The Most Improved NFL Player at Every Position Through 6 Weeks

Earlier this week, we took a look at nine NFL teams that had either improved over the course of this season or showed growth from a year ago.

We have made the rules a little simpler this time around as we now break down the player at each position who has taken the next step from 2014.

Yes, in this instance we are strictly talking improvement from one season ago. Unfortunately, that leaves out this year’s rookie class and some players who have made strides in six weeks.

Numerous other players could have made this list from the various positions. But these performers stood out a little more than most and are getting their just due.

It will be interesting to see if this group of players can continue to progress over the next two-plus months.

Quarterback: Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars

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The 1-5 Jacksonville Jaguars are in the midst of their latest losing streak. But that doesn’t mean their second-year quarterback hasn’t made strides from a year ago.

Blake Bortles continues to take his share of punishment but is also learning how to make plays. He’s been sacked 17 times in six games this season after he was dropped by opposing pass-rushers 55 times in 14 contests last year.

In 2014, the rookie signal-caller hit on 58.9 percent of his throws, connecting for 11 scores while serving up 17 interceptions. This season, his completion percentage is down a bit (57.0), but he’s already connected for 13 touchdowns while being picked off only seven times.

Fellow second-year pros Allen Hurns (29) and Allen Robinson (28) have combined for 57 catches, good for 948 yards and nine of those 13 scores. It’s interesting to watch this trio grow together this season.

Is Bortles a better quarterback than he was a year ago? Mike DiRocco of ESPN.com seems to think so. And a little common sense and the eye test should confirm that as well.

Running Back: Devonta Freeman, Atlanta Falcons

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A change in mentality as well as offensive philosophy has done a world of good for Atlanta Falcons second-year running back Devonta Freeman.

The 2014 fourth-round pick from Florida State wasn’t much of a factor during his rookie season. Then again, neither were the Falcons a year ago. The team finished 6-10 and opted to replace head coach Mike Smith with Dan Quinn.

So far, so good for Atlanta, which sports a 5-1 record as it prepares to travel to Nashville, Tennessee, this Sunday. And the former Seminoles standout has been an enormous factor, most notably over the last four contests. In six outings in 2015, he’s rushed for 505 yards and nine touchdowns and ranks second on the club with 32 receptions, good for 296 yards and one score. He leads the NFL in total yards from scrimmage (801) and touchdowns (10).

In 16 games last season (zero starts), Freeman totaled 65 carries for 248 yards and a score and added 30 catches for 225 yards and one touchdown.

Wide Receiver: John Brown, Arizona Cardinals

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We found out quickly in 2014 just how fast Arizona Cardinals rookie wide receiver John Brown was, and he certainly made an impression on Bruce Arians and the playoff-bound Cards.

In his second year, he continues to progress and benefit from the steady arm of quarterback Carson Palmer. Brown ranks second on the team with 33 catches, good for 497 yards and two touchdowns. He’s already started as many games as he did during his debut year (five), when he totaled 48 receptions for 696 yards and five touchdowns. Of course, Brown was also targeted 103 times last season by the four different quarterbacks he played with in 2014.

This season, his 33 grabs have come via 45 targets, which means he’s hauling in a nifty 73.3 percent of the throws aimed at him. On Sunday at Pittsburgh, Palmer looked his way 14 times, and Brown totaled 10 catches for 196 yards. It was the second time in the last three games that the second-year wideout was targeted 10-plus times, and last week he earned high praise from a celebrated teammate.

“John has got some game-breaking speed,” said wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com on Sunday. “He has unbelievable ability to go up and high-point the ball, especially for a smaller guy. He did that two times on the first play we went down and then another time on the left sideline.

“He has been tremendous this year, and his ceiling is very high,” added Fitzgerald.

Tight End: Richard Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

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Rodgers to Rodgers sounds more like a lounge act than a passing tandem. But prolific passer Aaron Rodgers has started to use tight end Richard Rodgers a little more as time wears on.

In six starts this season, the 2014 third-round pick has been targeted 30 times and has totaled 21 catches (tied for second on the team) for 189 yards and a pair of scores. It’s worth noting that more than half of those targets (19) and catches (13) have come in the last three weeks. 

A year ago, he played in all 16 games, made five starts and racked up 20 receptions for 225 yards and two touchdowns.

The young tight end’s nine yards-per-reception average is hardly awe-inspiring. But he is quickly becoming a nice option for the two-time NFL MVP.

Tackle: Joe Barksdale, San Diego Chargers

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Known as one of the better run-blockers in his days with the Oakland Raiders and St. Louis Rams, tackle Joe Barksdale has upped his game in his first season with the San Diego Chargers.

According to Pro Football Focus, the sturdy blocker rebounded from a rough Week 1 showing against the Detroit Lions and a shaky outing seven days later at Cincinnati to post solid grades over the past four games.

The Chargers offensive line has already endured its share of injuries and lineup changes this season. Barksdale, a six-game starter at right tackle this season, has been a nice addition this year, and in 2015 he’s the only member of the offensive line to start all six games.

Guard: Gabe Jackson, Oakland Raiders

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You have to crawl before you can walk. In the case of the Oakland Raiders, you would prefer just to run.

A year ago, no team in the league gained fewer yards on the ground than the silver and black. Slowly but surely that’s starting to change thanks to the young legs of Latavius Murray, who ranks 13th in the NFL with 336 rushing yards.

Besides the play of Murray, left guard Gabe Jackson has been a much more consistent performer in 2015 after a promising but up-and-down rookie season.

Per Pro Football Focus, five games and 341 plays into his season, only three guards in the league have graded out higher than Jackson, a third-round pick in 2014 from Mississippi State who is part of an ever-improving offensive front.

Center: Eric Wood, Buffalo Bills

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A season ago, the Buffalo Bills finished 9-7 thanks mainly to having one of the better defenses.

With all due respect, it certainly wasn’t due to the offense and in particular the running game. One season after totaling the second-most yards in the NFL on the ground, the Bills fell to 25th in that category in 2014.

Center Eric Wood may be the first to tell you it wasn’t a good year for him or the offensive line last season. That has changed dramatically, as only Carolina’s Ryan Kalil is grading out on PFF higher at center in 2015.

Only six teams have rushed for more yards per game than the Bills have this season, and a team whose offensive unit totaled only 30 touchdowns in 16 contests a year ago has already reached the end zone 18 times in six games this year.

Defensive End: Stephon Tuitt, Pittsburgh Steelers

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For years, the Pittsburgh Steelers had featured an exciting and big-play defensive unit. In recent years, those game-changing moments have been few and far between.

But thanks to the emergence of some young players and a few tweaks by new defensive coordinator Keith Butler (who replaced Dick LeBeau), Mike Tomlin’s team has surprised a lot of people when it comes to this side of the football.

One of those performers is second-year defensive end Stephon Tuitt. The former Notre Dame standout ranks fifth on the team with 27 tackles and leads the black and gold with 3.5 sacks. He’s not only aided the pass rush but has also been a factor when it comes to a unit that ranks seventh in the NFL against the run.

In 2014, the Steelers totaled just 33 sacks and forced only 21 turnovers. During the team’s 4-2 start this year, Tuitt and company have already recorded 17 sacks and nine takeaways.

Defensive Tackle: Linval Joseph, Minnesota Vikings

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Last offseason, Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman added free-agent defensive tackle Linval Joseph to complement a young set of pass-rushers. The team responded with 41 sacks in Mike Zimmer’s first season as head coach.

After an up-and-down debut campaign with the Purple Gang, Joseph has totaled 15 tackles (three for losses) and knocked down a pass in his second season in the Twin Cities.

More importantly, the Vikings rank a respectable 19th in the league when it comes to stopping the run, allowing 111.8 yards per contest. That may not sound impressive, but it’s an upgrade for a club that was giving up about 10 more yards per game on the ground in 2014.

Joseph struggled early a year ago and was inconsistent but played much better down the stretch last season. For the most part he’s picked up where he left off late last year and may be primed for a Pro Bowl appearance.

Outside Linebacker: Aaron Lynch, San Francisco 49ers

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It hasn’t been a season of many positives for the San Francisco 49ers regardless of what side of the football you are talking about.

But second-year outside linebacker Aaron Lynch bears watching. Following a respectable debut season a year ago, the 2014 fifth-round selection from South Florida has totaled 17 tackles and leads the club with three sacks. He’s also knocked down a pair of passes and has been one of the brighter spots on a unit that has allowed the second-most total yards in the NFL this season to date.

It’s not been a good year for a franchise that has lost as many big-name performers as any team in the league this offseason. Lynch has been one of the brighter spots on a club that is in transition.

Inside Linebacker: Shea McClellin, Chicago Bears

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The 19th overall pick in the 2012 draft, Shea McClellin may have finally found a home after three seasons at various positions. And perhaps the Chicago Bears' much-maligned defense is on its way back after a rough couple of years.

The former Boise State standout spent his first two years with the Bears at defensive end. He was switched to outside linebacker in 2014, but this offseason, he moved to inside linebacker in Vic Fangio’s 3-4 scheme. McClellin ranks second on the team with 33 tackles and has started at both inside linebacking spots in 2015.

Now the bad news. McClellin injured his knee in Week 5 at Kansas City and was inactive for last Sunday’s tilt with the Detroit Lions. The Bears are off this week, and we’ll see if he’ll be available once the team gets back on the field.

Chicago ranks ninth in the league in total defense, which is quite a turnaround for a team that allowed the third-most yards in the league in each of the previous two seasons.

Cornerback: Josh Norman, Carolina Panthers

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If there was truly a no-brainer selection on this list, at least on defense, it had to be a starter on the league’s seventh-ranked defense.

Per Pro Football Focus, the Carolina Panthers' Josh Norman is currently rated as the NFL’s second-best cornerback. It’s hard to imagine what more he could do this season. The team is off to its best start since 2003 and comes off a rousing 27-23 win at Seattle on Sunday.

While outside linebacker Thomas Davis has been a steady part of Carolina’s defense, especially with middle linebacker Luke Kuechly missing three games, Norman has been an enormous factor and a much steadier player than he was a year ago.

This season, he’s amassed 21 tackles, four interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), eight passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Another one of those thefts was an end-zone pick in Week 3 that preserved a win over the New Orleans Saints.

Norman has not only upped his game but could be in the mix for NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Safety: Mike Mitchell, Pittsburgh Steelers

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Yes, for the second time in this piece we recognize a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. While that may be a bit of a surprise, the real shock has been the early-season performance of the team’s defensive unit.

A year ago, the Steelers ranked 27th in the league against the pass, surrendering 30 touchdown passes in 16 contests in 2014.

Under new coordinator Keith Butler, Pittsburgh’s defense has a different feel to it, especially when it comes to making plays. In his second year with the club, Mike Mitchell ranks fourth on the team with 28 tackles; he also has three passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. A year ago, no Steelers safety picked off a pass.

On Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, Mitchell (who has started at both safety spots this season) intercepted Carson Palmer in the end zone in the fourth quarter, and that proved to be a huge play in his team’s 25-13 win.

2014, with Troy Polamalu banged up, combined with the fact that Mitchell was in his first year in the Steel City, was a tough learning experience for him. These days, Pro Football Focus rates him as the league’s eighth-best safety.

Unless otherwise noted, all player and team statistics come from Pro Football Reference and ESPN.com. Player ratings courtesy of Pro Football Focus.