With the opening stages of free agency and the 2020 NFL draft in the rearview mirror, NFL rosters are largely complete. That gives us an opportunity to look forward and project the starting lineups for every NFL team heading into next season.
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One important thing to point out before I get started — base defenses are not “base” anymore. The average NFL team ran just 27% of its defensive plays in base personnel last season, with nickel and dime packages quickly becoming the prevalent look. With that in mind, nearly all of these teams include five defensive backs in the starting lineup with the fifth member of the secondary (nickel/slot defender) taking the place of an off-ball linebacker or defensive lineman in what would traditionally be viewed as their starting base defense.
To jump to each division, click here: AFC East | AFC North | AFC South | AFC West | NFC East | NFC North | NFC South | NFC West
AFC East
New England Patriots
Offense
QB: Jarrett Stidham
RB: Sony Michel
WR: Mohamed Sanu
WR: N’Keal Harry
Slot: Julian Edelman
TE: Devin Asiasi
LT: Isaiah Wynn
LG: Joe Thuney
C: David Andrews
RG: Shaq Mason
RT: Marcus Cannon
Defense
DI: Lawrence Guy
DI: Adam Butler
EDGE: Chase Winovich
EDGE: John Simon
LB: Dont’a Hightower
LB: Ja’Whaun Bentley
CB: Stephon Gilmore
CB: Jason McCourty
CB: Jonathan Jones
S: Devin McCourty
S: Adrian Phillips
Battle to watch: Adrian Phillips vs. Patrick Chung at strong safety
For years, Chung has been the player the Patriots have let loose in the box to take on opposing tight ends in the passing game. He has played at least 500 defensive snaps every season since 2010, and all but one of those seasons came with the Patriots. Last season, Chung saw his role and performance take a hit, though, earning an overall grade of just 55.6 after bringing in 70-plus grades in four of the five previous seasons. At 33 years old, his days as the Patriots’ starting strong safety may be numbered.
Phillips missed much of the 2019 season with the Chargers due to a fractured forearm, but he played well in limited action with an 87.5 overall grade on just shy of 300 defensive snaps. He earned grades of 65.0 or higher in each of 2017 and 2018, as well. There’s a good chance that Phillips could push Chung for the starting job despite Chung’s longtime standing with the team.
Name to watch: Josh Uche
It’s hard to imagine a better landing spot for Uche than New England given Bill Belichick’s experience with hybrid pass rushers. Uche may be undersized for a traditional edge defender, but he flat-out produced in his limited opportunities at Michigan, picking up a pass-rushing grade of 91.7 over the 2018 and 2019 seasons combined. I could see Uche carving out a role for himself on this defense at some point during the 2020 season.
Buffalo Bills
Offense
QB: Josh Allen
RB: Devin Singletary
WR: Stefon Diggs
WR: John Brown
Slot: Cole Beasley
TE: Dawson Knox
LT: Dion Dawkins
LG: Quinton Spain
C: Mitch Morse
RG: Jon Feliciano
RT: Cody Ford
Defense
DI: Ed Oliver
DI: Star Lotulelei
EDGE: Jerry Hughes
EDGE: Mario Addison
LB: Tremaine Edmunds
LB: Matt Milano
CB: Tre’Davious White
CB: Josh Norman
CB: Taron Johnson
S: Jordan Poyer
S: Micah Hyde
Battle to watch: Josh Norman vs. Levi Wallace at outside cornerback
I gave the second starting job at cornerback to Norman right now, but after watching what he put on tape in 2019, that’s a tough pill to swallow for the Bills on what is otherwise a very strong roster. Buffalo will be hoping it gets the guy who put up five straight seasons with a coverage grade of 69.0 or higher from 2014 to 2018 rather than the 2019 version of Norman, who earned a 43.4 grade in coverage and allowed a passer rating of 133.3 into his coverage. If it’s a similar story to last year, Wallace is the clear choice as starter after a solid sophomore campaign that followed up an excellent rookie debut.
Name to watch: Zack Moss
For a long time, Moss was PFF’s RB1 in the 2020 NFL Draft. A disappointing showing at the Scouting Combine and D’Andre Swift’s top-of-the-class ability as a receiver ultimately pushed him down to our second-ranked running back, but no running back in the draft was more elusive than Moss. He forced the third-most missed tackles on the ground during his career with the Utes of any running back since PFF began charting college football in 2014. Moss has all the tools to become a three-down back, and while Singletary may hold the edge right now, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Moss eventually earn the lion's share of the snaps at running back by the end of the season.
New York Jets
Offense
QB: Sam Darnold
RB: Le’Veon Bell
WR: Breshad Perriman
WR: Denzel Mims
Slot: Jamison Crowder
TE: Chris Herndon
LT: Mekhi Becton
LG: Alex Lewis
C: Connor McGovern
RG: Greg Van Roten
RT: Chuma Edoga
Defense
DI: Quinnen Williams
DI: Steve McLendon
DI: Henry Anderson
EDGE: Jordan Jenkins
EDGE: Tarell Basham
LB: C.J. Mosley
CB: Pierre Desir
CB: Blessuan Austin
CB: Brian Poole
S: Jamal Adams
S: Marcus Maye
Battle to watch: Chuma Edoga vs. George Fant at right tackle
The right tackle for the Jets in 2020 is expected to be one of those two players, and I gave the nod to Edoga despite his 48.9 overall grade in limited action last season. Fant has played 454 snaps at tight end as a sixth offensive lineman with the Seahawks compared to 477 snaps at tackle over the past three seasons. When he is lined up at tackle, his career grade is just 47.6. It makes more sense for New York to roll with Edoga and hope he takes a step forward in his second season while keeping Fant as depth behind him and Becton.
Name to watch: Bryce Hall/Avery Williamson
Hall may be a fifth-round rookie cornerback, but he was one of the best values in the 2020 NFL Draft in that range. His year was cut short by injury in 2019, but he earned a 91.4 coverage grade while accumulating an FBS-high 23 forced incompletions the year prior. If used correctly, he could develop into a solid starting option for the Jets in a cornerback room that lacks sure things.
Williamson doesn’t really qualify for this category, but he should get a mention given that he should see plenty of playing time in formations with two or more linebackers on the field. He is the projected starter in the Jets’ base defense.
Miami Dolphins
Offense
QB: Ryan Fitzpatrick
RB: Jordan Howard
WR: DeVante Parker
WR: Preston Williams
Slot: Albert Wilson
TE: Mike Gesicki
LT: Austin Jackson
LG: Ereck Flowers
C: Ted Karras
RG: Robert Hunt
RT: Jesse Davis
Defense
DI: Christian Wilkins
DI: Davon Godchaux
EDGE: Shaq Lawson
EDGE: Emmanuel Ogbah
LB/EDGE: Kyle Van Noy
LB: Jerome Baker
CB: Xavien Howard
CB: Byron Jones
CB: Noah Igbinoghene
S: Bobby McCain
S: Eric Rowe
Battle to watch: Robert Hunt vs. Jesse Davis at right tackle
It seems very unlikely that Hunt goes without a starting job as a rookie next season, but the question becomes whether it will come at the right tackle position he played at Louisiana or at right guard after kicking inside. PFF lead draft analyst Mike Renner listed Hunt as one of the top tackle-to-guard converts in the 2020 NFL Draft, and I think that’s where he begins his career with Davis maintaining the right tackle job he held last season.
Name to watch: Brandon Jones
Jones is a bit of a project given his read-and-react deficiencies on the back end, but in a role closer to the line of scrimmage where he can use his size, athleticism, movement skills and physicality, he could develop into a nice player for Miami. Eric Rowe’s starting job on this list at strong safety is written in pencil rather than pen after the 2019 season with the Dolphins where he recorded a 58.9 overall grade. There’s a chance Jones wins the job outright by the time the season rolls around.
NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles
Offense
QB: Carson Wentz
RB: Miles Sanders
WR: Alshon Jeffery
WR: Desean Jackson
TE: Zach Ertz
TE: Dallas Goedert
LT: Andre Dillard
LG: Isaac Seumalo
C: Jason Kelce
RG: Brandon Brooks
RT: Lane Johnson
Defense
DI: Fletcher Cox
DI: Javon Hargrave
EDGE: Brandon Graham
EDGE: Derek Barnett
LB: Nate Gerry
LB: T.J. Edwards
CB: Darius Slay
CB: Avonte Maddox
CB: Nickell Robey-Coleman
S: Rodney McLeod
S: K’Von Wallace
Battle to watch: Avonte Maddox vs. Sidney Jones at outside cornerback
The Eagles put in work in their secondary this offseason, bringing in several high-level players like Darius Slay and Nickell Robey-Coleman, along with a draft prospect PFF liked in K’Von Wallace. Their second outside cornerback spot is still a little up in the air, though, with the two major players being Maddox and Jones. Maddox has the edge in experience (1,248 defensive snaps compared to Jones’ 643) and has graded out slightly better (55.9 compared to Jones’ 53.0). That should give him the leg up in the competition.
Name to watch: Davion Taylor
Taylor is someone who landed as PFF data scientist Eric Eager’s “my guy” for the 2020 NFL Draft after testing well at the Scouting Combine and projecting well from the college to the pros as both a blitzer and a coverage defender at the position. There are no sure bets at linebacker in Philadelphia, so Taylor cracking the starting lineup after being selected in the third round would not come as a surprise.
Dallas Cowboys
Offense
QB: Dak Prescott
RB: Ezekiel Elliott
WR: Amari Cooper
WR: Michael Gallup
WR: CeeDee Lamb
TE: Blake Jarwin
LT: Tyron Smith
LG: Connor Williams
C: Tyler Biadasz
RG: Zack Martin
RT: La’el Collins
Defense
DI: Gerald McCoy
DI: Dontari Poe
EDGE: Demarcus Lawrence
EDGE: Randy Gregory
LB: Jaylon Smith
LB: Leighton Vander Esch
CB: Chidobe Awuzie
CB: Trevon Diggs
CB: Jourdan Lewis
S: Xavier Woods
S: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
Battle to watch: Anthony Brown vs. Jourdan Lewis in the slot
There are a lot of unknowns in the Dallas secondary, but my guess is that Chidobe Awuzie stays at cornerback despite rumors of him moving to safety. A team that is bereft of top cornerback options probably shouldn’t be moving its current top cornerback to safety when it already has two solid starters there. If Trevon Diggs takes the other starting job outside, that leaves Brown and Lewis to battle it out for the starting job in the slot. Lewis has fared well thus far there, with three consecutive seasons with a 68.0 grade or higher to open his career. I’d give him the edge over Brown inside.
Name to watch: Aldon Smith
Smith was a low-risk acquisition for the Cowboys on a one-year deal that could end up paying off big. They did not address the starting edge spot opposite Demarcus Lawrence in the 2020 NFL Draft, and though Smith hasn’t played since 2015, he was one of the top pass rushers in the league at his peak. His 189 total pressures over the first three seasons of his career were a top-five mark across the entire NFL. Now, it’s unlikely he turns back into that player after such a long time off, but there is plenty of opportunity in Dallas, and Smith clearly has talent if he can stay on track.
New York Giants
Offense
QB: Daniel Jones
RB: Saquon Barkley
WR: Sterling Shepard
WR: Darius Slayton
Slot: Golden Tate
TE: Evan Engram
LT: Andrew Thomas
LG: Will Hernandez
C: Nick Gates
RG: Kevin Zeitler
RT: Nate Solder
Defense
DI: Leonard Williams
DI: Dalvin Tomlinson
DI: Dexter Lawrence
EDGE: Kyler Fackrell
EDGE: Oshane Ximines
LB: Blake Martinez
CB: James Bradberry
CB: DeAndre Baker
CB/S: Julian Love
S: Jabrill Peppers
S: Xavier McKinney
Battle to watch: Nick Gates vs. Spencer Pulley vs. Shane Lemieux at center
Gates spent time at both right guard and right tackle during the 2019 season, ending the year with a very respectable 77.0 overall grade. That has generated some buzz around his name as a potential starter — a young player whom the Giants want to involve — despite no real experience at the center position. Considering his main competition is Pulley (who has yet to grade above 57.0 in four NFL seasons) and Lemieux (a fifth-round rookie who didn’t play center in college), it’s not unrealistic to think Gates wins the job outright.
Name to watch: Sam Beal
I included DeAndre Baker on this starting lineup, but chances are that he is heading towards a significant suspension. That leaves the door open at the outside cornerback spot opposite free agent acquisition James Bradberry, and Beal has to be the leader in the clubhouse to take advantage after three starts outside late last season. Those starts weren’t exactly impressive — Beal allowed 14 of 20 targets into his coverage to be completed without recording a pass breakup or interception — but he is two years removed from earning an 88.1 coverage grade at Western Michigan in his final collegiate season.
Washington Redskins
Offense
QB: Dwayne Haskins
RB: Derrius Guice
WR: Terry McLaurin
WR: Cody Latimer
Slot: Steven Sims
TE: Jeremy Sprinkle
LT: Cornelius Lucas
LG: Wes Schweitzer
C: Chase Roullier
RG: Brandon Scherff
RT: Morgan Moses
Defense
DI: Jonathan Allen
DI: Da’Ron Payne
EDGE: Chase Young
EDGE: Montez Sweat
LB: Thomas Davis
LB: Cole Holcomb
CB: Ronald Darby
CB: Fabian Moreau
CB/S: Kendall Fuller
S: Landon Collins
S: Sean Davis
Battle to watch: Who earns linebacker snaps?
The linebacker position is wide open in Washington. I listed Thomas Davis Sr. and Cole Holcomb as my best guess at the top two players on the depth chart, but the truth is that Shaun Dion Hamilton, Jon Bostic and Reuben Foster, among others, could draw starter snaps this season. Seeing who comes out on top at this position and who ends up not making the roster will be something to monitor leading up to the 2020 NFL season.
Name to watch: Antonio Gibson
Somewhere between traditional running back and wide receiver, Gibson figures to be an offensive weapon who won’t slot into the starting lineup at running back ahead of players such as Derrius Guice and Adrian Peterson nor in the slot over someone like Steven Sims. That doesn’t mean he won’t see playing time. I expect Gibson to provide a spark on the offense that the Redskins are missing and build his role as the season progresses.
AFC South
Houston Texans
Offense
QB: Deshaun Watson
RB: David Johnson
WR: Brandon Cooks
WR: Will Fuller
Slot: Randall Cobb
TE: Darren Fells
LT: Laremy Tunsil
LG: Max Scharping
C: Nick Martin
RG: Zach Fulton
RT: Tytus Howard
Defense
DI: Ross Blacklock
DI: Brandon Dunn
EDGE: J.J. Watt
EDGE: Whitney Mercilus
LB: Zach Cunningham
LB: Benardrick McKinney
CB: Bradley Roby
CB: Gareon Conley
CB: John Reid
S: Justin Reid
S: Eric Murray
Battle to watch: Gareon Conley vs. Lonnie Johnson Jr. at outside cornerback
I think there is a real chance John Reid could earn the starting slot job for the Texans as a rookie, which would leave the other starting cornerback job up to Conley and Johnson. Johnson had a disastrous rookie season after his second-round selection by the Texans out of Kentucky, earning a coverage grade of 29.0 and allowing a passer rating of 133.5 into his coverage. Conley has disappointed in the context of his first-round draft status, but he has graded at 64.0 and 64.5 the last two seasons in a prominent role — solid play for a starting cornerback. Those numbers get even better press coverage, where he has graded out as one of the best players at the position across the entire NFL.
Name to watch: Kahale Warring
Darren Fells certainly isn’t infallible. Warring is a player the Texans were excited about last season after his third-round selection, but he took a redshirt year after suffering a hamstring injury and concussion in August. Warring played fewer than 1,000 career snaps at San Diego State and is still relatively new to the game, but he has the combination of size and athleticism that you look for at the position. He could carve out a role for himself in a tight end room without a clear leader.
Tennessee Titans
Offense
QB: Ryan Tannehill
RB: Derrick Henry
WR: A.J. Brown
WR: Corey Davis
Slot: Adam Humphries
TE: Jonnu Smith
LT: Taylor Lewan
LG: Rodger Saffold
C: Ben Jones
RG: Nate Davis
RT: Dennis Kelly
Defense
DI: Jeffery Simmons
DI: DaQuan Jones
EDGE: Harold Landry
EDGE: Vic Beasley Jr.
LB: Rashaan Evans
LB: Jayon Brown
CB: Adoree’ Jackson
CB: Malcolm Butler
CB: Kristian Fulton
S: Kevin Byard
S: Kenny Vaccaro
Battle to watch: Isaiah Wilson vs. Dennis Kelly at right tackle
Generally, when you take a tackle in the first round, that player is going to start as a rookie. I think it makes sense for the Titans to give Wilson time to develop, though, because he isn’t ready to go up against NFL edge defenders week in and week out. We had listed him as a potential guard convert — a position where his power could shine — given his sluggish feet and problems with speed off the edge. Kelly would give more security to a team that is looking to contend once again in 2020. He is coming off two consecutive seasons with 70-plus overall grades on 300 or more snaps as the Titans’ swing tackle.
Name to watch: Amani Hooker
The Titans are losing a key contributor from their secondary last season in Logan Ryan, and in the starting lineup above, I made the assumption that Malcolm Butler would remain outside and the recently drafted Kristian Fulton would start his career in the slot for Tennessee. There is a chance that Hooker could earn a larger role in the slot, though, after playing primarily deep at free safety in 2019. Hooker was one of the best coverage defenders in the slot in all of college football at Iowa, picking up a coverage grade of 91.1 in his final season with the Hawkeyes while playing the majority of his snaps in the slot.
Indianapolis Colts
Offense
QB: Philip Rivers
RB: Jonathan Taylor
WR: T.Y. Hilton
WR: Michael Pittman Jr.
Slot: Parris Campbell
TE: Jack Doyle
LT: Anthony Castonzo
LG: Quenton Nelson
C: Ryan Kelly
RG: Mark Glowinski
RT: Braden Smith
Defense
DI: DeForest Buckner
DI: Denico Autry
EDGE: Justin Houston
EDGE: Al-Quadin Muhammad
LB: Darius Leonard
LB: Anthony Walker
CB: Rock Ya-Sin
CB: Xavier Rhodes
CB: Kenny Moore
S: Khari Willis
S: Malik Hooker
Battle to watch: Edge defender opposite Justin Houston
There are a couple of names who could start opposite Houston, but none of them are overly exciting. The most exciting of the bunch may be Kemoko Turay after he got off to a very fast start to the 2019 season (91.0 pass-rushing grade before season-ending injury in Week 5), but he was used primarily as a pass-rushing specialist, with 72 of his 81 defensive snaps coming on pass plays. Ben Banogu and Tyquan Lewis are also names who could fill the position. Al-Quadin Muhammad has the most experience of the bunch and has graded decently over the last two seasons in Indianapolis.
Name to watch: Marvell Tell III
Name value will likely propel Xavier Rhodes to the starting job in Indianapolis, but he has been thoroughly exposed over the last two seasons in Minnesota. That culminated in a 2019 season where he earned a coverage grade of 45.3 while allowing 66 of the 79 passes into his coverage to be completed. Those are bottom of the barrel numbers. He’ll have to significantly turn his career around to play up to the level of a starting-caliber cornerback. Tell, meanwhile, showed promise in limited action as a rookie with an overall grade of 67.6. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the former safety starting with Rock Ya-Sin late next season.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Offense
QB: Gardner Minshew
RB: Leonard Fournette
WR: DJ Chark
WR: Chris Conley
Slot: Dede Westbrook
TE: Tyler Eifert
LT: Cam Robinson
LG: Andrew Norwell
C: Brandon Linder
RG: Ben Bartch
RT: Jawaan Taylor
Defense
DI: Taven Bryan
DI: Davon Hamilton
EDGE: Josh Allen
EDGE: K’Lavon Chaisson
LB: Myles Jack
LB: Joe Schobert
CB: CJ Henderson
CB: Rashaan Melvin
CB: D.J. Hayden
S: Jarrod Wilson
S: Ronnie Harrison
Battle to watch: Chris Conley vs. Laviska Shenault Jr. at outside wide receiver
Shenault has the size and physical profile to play outside in addition to the slot, and he showed he could do both across the 2018 and 2019 seasons at Colorado. His injury history may slow the start of his NFL career, but he is clearly the more talented option compared to Conley. The Jaguars may want to bring him along slowly and develop his route tree during his rookie season rather than throwing him into the fire as a full-time starter, however, which is why I slotted Conley in as the starter right now. Conley is coming off a career year with the Jaguars in 2019, averaging 16.5 yards on his 47 receptions.
Name to watch: Josiah Scott
D.J. Hayden has played well in the slot for the Jaguars over the last two seasons (70-plus coverage grades in 2018 and 2019), but they’re a team looking towards the future so it’s hard to imagine Hayden is in their long-term plans. The bottom line on Scott in the PFF Draft Guide stated, “Scott projects as one of the top slot cornerback options in this class. His quicks, instincts and ball skills are superb.” This is someone they should be trying to get on the field sooner rather than later.
NFC South
New Orleans Saints
Offense
QB: Drew Brees
RB: Alvin Kamara
WR: Michael Thomas
WR: Emmanuel Sanders
WR: Tre’Quan Smith
TE: Jared Cook
LT: Terron Armstead
LG: Andrus Peat
C: Erik McCoy
RG: Cesar Ruiz
RT: Ryan Ramczyk
Defense
DI: Sheldon Rankins
DI: David Onyemata
EDGE: Cameron Jordan
EDGE: Marcus Davenport
LB: Demario Davis
LB: Zack Baun
CB: Marshon Lattimore
CB: Janoris Jenkins
S: Chauncey Gardner-Johnson
S: Malcolm Jenkins
S: Marcus Williams
Battle to watch: Zack Baun vs. Kiko Alonso vs. Alex Anzalone for linebacker snaps
The Saints — wait for it — traded up in the draft to get their guy. Shocker, I know. It’s hard to see Baun not drawing significant snaps as a rookie, even with the likely position change from edge to primarily off-ball linebacker. Alonso earned grades of 61.3, 49.1 and 49.6 in his last three seasons as a full-time starter (2016 to 2018 with the Dolphins), and Anzalone put up decent numbers in 2018 (67.7 overall grade) but doesn’t pose a massive roadblock to playing time for Baun.
Name to watch: Malcom Brown
It doesn’t exactly come as a surprise that Brown is going to see plenty of playing time on this defense. He played over 500 snaps for New Orleans in 2019, just as he did the four years prior with the Patriots, and he earned his fifth consecutive season with a grade north of 64.0. I put Sheldon Rankins and David Onyemata above him in the starting lineup, but Brown should see similar snaps to those two and play the most snaps of the three over center at nose tackle.
Atlanta Falcons
Offense
QB: Matt Ryan
RB: Todd Gurley
WR: Julio Jones
WR: Calvin Ridley
Slot: Russell Gage
TE: Hayden Hurst
LT: Jake Matthews
LG: Matt Hennessy
C: Alex Mack
RG: Chris Lindstrom
RT: Kaleb McGary
Defense
DI: Grady Jarrett
DI: Tyeler Davison
EDGE: Dante Fowler Jr.
EDGE: Takkarist McKinley
LB: Deion Jones
LB: Foyesade Oluokun
CB: A.J. Terrell
CB: Isaiah Oliver
CB: Kendall Sheffield
S: Keanu Neal
S: Ricardo Allen
Battle to watch: Ricardo Allen vs. Damontae Kazee at free safety
Allen is coming off the worst season of his career from a PFF grading standpoint (58.7 overall), but he also played more strong safety than any year in his career with the injury to Keanu Neal. From 2015 to 2017, Allen picked up overall grades of 68.4, 81.2 and 72.1 on 800 or more snaps each season. Kazee, meanwhile, has bounced between the slot and free safety (where he has had more NFL success). He put up an 82.7 coverage grade in 2018 as the team’s primary free safety in place of an injured Allen. My guess is that Allen edges out Kazee, but Kazee will still see a good bit of the field in various nickel and dime packages.
Name to watch: Laquon Treadwell
The start to Treadwell’s career has been, well, disastrous. From 2016 to 2018, he failed to produce a single receiving grade above 55.0, topping out at 302 receiving yards in 2018 on 47 targets. He didn’t have a large role with the Vikings in 2019, but there were signs of improvement as he picked up a receiving grade of 74.5 on his 87 routes run. The Falcons don’t have a solidified third wide receiver behind Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley — though Russell Gage is the leader to earn that role — which leaves the door open for Treadwell to resurrect his career in a new city, similar to what we saw from Breshad Perriman.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Offense
QB: Tom Brady
RB: Ronald Jones II
WR: Chris Godwin
WR: Mike Evans
TE: Rob Gronkowski
TE: O.J. Howard
LT: Donovan Smith
LG: Ali Marpet
C: Ryan Jensen
RG: Alex Cappa
RT: Tristan Wirfs
Defense
DI: Ndamukong Suh
DI: Vita Vea
DI: William Gholston
EDGE: Shaquil Barrett
EDGE: Jason Pierre-Paul
LB: Devin White
LB: Lavonte David
CB: Carlton Davis
CB: Jamel Dean
S: Antoine Winfield
S: Jordan Whitehead
Battle to watch: Jamel Dean vs. Sean Murphy-Bunting at outside cornerback
Both Dean and Murphy-Bunting performed well for a pair of rookie cornerbacks in 2019. Murphy-Bunting picked up a coverage grade of 66.5, combining for seven interceptions and pass breakups on the year. Meanwhile, all Dean accomplished was ranking third among all cornerbacks in PFF grade from Weeks 10 through 17 with 10 forced incompletions over that span (second among all cornerbacks behind only Carlton Davis). That hot stretch pushed him over Murphy-Bunting in my starting lineup, but I expect both will see plenty of the field next season.
Name to watch: Tyler Johnson
PFF's Anthony Treash wrote prior to the draft that Johnson very well could be the steal of the draft, and it appears the Buccaneers are the team that is going to reap the reward after taking him in the fifth round. Johnson is the rare wide receiver that consistently created separation at the college level yet excelled in contested catch situations, ideal for a slot receiver working over the middle of the field. That role is open for the taking in Tampa Bay’s offense. Chris Godwin did plenty of damage from the slot in 2019, and he’ll likely continue to do so, but he has also shown the ability to win outside. A potential Godwin/Johnson/Mike Evans trio looks mighty good on paper.
Carolina Panthers
Offense
QB: Teddy Bridgewater
RB: Christian McCaffrey
WR: D.J. Moore
WR: Robby Anderson
WR: Curtis Samuel
TE: Ian Thomas
LT: Russell Okung
LG: John Miller
C: Matt Paradis
RG: Michael Schofield III
RT: Taylor Moton
Defense
DI: Kawann Short
DI: Derrick Brown
EDGE: Brian Burns
EDGE: Yetur Gross-Matos
LB: Shaq Thompson
LB: Tahir Whitehead
CB: Donte Jackson
CB: Troy Pride Jr.
CB: Corn Elder
S: Juston Burris
S: Tre Boston
Battle to watch: John Miller vs. Michael Schofield III vs. Dennis Daley at guard
There aren’t any sure things when it comes to the guard position for the Panthers after trading away Trai Turner for Russell Okung this offseason. Daley played 686 snaps last season, but they all came at tackle where he earned a 58.3 overall grade (48.8 as a pass blocker). Though there is a sense that he is going to come away with one of the starting guard jobs, Miller and Schofield are just more reliable there in my eyes. Granted, they’re not spectacular options — Miller ranks 57th among 87 qualifying guards in PFF grade since 2015, while Schofield ranks 42nd — but they’re experienced and unlikely to be complete disasters.
Name to watch: Jeremy Chinn
Chinn is undeniably raw coming out of Southern Illinois. He has all the size and athleticism to be a dominant player in the box, but he doesn’t play to that physicality and lacks the processing speed to be an impactful player out of the gates. Those uncoachable physical traits could push him onto the field sooner rather than later, though, particularly with the state of the strong safety depth chart in front of him.
AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs
Offense
QB: Patrick Mahomes
RB: Clyde Edwards-Helaire
WR: Tyreek Hill
WR: Sammy Watkins
WR: Mecole Hardman
TE: Travis Kelce
LT: Eric Fisher
LG: Andrew Wylie
C: Austin Reiter
RG: Laurent Duvernay-Tardif
RT: Mitchell Schwartz
Defense
DI: Chris Jones
DI: Derrick Nnadi
EDGE: Frank Clark
EDGE: Alex Okafor
LB: Anthony Hitchens
LB: Willie Gay Jr.
CB: Charvarius Ward
CB: Bashaud Breeland
CB: Rashad Fenton
S: Tyrann Mathieu
S: Juan Thornhill
Battle to watch: Willie Gay Jr. vs. Anthony Hitchens vs. Damien Wilson for linebacker snaps
Kansas City won this past year’s Super Bowl in spite of their linebacking corps rather than because of them. Wilson and Hitchens (their two leaders in snaps last season) maxed out at a 50.4 overall grade (Wilson). There is no reason that Gay shouldn’t immediately become the best linebacker on that defense with his freakish athleticism and natural instincts he showed in coverage at Mississippi State, albeit in a small sample. I gave the edge to Hitchens in the starting lineup alongside Gay, but there isn’t a big gap between him and Wilson. Ideally, the Chiefs will be upgrading on both in the future.
Name to watch: L’Jarius Sneed
The Chiefs’ cornerback depth chart wasn’t settled before the arrest of Bashaud Breeland in late April, and it certainly isn’t now. There is opportunity there for Sneed to potentially see playing time early. PFF's Steve Palazzolo listed him as a low-risk, high-reward prospect in this year’s draft, citing his frame, athleticism and ball skills as a potential winning combination on the outside.
Denver Broncos
Offense
QB: Drew Lock
RB: Melvin Gordon
WR: Courtland Sutton
WR: Jerry Jeudy
Slot: KJ Hamler
TE: Noah Fant
LT: Garrett Bolles
LG: Dalton Risner
C: Lloyd Cushenberry
RG: Graham Glasgow
RT: Ja’Wuan James
Defense
DI: Jurrell Casey
DI: Shelby Harris
EDGE: Von Miller
EDGE: Bradley Chubb
LB: Alexander Johnson
LB: Todd Davis
CB: AJ Bouye
CB: Michael Ojemudia
CB: Bryce Callahan
S: Kareem Jackson
S: Justin Simmons
Battle to watch: Michael Ojemudia vs. Isaac Yiadom vs. Davontae Harris vs. De'Vante Bausby at outside cornerback
There was a sense the Broncos would do more to address the second cornerback slot this offseason. They have built a pretty solid all-around roster, but this is pretty clearly the biggest weakness on it. I’m guessing Ojemudia is the leader in the clubhouse to win that job given how ineffective Yiadom (53.4 PFF grade) and Harris (53.4 PFF grade) have been in that role in recent seasons. The other primary option — Bausby — hasn’t played more than 150 defensive snaps in a season since entering the NFL in 2015 as an undrafted free agent. Vic Fangio is one of the best defensive minds in the NFL, but he will have his work cut out for him at cornerback beyond A.J. Bouye and Bryce Callahan.
Name to watch: Phillip Lindsay
I put Melvin Gordon in the starting lineup, but this really should be a running back by committee situation with both Lindsay and Royce Freeman on the roster. That’s part of what made the Gordon signing seem unnecessary at the time, particularly given that Lindsay has been a legitimately good runner these last two years. His 87.3 rushing grade since the start of 2018 ranks fourth among qualifying running backs. Lindsay should still see plenty of opportunity on the ground in Denver’s offense.
Las Vegas Raiders
Offense
QB: Derek Carr
RB: Josh Jacobs
WR: Henry Ruggs III
WR: Tyrell Williams
Slot: Hunter Renfrow
TE: Darren Waller
LT: Kolton Miller
LG: Richie Incognito
C: Rodney Hudson
RG: Gabe Jackson
RT: Trent Brown
Defense
DI: Maliek Collins
DI: Maurice Hurst
EDGE: Maxx Crosby
EDGE: Clelin Ferrell
LB: Cory Littleton
LB: Nick Kwiatkoski
CB: Trayvon Mullen
CB: Prince Amukamara
CB: Lamarcus Joyner
S: Johnathan Abram
S: Damarious Randall
Battle to watch: What does the starting secondary look like?
The Raiders have quite a few highly drafted players in their secondary heading into the 2020 season, but there are still some questions. Will the recently signed Prince Amukamara beat out Damon Arnette for a starting spot out of the gates? Will Lamarcus Joyner stay in the slot in Las Vegas (where he struggled in 2019 with a 42.8 coverage grade) or will he return to free safety where he saw some success with the Rams? Can Amik Robertson crack the starting lineup in the slot? These are all questions that need to be answered in 2020 and could go either way.
Name to watch: Carl Nassib
Las Vegas will be hoping that the combination of Maxx Crosby and Clelin Ferrell can maintain starting status throughout the year given Crosby’s strong rookie season and the fact that Ferrell was the fourth-overall pick in the NFL draft. Nassib is a solid albeit unexciting starting option if things don’t go according to plan, though. He has played 500 or more defensive snaps in each of the past three seasons, earning grades of 64.0 or higher each year. Nassib isn’t going to scare opposing quarterbacks, but he will provide stout play against the run.
Los Angeles Chargers
Offense
QB: Tyrod Taylor
RB: Austin Ekeler
WR: Keenan Allen
WR: Mike Williams
Slot: K.J. Hill
TE: Hunter Henry
LT: Trey Pipkins
LG: Dan Feeney
C: Mike Pouncey
RG: Trai Turner
RT: Bryan Bulaga
Defense
DI: Linval Joseph
DI: Jerry Tillery
EDGE: Joey Bosa
EDGE: Melvin Ingram III
LB: Kenneth Murray
LB: Drue Tranquill
CB: Casey Hayward Jr.
CB: Michael Davis
CB: Chris Harris Jr.
S: Derwin James
S: Nasir Adderley
Battle to watch: Jerry Tillery vs. Justin Jones at interior defender
Tillery was not what the Chargers expected in his rookie season. Not only did he play below expectations, but his 35.5 overall grade ranked dead last among all qualifying interior defenders during the 2019 season. The guy who put up a FBS-high 19.6% pass-rush win rate in 2018 at Notre Dame didn’t just disappear, though. If Tillery can get back towards that player in Year 2, he has a decent chance of winning the starting job over Jones (overall grades of 51.9 and 59.2 in 2018 and 2019).
Name to watch: Desmond King II/Justin Herbert
King has been the third-highest-graded cornerback in the entire NFL since 2017, so seeing his name come up here seems odd. The problem is that King has only played in the slot, and the Chargers just signed the best slot cornerback of the past decade to play in the slot (Chris Harris Jr.). That leaves King without a well-defined position. His role will likely be as the sixth defensive back in dime looks, but it will be hard to keep him off the field entirely given how talented he has proven himself to be.
The other obvious candidate to crack the starting lineup is Herbert. I believe the Chargers will start the season with Tyrod Taylor at quarterback (and that they can have success with him at the helm), but any sign of struggle will likely force the Chargers’ hand in ushering in the Herbert era in Los Angeles, whether or not he is ready to be a starting quarterback in the NFL.
NFC West
San Francisco 49ers
Offense
QB: Jimmy Garoppolo
RB: Tevin Coleman
FB: Kyle Juszczyk
WR: Deebo Samuel
WR: Brandon Aiyuk
TE: George Kittle
LT: Trent Williams
LG: Laken Tomlinson
C: Weston Richburg
RG: Daniel Brunskill
RT: Mike McGlinchey
Defense
DI: Javon Kinlaw
DI/EDGE: Arik Armstead
EDGE: Dee Ford
EDGE: Nick Bosa
LB: Fred Warner
LB: Kwon Alexander
CB: Richard Sherman
CB: Emmanuel Moseley
CB: K’Waun Williams
S: Jaquiski Tartt
S: Jimmie Ward
Battle to watch: Kwon Alexander vs. Dre Greenlaw in two-linebacker packages
It seems at this point as if Fred Warner is comfortably top dog in the 49ers’ linebacking corps. If we’re going off paychecks, Alexander would be a clear choice to receive more playing time than Greenlaw. Greenlaw saw plenty of action during Alexander’s injury last season, however, and he played well with that opportunity, earning an overall grade of 67.7 with strong play in coverage and sure tackling. If he continues to improve on that performance, it is going to be hard to keep him off the field.
Name to watch: Tom Compton
The release of Mike Person — the starting right guard for the 49ers last season — corresponded with the signing of Compton, indicating that the 49ers plan to have him compete for that newly vacant guard position. I have Daniel Brunskill filling that position in my starting lineup after a solid showing in 2019 across multiple positions, but Compton could win the job as well. He has significantly more experience than Brunskill. The only issue is his performance — it hasn’t exactly been starter-quality with overall grades of 57.7, 61.8 and 49.7 since 2017 on 300 or more snaps each year.
Seattle Seahawks
Offense
QB: Russell Wilson
RB: Chris Carson
WR: Tyler Lockett
WR: DK Metcalf
TE: Will Dissly
TE: Greg Olsen
LT: Duane Brown
LG: Mike Iupati
C: B.J. Finney
RG: Damien Lewis
RT: Brandon Shell
Defense
DI: Poona Ford
DI: Jarran Reed
EDGE: Rasheem Green
EDGE: Bruce Irvin
LB: Bobby Wagner
LB: KJ Wright
LB: Jordyn Brooks
CB: Shaquill Griffin
CB: Quinton Dunbar
S: Quandre Diggs
S: Bradley McDougald
Battle to watch: Who draws the start at edge defender?
The fate of Jadeveon Clowney continues to hang in the balance for this upcoming season. Even though the Seahawks may not have an upper tier option like Clowney on their current roster, they do have options. Rasheem Green seems the safest bet to take one of the starting edge jobs after playing a career-high 594 defensive snaps in 2019 and putting up 30 quarterback pressures (including playoffs). I gave the other starting slot to Bruce Irvin in his return to Seattle, but LJ Collier, Benson Mayowa and Darell Taylor should all be in the mix for a starting job if the Seahawks don’t make any more moves at the position.
Name to watch: Phil Haynes
Haynes played just 42 snaps over the course of his rookie season, all coming in the Divisional Round matchup with the Packers, and he held up well. Haynes allowed two pressures in his 32 pass-blocking snaps despite Russell Wilson having an average time to throw of nearly four seconds in the game. If the former fourth-round pick were to crack the starting lineup next season, it would most likely be at left guard in place of Mike Iupati (60.3 overall grade in 2019).
Los Angeles Rams
Offense
QB: Jared Goff
RB: Cam Akers
WR: Robert Woods
WR: Josh Reynolds
Slot: Cooper Kupp
TE: Tyler Higbee
LT: Andrew Whitworth
LG: Austin Corbett
C: Austin Blythe
RG: David Edwards
RT: Rob Havenstein
Defense
DI: Aaron Donald
DI: A’Shawn Robinson
DI: Michael Brokcers
EDGE: Leonard Floyd
EDGE: Samson Ebukam
LB: Micah Kiser
CB: Jalen Ramsey
CB: Troy Hill
S/CB: Terrell Burgess
S: Taylor Rapp
S: John Johnson
Battle to watch: Samson Ebukam vs. Ogbonnia Okoronkwo vs. Terrell Lewis at edge defender
The Rams replaced Dante Fowler Jr. with Leonard Floyd in free agency in what figures to be a downgrade from a pass-rushing standpoint, and their move to counteract the lost snaps from Clay Matthews was to select Lewis in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Lewis has some definite upside down the line, but this is still a guy who will likely take time to develop at the NFL level after playing over 150 defensive snaps for the first and only time in his collegiate career last season. The battle will likely come down to Ebukam and Okoronkwo to start, and Ebukam’s experience in recent seasons (1,717 defensive snaps since 2017) should give him the edge.
Name to watch: Brian Allen
Allen was the starter at center to start the 2019 season before going down with injury, and he struggled mightily in pass protection, earning a pass-blocking grade of just 45.4. After Allen went down, Austin Blythe slid over from right guard to center, but things weren’t much better for him (58.2 overall grade at center). I put Blythe in the projected starting lineup, but the Rams could very well decide to go back to their 2019 starter in Allen should he win the job this offseason.
Arizona Cardinals
Offense
QB: Kyler Murray
RB: Kenyan Drake
WR: Deandre Hopkins
WR: Christian Kirk
Slot: Larry Fitzgerald
TE: Maxx Williams
LT: D.J. Humphries
LG: Justin Pugh
C: Mason Cole
RG: J.R. Sweezy
RT: Marcus Gilbert
Defense
DI: Corey Peters
DI: Jordan Phillips
EDGE: Chandler Jones
EDGE: Devon Kennard
LB: Isaiah Simmons
LB: Jordan Hicks
CB: Patrick Peterson
CB: Robert Alford
CB: Byron Murphy
S: Budda Baker
S: Jalen Thompson
Battle to watch: Marcus Gilbert vs. Josh Jones at right tackle
The fact that the Cardinals didn’t go offensive tackle in the first round and still ended up with the 14th ranked player overall and the fourth-ranked offensive tackle on PFF’s Big Board in the third round remains arguably the biggest steal of the entire NFL Draft. Jones has the starting experience and production (93.4 overall grade with Houston in 2019) that indicates he could start right away at right tackle, but the question becomes whether or not the Cardinals opt to bring him along slowly.
Gilbert hasn’t been healthy since 2016, but he showed in Pittsburgh that he was a quality starting option when on the field, putting up three consecutive seasons of 73.0-plus grades on 800 or more snaps from 2014 to 2016. He could serve as a bridge for Jones as he continues to develop, if he can stay on the field.
Name to watch: De’Vondre Campbell
The only team that ran more base defense than the Cardinals in 2019 was the Seahawks, meaning there could be a decent chunk of time that Campbell, Jordan Hicks and Isaiah Simmons are all on the field at the same time. Even if the return of Robert Alford from injury mitigates that to a degree, Campbell could potentially beat out Hicks for linebacker snaps next season. Campbell played 700 or more defensive snaps in each of the first four seasons of his career with the Falcons, and the 61.0 overall grade Hicks earned in 2019 was the lowest of his career.
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens
Offense
QB: Lamar Jackson
RB: J.K. Dobbins
WR: Marquise Brown
WR: Willie Snead IV
TE: Mark Andrews
TE: Nick Boyle
LT: Ronnie Stanley
LG: Bradley Bozeman
C: Matt Skura
RG: Ben Powers
RT: Orlando Brown
Defense
DI: Derek Wolfe
DI: Brandon Williams
DI/EDGE: Calais Campbell
EDGE: Matthew Judon
LB: Patrick Queen
LB: Malik Harrison
CB: Marcus Peters
CB: Marlon Humphrey
CB: Tavon Young
S: Chuck Clark
S: Earl Thomas
Battle to watch: Who earns the starting jobs on the interior offensive line?
Marshal Yanda’s retirement leaves all three interior offensive line positions uncertain heading into the 2020 season, and the Ravens didn’t make any major moves to add a clear-cut starter. Bradley Bozeman should retain his starting left guard spot from 2019 (63.8 overall grade), and Matt Skura figures to retain the center job after Patrick Mekari was forced to take over last season due to injury, performing admirably in Skura’s stead. There are competitors for those two jobs, though, and Yanda’s right guard spot is completely in the air with Ben Powers, DJ Fluker, Ben Bredeson and Tyre Phillips all sticking out as reasonable solutions. I sided with Powers due to his familiarity playing next to Orlando Brown Jr. at Oklahoma and a year of experience with the offense under his belt.
Name to watch: Miles Boykin
The Ravens were the run-heaviest team in the NFL last season, so there isn’t going to be a surplus of targets to go around. Even with that being true, Boykin had a quiet rookie season after being selected in the third round, bringing in just 13 passes on 192 routes over the course of the regular season. He clearly has the physical ability to perform at a high level in the NFL after tearing up the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him begin to supplant Willie Snead as WR2 on that Ravens’ offense next season.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Offense
QB: Ben Roethlisberger
RB: James Conner
WR: Diontae Johnson
WR: James Washington
Slot: JuJu Smith-Schuster
TE: Eric Ebron
LT: Alejandro Villanueva
LG: Stefen Wisniewski
C: Maurkice Pouncey
RG: David DeCastro
RT: Matt Feiler
Defense
DI: Cam Heyward
DI: Stephon Tuitt
EDGE: T.J. Watt
EDGE: Bud Dupree
LB: Devin Bush
LB: Vince Williams
CB: Joe Haden
CB: Steven Nelson
CB: Mike Hilton
S: Terrell Edmunds
S: Minkah Fitzpatrick
Battle to watch: Stefen Wisniewski vs. Kevin Dotson vs. Matt Feiler at left guard
There has been talk that the Steelers could be moving Feiler to left guard this season, allowing second-year tackle Chukwuma Okorafor and Zach Banner to compete for the starting right tackle job. It makes more sense to keep Feiler at right tackle — a position where he played well in 2019 — and plug the free agent acquisition Wisniewski in at left guard. Wisniewski has been a steady veteran presence for years, and he showed what he can bring to a team by stepping into the Chiefs’ offense during their Super Bowl run last season and delivering a 70.9 overall grade.
Name to watch: Cameron Sutton
The Steelers’ secondary has quickly gotten pretty crowded, which limits playing time for someone like Sutton. He impressed in the few chances he did get last season, putting up a 74.5 overall grade on just over 250 defensive snaps and allowing a passer rating of 47.0 on the 26 throws into his coverage. Sutton will see the field in dime and some nickel packages, but there’s a chance he could steal some snaps from Terrell Edmunds at strong safety if Edmunds doesn’t take a step forward in Year 3 or takes on more of a linebacker hybrid role in the box.
Cleveland Browns
Offense
QB: Baker Mayfield
RB: Nick Chubb
WR: Odell Beckham Jr.
WR: Jarvis Landry
TE: Austin Hooper
TE: David Njoku
LT: Jedrick Wills
LG: Joel Bitonio
C: JC Tretter
RG: Wyatt Teller
RT: Jack Conklin
Defense
DI: Sheldon Richardson
DI: Andrew Billings
EDGE: Myles Garrett
EDGE: Olivier Vernon
LB: Mack Wilson
LB: Sione Takitaki
CB: Denzel Ward
CB: Greedy Williams
CB: Kevin Johnson
S: Karl Joseph
S: Grant Delpit
Battle to watch: Larry Ogunjobi vs. Andrew Billings at nose tackle
Most expect Ogunjobi to retain his starting job at this point, but Billings has graded out higher than Ogunjobi in each of the past two seasons, bringing in an overall grade of 74.0 in 2018 and 69.3 in 2019 on 600 or more defensive snaps both seasons. He provides good play against the run and a little more pass-rushing ability than what you get from your typical nose tackle. I think there’s a decent chance he comes away as the starter, leaving the Browns in a good position in the depth department inside.
Name to watch: Jordan Elliott
Speaking of depth at the defensive tackle position, Elliott was one of the bigger steals in the draft in PFF’s eyes. He was the 23rd overall player on our big board heading into the draft and put up the highest two-year grade of any interior defender in this class — yes, including Javon Kinlaw and Derrick Brown. He should carve out a nice role on this Cleveland defense as the season progresses, rotating with Sheldon Richardson on the defensive line.
Cincinnati Bengals
Offense
QB: Joe Burrow
RB: Joe Mixon
WR: A.J. Green
WR: Tee Higgins
Slot: Tyler Boyd
TE: C.J. Uzomah
LT: Jonah Williams
LG: Michael Jordan
C: Trey Hopkins
RG: Xavier Su’a-Filo
RT: Bobby Hart
Defense
DI: Geno Atkins
DI: DJ Reader
EDGE: Carlos Dunlap
EDGE: Sam Hubbard
LB: Logan Wilson
LB: Germaine Pratt
CB: William Jackson III
CB: Trae Waynes
CB: Mackensie Alexander
S: Jessie Bates III
S: Vonn Bell
Battle to watch: Which linebackers draw the most snaps in 2020?
Cincinnati certainly recognized that the linebacking corps needed to be addressed this offseason, bringing in three rookies and Josh Bynes in free agency to help solve the issue. Though he struggled a bit as a rookie in 2019 (51.2 overall grade), I think it’s safe to assume Germaine Pratt will maintain his starting status. Of the rookies, the first off the board — Logan Wilson — is likely to receive the most snaps. Akeem Davis-Gaither and Markus Bailey were both strong values at their respective picks, falling a bit due to injury concerns. We may not know who will start for the Bengals at linebacker, but they will be better there next season than they were in 2019.
Name to watch: John Ross
The Bengals declined Ross’ fifth-year option, making this a prove-it year for the speedster out of Washington. What remains to be seen is just how much opportunity he gets to prove it with Cincinnati’s selection of Tee Higgins to open the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. As PFF's Steve Palazzolo put it in a recent piece looking at the players whose fifth-year options were declined, “His game-changing ability is still valuable if deployed as a complementary piece in an otherwise solid offense.” That speed and ability to produce big plays, despite the maddening inconsistency, could earn him a larger role than Higgins early on as the rookie adjusts to life in the NFL.
NFC North
Green Bay Packers
Offense
QB: Aaron Rodgers
RB: Aaron Jones
WR: Davante Adams
WR: Devin Funchess
WR: Allen Lazard
TE: Jace Sternberger
LT: David Bakhtiari
LG: Elgton Jenkins
C: Corey Linsley
RG: Billy Turner
RT: Ricky Wagner
Defense
DI: Dean Lowry
DI: Kenny Clark
DI: Kingsley Keke
EDGE: Za’Darius Smith
EDGE: Preston Smith
LB: Christian Kirksey
CB: Jaire Alexander
CB: Kevin King
CB: Chandon Sullivan
S: Darnell Savage Jr.
S: Adrian Amos
Battle to watch: Who takes Tramon Williams’ role in the slot?
There is still the possibility that the Packers could bring the 37-year-old Williams back for another season, but as of right now they’re lacking in quality options to replace him in the slot. The best of the bunch is probably Chandon Sullivan — a third-year undrafted free agent out of Georgia State. Sullivan played 378 snaps with the Packers in 2019, split between box and slot duties, along with a little bit of action at wide cornerback and free safety. It’s a small sample, but he earned a respectable 68.9 grade in the slot last season.
Name to watch: Tyler Lancaster
Lancaster isn’t really an exciting name to watch, but there’s a decent chance he draws more snaps than Kingsley Keke in 2020. The Packers will be hoping that someone like Keke or Montravius Adams will take a big step forward to give them another legitimate option next to Kenny Clark inside. That doesn’t mean it’s going to happen, though. Lancaster graded well against the run as a rookie in 2018 (74.2 run defense grade), but he took a step back in a slightly larger role last season (57.2 overall grade on 442 defensive snaps). If the Packers’ other young interior defenders don’t take that next step, Lancaster could finish the season third in snaps at the position once again.
Minnesota Vikings
Offense
QB: Kirk Cousins
RB: Dalvin Cook
WR: Adam Thielen
WR: Justin Jefferson
TE: Kyle Rudolph
TE: Irv Smith Jr.
LT: Riley Reiff
LG: Ezra Cleveland
C: Garrett Bradbury
RG: Dru Samia
RT: Brian O’Neill
Defense
DI: Michael Pierce
DI: James Lynch
EDGE: Danielle Hunter
EDGE: Ifeadi Odenigbo
LB: Eric Kendricks
LB: Anthony Barr
CB: Mike Hughes
CB: Cameron Dantzler
CB: Jeff Gladney
S: Harrison Smith
S: Anthony Harris
Battle to watch: Dru Samia vs. Ezra Cleveland vs. Pat Elflein vs. Dakota Dozier vs. Aviante Collins for two starting guard spots
Interior offensive line has been a problem for the Vikings for a couple years now, and there are still a lot of questions with that group heading into 2020. Both starting guard spots are up in the air. Elflein has likely done enough over the last two seasons to lose his grasp on a starting job with pass-blocking grades below 50.0 both seasons. Cleveland could start at tackle, potentially kicking Riley Reiff inside to guard, but I think the more logical move is to start Cleveland at left guard and keep Reiff where he is. Samia, a 2019 fourth-round selection, is my choice for the starting job at right guard, giving Minnesota two new starters on the offensive line.
Name to watch: Holton Hill
I like what the Vikings did at the cornerback position, bringing in the battle-tested Jeff Gladney in Round 1 and getting good value on Cameron Dantzler in Round 3 — a player who would have gone higher had it not been for poor testing at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine. It’s hard to imagine former first-round pick Mike Hughes won’t secure one of the starting jobs, but Hill could earn a starting job over one of the two rookies outside. He showed promise as a rookie in 2018 with a coverage grade of 75.9 on just shy of 400 defensive snaps. Hill may get an opportunity to build on that and break out in a larger role in Year 3.
Chicago Bears
Offense
QB: Nick Foles
RB: David Montgomery
WR: Allen Robinson
WR: Tedd Ginn Jr.
Slot: Anthony Miller
TE: Jimmy Graham
LT: Charles Leno Jr.
LG: James Daniels
C: Cody Whitehair
RG: Germain Ifedi
RT: Bobby Massie
Defense
DI: Akiem Hicks
DI: Eddie Goldman
EDGE: Khalil Mack
EDGE: Robert Quinn
LB: Roquan Smith
LB: Danny Trevathan
CB: Kyle Fuller
CB: Jaylon Johnson
CB: Buster Skrine
S: Tashaun Gipson
S: Eddie Jackson
Battle to watch: Nick Foles vs. Mitchell Trubisky at quarterback
The Bears have indicated that this will be a legitimate competition between Foles and Trubisky, but it’s hard to imagine Foles isn’t the starter in 2020. He’s simply the better quarterback. The highs for Foles have been pretty high — namely his 2013 season with the Eagles (eighth-highest passing grade in the NFL) and his back-to-back elite performances during the Eagles’ Super Bowl run in 2017. To be fair, the lows have been pretty low, but Foles has shown a ceiling that Trubisky hasn’t to this point. That gives the Bears a better chance of getting back to the postseason in 2020 than if they were to roll with Trubisky.
Name to watch: Cole Kmet
The Bears have haphazardly added tight ends to this roster with the presumptive name on top being Jimmy Graham. Graham carries more name value than his play on the field has warranted recently, however. He has failed to reach the 60.0 overall grade threshold in either of the last two seasons. Kmet may not be the best tight end prospect in recent memory (98th on the PFF Big Board entering the draft), but the door is open for him to take the starting job considering Graham’s declining play. Chicago clearly placed a premium on bringing him in early in the second round.
Detroit Lions
Offense
QB: Matthew Stafford
RB: Kerryon Johnson
WR: Kenny Golladay
WR: Marvin Jones Jr.
Slot: Danny Amendola
TE: T.J. Hockenson
LT: Taylor Decker
LG: Joe Dahl
C: Frank Ragnow
RG: Jonah Jackson
RT: Halapoulivaati Vaitai
Defense
DI: Danny Shelton
DI: Da’Shawn Hand
EDGE: Trey Flowers
EDGE: Julian Okwara
LB: Jamie Collins Sr.
LB: Jarrad Davis
CB: Desmond Trufant
CB: Jeffrey Okudah
CB: Justin Coleman
S: Tracy Walker
S: Duron Harman
Battle to watch: Da’Shawn Hand vs. Nick Williams at defensive tackle
Danny Shelton should be the clear-cut starter at nose tackle heading into next season for Detroit, but the next two in line for snaps on the defensive interior should be Hand and Williams. Both guys figure to see plenty of playing time in a rotational capacity, but I like Hand to carve out the larger role in 2019. He got off to a tremendous start to his career as a rookie in 2018, earning an 85.9 overall grade and contributing as both a run defender and a pass rusher. Hand saw his role shrink in 2019 down to just over 100 snaps, but if he can put up a similar performance to what we saw from him as a rookie, the Lions' defensive line will be in good shape.
Name to watch: Jahlani Tavai
Hopefully for the Lions' sake, the move to Detroit and former coach Matt Patricia’s defense goes smoother for Jamie Collins than his last departure from New England. If so, he’ll add a dynamic blitzing/coverage threat that the Lions’ linebacking corps needed. Jarrad Davis should begin the season seeing more snaps than Tavai, but he has shown little thus far to feel confident in his progression as an NFL starter, with grades of 52.8, 51.0 and 40.4 in his first three seasons. Tavai, meanwhile, put up an overall grade of 60.5 as a rookie last season on nearly 600 snaps — not perfect but a decent start to his career. He could end up stealing snaps from Davis as the year progresses.
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