Best CBs in the NFL.

[Ozzy]

With such an insult to basically all CBs with that top 100 list and how many were not included, here is my list of top CBs in the NFL.  Ramsey of course it depends on if he is healthy but when healthy he is the best CB in my view and a few of the splash plays last season coming off the injury were simply amazing.  White I did not include because of his major injuries the past two years so who knows where he is at physically.

 

 

Top 25

Jalen Ramsey 
Patrick Surtain
Sauce Gardner
LaJarius Sneed
Trent McDuffie
Denzel Ward
Jaylon Johnson
Charvarius Ward
Daron Bland
Marlon Humphrey
Derek Stingley Jr
Paulson Adebo
Jaire Alexander
Tariq Woolen
Devon Witherspoon
Marshon Lattimore
Martin Emerson Jr
Christian Gonzalez
Darius Slay
Trevon Diggs
Byron Murphy Jr
Asante Samuel Jr
AJ Terrell
Sean Murphy-Bunting
Brandon Stephens

Christian Gonzalez could move way up if he can stay healthy and play a full year, was super solid last year before the injury and Martin Emerson is rising up no question.  In terms of Bland it will be interesting what he is like in a different system and if he can stay consistent or not, if so he would be higher as well.

 

 

Here are the top slot corners in my view, McDuffie is clearly the best but it will be interesting how they do because now he is their best boundary CB by far and without Sneed can they still be solid with new CBs around McDuffie or even be able to move McDuffie down to slot at times or not.  Depends really on how great Watson or Williams are, because if not could be an issue.  Hilton I think is super underrated as well and is a great bltizer, Gordon I love his versatility as a slot but he does need to get a bit stronger.  Taron Johnson might be moving to boundary CB full time with the moves they made but in the slot he is great, Murphy also might be back and forth but with the injuries they have had he might have to stay ta boundary CB which he is very good at also.  Nixon is outstanding especially with his strength and power at the position, will be even better if Stokes can stay healthy as the other boundary, and Newsome is super versatile as well.

 

Trent McDuffie
Mike Hilton
Kyler Gordon
Byron Murphy Jr
Keisean Nixon
Greg Newsome II
Taron Johnson
Kenny Moore II
Alontae Taylor
Marcus Jones

 

 

 

A ever increasing need is for safeties to drop down into the slot at times if they are skilled enough or be brought on middle or slot blitzes as well.  These are the most versatile safeties who can do both and cover in the slot if asked.  Hamilton is amazing because of his range and he can defend TEs or quick WRs and is hell to deal with when he is in slot coverage because of that length.  Minkah is basically like a CB and is moved around all over, same with Winfield Jr.  Bates has some of the best ball skills in the NFL and is super versatile.  Branch is up and coming and will be interesting if he is more a safety this year when last year he played slot a lot but depends on if the Lions can figure out that slot CB position and have healthy boundary CBs all year.  Metellus really came on last year and is great in the slot and being moved around but he is more a third safety or much more of a nickel CB.  Dax Hill is another I think is super talented and could be a boundary CB no question about it if asked.  Gardner-Johnson again can play legit boundary CB but depends on if he can stay healthy and just make plays at safety and be versatile and available.

 

Kyle Hamilton
Minkah Fitzpatrick
Antoine Winfield Jr
Jessie Bates III
Budda Baker
Julian Love
Tyrann Mathieu
CJ Gardner-Johnson
Jimmie Ward
Brian Branch
Josh Metellus
Dax Hill
 

 

 

 

The Texans group of safeties to me are by far the most versatile safety group in the NFL.  Pitre can be moved all over and Ward has played CB before and is great in coverage and great in the slot also if asked.  Really promising group and they even have Eric Murray as a backup who has CB skills and is a solid versatile safety also.  If Lassiter can stabilize that other CB spot if Okudah wins the job and Lassiter is the slot would work also, or Desmond King who is another super versatile DB who can play slot, CB or safety.  They also brought in Myles Bryant who is good in the slot and has safety experience as well.  So to me no question the most versatile group overall CBs and Safeties not to mention a star boundary in Derek Stingley Jr.  

Edited August 4 by Ozzy

[Ozzy]

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/40727387/bears-cb-jaylon-johnson-nfl-top-100-snub-aint-no-way

 

Jaylon Johnson said it best, and brings up a great point, if it is based on what last season....Aaron Rodgers is on the list and he did not even play last season 😁.

 

I should maybe move him up on my list after comments like that, dude is legit though.  

[El Ramster]

Tariq is very slept On. The biggest freak and specimen out of all the CBs.  He’s better than Sauce to me imo. 
 

Players always talk about how great Patrick Surtain is. Elite WRs btw. Jalen Ramsey hasn’t been great in 3-4 years. Just pure name recognition. 
 

I think Christian Gonzales has next.. he has every trait and ability to become the next great. Just gotta stay healthy.. 

[El Ramster]

I’m not naming any chiefs player. They’re allowed to get away with murder. At Oline, Dline and CB. The chiefs play with an extra set of rules no other team gets the benefit. And if you’re gonna loot at me as a chiefs fan and not have the balls to admit to it! I won’t argue with you. Those dudes are the new pats and simply have become hated. They’re non ethical hoopers.. They whine and complain about calls 24-7. 

Edited August 4 by El Ramster

[AkronsWitness]

I will go to my grave telling people that Denzel Ward is arguably the most underrated player in the NFL. Not even specific to CBs. Hes been a top 3-4 CB for the past 5 years but all people talk about is Surtain, Gardner, Ramsey among others. Hes just completely lost on peoples minds when talking about corners.

He was just ranked as CB #2 in the NFL by coaches, executives, scouts but was completely left off the top 100 list. Somehow he didnt make All-Pro despite being CB1 on the best defense in football last year, and was most likely the best corner in football last season. But please, keep telling me about Jalen Ramsey and Sauce Gardner.

Edited August 5 by AkronsWitness

[Soko]

57 minutes ago, AkronsWitness said:

But please, keep telling me about Jalen Ramsey and Sauce Gardner.

I mean, Sauce was a fair bit better in 2022 and Ward was maybe a smidge better in 2023, statistically. Sauce is also younger, bigger, and most importantly, isn’t good for missing ~25% of the season and a handful more snaps.

Ward’s up there, though. Doesn’t get the recognition. I’m with you on Ramsey (and Surtain), they’ve both largely got the Patrick Peterson treatment.

[AkronsWitness]

1 hour ago, Soko said:

I mean, Sauce was a fair bit better in 2022 and Ward was maybe a smidge better in 2023, statistically. Sauce is also younger, bigger, and most importantly, isn’t good for missing ~25% of the season and a handful more snaps.

Ward’s up there, though. Doesn’t get the recognition. I’m with you on Ramsey (and Surtain), they’ve both largely got the Patrick Peterson treatment.

Something about Sauce rubs me the wrong way, idk. Its either his 2022 season where he was allowed to get away with murder holding WRs or the fact that his status is being boosted by a NYC media hype machine. He's a really good CB, don't get me wrong, I just don't think he is definitively the best CB in the league like most claim.

If I were to pick 2 from last year, Johnson and Ward were the 2 best CBs in the league IMO. I think all of the 'big' names the media loves to ram down our throats like Ramsey, Surtain, Gardner took a decent step back last year. While still good, Ramsey is largely living off name recognition and Surtain/Sauce both didnt match their rookie output in 2023 and had some clunkers.

Im sure there are a million stats from the analytic nerd database that will tell me I'm a idiot, but Im just going by what I saw as my personal opinion.

Edited August 5 by AkronsWitness

[Soko]

5 minutes ago, AkronsWitness said:

Something about Sauce rubs me the wrong way, idk. Its either his 2022 season where he was allowed to get away with murder holding WRs or the fact that his status is being boosted by a NYC media hype machine. He's a really good CB, don't get me wrong, I just don't think he is definitively the best CB in the league like most claim.

If I were to pick 2 from last year, Johnson and Ward were the 2 best CBs in the league IMO. I think all of the 'big' names the media loves to ram down our throats like Ramsey, Surtain, Gardner took a decent step back last year. While still good, Ramsey is largely living off name recognition and Surtain/Sauce both didnt match their rookie output in 2023 and had some clunkers.

Im sure there are a million stats from the analytic nerd database that will tell me I'm an idiot, but Im just going by what I saw as my personal opinion.

Gardner’s year this year was still better than either of Ward’s last two (2021/2022). I’m not calling him the unequivocal best, but taking into account the last two seasons, he’s got as good a claim as anyone. The “allowed to get away with murder” stuff is and has always been used to discredit physical corners, I listened to Pats fans scream it at Revis for years (until Revis and Browner came to town).

But yeah, 2023 alone, I’d say Johnson/Snead/Ward all had the best seasons at CB. Ward’s underrated, frequently getting left out of these discussions. I imagine it’s because he doesn’t have prototypical size (when was the last time we saw a small CB get touted as elite, best in the league?) and he does miss a handful of games almost every year.

[El Ramster]

1 hour ago, AkronsWitness said:

Something about Sauce rubs me the wrong way, idk. Its either his 2022 season where he was allowed to get away with murder holding WRs or the fact that his status is being boosted by a NYC media hype machine. He's a really good CB, don't get me wrong, I just don't think he is definitively the best CB in the league like most claim.

If I were to pick 2 from last year, Johnson and Ward were the 2 best CBs in the league IMO. I think all of the 'big' names the media loves to ram down our throats like Ramsey, Surtain, Gardner took a decent step back last year. While still good, Ramsey is largely living off name recognition and Surtain/Sauce both didnt match their rookie output in 2023 and had some clunkers.

Im sure there are a million stats from the analytic nerd database that will tell me I'm an idiot, but Im just going by what I saw as my personal opinion.

It’s the Revis effect. Go watch “Revis Island”. Dude was allowed to get away with 2000s pat defense seque murder. Hop, hold, tackle WRs. 

[Ozzy]

12 hours ago, El Ramster said:

Tariq is very slept On. The biggest freak and specimen out of all the CBs.  He’s better than Sauce to me imo. 
 

Players always talk about how great Patrick Surtain is. Elite WRs btw. Jalen Ramsey hasn’t been great in 3-4 years. Just pure name recognition. 
 

I think Christian Gonzales has next.. he has every trait and ability to become the next great. Just gotta stay healthy.. 

Ramsey when healthy is still the best, sure he did not play a full season last year but his anticipation and ball skills are right there with basically any CB.  Combine that with his size and that is why I have him #1, if he is on the physical decline that changes things.  Until one of the other guys shows that kind of elite anticipation/ ball skills, I will have Ramsey at the top.

 

Take this play at the 1:54 mark, that interception is one of the best I have ever seen, and he did that at age 29 coming off an injury.  

 

 

Woolen I might underrate, still not sure how elite he is and if he can consistently keep it up.  I agree with Gonzalez, he could be amazing at CB assuming he can stay healthy.

 

 

10 hours ago, AkronsWitness said:

I will go to my grave telling people that Denzel Ward is arguably the most underrated player in the NFL. Not even specific to CBs. Hes been a top 3-4 CB for the past 5 years but all people talk about is Surtain, Gardner, Ramsey among others. Hes just completely lost on peoples minds when talking about corners.

He was just ranked as CB #2 in the NFL by coaches, executives, scouts but was completely left off the top 100 list. Somehow he didnt make All-Pro despite being CB1 on the best defense in football last year, and was most likely the best corner in football last season. But please, keep telling me about Jalen Ramsey and Sauce Gardner.

True but he is underrated because he has never played a full season in his six year NFL career.  He always misses games here and there and some at times are super important games or playoff games.  Has he ever had a season where he did not miss any games to injury?  The answer is no.   Also it is a lot easier to play CB when you have the best pure pass rusher in the NFL, so of course Garrett gets all the credit and attention which he should, because he is consistently out there and consistently dominating.  

 

 

The Browns do have the best CB group in terms of three guys in the NFL with Ward, Emerson and Newsome.  No question about it and combo that with Thornhill who is very good and Delpit.  So that probably hurts Ward also because on such a solid group already.  Owusu-Koramoah helps in pass pro also with his great range.  Browns keep winning consistently and if Ward can finally stay healthy he will get more attention no question.  Too bad they have a nut at QB who is clearly not what he used to be.

 

 

12 hours ago, El Ramster said:

I’m not naming any chiefs player. They’re allowed to get away with murder. At Oline, Dline and CB. The chiefs play with an extra set of rules no other team gets the benefit. And if you’re gonna loot at me as a chiefs fan and not have the balls to admit to it! I won’t argue with you. Those dudes are the new pats and simply have become hated. They’re non ethical hoopers.. They whine and complain about calls 24-7. 

Allowed to get away with murder?  What?  For one Taylor was what the most penalized OT in the history of the NFL in one season, how is that getting away with stuff?

To ignore the fact Sneed last year was outstanding for the Chiefs and McDuffie was easily the best slot CB in the NFL, well it just seems like a biased fan pissed that the Chiefs win so ignore the reasons as to why they win.  Take McDuffie or Sneed off that team last year, no way they win the Super Bowl.

 

As for the Patriots, Chung, Ryan and McCourty were great defensive backs on the Patriots and Belichick is clearly one of the best defensive coaches ever.  Get away with stuff, most teams with large corners like Flowers or Browner, the other teams say they get away with stuff.   Sure some are saying that about Woolen and Seattle right now but that system is going to change without Pete Carroll around.

 

Much less well before that on the Patriots Rodney Harrison a Hall of Famer, Ty Law Hall of Famer and Asante Samuel, yeah they were the real standard, Eugene Wilson had some range at safety also. 

 

7 hours ago, El Ramster said:

It’s the Revis effect. Go watch “Revis Island”. Dude was allowed to get away with 2000s pat defense seque murder. Hop, hold, tackle WRs. 

You do know the rules in the NFL have changed since Revis played, changed quite a lot.  One was allowed to get away with stuff like that and CBs were greatly helped with how violently safeties could hit anyone going over the middle.  Think how much better Randy Moss would have been if he could go over the middle of the field without fear of having his career ended.  Now basically no WR fears that because of the rule changes which makes playing the CB position much harder than before, not to mention the rules about line of scrimmage contact and hand fighting.  Honestly I wish they allowed more hand fighting and contact, makes the game more interesting and makes it harder to succeed.  

I agree with no head contact or spearing a WR, but if one takes that away at least allow some hand fighting then to give the defenders a chance.  

[INbengalfan]

On 8/4/2024 at 12:06 PM, Ozzy said:

Dax Hill is another I think is super talented and could be a boundary CB no question about it if asked.  

Dax has already been moved to CB.  The team  brought in Geno Stone for FS, and Dax is battling former Wolverine teammate DJ Turner for the starting boundary spot opposite Cam Taylor-Britt.

[malak1]

Hopefully Tyrique Stevenson can take a big step forward and become great opposite Jaylon Johnson. 

[Ozzy]

1 hour ago, INbengalfan said:

Dax has already been moved to CB.  The team  brought in Geno Stone for FS, and Dax is battling former Wolverine teammate DJ Turner for the starting boundary spot opposite Cam Taylor-Britt.

Dax should be able to beat out DJ Turner I would think.  If not for sure he is the first option if any of the two starters get hurt.  Doubt Geno Stone will be as good as he was last year on Baltimore, but good they address safety with Von Bell who could take Stone's place if he does not turnout.  

 

Still feel Dax could be a very good safety and would be a shame to have him on the bench.  

 

46 minutes ago, malak1 said:

Hopefully Tyrique Stevenson can take a big step forward and become great opposite Jaylon Johnson. 

Stevenson is solid and helps make that core three one of the top in the NFL for CBs, probably only behind the Cleveland Browns honestly.  Them along with the Texans, 49ers, Seahawks and maybe Chiefs or Eagles depending on how the rookies do.  Bears are right there though no question, and probably have improved that safety spot with Byard, Owens brought in and having Hicks and Brisker already there.  

Heck Bears go four deep at CB with Terell Smith also on the roster, they have a great top four CBs and all are pretty young also.

 

[DawgX]

Yeah, the top 100 list is always bad, but it seems extra bad this year with its ranking of CBs.

Ward was arguably the best CB last year, at worst top 2-3 and has always been at least top 10, yet he wasn't ranked. Let's just say, Emerson is another really good CB for the Browns and he was targeted a ton because QBs had no desire to throw Ward's way.

[INbengalfan]

15 hours ago, Ozzy said:

Dax should be able to beat out DJ Turner I would think.  If not for sure he is the first option if any of the two starters get hurt.  Doubt Geno Stone will be as good as he was last year on Baltimore, but good they address safety with Von Bell who could take Stone's place if he does not turnout.  

 

Still feel Dax could be a very good safety and would be a shame to have him on the bench.  

Dax has all the physical tools, but was always a step slow with reading and recognizing.  Mike Hilton is on his last year of his deal, and the Turner/Dax loser will probably take his place if he retires.  Dax could also end up being our TE eraser (the role Trey Flowers excelled at here a couple of years ago).