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Underrated/unknown good players on your favorite team?


FrantikRam

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The Chiefs have a list because so much attention is focused on Mahomes, Kelce, and Chris Jones.

  • The OL had four Pro Bowl players. Hard core fans know of Orlando Brown Jr and Joe Thuney but Creed Humphrey was the top rated C in the whole NFL and Trey Smith also made the Pro Bowl as a rookie.
  • The team dumped the entire LB corps except for Willie Gay and Nick Bolton.
  • He was hurt during the SB run in 2019 and not playing well in 2020. In 2021, Juan Thornhill proved that Tyrann Mathieu was not indespensible. 
  • The best CB from the 2020 draft is named L'Jarius Sneed.

What is interesting is the sheer number of expiring contracts that were not picked up. It was not to clear playing time since they are already top of their units. It's to clarify the depth chart. The Chiefs have 10 draft picks. They may keep them all and some UDFA on the 53 man roster.

J

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1 hour ago, minutemancl said:

Because Micah Parsons had 13. Azeez Ojulari had 8 and no one talks about him either.

And it isn't just the sack numbers. Philips and Ojulari had 26 and 27 QB pressures respectively. Micah Parsons had 47. He is just on another level.

Parson played 904 snaps on defense, 13 sacks. 

Ojulari played 780 snaps, 8.0 sacks

Phillips played 603 snaps, 8.5 sacks. 

 

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3 hours ago, Daniel said:

For the Titans, there's a few:

David Long Jr: People thought the Titans needed a LB in the draft because they're unaware of how good the LBs are.  Long was the best LB on the team, including Jayon Brown, Zach Cunningham, and Rashaan Evans.  He's particularly good in pass coverage.

Bud Dupree: People know who Bud Dupree is, and that he's good, but the understanding across the league is that he's been a bust signing when that's far from the case.  He doesn't show on the stat sheet, but the stuff he opens up for the rest of the front four when he's on the field is very impactful.

Naquan Jones: This one is a bit of a projection.  Jones made the team as a UDFA, and was starting by the second half of the season.  He had 23 tackles (4 for loss), 2.5 sacks, and 2 PDs, with all of the sacks, TFLs, and PDs coming in those last seven games.  He also had a half sack and two hits on Burrow in the sole playoff game.  Hell of a season for a rookie NT.

Aaron Brewer: Didn't want to make it all defense.  Brewer filled in for Roger Saffold , including starting 5 games last season, and there wasn't a big dropoff.  With the Titans not taking a guard in the draft, they may be OK with him starting at LG, if Jamarco Jones doesn't beat him out.

I'm going to add on to my Titans brother list here.

 

Most people know Byard as he is a pro bowler and number 1 rated safety by PFF but not alot of people talk about the other safety Amani Hooker who is the number 3 rated safety. Does a lot of single high work. Is excellent in pass coverage but still does well in the run game. Hes still on a rookie contract and if the Titans don't resign him (very possible due to cap issues) then another team could be getting a real baller.

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Not so much unknown, but Underrated:

Logan Wilson LB - Not yet a house hold name, but probably one of the better young off-ball LBs in the game today. Great versus the run and pass. Was all over the place in the Super Bowl. 

DJ Reader NT - Nose tackles deserve love too. He doesn’t play a glamour position but he is as dominant as anyone at his job. All-pro quality NT (if NT was an All-pro position). Another guy who had a dominant playoff stretch. 

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1 hour ago, SmittyBacall said:

Logan Wilson LB - Not yet a house hold name, but probably one of the better young off-ball LBs in the game today. Great versus the run and pass. Was all over the place in the Super Bowl. 

It wasn’t a hold…

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Rams have a few:

Greg Gaines and A'Shawn Robinson - Raheem Morris said Robinson was the best player in the Super Bowl. Both he and Gaines were amazing during the entire playoff run. The "other guys" on the DL next to AD.

 

Ernest Jones ILB - rookie last year. Didn't start until midway through the season and got hurt, but seems like he will be a stud. A few big INTs, good blitzer. Had a pass breakup on a 4th down in the Super Bowl. Paired with Wagner now should be special.

 

David Edwards, Brian Allen and Rob Havenstein - Edwards and Allen are closer to average, but Hav is one of the best RTs in the game. 3/5 of arguably the best pass protecting OL in the league last year.

 

Jordan Fuller - got hurt last year and struggled a bit, but definitely a gem of a sixth round pick and an average starter.

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6 hours ago, TheKillerNacho said:

Definitely Zach Sieler. Dude is a beast, and despite not being a "starter" is out on the field more often than not. More than once last season chatting with opposing fans we were playing against was I asked who the hell #92 was, haha.

Ravens cutting Sieler was one of their biggest roster blunders in recent memory. 

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3 hours ago, FinSting said:

Parson played 904 snaps on defense, 13 sacks. 

Ojulari played 780 snaps, 8.0 sacks

Phillips played 603 snaps, 8.5 sacks. 

 

Parsons did not play edge rusher for hundreds of those snaps.

If the draft was a do over, Parsons goes #1 or #2 if someone really wanted Chase at WR.

I hate the Cowboys but that guy is a problem.

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For the Jets, it’s mainly going to be guys who were rookies in 2021 given the youth of the team and the top-to-bottom strength of that draft class. All ten picks at least flashed last year and all figure to have some sort of role this season. The early round picks (Wilson, AVT, Moore, Carter) are known names, but the six defensive picks that followed them are all a bit more anonymous. Michael Carter II might be the most impressive of that bunch. He had a really good rookie season as the “starting” nickel cornerback. He should complement Gardner and Reed really well this season.

Beyond this, Bryce Huff (2020 NDFA) has flashed a bit as a situational pass rusher. George Fant had a strong season as the starting LT as a surprising late 20s breakout. He’s a converted TE who finally saw something click in his sixth NFL season. Hopefully, he’s able to sustain that going forward. 

Edited by NewAge
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20 hours ago, FrantikRam said:

It's impossible to watch every snap from every game and because of that, there are some players on every team who we may know by name, but have no idea that they're actually a good player. Figure the off-season would be a good time to hear about these guys.

Example for the Rams would be Greg Gaines, who Von Miller talked about while here.

Nice thread idea.  Kudos. 

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