Dom McRaven
Hall of Famer
Not surprising. I personally thought that it'd be the Bills.
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The Random Thought Thread
- Thread starter The Greek
- Start date
yes, it was the Chargers
JoeyFlex5
Hall of Famer
I’d give us the better cb corps and them the better safety tandem. They have a great #1 and nickel, we have 3 great #1s and a great nickel.
These are the top 5. I'd agree that the top trio is the Chargers, but if you go further into the depth and include Carr and Averett, who improved through the year, then we have the top tandem.
As our research and development team alluded to a few weeks ago, coverage — as opposed to pass-rush — is king when it comes to stopping an opposing passing attack. During the PFF era, teams with elite coverage (67th percentile or better) and a poor pass-rush (33rd percentile or worse) win, on average, about a game and a half more than teams with the reverse construction. And that highlights just how important it is to have a difference-maker (or three) roaming in the defensive secondary.
Here, in reverse order, are the top-five cornerback trios in the NFL right now.
5. STEPHON GILMORE, JASON MCCOURTY & J.C.
JACKSON
, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Stephon Gilmore has been nothing short of exceptional since he arrived in New England. No qualifying cornerback has earned a higher coverage grade over the past two seasons than Gilmore’s 91.9, and among the 56 cornerbacks with 800-plus coverage snaps played in the two-year span, Gilmore ranks fourth in completion percentage allowed (50.3%), second in forced incompletion percentage (26.7%) and 11th in passer rating allowed (73.2).
McCourty is one of the few players in the NFL who mans the outside spot in base and kicks inside to the slot in nickel and dime packages — and it’s his work from the slot that has been impressive over recent years. Since 2017, McCourty has earned a slot coverage grade of 80.6 that ranks eighth among the 50 cornerbacks with at least 200 slot coverage snaps, while his forced incompletion percentage of 16.7% ranks third among the 50 cornerbacks with 30-plus slot targets.
Jackson
, an undrafted cornerback out of Maryland, didn’t claim his spot on the starting lineup until Week 13 but he more than repaid his coach’s faith in him with his play down the stretch of the 2018 season. From Week 13 until the Super Bowl,
Jackson
allowed a passer rating of just 71.7 on throws into his primary coverage, while he ranked third among cornerbacks with at least 25 targets in forced incompletion percentage over that span. Now entrenched as the starter and with a Super Bowl-winning season under his belt,
Jackson
will look to build on his late-season performance in Year 2.
4. JALEN RAMSEY, A.J. BOUYE & D.J. HAYDEN, JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
They may be coming off a relatively down year by their lofty standards, but at full strength, this team of cornerbacks is more than capable of going toe-to-toe with anyone and everyone in the NFL.
Over the last three regular seasons, Ramsey has allowed 154 receptions from 291 targets in coverage for 2,038 yards, eight touchdowns and nine interceptions, and his 71.6 passer rating allowed ranks 10th among the 105 cornerbacks in that span. Since entering the league in 2016, Ramsey has proved that he’s capable of beating anyone in the league; he’s allowed a passer rating of 66.3 on throws to
T.Y. Hilton
DeAndre Hopkins
Antonio Brown
Houston Texans, and over that time, Bouye has secured himself as one of the best perimeter cornerbacks in the game. He earned coverage grades of 89.9, 84.7 and 79.3 in 2016, 2017 and 2018, respectively, and over the course of his career, Bouye has allowed a passer rating of just 66.6 on his snaps at outside cornerback — the fourth-best mark among the 85 cornerbacks with at least 200 targets in outside coverage since 2006, one spot above Ramsey (67.7).
Manning
the slot for this team is seventh-year cornerback D.J. Hayden, who is fresh off a career year in Jacksonville. Hayden spent 242 of his 271 coverage snaps in the slot a season ago; he allowed just 33 completions from 44 targets for 252 yards, one touchdown and one interception. His 86.6 passer rating allowed in the slot ranked 15th among the 38 cornerbacks who saw at least 25 targets in slot coverage in 2018.
3. CHRIS
HARRIS
JR. , KAREEM
JACKSON
& BRYCE
CALLAHAN
, DENVER BRONCOS
Whichever way you slice it,
Harris
has been among the very best at his position over his eight years in the NFL . He’s graded in the top-10 among corners in five of his eight seasons, and he notably finished the 2016 season with an elite 90.2 overall grade that ranked first among his peers. In 116 games, only twice has
Harris
allowed 100 or more receiving yards into his coverage, and he’s ended a whopping 20.7% of his games with a coverage grade of 80.0 or more – only Jabari Greer (20.8%) and
Brent
Grimes (21.1%) have graded above 80.0 in a higher proportion of their games. His astounding work over the course of his Broncos career to date has even put him in a very lucrative club: He’s one of only nine cornerbacks who has seen at least 500 targets, yet logged more career interceptions than the number of touchdowns that he’s allowed in coverage.
Bryce
Callahan
will join this team as one of the league’s premier slot cornerbacks. Over the last three regular seasons,
Callahan
has earned an 80.9 slot coverage grade that ranks seventh among the 49 cornerbacks with at least 50 targets. He’s allowed receptions on 66-of-103 targets for 672 yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions in that three-year span, and his 76.2 passer rating allowed ranks second among those qualified players at the position.
Jackson
was moved all over the place last season in Houston, and the result was a career-best performance. The former first-round pick played full games at safety, outside corner and slot with ease, and he recorded an overall grade of 79.5 behind 10 pass breakups and no receiving touchdowns allowed.
2. MARLON
HUMPHREY
, TAVON YOUNG & JIMMY
SMITH
, BALTIMORE RAVENS
After a solid rookie season,
Humphrey
quite comfortably established himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL last year. His 52.5% catch rate allowed was the seventh-best mark among cornerbacks with at least 50 targets last season, and his forced incompletion percentage of 22.5% was bettered by only Stephon Gilmore (27.8%) and Casey Hayward Jr. (23.2%).
Ninth-year cornerback Jimmy
Smith
hasn’t played more than 610 snaps in a season since 2015 thanks to an unwelcome combination of injury and suspension. But when he’s been healthy and on the field, he has quietly toed the line between good and great. He’s earned coverage grades above 75.0 in three of his seasons — with his career-high mark of 84.1 coming in 2017 — and he’s allowed a passer rating of less than 95.0 in all nine of his professional campaigns.
In his final two years at Temple (2014-15), Tavon Young earned an impressive 86.0 coverage grade across his 856 coverage snaps at outside cornerback, ranking tied for 18th among the 96 FBS cornerbacks with at least 600 coverage snaps played at outside cornerback in that span. Young’s success at outside cornerback in the latter years of his collegiate career followed him to the pros. In his debut NFL season, Young recorded eight forced incompletions and a 74.8 coverage grade across his 429 coverage snaps at outside cornerback, contributing to a promising first-year overall grade of 76.3.
Unfortunately, a torn ACL in his sophomore year has somewhat slowed Young’s development at the NFL level, but a clean bill of health for the fourth-year cornerback makes this group one of the league’s most formidable.
1. CASEY HAYWARD JR., TREVOR
WILLIAMS
& DESMOND KING II, LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
Since joining the Chargers in 2016, Hayward has allowed just 118 receptions from 224 targets for 1,710 yards, seven touchdowns and 11 interceptions, while he’s also logged a staggering 55 forced incompletions —the third-most of any cornerback in that span. Among the 105 cornerbacks targeted 100 or more times in the regular season since 2016, Hayward ranks second in forced incompletion percentage (24.6%), fourth in passer rating allowed (67.7) and sixth in completion percentage allowed (52.7%).
Now entering his third year in the NFL, Desmond King has a real chance to cement himself as the league’s next best slot cornerback. The Iowa product has earned coverage grades north of 86.0 in both of his professional seasons up to this point, and over those two years, he’s allowed a passer rating of just 83.3 on his slot targets — the best mark among qualifying slot cornerbacks in that span.
Trevor
Williams
rounds off this formidable group as one of the most intriguing cornerbacks in the NFL. His sophomore campaign of 2017 was an incredibly promising one: He earned an 80.2 coverage grade and allowed a passer rating of just 70.5 on throws into his primary coverage on the year — 17th and 22nd among 126 qualifying cornerbacks, respectively. Unfortunately, an ankle injury forced him to take a slight step back in 2018 — he finished the season with a 58.4 coverage grade and a 132.1 passer rating allowed — but nowfully recovered and with his confidence back ,
Williams
has all the potential to put the shine on this dominant cornerback group.
Edgar
Ravens Ring of Honor
How did PFF become gospel? It seems that a couple years ago the NFL started putting their ratings on the telecast and now everyone buys in. I will admit to not understanding in the least how it is that they grade. I find myself not seeing certain things the way that PFF does and wonder what I'm missing.
JoeyFlex5
Hall of Famer
I don’t trust them on secondary and OL grades, and if I’m not mistaken I’ve even heard Steve palazzolo admit that their grading system has flaws in those regards.
Pass rush, RBs, and WRs seem to be pretty solid though.
JoeyFlex5
Hall of Famer
That seems short. He looks like maybe the fastest player I’ve ever scouted. John Ross didn’t pull away from defenders like brown did.
cdp
Ravens Ring of Honor
Daniel Jones is a 65 overall and there are 152 rookies rated higher. Hahaha
I totally agree, but I don't take it as gospel. I just use it as a reference point, but like to make my own evaluations from the tape.
This is the next class of 2020 FA for the Ravens. Looks like a bunch of comp pick options within this group.
https://www.pennlive.com/baltimore-...-in-line-to-hit-the-market-in-march-2020.html
https://www.pennlive.com/baltimore-...-in-line-to-hit-the-market-in-march-2020.html
and lots of players that im not sure will be back too - we might retain maybe 5 of the 17 of those players at most
at a guess id say probably judon, peanut, 1 of henry or pierce, levine (maybe) and snead (maybe)
I'm on the fence about Levine. He is incredible as a dime, on special teams, and in the locker room but he's at his ceiling as a player. Would really love to have more upside at that position from a guy like Elliot but we'll see. If he goes he's a Patriot the next day.
JO_75
Hall of Famer
Yeah hopefully we'll be able to keep Judon at no matter the cost.
JoeyFlex5
Hall of Famer
Delet dis
I don’t think there’s a better dime in the nfl right now than levine - my issue is that he’ll be 32 when his contract expires - if your ceiling is the best at your position then I don’t think being at your ceiling is a real worry - the snaps he’s taking are not safety snaps they’re linebacker snaps anyway
JoeyFlex5
Hall of Famer
Context?