Highlighting NFL's Biggest Offseason Positional Battles
The 2016 NFL offseason has now reached a brief calm point as free agency and the draft have come and gone.
There are still some veteran free agents who may find a new home, but the biggest positional battles are clear as each team builds its initial 90-man roster. We’ve highlighted 10 situations that are important enough to swing how a season could unfold.
Whether it’s injuries or added competition in the offseason, some positional battles will be decided between two and four players. How will these 10 battles play out? Make sure to leave your predictions in the comments section below.
Green Bay Packers: Third Wide Receiver
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It’s unusual to see a dip in performance from Aaron Rodgers.
His 60.7 completion percentage, 3,821 yards, 31 touchdowns and 6.7 yards per attempt were all among the lowest for any full season of his career. Those are still great stats, but Rodgers had limited options in the passing game.
With Jordy Nelson coming off a torn ACL and turning 31 at the end of May, it’s fair to question whether he’ll return to his near-elite level of play. If he doesn’t, the rest of this group must show improvement from 2015.
Nelson and Randall Cobb will secure the starting spots, but who will win the third receiver role? 2014 second-round pick Davante Adams failed to deliver when given the opportunity last season, and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Tom Silverstein recently said Adams isn’t a sure thing to make the final roster.
Other options include Jared Abbrederis, Jeff Janis, Ty Montgomery and Trevor Davis. Janis’ breakout performance against the Arizona Cardinals in the playoffs could create some momentum in 2016.
Tennessee Titans: Starting Running Back
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In two years, the Tennessee Titans have overhauled the running back position. A capable contributor will be cut from this depth chart at the end of preseason.
New head coach Mike Mularkey is obviously a major voice in the organization’s personnel decisions, and it’s notable that both DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry were recent acquisitions.
Murray struggled to adjust to Chip Kelly’s outside zone-running scheme and also showed a lack of burst that he previously had in Dallas. Maybe that changes in Tennessee since the Titans favor an inside power and zone attack. If he continues to lose athleticism and slows just a tad more, he could be out of the NFL this time next year. His performance in 2015 was that concerning.
His competition is fresher, not including second-round pick Henry. Bishop Sankey is the best of the rest, but he’s been given just 199 carries in the last two seasons. Antonio Andrews and David Cobb are also lurking as depth players who should land on a roster in 2016.
Cleveland Browns: Starting Quarterback
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The Cleveland Browns have cycled through coaching staffs and quarterbacks over the years. That's not breaking news, but new head coach Hue Jackson is personable and has an impressive track record. That bodes well, especially since the team acquired handpicked talent in Robert Griffin III and Cody Kessler.
After sitting out much of 2015, Griffin should be ready physically. The question is whether he’s mentally up for being an impact player.
Jackson left the door open on the competition under center. According to Scott Petrak of the Chronicle-Telegram, it’s "way too soon" for Jackson to name a favorite. Griffin will have to earn the job and won’t be handed anything.
His competition not only comes from third-round pick Kessler, who is similar to Jackson’s former quarterback Andy Dalton, but also from incumbent Josh McCown. McCown has struggled to stay healthy, but he was productive last season.
He’s a fallback option who completed 63.7 percent of his passes for 2,109 yards, 12 touchdowns and only four interceptions in 2015.
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Cleveland Browns: Wide Receiver
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Another big offensive positional battle in Berea, Ohio, will come at wideout.
The Josh Gordon saga is still up in the air as his reinstatement status is uncertain until later in the summer, but the Cleveland Browns can’t count on him. Even when he last played in 2014, Gordon didn’t look like the dominant force he was in 2013.
The Browns selected four wide receivers and one tight end in the 2016 draft, and they'll need someone to help first-round pick Corey Coleman right away.
The position had been neglected in the past. Veterans Brian Hartline, Andrew Hawkins, Taylor Gabriel and Marlon Moore are all borderline roster-worthy players. It’s hard for any quarterback to succeed with options like that.
What’s unique with the Browns choices at receiver is how different each is from the other. Fourth-round pick Ricardo Louis is an athlete without refined skills, while fifth-round pick Rashard Higgins tested poorly but was productive in college. Fifth-round pick Jordan Payton is somewhere in between.
Baltimore Ravens: Cornerback
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The Baltimore Ravens have one of the more interesting cornerback depth charts across the league. There’s an abundance of slot specialists with this group of youth and experience.
No. 1 cornerback Jimmy Smith is an underrated player at the position, but the next-best outside cornerback might be sixth-round pick Maurice Canady. The 6’1”, 193-pounder has the size, 4.49 40-yard dash speed and athleticism to become a capable starter. He could be a big-time steal.
The Ravens might opt for less upside but more certainty with newly signed Jerraud Powers on the outside, but he, Kyle Arrington and Will Davis all have played better in the slot than outside. Fourth-round pick Tavon Young is a playmaker but doesn’t have the size (5’9”, 183 lbs) to start outside on a weekly basis. Then there's Shareece Wright, who the Ravens signed in 2015 and recently re-signed to a three-year extension.
While the league has favored bigger cornerbacks recently, general manager Ozzie Newsome has gone in the other direction.
Buffalo Bills: Wide Receiver
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The Buffalo Bills have devoted at least one pick to wide receiver in each of the last five seasons, including 2016 sixth-rounder Kolby Listenbee. Despite the investment, only one receiver on this roster is dependable on a weekly basis.
Sammy Watkins is an undisputed star who is a perfect fit with starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor. He’s a terrific route runner with the speed and size to win with athleticism. The issue for Watkins is durability, and that cropped up again this week after he suffered a "broken small bone in his foot," according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
There’s little else to help Watkins avoid double-teams. Robert Woods is the favorite to win the second receiver spot, but he’s had health issues and struggles to make impact plays. Marquise Goodwin and Listenbee are deep threats who lack a well-rounded game.
2015 seventh-round pick Dezmin Lewis is a player to watch. Lewis is a great athlete and has the measurables at 6’4” and 214 pounds with 4.46 speed. The former Central Arkansas receiver may end up in a rotation as the Bills look for a long-term answer at the position.
Carolina Panthers: Starting Cornerback
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Coming off a Super Bowl appearance, the Carolina Panthers retooled in the offseason.
Releasing cornerback Josh Norman created cap space but also opened a hole at the position. While their Cover 2 defense is more about their linebackers and pass rush, cornerbacks are still valuable.
The current crop of veterans on the roster may be suitable for now, but Robert McClain and Bene Benwikere are uninspiring options. There’s three rookies who the Panthers prioritized in the 2016 class, and second-round pick James Bradberry is the player to watch.
Benwikere is likely to secure his starting spot, but McClain is shaky and might not even make the roster. The 6’1”, 211-pound Bradberry has the length to disrupt receivers at the line of scrimmage and the natural fluidity to turn and run.
His biggest threat may be third-round pick Daryl Worley from West Virginia. Worley was exposed by several elite Big 12 receivers over the last two seasons, including Corey Coleman in 2015. But he’ll be asked to do less in Carolina’s cornerback-friendly scheme.
Kansas City Chiefs: Third Wide Receiver
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A few years ago, the Kansas City Chiefs featured one of the worst wide receiver depth charts in the NFL. Now they have a good problem to have.
Having Jeremy Maclin and Albert Wilson penciled in as the top two targets means there’s a scramble to find the next-best playmaker. The third receiver will need to be explosive in his few opportunities since running back Jamaal Charles and tight end Travis Kelce need to be factored in as well. This leaves Chris Conley, Demarcus Robinson and Tyreek Hill as the best candidates.
Conley had 17 receptions for 199 yards and one touchdown in his rookie campaign. He’s a great athlete who can play in the slot or outside thanks to his smooth movement and blend of speed and short-area burst. He’s the most well-rounded of the trio.
Rookies Robinson and Hill have more defined skill sets. Robinson is a deep threat who must develop his route running. Hill is a playmaker who can align at running back or receiver. He will challenge De’Anthony Thomas’ roster spot.
Miami Dolphins: Starting Right Guard
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Since drafting quarterback Ryan Tannehill eighth overall in 2012, the Dolphins have invested with big contracts at both left tackle and center for Branden Albert and Mike Pouncey.
They continued to use draft picks along the line. But injuries to Albert, Pouncey and 2014 first-rounder Ja'Wuan James have limited this group to playing just seven games together in two years.
Miami is 6-1 in those games despite subpar guard play. The Dolphins were fortunate that Laremy Tunsil fell to them in the 2016 class, and he’ll likely play either left tackle or guard right away. Now all that’s left is to determine who plays right guard.
The favorite should be incumbent Billy Turner, who was inconsistent throughout 2015 but showed flashes of potential. Veteran Jermon Bushrod will be a tough competitor, though, as Bushrod knows head coach Adam Gase well and has experience playing guard and tackle since his collegiate days.
Kraig Urbik has the most experience at right guard, whereas both Turner and Bushrod have flipped around. But he’s a worse athlete than either and is more of an insurance policy.
Minnesota Vikings: Starting Right Tackle
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The Minnesota Vikings will have a decision to make at right tackle.
Free-agent pickup Alex Boone will start at left guard. But the competition at right tackle is three-deep with Phil Loadholt returning from an Achilles tear, incumbent T.J. Clemmings now in his second year and Andre Smith added in free agency.
The best option is Smith. The 6’4”, 340-pounder started 73 games for the Cincinnati Bengals since being drafted in the first round in 2009. He’s massive and powerful but hasn’t played a full 16 games since 2013.
Still, in terms of potential impact, the 29-year-old looks like the leading candidate to start.
All stats used are from Sports-Reference.com.
Ian Wharton is an NFL Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.
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