ESPN Insider PFF Roster Rankings Panthers 22 with NO Elite Players.

[Keep Steve]

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11012674/nfl-ranking-rosters-all-32-teams

 

 

 

 

 

22. Carolina Panthers

 

 

It's tough to tell sometimes exactly what the plan is in Carolina. The Panthers' receiving corps was never a strength even before Steve Smith left town, and after he did, it began to look like a disaster.

Both Jerricho Cotchery and Jason Avant are nice role players, but both are better as complementary players to a legitimate stud at the position. The team drafted Kelvin Benjamin in the first round; he has rare size, but it's asking a lot for him to be the No. 1 guy right away. The retirement of longtime tackle Jordan Gross put the team in a deep hole on the offensive line, one it didn't seem too keen on climbing out of. Heading into the season, the starting tackles are expected toNate Chandler and Byron Bell, who don't grade out well. Couple that with the receiver problems and this offense is essentially resting on the shoulders of Cam Newtonmore than ever.

On defense, the team has been rejuvenated by the additions in recent drafts, but the secondary remains a question mark, especially since the departures of Drayton Florence andCaptain Munnerlyn.

By the numbers: The Panthers' front seven is in fine shape with only unknown quantity A.J. Klein spoiling the set of starters all ranking above average. In the secondary, however, things aren't as rosy, with all five members of that unit ranking below average or worse, with Roman Harper serving as the low mark after some extremely poor showings in New Orleans. On offense, it's a bad sign when your only high-quality starter is a fullback (Mike Tolbert), with Newton held to the good starting designation because of the lack of help around him.

[Keep Steve]

I am glad the Panthers are being low balled.  It seems that seasons always turn out better that way.

[jtnc]

Lol, so according to PFF Mike Tolbert>>>Greg Olsen.

[Keep Steve]

2. San Francisco 49ers

 

 

The Seahawks are pushed hard by their divisional rivals for the best 53-man roster in football. The 49ers' roster is so good that the team has begun essentially redshirting players in the draft, with Marcus Lattimore a year ago and Brandon Thomas this season sitting out their first year on injured reserve. Their receiving corps was an issue in 2013, but it has been remade in the offseason, and with Michael Crabtree fully recovered from his injury, it should be a strength this year.

In the same way that they have been taking chances on talent in the draft, the Niners have been able to take shots at talented players with checkered histories in free agency, and traded for Blaine Gabbert in the hope a new surrounding can uncover why he was a first-round draft pick just a few years ago. Former Vikings second-round pick Chris Cook -- signed this offseason -- also fits that description. The only thing separating them and the Seahawks is some question marks in the defensive secondary, where they are counting on young players to take a step forward.

By the numbers: Daniel Kilgore is the only question mark on offense, with every other member of the starting unit ranked good or better. In total, 70.1 percent of their starters on both sides of the ball are ranked good or better. Rookie Jimmie Ward and center Kilgore are question marks, but there is no projected starter who grades out below average.

[Keep Steve]

4. New Orleans Saints

 

 

For years, the Saints had an offense that could hang with anybody while their defense consistently let them down. The year they won the Super Bowl, the defense still wasn't stellar, but it had a stellar run of generating turnovers.

This year, however, the D has some legit talent of its own. Jairus Byrd joins Kenny Vaccaro to give the Saints a safety tandem that should rival Seattle's for the best in football, and Byrd is the kind of free safety who allows you to change the coverages you run on the back end. The front seven has been slowly retooled and now has some legitimate talent and depth.

As always, the offense has plenty of weapons without any superstars among the receivers and backs. The offensive line could be stronger, but Drew Brees is well capable of making them look better than they really are.

By the numbers: The Saints are tied for the league lead with three starters (12.5 percent) in the blue and they have five more players (20.8 percent) following closely behind as high-quality starters. The linebacker corps is the weak link, with both David Hawthorne and Curtis Lofton grading out below average, but both have had seasons of high-quality play earlier in their careers.

 

[Keep Steve]

17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

 

 

New head coach Lovie Smith inherited a roster with plenty of talent but also plenty of holes, and he has acquired several players that look like perfect fits for his system. Letting Darrelle Revis leave was a criticized move, but within Smith's defensive system, Alterraun Verner is just about as good, for a fraction of the price.

Verner, along with defensive end Michael Johnson, should perform well on defense, while the team concentrated on the offensive side of the ball during the draft, spending their top pick on Mike Evans to play oppositeVincent Jackson at wide receiver and their second-round pick on tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, who will compete withTimothy Wright for playing time behind free agent acquisition Brandon Myers. The roster has certainly had some holes repaired, but remains patchy with several question marks, notably still at quarterback.

By the numbers: Tampa Bay remains a team all over the place when it comes to starters, with two blue-chip players on defense (Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David) but three players (25 percent) graded as poor starters and three more below average. On offense there are high-quality players (Vincent Jackson and Carl Nicks), but there remain players below average, even new imports such as Myers at tight end.

 

[Keep Steve]

Believe it or not Falcons at number 30.

 

30. Atlanta Falcons

 

 

Atlanta has been in "win-now" mode for a while, but every move the team has made to try to get closer to that aim seems only to have brought it further away from it. This offseason the Falcons spent big retooling their offensive and defensive lines, but seem to have added a series of one-dimensional players: run specialists in a league that is getting more pass-oriented.

There is a concerning absence of pass rush on the defense, with only really Osi Umenyioracapable of bringing consistent pressure, and he is unlikely to be an every-down player (Jonathan Massaquoi will likely play more of the snaps at that spot). On offense, there is talent at the skill positions, but once again, the offensive line looks like a major issue and an Achilles' heel for a team that needs to protect its quarterback more than it has in recent years. Matt Ryan's passer rating dropped from 99.9 to 72.0 when he was pressured in 2013, and there is no obvious cure to that on the offensive line unless rookie Jake Matthews hits the ground running in a big way.

By the numbers: Ryan and Julio Jonesrepresent the only two high-quality starters. Average players are the big issue for this lineup, with 66.7 percent of the starters grading out as average or worse.

[Pejorative Miscreant]

I for one wish there were more threads about media outlets disrespecting and/or underestimating and/or criticizing the Panthers.

[CarolinaSamurai]

It's funny how you get all these lists and predictions so early on and the when the season starts if non of the things happen the way they foretold no one says "oh crap I got it wrong". It's just forgotten about, or sometimes those naysayers changer thier tune like they knew all along.

Sent from my iPhone using CarolinaHuddle

[*FreeFua*]

People actually pay for this sh!t?

[TheRed]

Cam Newton, Charles Johnson, Ryan Kalil, and Greg Olsen are not "high quality"? Oooookay.

[rodeo]

They had Charles Johnson listed as elite in this same thing back in I think it was April. Apparently something happened this offseason to make him just an average DE, lol.

 

PFF has become a joke honestly.

[imminent rogaine]

I know that these don't mean much but I don't think they are way off. I think our entire DL should be at least "high quality" but the DTs are very young so there hasn't been much data to go off of. Looking at production relative to others at their positions, Mike Tolbert is one of our strongest players if not the strongest player.

[Keep Steve]

I for one wish there were more threads about media outlets disrespecting and/or underestimating and/or criticizing the Panthers.

I for one wish you would give me head, maybe someone wants to see it even if you don't.