Skip to content

A F C N Roster Analyisis, Defense

The Browns Board
9 2 393
  • Here are the defensive players in the AFCN, alphabetical by team. Give your rankings of each position. Because of variances of the 3-4/4-3 I included all MLBs and all NTs/DTs in one category:

    Left DE:

    Balt: Chris Canty

    Cin: Carlos Dunlap

    Cle: Aytahba Rubin

    Pit: Ziggy Hood

    DTs/NTs:

    Balt: Terrence Cody

    Cin: Domata Peko

    Cin: Geno Atkins

    Cle: Phil Taylor

    Pit: Steve McClendon

    Right DE:

    Balt: Haloti Ngata

    Cin: Michael Johnson

    Cle: Desmond Bryant

    Pit: Brett Keisel

    LOLB:

    Balt: Terrell Suggs

    Cin: James Harrison

    Cle: Paul Kruger

    Pit: Lamar Woodley

    MLBs:

    Balt: Jameel McClain

    Balt: Arthur Brown

    Cin: Ray Maualauga

    Cle: Craig Robertson

    Cle: DQwell Jackson

    Pit: Larry Foote

    Pit: Lawrence Timmons

    ROLB:

    Balt: Elvis Dumerville

    Cin: Vontaze Burfict

    Cle: Jabaal Sheard

    Pit.: Jason Worilds

    LCB:

    Balt.: Ladarius Webb

    Cin: Dre Kirkpatrick

    Cle: Joe Haden

    Pit: Allen Cortez

    SS:

    Balt: Matt Elam

    Cin: Taylor Mays

    Cle: TJ Ward

    Pit: Troy Polamalu

    FS:

    Balt: Michael Huff

    Cin: Reggie Nelson

    Cle: Tashaun Gipson

    Pit: Ryan Clark

    RCB:

    Balt: Corey Graham

    Cin: Leon Hall

    Cle: Leon McFadden

    Pit: Ike Taylor

    Give your rank plus any comments.

  • Here are the defensive players in the AFCN, alphabetical by team. Give your rankings of each position. Because of variances of the 3-4/4-3 I included all MLBs and all NTs/DTs in one category:

    Left DE:

    Balt: Chris Canty

    Cin: Carlos Dunlap

    Cle: Aytahba Rubin

    Pit: Ziggy Hood

    DTs/NTs:

    Balt: Terrence Cody

    Cin: Domata Peko

    Cin: Geno Atkins

    Cle: Phil Taylor

    Pit: Steve McClendon

    Right DE:

    Balt: Haloti Ngata

    Cin: Michael Johnson

    Cle: Desmond Bryant

    Pit: Brett Keisel

    LOLB:

    Balt: Terrell Suggs

    Cin: James Harrison

    Cle: Paul Kruger

    Pit: Lamar Woodley

    MLBs:

    Balt: Jameel McClain

    Balt: Arthur Brown

    Cin: Ray Maualauga

    Cle: Craig Robertson

    Cle: DQwell Jackson

    Pit: Larry Foote

    Pit: Lawrence Timmons

    ROLB:

    Balt: Elvis Dumerville

    Cin: Vontaze Burfict

    Cle: Jabaal Sheard

    Pit.: Jason Worilds

    LCB:

    Balt.: Ladarius Webb

    Cin: Dre Kirkpatrick

    Cle: Joe Haden

    Pit: Allen Cortez

    SS:

    Balt: Matt Elam

    Cin: Taylor Mays

    Cle: TJ Ward

    Pit: Troy Polamalu

    FS:

    Balt: Michael Huff

    Cin: Reggie Nelson

    Cle: Tashaun Gipson

    Pit: Ryan Clark

    RCB:

    Balt: Corey Graham

    Cin: Leon Hall

    Cle: Leon McFadden

    Pit: Ike Taylor

    Give your rank plus any comments.

    @the-gipper said:

    Here are the defensive players in the AFCN, alphabetical by team. Give your rankings of each position. Because of variances of the 3-4/4-3 I included all MLBs and all NTs/DTs in one category:

    Left DE:

    Balt: Chris Canty

    Cin: Carlos Dunlap

    Cle: Aytahba Rubin

    Pit: Ziggy Hood

    1. Rubin 2. Hood 3. Canty 4. Dunlop I don't see Rubin taking a back seat to any of these guys.

    DTs/NTs:

    Balt: Terrence Cody

    Cin: Domata Peko

    Cin: Geno Atkins

    Cle: Phil Taylor

    Pit: Steve McClendon

    1. Atkins 2. Taylor 3. Peko 4. Cody 5. McClendon

    Right DE:

    Balt: Haloti Ngata

    Cin: Michael Johnson

    Cle: Desmond Bryant

    Pit: Brett Keisel

    1. Ngata 2. Johnson 3. Keisel 4. Bryant. I have to see more from Bryant to raise him up.

    LOLB:

    Balt: Terrell Suggs

    Cin: James Harrison

    Cle: Paul Kruger

    Pit: Lamar Woodley

    1. Suggs 2. Kruger 3. Woodley 4. Harrison

    MLBs:

    Balt: Jameel McClain

    Balt: Arthur Brown

    Cin: Ray Maualauga

    Cle: Craig Robertson

    Cle: DQwell Jackson

    Pit: Larry Foote

    Pit: Lawrence Timmons

    1. Jackson 2. Foote 3. Timmons 4. Maualaga 5. McClain 6.. Robertson 7. Brown Rookies always take the end spot until they are proven

    ROLB:

    Balt: Elvis Dumerville

    Cin: Vontaze Burfict

    Cle: Jabaal Sheard

    Pit.: Jason Worilds

    I think it is the order as stated above: 1. Dumerville, 2. Burfict 3. Shears 4. Worilds Sheard has to show he can LB.

    LCB:

    Balt.: Ladarius Webb

    Cin: Dre Kirkpatrick

    Cle: Joe Haden

    Pit: Allen Cortez

    1. Haden 2. Webb 3. Cortez 4. Kirkpatrick. Actually, any order behind Joe could work.

    SS:

    Balt: Matt Elam

    Cin: Taylor Mays

    Cle: TJ Ward

    Pit: Troy Polamalu

    1. Ward 2. Polamalu 3. Mays 4. Elam. Polamalu's hair may still be overrated. Again, rookies take last place.

    FS:

    Balt: Michael Huff

    Cin: Reggie Nelson

    Cle: Tashaun Gipson

    Pit: Ryan Clark

    1. Clark 2. Huff 3. Nelson 4. Gipson Home boy is going to have to prove a few things first.

    RCB:

    Balt: Corey Graham (Pro Bowl as special teamer with Chicago)

    Cin: Leon Hall

    Cle: Leon McFadden

    Pit: Ike Taylor

    1. Graham 2. Taylor 3. Hall 4. McFadden. Again, rookies take the backside.

    Give your rank plus any comments.

    The only absolutes for me in these rankings is in Atkins/Ngata/Dumerville/Haden Any number of these other rankings could possibly be shifted and I would not squawk.

    Bold means player was in the Pro Bowl last year

  • Here are the defensive players in the AFCN, alphabetical by team. Give your rankings of each position. Because of variances of the 3-4/4-3 I included all MLBs and all NTs/DTs in one category:

    Left DE:

    Balt: Chris Canty

    Cin: Carlos Dunlap

    Cle: Aytahba Rubin

    Pit: Ziggy Hood

    DTs/NTs:

    Balt: Terrence Cody

    Cin: Domata Peko

    Cin: Geno Atkins

    Cle: Phil Taylor

    Pit: Steve McClendon

    Right DE:

    Balt: Haloti Ngata

    Cin: Michael Johnson

    Cle: Desmond Bryant

    Pit: Brett Keisel

    LOLB:

    Balt: Terrell Suggs

    Cin: James Harrison

    Cle: Paul Kruger

    Pit: Lamar Woodley

    MLBs:

    Balt: Jameel McClain

    Balt: Arthur Brown

    Cin: Ray Maualauga

    Cle: Craig Robertson

    Cle: DQwell Jackson

    Pit: Larry Foote

    Pit: Lawrence Timmons

    ROLB:

    Balt: Elvis Dumerville

    Cin: Vontaze Burfict

    Cle: Jabaal Sheard

    Pit.: Jason Worilds

    LCB:

    Balt.: Ladarius Webb

    Cin: Dre Kirkpatrick

    Cle: Joe Haden

    Pit: Allen Cortez

    SS:

    Balt: Matt Elam

    Cin: Taylor Mays

    Cle: TJ Ward

    Pit: Troy Polamalu

    FS:

    Balt: Michael Huff

    Cin: Reggie Nelson

    Cle: Tashaun Gipson

    Pit: Ryan Clark

    RCB:

    Balt: Corey Graham

    Cin: Leon Hall

    Cle: Leon McFadden

    Pit: Ike Taylor

    Give your rank plus any comments.

    @the-gipper said:

    Here are the defensive players in the AFCN, alphabetical by team. Give your rankings of each position. Because of variances of the 3-4/4-3 I included all MLBs and all NTs/DTs in one category:

    I have researched each of these player and obtained their 2012 "Season Average" which was assigned to them by PFR, a number which is supposed to represent each players productivity in a particular season. If you just went by last year's "productivity number" the following would be the ranking. But note, an injured player won't rank so high because he will not have played and been productive while out: (NR means no rating...usually signifying a new rookie...or someone who was out the whole year)

    Left DE:

    Balt: Chris Canty

    Cin: Carlos Dunlap

    Cle: Aytahba Rubin

    Pit: Ziggy Hood

    Hood: 9, Rubin 6, Dunlap 5, Canty 4

    DTs/NTs:

    Balt: Terrence Cody

    Cin: Domata Peko

    Cin: Geno Atkins

    Cle: Phil Taylor

    Pit: Steve McClendon

    Atkins 18, Peko 8, Taylor 4, Cody 3, McClendon NR

    Right DE:

    Balt: Haloti Ngata

    Cin: Michael Johnson

    Cle: Desmond Bryant

    Pit: Brett Keisel

    Ngata 13, Johnson 9, Keisel 9, Bryant 4

    LOLB:

    Balt: Terrell Suggs

    Cin: James Harrison

    Cle: Paul Kruger

    Pit: Lamar Woodley

    Woodley 8, Harrison 8, Suggs 4, Kruger 4

    MLBs:

    Balt: Jameel McClain

    Balt: Arthur Brown

    Cin: Ray Maualauga

    Cle: Craig Robertson

    Cle: DQwell Jackson

    Pit: Larry Foote

    Pit: Lawrence Timmons

    Timmons 11, Foote 10 Jackson 9, Maualaga 8, McClain 7, Robertson 4, Brown NR

    ROLB:

    Balt: Elvis Dumerville

    Cin: Vontaze Burfict

    Cle: Jabaal Sheard

    Pit.: Jason Worilds

    Dumerville 12 Sheard 8, Burfict 8, Worilds 3

    LCB:

    Balt.: Ladarius Webb

    Cin: Dre Kirkpatrick

    Cle: Joe Haden

    Pit: Allen Cortez

    Haden 5, Webb 3,, Kirkpatrick 0, Cortez NR

    SS:

    Balt: Matt Elam

    Cin: Taylor Mays

    Cle: TJ Ward

    Pit: Troy Polamalu

    Ward 6, Polamalu 4, Mays 2, Elam NR

    FS:

    Balt: Michael Huff

    Cin: Reggie Nelson

    Cle: Tashaun Gipson

    Pit: Ryan Clark

    Clark 8, Nelson 7, Huff 6, Gipson 2

    RCB:

    Balt: Corey Graham

    Cin: Leon Hall

    Cle: Leon McFadden

    Pit: Ike Taylor

    Hall 7, Taylor 6, Graham 4, McFadden NR

    Give your rank plus any comments.

  • Foote and jackson ahead of timmons? Lol. And dunlap is the best left defensive end in the north.

  • Foote and jackson ahead of timmons? Lol. And dunlap is the best left defensive end in the north.

    @vagitron said:

    Foote and jackson ahead of timmons? Lol. The season production number shows that Timmons would be first. But it is close enough that I put Jackson ahead because he is...or was the only MLB in a 4-3 scheme. As for Timmons vs. Foote, tweedledum, tweedledee , you can have that.

    And dunlap is the best left defensive end in the north.

    The production number says otherwise....though, remember, this production number will be lessened for anyone who was out some games with injury. Maybe that was the case with Dunlap. It certainly was with others.

  • Here is how each team fared with who got the top spot on the PFR season production average list: Note, I include two DTs and two MLBs:

    Pitt.: 5 spots: Hood, Woodley, Timmons, Foote, Clark

    Cincy: 3 spots Atkins, Harrison, Peko

    Balt: 2 spots: Ngata, Dumerville

    Based on my observation here, it seems that Baltimore should have the top defensive line with Ngata and Dumerville at the top of their spots. Pittsburgh should have the best linebakers with Timmons, Foote and Woodley, and the Browns should have the top defensive backfield with Haden and Ward.

  • Here is how each team fared with who got the top spot on the PFR season production average list: Note, I include two DTs and two MLBs:

    Pitt.: 5 spots: Hood, Woodley, Timmons, Foote, Clark

    Cincy: 3 spots Atkins, Harrison, Peko

    Balt: 2 spots: Ngata, Dumerville

    Based on my observation here, it seems that Baltimore should have the top defensive line with Ngata and Dumerville at the top of their spots. Pittsburgh should have the best linebakers with Timmons, Foote and Woodley, and the Browns should have the top defensive backfield with Haden and Ward.

    @the-gipper said:

    Here is how each team fared with who got the top spot on the PFR season production average list: Note, I include two DTs and two MLBs:

    Pitt.: 5 spots: Hood, Woodley, Timmons, Foote, Clark

    Cincy: 3 spots Atkins, Harrison, Peko

    Balt: 2 spots: Ngata, Dumerville

    Based on my observation here, it seems that Baltimore should have the top defensive line with Ngata and Dumerville at the top of their spots. Pittsburgh should have the best linebakers with Timmons, Foote and Woodley, and the Browns should have the top defensive backfield with Haden and Ward.

    I'm almost certain that Dumerville will be standing up at outside linebacker opposite Suggs.

  • @the-gipper said:

    Here is how each team fared with who got the top spot on the PFR season production average list: Note, I include two DTs and two MLBs:

    Pitt.: 5 spots: Hood, Woodley, Timmons, Foote, Clark

    Cincy: 3 spots Atkins, Harrison, Peko

    Balt: 2 spots: Ngata, Dumerville

    Based on my observation here, it seems that Baltimore should have the top defensive line with Ngata and Dumerville at the top of their spots. Pittsburgh should have the best linebakers with Timmons, Foote and Woodley, and the Browns should have the top defensive backfield with Haden and Ward.

    I'm almost certain that Dumerville will be standing up at outside linebacker opposite Suggs.

    @vagitron said:

    I'm almost certain that Dumerville will be standing up at outside linebacker opposite Suggs.

    Again, I went by the Ourlads Depth Charts. A lot of that could be said for these 3-4 systems. A guy could be a DL,or a LB. A DE an an LB will often line up in the same spot. The only question is whether or not he has his hand on the ground or not.

    Whatever.

  • The gross scores from the PFR season production average gives the current depth chart number as these, which, in theory should reflect the strength of each defense based on 2012 production:

    Bengals: 73 points

    Steelers: 68 points

    Browns: 59 points

    Ravens: 56 points

    It should be pointed out that players lost from last year are not included. E.g. the Ravens 2013 defense does not get the benefit of the scores of the likes of Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, etc. etc.

    And also, rookies that are projected to start get no points, so e.g. the Browns get -0- for Leon McFadden, the Ravens -0- for Arthur Brown. etc.