Post-Super Bowl Edition: Power Ranking NFL's Top 50 Players
With another NFL season in the books, there’s a long offseason ahead before training camp and preseason games start in July and then August. Both free agency and the draft will allow teams an opportunity to improve their records, and we’ll have an offseason to dissect what went right and what went wrong this season.
This isn’t solely a list based on how a player performed in 2014. While recent success is a huge factor—the NFL will always be a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately league—I did take career accomplishments into factor. That will help veterans who have had sustained success over a period of years but may have slipped off in 2014. Durability is obviously a huge factor, as a player has to be relied on to stay healthy.
It’s a highly subjective list, and being a top-50 player means playing at a level that’s in the top 3 percent in the league. Here’s an attempt to look at the best of the best in the league right now, starting with player No. 50.
Note: Players like Greg Hardy, Adrian Peterson and Josh Gordon—those currently suspended by the league—did not qualify for the list. For those wondering, here are 10 who just missed the cut:
60. Nick Mangold, C, New York Jets
59. Alshon Jeffery, WR, Chicago Bears
58. Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons
57. Marcell Dareus, DT, Buffalo Bills
56. Ryan Kerrigan, OLB, Washington Redskins
55. Kyle Williams, DT, Buffalo Bills
54. Arian Foster, RB, Houston Texans
53. Joe Staley, OT, San Francisco 49ers
52. Philip Rivers, QB, San Diego Chargers
51. Sheldon Richardson, DE, New York Jets
50. Muhammad Wilkerson, DE, New York Jets
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The fourth-year defensive end still hasn’t made the Pro Bowl, but he’s been one of the finest 5-technique linemen since the New York Jets drafted him in 2011.
Muhammad Wilkerson’s 16.5 sacks over the last two years are second to just J.J. Watt among 3-4 ends, but Wilkerson is arguably better as a run-stopper, where Pro Football Focus rated him as the best in the league.
Wilkerson is going to get a hefty contract this offseason, in the line of what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers paid Gerald McCoy.
49. Calais Campbell, DE, Arizona Cardinals
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Like Muhammad Wilkerson, Calais Campbell has long been one of the NFL’s most underrated players. He’s a mammoth of a man at 6’8”, and he has an incredible wingspan that makes him one of the premier ends in batting down passes.
Campbell has racked up at least six sacks in each of the last six seasons, a feat made more impressive by the fact that he’s a 3-4 end who lines up primarily against the opposing team’s guard. Campbell was rewarded with his first (and long overdue) Pro Bowl selection this year, and he helped Arizona earn a playoff berth despite serious quarterback woes.
48. LeSean McCoy, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
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Inconsistency and injuries to the offensive line plagued LeSean McCoy early on, but he regained his form when Evan Mathis and Jason Kelce returned by midseason.
McCoy finished with 1,319 rushing yards and five touchdowns. It’s a far cry from the 2,000-yard mark he predicted in the offseason, but it’s still enough to put him on this top-50 list.
An underrated aspect of McCoy’s game has been his durability—he’s now started all 32 games under Chip Kelly, and he’s handled more than 300 carries in each of the last two seasons. If he can play more of a north-south style of football in 2015, he’ll move back up this list.
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47. Patrick Willis, ILB, San Francisco 49ers
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For the first time in his eight-year career, Patrick Willis missed significant time due to injuries. A toe injury shelved him for the final 10 games of the season and could theoretically end his tenure in San Francisco.
For what it’s worth, 49ers beat reporter Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee thinks the team will retain Willis, even with a cap hit in 2015 listed at $8.2 million by Spotrac and the emergence of 2013 third-round pick, Chris Borland. Willis failed to record a single sack, forced fumble or fumble recovery in six games in 2014, but he had three sacks and two forced fumbles the previous year, plus 82 tackles.
He’s still a top-tier linebacker, but the arrow may be pointing down for Willis going forward.
46. Robert Mathis, OLB, Indianapolis Colts
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It was a season to forget for Indianapolis Colts’ pass-rushing superstar Robert Mathis—quite literally. Fresh off leading the NFL with 19.5 sacks and 10 forced fumbles, Mathis missed the whole 2014 campaign due to a PED suspension and then an Achilles tendon tear.
Mathis will be 34 when he next sets foot on the field, but he was too productive in ’13 to leave him off the list. He is a five-time Pro Bowler and building quite a Hall of Fame case for himself. It will be interesting to see if he can return to full form next year, especially given the seriousness of the injury he suffered.
45. Cameron Wake, DE, Miami Dolphins
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The former CFL product is a quarterback’s worst nightmare. Cameron Wake registered 11.5 sacks and three forced fumbles in 2014, and he’s now recorded 57.5 sacks since 2010, the third-best total in the league during that span.
Pro Football Focus rated him as the best 4-3 end in the league this past season, as he graded well as both a pass-rusher and run-stopper.
44. Mario Williams, DE, Buffalo Bills
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Remember when the Buffalo Bills broke the bank with a $100 million contract to Mario Williams? So far, Super Mario has been everything they hoped the former No. 1 overall pick would be.
Williams registered 14.5 sacks this past season, helping the Bills lead the NFL with 54 sacks. He has started all 48 games since signing with Buffalo, and he’s registered 38 sacks in those three years. The only other NFL player to pull off that accomplishment is J.J. Watt, whom you will see later in this list.
43. Vontae Davis, CB, Indianapolis Colts
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Vontae Davis was a breath of fresh air for an Indianapolis Colts roster that has glaring deficiencies on both sides of the ball. He was as close to a shutdown corner as you’ll find in this era.
Per Pro Football Focus, Davis rated as the second-best overall player at his position in the league. He was targeted 71 times in pass coverage, allowing a paltry 43.7 completion percentage and 38.8 passer rating.
He wasn’t beaten for a single touchdown and recorded four interceptions and two forced fumbles. Against Peyton Manning in the AFC divisional round, Davis allowed just 21 receiving yards on 11 targets, per PFF.
42. NaVorro Bowman, ILB, San Francisco 49ers
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When he’s healthy, NaVorro Bowman challenges Luke Kuechly as the NFL’s best inside linebacker. But Bowman—like Robert Mathis—missed the whole 2014 season following a gruesome injury; Bowman’s torn ACL and MCL in the 2013 NFC Championship Game sidelined him for the entire year.
At one point, it appeared as if Bowman would see the field for the stretch run, but he was then placed on season-ending injured reserve in December.
In 2013 though, Bowman played all 16 games, recording five sacks, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and a ridiculous six forced fumbles. PFF rated him as the best inside linebacker in the NFL, as he earned a plus-23.9 grade.
41. Jordy Nelson, WR, Green Bay Packers
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Few NFL wide receivers in history have perfected the sideline catch as well as Jordy Nelson, who parlayed his skills into 98 receptions, 1,519 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2014. That earned him his first Pro Bowl berth.
Nelson is arguably the league’s best deep threat, and he has an uncanny sync with his quarterback, Aaron Rodgers. Nelson was at his best in the Green Bay Packers’ Super Bowl win back in the 2010 season, when he caught nine passes for 140 yards in the 31-25 victory.
40. Matt Forte, RB, Chicago Bears
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There aren’t many running backs like Matt Forte. Not only did the seventh-year pro put up his fifth 1,000-yard rushing season, but he also set the single-season record for a running back with 102 receptions out of the backfield.
Forte accumulated a ridiculous 1,846 total yards and 10 touchdowns, starting all 16 games for the second straight year. He leads all running backs in yards from scrimmage since entering the league in 2008.
39. Odell Beckham Jr., WR, New York Giants
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Odell Beckham Jr.’s rookie season was as special as they get. After missing the first four games with a nagging hamstring injury, he turned in a second half of the campaign that put him on the national radar.
In the final two months of the season, Beckham hauled in an absurd 1,199 receiving yards and 81 catches, dwarfing the second-best totals (69 catches by Antonio Brown, 859 yards by Julio Jones).
OBJ was simply unstoppable down as the weeks went on, whether he was making the greatest catch we’ve ever seen or showing off his skills in a Guinness World Records competition.
"Odell Beckham's one-handed catch has been named the Play of the Year pic.twitter.com/D0UIfWXSRZ
— NFL Access (@NFL_Access) February 1, 2015"
It’s no surprise Beckham won the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award, and there’s no telling what he can accomplish in the future.
38. Tyron Smith, OT, Dallas Cowboys
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It was a superb season for Dallas Cowboys LT Tyron Smith, a $100 million offensive tackle who blocked well enough that he vaulted both Tony Romo and DeMarco Murray into league MVP discussions.
Per Pro Football Focus, Smith allowed just two sacks and 13 quarterback hurries all season as a pass-blocker. He helped the Cowboys offensive line turn into arguably the league's most formidable unit, one that carried the club to 12 wins and a division title.
37. Marshal Yanda, G, Baltimore Ravens
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The biggest difference between the 2013 Baltimore Ravens and the 2014 Baltimore Ravens was the play of the guards, Marshal Yanda and Kelechi Osemele.
Yanda earned a positive Pro Football Focus grade in every game but one this season, and he rated nearly twice as well as any other guard for the year.
He helped the Ravens go from the 30th-ranked rushing offense in 2013 (and dead-last in yards per attempt) to eighth in 2014, and Justin Forsett’s career year wouldn’t have happened without Yanda.
36. Earl Thomas, S, Seattle Seahawks
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The NFL’s best center fielder, Earl Thomas is a big reason why Seattle’s secondary has been so dominant the last three seasons. He did get beaten by Danny Amendola on a four-yard touchdown in the Super Bowl, but Thomas was playing just two weeks after a shoulder subluxation and was substantially less than 100 percent.
"EARL THOMAS @Seahawks likely needs left shoulder brace for Super Bowl. By video, subluxation. Even if MRI shows labral tear, will play.
— David J. Chao, MD (@ProFootballDoc) January 18, 2015"
Thomas has never missed a game in five NFL seasons. He’s made four Pro Bowls and three AP All-Pro teams and has recorded 16 interceptions and nine forced fumbles since the Seattle Seahawks made him a first-round draft pick.
35. DeMarco Murray, RB, Dallas Cowboys
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DeMarco Murray picked a good time to have a career year. The impending free agent rushed for 100 yards in each of the Dallas Cowboys’ first eight games and topped the century mark 13 times in all (including the playoffs). The Cowboys offensive line may have had a significant impact in Murray’s success, but he was still dominant.
He led the NFL with 1,845 rushing yards—the 17th-highest single-season total of all time—and 13 touchdowns, and he added another 416 receiving yards out of the backfield.
"Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray named #NFL Offensive Player of the Year #NFLHonorshttp://t.co/SjmLuIFxOEpic.twitter.com/DvTpIOSNd2
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) February 1, 2015 "
Murray’s most impressive accomplishment may have been his durability; after missing at least two games in each of his first three seasons, Murray started all 16 games and two more in the postseason, even playing through a broken hand.
It’s still an unknown whether Murray will return to Dallas or how much his ridiculous workload will affect him going forward, but for now, he’s established himself as a top-five running back.
34. Tony Romo, QB, Dallas Cowboys
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The NFL’s most heavily criticized player quieted his doubters for at least a year, putting forth his finest offensive numbers, earning MVP votes and winning just the second playoff game of his career.
A dominant running game made life much easier for Tony Romo, but he still played the best football of his career. Despite offseason back surgery and an in-season injury in which Romo literally broke his back and then ribs, he set career bests in completion percentage (69.9), touchdown passes (34), yards per attempt (8.5) and passer rating (113.2).
He tied for the NFL lead with five game-winning drives. He threw four touchdowns to no interceptions in two playoff games and posted a tremendous 16-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio in the season’s final six games, postseason included.
33. Eric Weddle, S, San Diego Chargers
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Earl Thomas is a fabulous football player, but Eric Weddle is a touch better. Weddle is the NFL’s best safety; he just doesn’t get the credit because he plays in San Diego, not in the legendary Legion of Boom.
Weddle was rated by Pro Football Focus as the game’s top safety in 2014. He didn’t allow a touchdown in pass coverage and missed just four of 86 tackle attempts.
Weddle has been extremely durable over his career, having suited up for 80 consecutive games since the 2010 season. He earned his third Pro Bowl selection this year and second AP All-Pro nomination.
32. Chris Harris, CB, Denver Broncos
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Chris Harris’ 2014 season shouldn’t go overlooked; he was as good at his position as anyone in the NFL.
Harris didn’t allow a touchdown pass in 1,004 defensive snaps, per PFF. He allowed just 356 yards on 89 targets, a flat 4.0 yards per attempt. He picked off four passes and held opposing quarterbacks to a 47.8 passer rating.
Harris was rated by Pro Football Focus as the NFL’s best overall cornerback; it was the third straight season he’s earned a top-10 cornerback grade.
31. Ndamukong Suh, DT, Detroit Lions
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Ndamukong Suh will enter this offseason as the NFL’s most sought-after free agent, and for good reason. The former No. 2 overall draft pick has been a one-man wrecking crew as a 3-technique defensive tackle, terrorizing opposing quarterbacks over the last five seasons.
Suh has had his controversial moments, but he’s unstoppable on the field. He racked up 8.5 sacks in 2014, started all 16 games and earned his fourth Pro Bowl selection in five years. Suh led all interior defensive linemen in both quarterback hits (12) and hurries (37), per PFF.
Some team will pay north of $100 million for Suh, and for good reason. He’s still just 27 and perennially ranks as one of the game’s best defensive players.
30. Evan Mathis, G, Philadelphia Eagles
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Despite missing half the season to a sprained MCL, Evan Mathis holds onto his title as the NFL’s best interior offensive lineman.
Mathis was Pro Football Focus’ top-rated guard in each of the previous three seasons. This year, he still rated as the second-best in the league in just nine games.
Perhaps no player was happier to see Mathis return than running back LeSean McCoy, who averaged 3.78 yards per carry without Mathis and 4.64 with him.
29. Gerald McCoy, DT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Gerald McCoy is the NFL’s third highest-paid defensive lineman in terms of total contract (his $95.2 million deal trails just J.J. Watt and Mario Williams, per OverTheCap.com), and he’s well-worth that price.
McCoy was selected one pick after Ndamukong Suh in the 2010 NFL draft, and while he hasn’t gotten the hype of Suh, he’s been every bit as good. McCoy is coming off three consecutive Pro Bowl selections and is rated by PFF as one of the top two defensive tackles in each of the last three years.
McCoy had 8.5 sacks and a forced fumble in 2014, despite missing three games with a sprained knee that put him on season-ending injured reserve to finish the season.
28. Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks
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Not many quarterbacks have accomplished in their careers what Russell Wilson has done in just three NFL seasons.
The former third-round draft pick has started all 48 regular-season games, earned two Pro Bowl selections and led the Seattle Seahawks to a pair of Super Bowl appearances, winning the first and coming a yard away from winning his second straight.
Wilson’s 97.8 postseason passer rating is the fifth-highest mark in NFL history, better than both Joe Montana and Tom Brady. He’s led an unbelievable 15 game-winning drives in three regular seasons, plus three more in the playoffs, and this is likely going to make him the highest-paid player in league history this offseason.
27. Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers
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It didn’t seem that Ben Roethlisberger got quite the national attention he deserved in 2014, but he played arguably the best football of his 11-year career.
Roethlisberger set career highs in completion percentage (67.1), passing yards (4,952) and QB rating (72.5). He threw 32 touchdowns to just nine interceptions. After missing at least one game every year from 2009 through 2012, Roethlisberger started all 16 for the second straight season.
He is 32 years old and has absorbed a ton of sacks in his career, but he looks to have a lot of football left in him. It’s reasonable to expect the Pittsburgh Steelers to extend him to a five-year deal worth more than $100 million.
26. Jason Peters, OT, Philadelphia Eagles
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A former college tight end and undrafted free agent into the NFL, Jason Peters is a supreme athlete and perfect fit for Chip Kelly’s offense.
Peters, who was rated by Pro Football Focus as the NFL’s best offensive tackle in 2014, has now made seven Pro Bowls and will one day have a strong case for the Hall of Fame.
He is a tremendous run-blocker who can get to the second level and take on linebackers with ease, but his finest accomplishment this past season was shutting down Pro Bowlers Robert Quinn and Jason Pierre-Paul in back-to-back weeks.
25. Demaryius Thomas, WR, Denver Broncos
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Demaryius Thomas followed up two 1,400-yard seasons with personal bests in both receptions (111) and receiving yards (1,619), and he’s suited up for 48 consecutive games since Peyton Manning took over as quarterback in 2012.
If the Denver Broncos don’t re-sign Thomas soon, he’ll be highly coveted free agent; 27-year-old wide receivers with his size (6’3”, 229 pounds), yards-after-the-catch ability, stiff arm and success don’t come around often. It’s not unreasonable to think Thomas could get a $100 million deal from a potential suitor.
24. A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
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The quality of wide receivers right now is at an all-time high, so seeing A.J. Green at fifth among his position may be a shock, but it’s more a testament to the caliber of the guys ahead of him.
Green did miss three regular-season games with a toe injury and then had to sit out the playoff loss to the Indianapolis Colts with a concussion. It was the first extended time Green has missed in four NFL seasons, and he posted career lows in receiving yards (1,041) and touchdowns (six).
Still, he is a rare talent who would put up even better numbers with a top-tier quarterback. As it is, Green has made four Pro Bowls in four seasons, and his 4,874 receiving yards during his first four seasons are just seven fewer than what Jerry Rice had during that span.
23. Luke Kuechly, MLB, Carolina Panthers
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The NFL’s 2012 Defensive Rookie of the Year and 2013 Defensive Player of the Year, Luke Kuechly is a special talent at middle linebacker.
He has rare speed and tackling instincts, and he had another spectacular campaign in ’14. He was rated by Pro Football Focus as the top overall inside linebacker in the league. He was second among defenders in tackles (122), adding three sacks, 16 quarterback pressures and 13 passes defensed in pass coverage.
He’s the modern-day Patrick Willis, and there are many more accolades to come for Kuechly.
22. Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seattle Seahawks
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Beast Mode is staking a case as a future Hall of Fame running back; Marshawn Lynch is already a five-time Pro Bowler and he’s coming off four consecutive seasons of at least 1,200 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. He’s led the NFL in rushing touchdowns each of the last two years, and he’s done so with largely a patchwork offensive line.
He’s one of the greatest postseason running backs in pro football history, and there’s reason to believe he still has several more seasons of productive football in him.
"Marshawn Lynch has higher average yds per rush, yds after contact per rush in postseason (5.00, 2.67) than regular season (4.41, 2.01)
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 27, 2015"
Lynch will be a widely discussed name this offseason, both in the context of whether he should have gotten the ball in the waning seconds of the Super Bowl loss and which team he will play for next year. Regardless of whether the Seahawks bring him back, whichever offense does get Lynch is getting a special workhorse back.
21. Le’Veon Bell, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
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After a subpar rookie year in which he averaged just 3.5 yards per carry, Le’Veon Bell told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Mark Kaboly (h/t Behind the Steel Curtain's Jeff Hartman) that he dropped nearly 20 pounds in the offseason to make himself more explosive.
It’s safe to say it worked like a charm.
Bell emerged as arguably the NFL’s best all-around back in 2014. He started all 16 games, rushing for 1,361 yards and eight touchdowns on 4.7 yards per carry, and he added 83 catches for 854 yards and three scores out of the backfield.
That put Bell in special company. Per Pro Football Reference, he was just the sixth back in league history to start all 16 games, rush for over 1,350 yards and catch at least 80 passes.
His value to the Pittsburgh Steelers was especially evident in the postseason; with Bell missing the playoff game due to a hyperextended knee, the Steelers mustered just 68 ground yards and no touchdowns versus the Baltimore Ravens.
20. Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons
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Julio Jones finally put together the season he’s been capable of since the Atlanta Falcons traded up to take him sixth overall in the 2011 NFL draft.
He caught 104 passes for 1,593 yards and six touchdowns, doing so even with Roddy White showing signs of decline. In a two-game stretch late in the year against playoff teams Arizona and Green Bay, Jones put up 21 catches for 448 yards and two touchdowns, solidifying himself as one of the NFL’s most dangerous weapons.
Chronic foot problems have plagued him since he entered the league, and he still missed one game in 2014 with a hip injury. But it was a good sign for Atlanta fans that his offseason foot surgery didn’t slow him down at all this season.
19. Andrew Whitworth, OT, Cincinnati Bengals
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It’s an absolute shame more football fans don’t realize the greatness of Andrew Whitworth, who should unofficially win the award of NFL’s most unknown superstar.
In suiting up for more than 1,000 snaps in 16 games, Whitworth became the first offensive tackle in Pro Football Focus history (website dates back to 2007) to give up 10 or fewer quarterback pressures in a full year. Whitworth wasn’t beaten for a sack, allowed just one hit and gave up eight hurries.
That’s nine total pressures; the previous record was Jordan Gross’s 12 back in 2007.
Whitworth has also shown he can fill in at guard, doing so at a Pro Bowl level back in ’13. It’s a shame he’s only been voted to two Pro Bowls because he’s been one of the best offensive linemen in the league for the last six or seven seasons.
18. Jamaal Charles, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
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Jamaal Charles still gets the nod as the NFL’s top running back, and for one big reason: No player in the history of this league has consistently averaged 5.0 yards per carry as frequently as Charles has.
He rushed 206 times for 1,033 yards in 2014, giving him his fifth career season with at least 1,000 rushing yards and a 5.0 yards-per-carry average. That ties Barry Sanders and Jim Brown for the most such seasons ever, putting Charles in elite company.
Charles’ 5.5 yards-per-carry average is the highest among any running back with at least 1,000 carries. He’s made four Pro Bowls and two AP All-Pro teams. Since Andy Reid took over as Kansas City’s head coach in ’13, Charles has thrived in the passing game, averaging 55 receptions and six receiving scores per season.
17. Robert Quinn, DE, St. Louis Rams
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After a rough start to the 2014 NFL season (no sacks in his first five games), Robert Quinn racked up 10.5 in his final 11 games. He’s now recorded double-digit sacks in three consecutive seasons and 40 since 2012, which trails just J.J. Watt among defensive ends.
Quinn is still just 24 years old, and he’s in line for a mammoth contract extension that should pay him at least $12-15 million per season. Perhaps his most underrated attribute is his ability to force fumbles; he’s totaled at least five in each of the past two years.
16. Justin Houston, OLB, Kansas City Chiefs
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If not for J.J. Watt, Justin Houston easily would have won Defensive Player of the Year. He registered 22 sacks, the second-highest single-season total in NFL history. He did so by picking up 10 in the final six games and four in a Week 17 win against San Diego.
Houston dwarfed all other 3-4 outside linebackers, per Pro Football Focus’s rankings, rating nearly twice as high as the next-best player (Pernell McPhee). Houston was credited with 56 quarterback hurries and missed just four tackles on 44 attempts as a run defender.
Houston is set to hit free agency, and Spotrac projects him getting a $92 million deal over six years, which would make him one of the highest-paid defensive players in league history.
15. Peyton Manning, QB, Denver Broncos
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How in the world do you rank Peyton Manning after the late-season stretch of games he turned in? He still threw for 4,733 yards and 39 touchdowns and posted a 101.6 passer rating, but his struggles in December and particularly January stole the show.
Manning threw multiple interceptions in five of his final nine games (including playoffs). Per PFF, his 88.7 passer rating after Week 9 ranked just 16th among 34 qualifying quarterbacks, and his 12 interceptions were second-most. Manning’s struggles on the deep ball were particularly alarming in the AFC divisional loss to Indianapolis, although it was then revealed that he was playing through a torn quad muscle, an injury so severe that it spread to the back of his leg.
Manning hasn’t officially made up his mind whether he will return in 2015, although it seems likely he will.
"Hearing Peyton Manning almost certainly will return for 18th season. Not a huge surprise.
— Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) February 2, 2015"
There’s reason to believe Manning will still be a top-five quarterback in ’15. He’s going to be fully healed from his quad injury, and it’s logical the Denver Broncos will retain either Demaryius Thomas or Julius Thomas (or both). But the 38-year-old Manning isn’t getting any younger (he turns 39 in a month), and his window to win another title may be done.
14. Darrelle Revis, CB, New England Patriots
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Independent contractor Darrelle Revis’ decision to sign with the New England Patriots worked out in every possible way: He started all 16 games, earned a First-Team AP All-Pro nomination, shut down opposing wide receivers and then won his first Super Bowl title.
Listed at $25 million on Spotrac, Revis’ cap hit for 2015 means the Patriots won’t bring him back at that price, but there’s no possible way they could let him walk after the impact he had on their defense this season.
Per Pro Football Focus, he came in as the fourth-best cornerback in the NFL, and even at age 30, he’s a dominant player at the toughest defensive position. Expect Revis to get an extension with the Patriots that locks him up for the prime of his career.
13. Jimmy Graham, TE, New Orleans Saints
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A "down year" for Jimmy Graham still consisted of 85 receptions, 889 yards and 10 touchdowns; he has now averaged 1,100 yards and 12 scores per season since becoming a full-time starter in 2011.
Graham’s 6’7” frame makes him a dynamic red-zone presence, and he has the leaping ability you would expect from an ex-basketball player. He has the athleticism to line up frequently as a slot receiver, and he’s going to be Drew Brees’ main target as long as Brees is under center in New Orleans.
Graham is even rated by Pro Football Focus as a plus run-blocker. Perhaps the only real criticism of his game could be his drops (eight in 2014, which tied for the most among all tight ends); then again, he was targeted a ridiculous 121 times.
12. Von Miller, OLB, Denver Broncos
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Von Miller recovered from a six-game PED suspension and torn ACL in 2013 to be one of the NFL’s most dominant defensive players this season.
He started all 16 games and recorded 14 sacks. Miller’s 47 quarterback hurries led all 4-3 outside linebackers (aside from Khalil Mack’s 40, no one else had more than 13). Miller missed just three tackles as a run defender. In all, Pro Football Focus rated him as the third-best defensive player at any position in 2014.
It’s a travesty Miller didn’t win the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award, but don’t let that overshadow how dominant his ’14 campaign was.
11. Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints
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There seems to be a consensus that Drew Brees is on the decline, he can’t throw the deep ball and the New Orleans Saints need to draft a quarterback to replace him.
This is after a season in which Brees completed 69.2 percent of his passes, led the NFL with 4,952 passing yards, threw 33 touchdowns and posted a 97.0 passer rating. His 17 interceptions seem like a high total, but he was also called upon to throw the ball a league-high 659 times (for what it’s worth, his 456 completions were the second-highest total in NFL history, and it received no acclaim).
Brees did all this with a running game that was just average and a defense that ranked 28th in points allowed and 31st in yards allowed. In regard to throwing the deep ball, Brees was accurate on 51.6 percent of his deep passes (20-plus yards in air), the third-highest total among all qualifying quarterbacks, per Pro Football Focus.
That sounds like an MVP-worthy season for any quarterback.
10. Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions
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There’s some sentiment around the NFL that Megatron’s body is starting to break down and that the Detroit Lions may be ready to move on from him.
After all, according to Spotrac, he does carry with him $82 million in total cap hits over the next four seasons, including an outrageous $24 million cap hit in 2016 that will have to be restructured. And Megatron missed three games in 2014 with a high ankle sprain, immediately after undergoing knee and finger surgery in the offseason.
Still, Johnson’s totals in just 13 games earned him his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl selection. He caught 71 passes for 1,077 yards and eight touchdowns, and he came up with two scores in the pivotal Week 17 game against Green Bay (though Detroit lost). He’s still a top-three NFL receiver.
9. Dez Bryant, WR, Dallas Cowboys
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Dez Bryant took his play to a whole new level in 2014, catching 88 passes for 1,320 yards and an NFL-best 16 touchdowns. A strong case could be made for Bryant as the league’s most dominant receiver.
He’s started all 48 games since 2012. His 88 receptions this season were done on a Dallas offense that ranked just 31st in the league in passing attempts.
Given the way he took over certain games down the stretch—notably the second contest against Philadelphia—look for Bryant to get a free-agent deal that pays him north of $100 million.
8. Joe Thomas, OT, Cleveland Browns
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Joe Thomas has been the NFL’s most consistent player since he was drafted in 2007. He’s made eight Pro Bowls in eight years. He’s never missed a start. He’s never missed a play. He’s been an absolute rock at left tackle, and it’s a shame he’s had to play with so many inept quarterbacks over the years.
This year was one of Thomas’s best. Pro Football Focus rated him third overall among offensive tackles behind just Jason Peters and Andrew Whitworth. Thomas’ plus-33.5 rating was his best mark since 2009, when PFF rated him as a plus-48.5.
He was almost flawless as a pass-blocker, finishing second in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency statistics (97.6). It’s unfortunate he’s not a wide receiver because otherwise he would unanimously be considered one of the greatest players of this generation.
7. Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis Colts
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The greatness of Andrew Luck can’t be overstated. Look no further than the 52 other players on the Indianapolis Colts. There are some stars on the roster—T.Y. Hilton and Vontae Davis come to mind—but there are too many weak spots on a team that was incredibly fortunate to even reach the AFC Championship Game.
For most of the season, Luck masked those weaknesses. He’s started all 48 games. He’s led the Colts to 11 wins all three years. He’s advanced one game further in the playoffs every season.
Luck has shown steady improvement since entering the league; his completion percentage, touchdown percentage, passer rating and sack percentage have all improved every single year of his career.
In 2014, Luck’s 4,761 yards, 40 passing touchdowns, 96.5 passer rating and three rushing scores should have put him in the thick of the MVP hunt. He did this with the 25th-ranked rushing offense in terms of yards per attempt and a defense that ranked 19th in points allowed.
The sky is the limit for Luck, who should be a top-five NFL player by next season.
6. Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
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Antonio Brown challenges Joe Thomas as the NFL’s most consistent player. At 5'10", 186 pounds, Brown doesn’t have exceptional size, but he just makes plays every single game.
Brown finished 2013 with 110 receptions, 1,499 yards and eight touchdowns. Remarkably, he improved upon all of those numbers this year, totaling 129 catches, 1,698 yards and 13 scores. He had at least five receptions for 70 yards in every single game this year. There wasn’t a team all year that was able to slow him down.
Even in the 30-17 playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens, he registered nine catches for 117 yards. It was a truly special season for Brown, who is still just 26 years old and in the prime of his career.
5. Richard Sherman, CB, Seattle Seahawks
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Few cornerbacks are made in the mold of Richard Sherman. The brash, trash-talking All-Pro from Seattle backs up his play on the field. Even in the Super Bowl loss to the New England Patriots, he played shutdown football.
Per PFF, Sherman has now allowed 16 total receiving yards in the past two Super Bowls, doing so against arguably the two greatest quarterbacks of all time.
And he did this on Sunday despite torn elbow ligaments that will require offseason Tommy John surgery.
"RICHARD SHERMAN confirmed for Tommy John surgery. Unusual as typically NFL players don't need it. See his @Seahawks teammate Jeron Johnson.
— David J. Chao, MD (@ProFootballDoc) February 2, 2015"
Sherman’s success dwarfs other cornerbacks in the league. He’s recorded 24 regular-season interceptions since entering the league in 2011; the next-best at his position has 15. Sherman’s play on defense forces opposing quarterbacks to change their whole game plan; just look at how Aaron Rodgers approached him back in Week 1 of the 2014 season when Sherman took away the one side of the field.
4. Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England Patriots
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Rob Gronkowski is a special freak of a player who can’t be covered one-on-one. At 6'6", 265 pounds, he’s too big for safeties and cornerbacks, and he’s too fast for linebackers. Doubling Gronk leaves a teammate open.
The Seattle Seahawks saw the impact of this, as Tom Brady found Gronk for six receptions, 68 yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl win. He scored a touchdown in each of the last six games of the season; since entering the league in 2010, he’s second to just Dez Bryant in touchdowns (54) during that span.
The most impressive aspect of Gronkowski’s season was that he stayed virtually injury-free, after 2012 and 2013 campaigns that were plagued by numerous injuries. Considering Gronkowski is still just 25 years old, he has the chance to shatter numerous tight end records by the time he retires.
3. Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots
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Players like Tom Brady don’t come along very often. After it seemed he was all but done early in 2014, he bounced back to lead the New England Patriots to 13 wins in their next 15 games, including the postseason, ultimately culminating in his record-tying fourth Super Bowl title.
Brady was at his all-time best in the playoffs—he threw three touchdowns against the Baltimore Ravens, twice leading 14-point comebacks. He then threw three touchdowns against the Indianapolis Colts and for 328 yards and four scores in the Super Bowl win over the Seattle Seahawks, who had arguably the greatest defense in the modern era. Most notably, Brady rallied the Patriots from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit on the NFL’s biggest stage.
His 2014 season was typical Brady. He led the Patriots to 12 wins. He threw for 4,109 yards and 33 touchdowns to just nine interceptions. He led four fourth-quarter comebacks and gave the Patriots another home-field -advantage seeding in the playoffs.
Brady is 37 years old, but he’s showing no signs of decline. He’s talked openly to Sports Illustrated's Greg Bishop (h/t ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio) about playing into his mid-40s, and while that seems implausible, so does a sixth-round draft pick winning four Super Bowls like Brady has done.
2. J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans
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For those of us who didn’t have the pleasure of watching Lawrence Taylor play football, J.J. Watt may be the closest thing to L.T.
Watt is to defense what Gronk is to offense—except Watt is better and has never been injured. Watt plays 5-technique end in Houston’s 3-4 defense, a position in which the end normally occupies blockers so that the pass-rushing outside linebackers can record the sacks.
Don’t tell that to Watt, though. He took on double-teams for most of 2014 and still registered 20.5 sacks. He forced four fumbles, recovered five, took back a pick-six 80 yards for a score, recorded a safety and also played offense, where he caught three touchdowns as a tight end, making some pretty incredible catches.
Back in 2012, Watt earned the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award, when he also registered 20.5 sacks. He followed that up in 2013 by grading out at plus-99.8 at Pro Football Focus, the single-highest total in the website’s history. He then beat that mark this year, earning a plus-107.5 grade that was nearly three times the mark of the second-best 3-4 defensive end.
It’s difficult to imagine Watt getting any better than he’s been, but if the Houston Texans get a healthy Jadeveon Clowney in 2015, Watt may push for 25 sacks.
1. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers
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Right now, Aaron Rodgers’ peak could match up against any quarterback in NFL history—and he would probably get the edge.
Since 2010, he’s completed 67.0 percent of his passes for 139 touchdowns and 25 interceptions, which comes out to a ridiculous 112.6 passer rating. Rodgers has won two NFL MVP awards and a Super Bowl and has set the single-season record for passer rating (122.5).
He has underrated athleticism that allows him to move out of the pocket and make plays with his legs; he also has a cannon of an arm and can make any throw on the field. This year, Rodgers battled a calf injury down the stretch but still led the Green Bay Packers to the NFC Championship Game.
Rodgers was untouchable at home, throwing 24 touchdowns to no interceptions. He picked apart the blitz, throwing 15 touchdowns to one interception while posting a 130.4 passer rating in those situations. And his 38 touchdowns set an NFL record for a quarterback who threw five or fewer interceptions.
The best part is that he’s just 31 years old in a game in which quarterbacks can play well into their mid-30s; there’s a chance that Rodgers will be viewed as the greatest to ever play when he retires.
Follow me on Twitter at @cbswartz5 and tell me what you agreed/disagreed with.
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