DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Ranking the Most Important Positions in the NFL

Not much to talk about. How about ranking positions?

Here is my list off the top of my head. I might change my opinions due to sound reasoning from other posters.

1. QB. I think everyone agrees w/this one.

2. Edge rusher. Most folks agree here. Putting pressure on the game's most important player is huge. I think the job Denver did w/Miller and Ware dominated that game and reduced Cam to just a guy.

3. LT: I struggled to make this just a LT or an OT slot. I'll stick w/the LT because he is uncovered more than a RT. Edit: by uncovered, I mean not having a TE to help.

4. Cover corner: If you don't have guys who can cover, you are screwed. All teams need a lock down guy.

5a. Wide receiver: I used to have them way down the list, but the game has changed. It's important to have a quality number one guy.

5b. RB: I know they don't have as much monetary value, but that is because they don't last as long due to punishment and there are so, so many good ones.

That's my top five. Who are yours?

As an added bonus.......I will say this:

RT's are becoming more important.

LGs are more important than RGs.

TEs are on the rise.

LBers are falling.

Centers are tricky. You need a smart one, but not a dominant one.

Really like that list. I cannot disagree with anything. I would probably list Tight End as the first position out of the top 5. Because a good tight end is a security blanket for the QB.

Having a good TE is becoming more important.

I thought the top 3 were pretty easy. It got more difficult after that. I was questioning my own choices and you probably noticed I sneakily added another position. LOL

I agree with this list. QB, Edge, OT, CB are the top 4 for sure ... I think TE is becoming more and more important, and it’s a position that KILLED us last year

I think Safety is very underrated. I'd probably put them at #5 (or 5b).

They're so underrated because you they tend to either be top 5 guys that dramatically change the game or they're liabilities. The drop off from stars to JAGs is huge, maybe more than any other position besides QB.

Just look at Steelers D last year after they got Fitzpatrick. Night and day. I've never seen a LB, or heck, very rarely even a CB do that.

I mean what CBs are that level of impact? In my lifetime I can only think of a handful and out of them a lot are short lived or become overpriced Divas. A good Safety can anchor a defense for a long time, as we know all too well in CLE with the likes of Polamolu and Reed over the last decade+.

I fully agree with the rest of your list.

1. QB..everybody knows that.

2. DE rusher.

3. Where we differ, a DT who and stuff and push the pocket.

4. OL...I rate them all the same. The blind side maybe a bit more, but QB's have a big problem with up the middle. We had one of the best LT's ever and it didn't do us much good. He played a fixed position. D's could just flipped their best rusher to the other side.

5. I am going to flip you out here. Kicker. Kickers win games at a high rate if they are good. As long as the kick isn't blocked, or snapped off the ground, or held sideways on the ground by the holder, it's on the kicker.

More games are won on a late field goal than a late td pass or T run.

The rest we pretty much agree.,

I agree with the posters on this topic but you know what's really important to us? How about a legit run stuffing DT. There are a few good ones in FA and we need one desperately.

This question is kind of like asking what keeps a person alive and thriving, what is the most important organ in the body.

First I was thinking, ownership, then I was thinking ownerships relationships with the league offices, because the league seems to make sure some teams are (privelaged) and haves, while other teams are (screwed)and have nots.

So, on the organs of the body importance question, I first thought the obvious answers are a debate over heart, or brain, maybe nervous systems or even intravenous blood flow systems,
but I've talked to enough emer. responders to know there is like an a,b,c, 1,2, 3, of importance
because not breathing will take you out in a very short time,

So a one word answer to what is the most important position in the NFL,
"Lungs"... I should have said "Airway".

However that translates to NFL positions,

Actually, my personal beliefs, currently, are somewhere between; individual coaching, and small group coaching, not some administrative level stuff.

Head Coach, in my humble opinion. And the Browns were a hot mess last year because of that one position change last year. Surely it was worth, at the very least, two more wins. Maybe four, but that's certainly debatable. If Stefanski can just make common sense decisions in game planning and game calling, I think we can be a decent team this year.

No doubt Dorsey left the Browns in good shape talent-wise, but man, that one decision robbed him of a job (like he was ever going to stay with a lessened role), and put the fans in a very sour disposition after such promise going into 2019. I'm pleased with the off-season moves by Stefanski in his hires, but only the won/loss record is going to win the fans back. I hope there's a 2020 season!

we definitely missed this last season. It was so apparent that we were weak up the middle

Dawgs, we've been week up the middle for years. I can't remember when we were able to stop the run. You would think that being in the division we're in with teams that are always physical and can run the ball this would be a priority for us but over the years it hasn't been. Ridiculous!!

Yeah its been a concern ... I do remember a time (maybe 2-3 years ago) when we were actually GOOD against the run (I’m too lazy to look it up), but that was a rarity

I don't disagree.

This is just my opinion, if I could have a great unit on the team and a average unit on the team, give me the great D.

My top 6 would be:

1. QB - You don't need a stud to win the Super Bowl if you have a great defense and a strong running game but it sure helps if you have a stud if you want to get there multiple times.

2. Edge Rusher - You need a player who can consistently put pressure on the opposing QB.

3. CB - Got to have a guy who can shut down the other team's best WR.

4. OT - Need a guy, Right or Left, who can protect the QB's blind side.

5. DT - I think this position is under rated, you need that player who can put pressure up the middle on the opposing QB and it helps if he can also clog the middle up in the running game.

6. FS - I like a guy who is a ball hawk, nothing helps your team out more then the other team turning the ball over.

WR - I think you can get by without a top flight WR if you have a bunch of guys who are good at different things IE: a shiffty slot guy, a guy who can win jump balls, a speed guy, etc.

C & RT - Here I think you can get by with guys who are above average and as far as C, someone who is smart enough to make the line calls.

TE - You just need a player who can be a security blanket in the passing game but he needs to know how to block.

RB - A dime a dozen but if you got a stud great. This position is kind of like WRs where you can win if you have guys who can do different things IE: a short yardage guy, a pass catcher, etc.

LB/S - You need to have a guy at either of those spots who can cover the opposing teams RBs and TEs in the passing game.

Now that you bring it up we were good against the run one year a few seasons ago. I think that's because we were so bad against the pass nobody bothered to run against us!!!

I pretty much agree with your list. I do have one caveat though.

I think with a good OL and a top flight RB you can lower, or even take WR off the list. Not saying you still don't need solid WR's, but I don't think a top 10 WR is nearly as necessary.

With a great TE and a great ground game I think in such a case it devalues the WR position.

But that takes a special set of circumstances and doesn't dismiss your point in general.

1. QB
2. Secondary - The best teams get pressure 30% of the time. That leaves 70% with no pressure.
3. Edge
4. OL - Doesn't matter which position, just get quality
5. WR
6. TE
7. Off ball linebacker




8. Running back

1. QB
2. Edge
3. LT
4. CB
5. WR
6. RB
7. SS (Enforcer)/FS (Ball Hawk)
8. OLB (Rush)
9. DT (Run Stopper) (Pocket Collapser)
9. ILB (Run Stopper)
10. TE

I think that the RB position is being undersold by many. I get that they aren't drafted as high as other positions. I get that they wear out faster than other positions. I get that there are a ton of really good RBs. I get all this from an investment view.

However, I think they are very important in regards to helping a team on the football field. Guys who can run, catch, and block help you win football games.

Thus, I think they are important to winning even if I understand the reluctance to invest heavily in the position.

I feel like I am not adequately explaining my position and that is a bit frustrating. Maybe someone can word it better than I have.

My Bad wasn't thing I would/should have put RB after WR

looks bout right to me.

QB: Duh

CB: Similar to the O-line, the defensive secondary has to be able to work in unison, switching coverages, letting the safety pick up a guy over top of you, et cetera. So much of the secondary can adjust do to scheme and matchups, but for any of it to be effective you need a lock down guy.

Rush: A lot of pressure can be schemed from blitzes and stunts, but that puts a lot of pressure on your back end as well. Regardless of whether it is off the edge or in the interior, all teams need 2 guys who can independently create pressure. Unlike CB1 above however, one guy will not have the trickle down effect, nor is it just one position.

O-line: Yes the LT is the stalwart of the O-line and ideally your best lineman, but it is too critical to have 5-6 guys who can play consistently above average or better to single out one position. The o-line is a cohesive unit more so than any other position in my opinion. Joe Thomas could not have saved the right side of the o-line last year.

WR: More than just two are needed, but a #1 receiving option that can create constant mismatches trickles down to the whole group. I am aware that certain teams go with scheming mismatches based on skill sets, but that still only works well when you have a true mismatch guy, even if it ends up being Gronk The more likely mismatch guy will be at WR.

Safety: Yes, fit for safety can be very scheme dependent, but pressure at best can only be relied on 20-25% of the time. Having a guy to safe guard the top of the defense in unison with the aforementioned CB is critical.

Defensive Interior: Pushing the pocket and being able to stop the run at the line of scrimmage will always trump linebacker play in my opinion.

Kicker: They get a "value" bump as you only need one. But, you also have to have one.

Linebackers: Suffice to say we've made it to the short middle of the field. So many teams attack the deep seem and the perimeter these days. I wish I could put LB higher, but unless you are running a 3-4 and relying on pressure from your LB group, most LB's are going to be run-and-hit guys who need to be kept clean up front and protected in coverage outside.

Running Back: Too reliant on the blocking in front of them to be rated much higher. So many teams just go the "stable" route it's hard to value these guys like they once were. If you have a guy who can create mismatches in the passing game, then this would probably leap frog linebackers above, but those guys are rare. And I guess if you had Christian McCaffrey you could put this "group" right below wide receiver, but even that would be a misnomer as McCaffrey's true value is already as a receiver.

I believe QB is #1 no matter what. the others could be a toss up depending on the schemes you run. I also believe the RB position is waaay under rated. I think the position has evolved into the pass catching RB though.
I guess the position is over rated until you need 1-2 yards on the goal line.

That’s when you empty the backfield, roll right and backwards and try to make make a good salad out of chicken poo.

The Freddy Way, as we call it.

Post more, Knox.
How’s the guitar sounding these days?

which one ?

Good answer.