Tavern Talk: Summing Up The Bill Simmons Blue Chip List

Today, we recap where we are in terms of blue-chip players in the NFL. I’ve read all the comments and will make adjustments as I see fit based on the final list. I appreciate the comments, so keep them coming. Look over the final list, send in your comments and I’ll review them over the weekend. However, the person who wrote that I was an idiot for not noting fullback Lorenzo Neal of the Raiders as a blue, don’t bother sending any more comments. He was released Wednesday.

This is a tough list to make everyone happy—remember, they never dedicated a monument to a committee. But I do listen. I don’t have all the answers, and I do love to read thoughtful and provoking comments.

After I break down the positions, I will break down the teams, assigning a point value to blues (FYI: QBs, left tackles, and pass rushers will have a higher blue value) and almost blues, then rank the teams from 1-32. This will be in the Tavern all next week. So it’s very important that I double- and triple-check the list.

Here is the AFC/NFC Position Blue Chip “Simmons Project” Breakdown:

 

OFFENSE

QB (12): Brady, Palmer, Roethlisberger, P. Manning, Rivers, Romo, E. Manning, McNabb, Cutler, Rogers, Brees, Warner

RB (12): Slaton, Jones-Drew, Tomlinson, C. Johnson, Jacobs, Westbrook, Portis, Forte, Peterson, Turner, D. Williams, Gore

TE (6): Daniels, Clark, Gates, Witten, Gonzalez, Winslow

WR (12): Evans, Moss, A. Johnson, Wayne, Marshall, V. Jackson, C. Johnson, Jennings, R. White, S. Smith, Bryant, Fitzgerald

OT (8): Long, Roos, Thomas, Clady, Peters, McKinnie, Gross, W. Jones

OG (3): Mankins, Snee, Hutchinson

OC (1): Mangold

Punter (1): Lechler

Specialist (4): McKelvin, Washington, Welker, Hester

 

DEFENSE

DE (10): Freeney, M. Willliams, Ware, Tuck, Umenyiora, Jenkins, Cole, Allen, Abraham, Peppers

DT (10): Henderson, Rogers, Wilfolk, Jenkins, Ngata, A. Smith, Ratliff, Haynesworth, Williams, Dockett

ILB (6): Mayo, Pierce, Beason, Vilma, Rudd, Willis

OLB (5): Suggs, Porter, Woodley, Harrison, Merriman

CB (6): Finnegan, Revis, Mathis, Asomugha, Rogers, Winfield

S (5): Sanders, Reed, Polamalu, Landry, Wilson

What I’ll do now is go back through my almost blues and add some to this list since I clearly need to move a few up. Keep the recommendations—based on facts—coming.

 

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