 Avonte Maddox PHI
6 K'Waun Williams SF
7 Jimmy Moreland WAS
8 Byron Jones DAL
9 Chris Harris Jr. DEN
10 Adoree' Jackson TEN
Most Targeted CBs:
86 Buster Skrine CHI
87 A.J. Bouye JAX
88 Jason McCourty NE
89 Mike Hughes MIN
90 Darryl Roberts NYJ
91 Johnathan Joseph HST
92 Levi Wallace BUF
93 Mike Hilton PIT
94 Justin Coleman DET
95 Ronald Darby PHI
If you are interested in seeing the entire spreadsheet of CB Grades, you can reach it here on this google sheet.
Thanks for reading my article! Let me know what you think about my CB Grades and who you think might be overrated or underrated. Where there any rankings that surprised you? Let me know!
... and neither is this Chris guy.