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Poll: Which QB Will Have Better NFL Career?

April 16th, 2015 at 11:30am CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this week, PFR’s Rob DiRe kicked off our position-by-position breakdown of this year’s top draft prospects by examining the quarterbacks in this year’s class. As Rob wrote in his piece, there are plenty of reasons to prefer Jameis Winston to Marcus Mariota, but there are a number of equally compelling reasons why teams may rank Mariota higher on their draft boards.

It still appears likely that the Buccaneers will draft Winston first overall, but while we’ll know Tampa Bay’s pick – and Winston’s and Mariota’s new NFL teams – a couple weeks from tonight, it figures to be years before we know which player will enjoy the more successful NFL career. Winston played in a more NFL-style offense in college, but he also has his share of off-field question marks, whereas there are few – if any – concerns about Mariota’s character.

Of course, there’s no guarantee that one of these two players will have the most productive NFL career among this year’s crop of quarterbacks. Winston and Mariota are the consensus top two signal-callers in this class, but we’ve seen mid-round, late-round, and even undrafted players have a ton of NFL success in the past. Rob identified Brett Hundley, Bryce Petty, Garrett Grayson, and Sean Mannion as the next tier of QBs behind Winston and Mariota, and maybe you prefer the long-term prospects of one of those players.

What do you think? Which 2015 rookie will have the most long-term success as an NFL quarterback?

Poll: Titans’ Options With No. 2 Overall Pick

April 5th, 2015 at 12:14pm CST by Dallas Robinson

According to most reports, Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston is a near-lock to be selected by the Buccaneers with the first overall pick in the NFL draft later this month. The more interesting position, then, becomes the No. 2 overall slot, where the Titans will have several options to choose from.

As Bill Barnwell of Grantland recently outlined, the two most plausible picks for Tennessee are probably Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota and USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams. Mariota, a potential franchise QB, would signal a shift from incumbent signal-caller Zach Mettenberger, while Williams would pair with Jurrell Casey to form a fearsome defensive line. The Titans could also take a look at edge rushers Dante Fowler Jr. and Vic Beasley, and though it’s unlikely the club selects a receiver, Amari Cooper or Kevin White might be too talented to pass up.

Of course, Tennessee could also opt to trade the second pick — the Titans’ overall roster is among the league’s worst, so acquiring a bevy of picks in exchange for the No. 2 selection could be the most advantageous route. Specifically, a team looking to move up for Mariota could be willing to part with a haul of picks, and the Titans would probably be willing to entertain offers.

So what do you think? Will the Titans be loathe to pass up a chance at Mariota? Will they add another piece to their defense? Or will they trade the pick? Vote below!

Poll: Best Major Free Agent Signing Of 2015?

March 31st, 2015 at 12:12pm CST by Luke Adams

A year ago, no free agent received more fully guaranteed money than the $20MM offensive tackle Branden Albert got from the Dolphins. However, this time around, several big-name players blew by that threshold, with eight players in total matching or surpassing $20MM in fully guaranteed money, per Over The Cap. Here’s the full list of those signees, along with the terms of their new deals:

  1. Ndamukong Suh, DT (Dolphins): Six years, $114.375MM. $59.955MM guaranteed.
  2. Darrelle Revis, CB (Jets): Five years, $70MM. $39MM guaranteed.
  3. Charles Clay, TE (Bills): Five years, $38MM. $24.5MM guaranteed.
  4. Jeremy Maclin, WR (Chiefs): Five years, $55MM. $22.5MM guaranteed.
  5. Byron Maxwell, CB (Eagles): Six years, $63MM. $22MM guaranteed.
  6. Devin McCourty, S (Patriots): Five years, $47.5MM. $22MM guaranteed.
  7. Julius Thomas, TE (Jaguars): Five years, $46MM. $21MM guaranteed.
  8. Kareem Jackson, CB (Texans): Four years, $34MM. $20MM guaranteed.

We’ll take a closer look in the coming weeks at how exactly these contracts stack up against one another, and which players made out the best, but for now, we’re just concerned with evaluating which teams made the best and worst decisions among this group.

What do you think? Is the $60MM in guaranteed salary for Suh a mistake for the Dolphins, or does his talent ensure that he’ll be well worth the money? Perhaps one of the other players on the list represents a more worthwhile investment for his team? Which of these players was the best major free agent signing of the offseason? Cast your vote below and let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

Poll: How Should NFL Adjust Extra Point?

March 26th, 2015 at 10:15am CST by Luke Adams

The NFL announced a number of rule changes at this week’s league meetings in Phoenix, but one issue which inspired a lively discussion has been tabled for a few weeks. According to Falcons president Rich McKay, who is the co-chairman of the competition committee, a number of ideas related to the extra point after touchdowns are being considered, and will likely be put to a vote in May.

Here are a few of the ideas that appear to be receiving serious consideration from the league:

  1. Placing the ball on the 1.5-yard line rather than the two-yard line, to encourage more frequent two-point tries.
  2. Moving the line of scrimmage for all extra-point attempts back to the 15-yard line.
  3. Moving the line of scrimmage for a PAT attempt back to the 15-yard line, unless the team wants to go for two, in which case the line of scrimmage would be the 1.5-yard line.
  4. Eliminating the extra-point kick entirely, requiring teams to run a play from scrimmage. My understanding of this proposal is that a touchdown would automatically be worth seven points, and a team could get the eighth point by converting the extra play from scrimmage.
  5. Allowing the defense to score when the ball is fumbled or intercepted on a two-point try, as in college football.

That last item could be implemented into a number of different solutions for the extra point, but the preceding proposals would create a variety of challenges and decisions for teams. In general, team owners are in favor of having the extra point become more of a football play, rather than the afterthought it has become as kicking accuracy has improved.

What do you think? Does it make more sense to move the line of scrimmage closer to the end zone, or further away? Should that line of scrimmage be the same whether a team intends to go for one point or two? Or are you in favor of abolishing the kicking aspect of the extra point entirely? Feel free to expand on your vote in the comments section below.

Poll: Best Free Agent Quarterback?

February 13th, 2015 at 8:58am CST by Luke Adams

As Andrew Brandt of The MMQB.com pointed out yesterday (via Twitter), it may sometimes seem as if teams are overpaying to keep their own quarterbacks, but that’s due in large part to the fact that capable starting QBs rarely reach free agency. This year’s class of free agents is more proof of that.

When I examined 2015’s free agent market for quarterbacks on Monday, I identified Mark Sanchez, Brian Hoyer, Michael Vick, and Jake Locker as a few of the top players available, with longtime backups like Matt Moore and Ryan Mallett also in the mix. While most of those guys may be better suited as No. 2 options, I expect nearly all of them will get a chance to compete for a starting role in 2015, given how many QB-needy teams are out there.

Later in the week, Josh McCown joined this year’s group of FA quarterbacks, having been released by the Buccaneers. Last winter, McCown received the biggest contract for a free agent QB changing teams, signing a two-year, $10MM deal with Tampa Bay. This time around, he once again looks like one of the top options available, despite a disappointing 2014 campaign. Since he was cut early, McCown will also get a chance to sign anywhere before other free-agents-to-be are eligible to speak to other teams.

But if you were running a team and wanted to add the best veteran quarterback on the market, would you make a move for McCown, or would you want to wait for someone else? Who is the top prospective free agent signal-caller for 2015?

Poll: Best Head Coaching Hire Of 2015?

February 3rd, 2015 at 11:56am CST by Luke Adams

As our head coaching search tracker shows, all seven NFL teams that parted ways with their head coaches at season’s end have now hired replacements, with the Falcons formally announcing today that Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn would take over Mike Smith‘s old job. The Bills, Bears, Broncos, Jets, Raiders, and 49ers all made coaching changes as well.

While Quinn was one of the most highly-regarded assistants in the league, there are a number of other intriguing names among this year’s group of seven new coaches. A pair of head coaches – John Fox and Rex Ryan – who have had success in the past jumped from one team to another, while other top coordinators like Gary Kubiak and Todd Bowles also landed new jobs leading their own teams.

Time will tell which of these seven teams made the best move, but based on what we know right now, which hiring do you like the most?

Poll: Which Team Will Win The Super Bowl?

January 30th, 2015 at 8:55am CST by Luke Adams

For the second consecutive season, the No. 1 seeds from the AFC and the NFC will meet in the Super Bowl, and it seems unlikely that this year’s game will be as one-sided as the Seahawks’ win over Denver a year ago. The Patriots and the Seahawks were strong on both sides of the ball in 2014, and have been on fire for the last three months — since October 19, the two teams have combined for just three losses, and one of those came when the Pats rested their regulars against Buffalo in Week 17.

While they opened as early underdogs in Super Bowl XLIX, the Patriots have settled in as two-point favorites, according to sports betting site Bovada.lv. Given how rarely games are decided by two points or less, the contest is essentially a toss-up, according to Vegas, and is perhaps one of the most evenly matched Super Bowls in recent memory.

So today’s PFR poll question is simple: Who wins the game? Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, and the Patriots? Or Russell Wilson, Richard Sherman, and the Seahawks?

Poll: Best Potential 2015 Free Agent?

January 27th, 2015 at 11:17am CST by Luke Adams

Six weeks from today, the NFL’s free agent period for 2015 will officially open. By that point, a number of the more notable names on our 2015 free agent list may be off the board, having reached new agreements with their current clubs, or perhaps receiving the franchise or transition tag.

That certainly applies to the players at the very top of teams’ free agent boards for the coming offseason — it’s hard to imagine the Cowboys letting Dez Bryant reach the open market, or the Broncos allowing Demaryius Thomas to test the free agent waters. Still, for now, those players are eligible for unrestricted free agency, and there’s no indication that they’re on the verge of long-term extensions.

Even though players like Bryant and Thomas may not ultimately reach the open market, we can still examine how they’d stack up against the year’s other top free-agents-to-be. In PFR’s most recent free agent power rankings, Dallas Robinson listed those receivers third and fourth respectively, trailing a pair of formidable defenders, in Ndamukong Suh and Justin Houston — Suh is arguably the NFL’s best defensive tackle, while Houston may be the league’s top pass rusher not named J.J. Watt.

The same four players topped the first edition of our FA power rankings as well, and seem to make up the first tier of 2015’s free agent class. Putting aside the fact that they won’t all actually become available, which of these four players would you consider the best free-agent-to-be of 2015?

Obviously, a team stacked on defense may prefer one of the wideouts, while a club heavy on receiving talent would lean toward one of the defenders, but if we assume all else is equal, who do you like best going forward? Suh, Houston, Bryant, or Thomas? After submitting your vote, feel free to weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section below.

Poll: Best Post-Draft Trade Acquisition

January 24th, 2015 at 8:33pm CST by Ben Levine

There have been a number of NFL trades since the 2014 NFL Draft ended in May, with 13 players and 11 future draft picks switching teams. The Patriots were the most active on the trade market, participating in five deals, while the Buccaneers ultimately made three trades, including a pair with New England.

Let’s quickly remind ourselves of the trades made post-2014 NFL draft…

A couple of the players acquired in these trades had little impact on their new squads. Neither Justin Green or Ben Bass played a snap this season, while T.J. Yates only threw four attempts serving as Matt Ryan‘s backup. Ryan Mallett‘s opportunity as the Texans quarterback only lasted 158 snaps, while Mark Barron Jonathan Casillas, and Akeem Dent primarily served in backup/platoon roles with their new squads.

That leaves six players who played more than 300 snaps following their trade, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required): Mankins, McClain, Ayers, Harvin, Wright and Burley. So, which of those players ended up having the biggest impact on their new squad?

Mankins led that group with 937 snaps, and his 4.8 rating on PFF ranked him as the third-best offensive player on Tampa Bay (however, he only ranked as the 22nd-best guard in the league). The 32-year-old was still very reliable for the Bucs, starting all 16 games.

Meanwhile, the player he was traded for ended up being a red-zone force for the Patriots. Wright finished the season with 26 catches for 259 yards, a far cry from his 54 catch, 571-yard season in 2013. The 24-year-old did set a career-high in touchdowns, though, catching six. Across the division, the Jets were hoping Harvin could provide a spark to their struggling offense. The wideout compiled 29 catches for 350 yards and a touchdown in eight games for New York. The skill player also added 22 rushes for 110 yards.

McClain had a bounce back season in 2014 following his one-year retirement. The former first-round pick made 13 appearances for the Cowboys, finishing with 81 tackles, two interruptions, a forced fumble and a sack. He also ranked eighth in PFF’s list of the top inside linebackers. The other linebacker on that list, Ayers, filled in adequately for the injured Jerod Mayo. Ayers played in nine games for the Patriots, including four starts, compiling 20 tackles and four sacks.

Finally, Burley managed to carve out some playing time in a very deep Seattle secondary. In 13 games, the 24-year-old compiled 25 tackles and an interception, while also earning a positive rating from PFF. His 1.7 rating was actually higher than teammates Byron Maxwell, although he played about half the snaps.

So, focusing on the six players who had played more than 300 snaps, which player acquired via trade had the biggest impact on their new club? Should one of the omitted players have made the list? Let us know in the comments.

Poll: Top Head Coaching Candidate?

January 10th, 2015 at 11:00pm CST by Luke Adams

It has been nearly two weeks since the 2014 regular season ended, but none of the six teams looking for a new head coach have made a hire yet. The slow process can be partially attributed to the fact that several strong head coaching candidates are still alive in the postseason, but there are plenty of viable targets available now.

Of course, many of this year’s noteworthy candidates are talented coordinators who don’t have any previous head coaching experience, so it’s not necessarily easy to identify the top options. Rex Ryan, Mike Shanahan, and Doug Marrone have had varying degrees of success in past head coaching roles, while Dan Quinn (Seahawks), Todd Bowles (Cardinals), and Teryl Austin (Lions) led three of the league’s best defensive units this season. Throw in Adam Gase, whose Broncos offense has ranked in the top three in DVOA for three consecutive seasons, and there are a number of intriguing coaches out there interviewing for multiple job openings.

So what do you think? If you were running an NFL franchise and tasked with hiring a new head coach, which of these candidates would you make your top priority? We’ve limited our poll to the eight aforementioned names, but feel free to weigh in below in the comments section if you feel strongly about a coach not listed here.

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