53-Man Roster

[adam]

Here it is:

Quarterbacks (2): Nick Foles, Mitchell Trubisky.

Running backs (4): Tarik Cohen, David Montgomery, Ryan Nall, Cordarrelle Patterson.

Receivers (6): Ted Ginn Jr., Anthony Miller, Darnell Mooney, Riley Ridley, Allen Robinson II, Javon Wims.

Tight ends (5): Jimmy Graham, Demetrius Harris, J.P. Holtz, Cole Kmet, Eric Saubert.

Offensive linemen (9): Alex Bars, Rashaad Coward, James Daniels, Arlington Hambright, Germain Ifedi, Charles Leno Jr., Bobby Massie, Jason Spriggs, Cody Whitehair.

Defensive linemen (5): Roy Robertson-Harris, Akiem Hicks, John Jenkins, Bilal Nichols, Brent Urban.

Inside linebackers (4): Joel Iyiegbuniwe, Roquan Smith, Danny Trevathan, Josh Woods.

Outside linebackers (5): Trevis Gipson, Khalil Mack, Barkevious Mingo, Robert Quinn, James Vaughters.

Cornerbacks (5): Kyle Fuller, Jaylon Johnson, Duke Shelley, Buster Skrine, Kindle Vildor.

Safeties (5): Deon Bush, DeAndre Houston-Carson, Tashaun Gipson, Eddie Jackson, Sherrick McManis.

Specialists (3): Pat O'Donnell, Eddy Piñeiro, Patrick Scales.

[adam]

So compared to last year, the offense has an extra TE (from 4 to 5), and an extra OL (from 8 to 9). On defense, there is one less DL and two less ILB, but one more OLB. Mingo can play both inside and outside.

The biggest shock is no Toliver. The assumption is the team is planning to bring back Prince and then will send someone like Vildor to the PS (unless they are happy with Vildor as a backup). Either way, McManis can play CB, so you really have 6, with Fuller and Johnson starting, Skrine in the slot, with Shelley and Vildor as backups, and McManis there as needed.

RB's are also interesting, Patterson listed there, making Monty and Nall the only true RBs if you don't consider Cohen a true RB. So to me, the RB group is the thinnest, especially if there is a major injury. Unless they are planning to bring someone else in like Devonta Freeman, I am a little worried about this group out of all the position groups. 

However, I think the roster is pretty solid. If you look at the bottom 5 players, which I say would be Hambright (rookie OL), Josh Woods, Kindle Vildor, James Vaughters, and Ryan Nall are the worst players on the 53-man, that's pretty good.

Alex Bars and Jason Spriggs made it. They both have some upside and Spriggs has starting experience in GB. Ifedi in at RG, where he should dominate and have fewer issues with offsides. 

I don't know about you, but I like our WR Corps. ARob and Wims the big bodies, Miller and Ridley the technicians, and Ginn and Mooney the burners. A good mix, not carbon copies.

TE's look to be a huge strength. Graham and Kmet as the starters, with Harris and Saubert in for big packages (twss), and then Holtz as that H-Back type. No Horsted, hopefully he makes the PS.

To me, this roster is better than opening day last year. We went from Daniel to Foles (upgrade), Davis to Nall (push), Whyte to Patterson (upgrade), Gabriel to Ginn (push), Patterson to Mooney (upgrade), Burton to Graham (upgrade), Shaheen to Kmet (upgrade), Braunecker to Harris (upgrade), Sowell to Holtz (upgrade). Long to Ifedi (upgrade), Larsen to Spriggs (push), Lucas to Bars (upgrade). The TE group is night and day, wow.

On defense, we lose Goldman and Williams (who I really liked), and Anderson for Urban and Jenkins (downgrade x2). The DL probably took the biggest hit this offseason, so Hicks cannot get hurt and RRH and Nichols both need to play at a high level. 

ILB group lost Kwit and KPL and did not replace them. A very odd move with the roster composition. Again this is a thin group like RB and is one injury away from having issues. So (downgrade x2)

Outside of Mack, OLB lost Floyd, Lynch, and Irving for Quinn, Gipson, Vaughters, Mingo, so (upgrade x1, push x2)

CB's went from Prince and Toliver to Johnson and Vildor (upgrade and push). 

Safeties went from HaHa to Gipson (push).

So it looks like the offense got significantly better and the defense got worse with the thin DL and loss of depth at ILB. 

[ASHKUM BEAR]

Receivers (6): Ted Ginn Jr., Anthony Miller, Darnell Mooney, Riley Ridley, Allen Robinson II, Javon Wims.

I am glad the predictions of Wims not making the roster were wrong.  He has shown flashes and if Robinson ever has to miss a game or two, he keeps that big target who could ignite.

[Stinger226]

I think with David M hurting we go with the 2 TE set quite a bit . Harris and Kmet should be able to handle blocking okay. Taking turns in the backfield will be Patterson and Cohen. Robinson, Miller and Graham seeing some slot work. Ginn and Mooney coming in to change it up.

The only one I am surprised with is Eris Saubert making it, he must be a very good ST player.

[DABEARSDABOMB]

I keep waiting for them to sign a veteran CB.  Our depth at CB seems so thin and unproven. I hope Fuller holds up - this team can not afford an injury to him.  

[adam]

9 hours ago, DABEARSDABOMB said:

I keep waiting for them to sign a veteran CB.  Our depth at CB seems so thin and unproven. I hope Fuller holds up - this team can not afford an injury to him.  

Skrine and McManis are there to cover down on the outside if needed. ILB is still interesting to me, we lost Kwit and KPL and replaced them with air. 

[adam]

On 9/6/2020 at 2:16 PM, Stinger226 said:

I think with David M hurting we go with the 2 TE set quite a bit . Harris and Kmet should be able to handle blocking okay. Taking turns in the backfield will be Patterson and Cohen. Robinson, Miller and Graham seeing some slot work. Ginn and Mooney coming in to change it up.

The only one I am surprised with is Eris Saubert making it, he must be a very good ST player.

I think Nagy is going to turn into Matt Exotic this year. Especially with Patterson. 12 personnel is going to be a huge strength for us, we can go 2-TE and mix them up with Harris and Holtz. 

Yeah, Saubert on ST and as primarily a blocking TE. 

[adam]

On 9/6/2020 at 10:38 AM, ASHKUM BEAR said:

Receivers (6): Ted Ginn Jr., Anthony Miller, Darnell Mooney, Riley Ridley, Allen Robinson II, Javon Wims.

I am glad the predictions of Wims not making the roster were wrong.  He has shown flashes and if Robinson ever has to miss a game or two, he keeps that big target who could ignite.

Me too. I like Wims and just think he needs more targets. When he gets the ball, he makes plays. I think Miller is going to have a breakout year with Gabriel gone. 

[ASHKUM BEAR]

10 hours ago, adam said:

Me too. I like Wims and just think he needs more targets. When he gets the ball, he makes plays. I think Miller is going to have a breakout year with Gabriel gone. 

What is funny is now they have Patterson as WR2 on the depth chart making 7 WRs.  Most likely because of his jersey number.  If this offense can click, meaning the unit can make mistake free plays, they could be decent or even good.  I like the WRs with youth upside with Arob and Ginn providing vet leadership.  The TE group is the same and don't think Graham is washed up, he got cut and that stings an ego. The oline seems better equipped.  The only downfall is the thin RB stable.  Even though my faith in football has fallen, I am getting some excitement that has been gone. 

[adam]

13 hours ago, ASHKUM BEAR said:

What is funny is now they have Patterson as WR2 on the depth chart making 7 WRs.  Most likely because of his jersey number.  If this offense can click, meaning the unit can make mistake free plays, they could be decent or even good.  I like the WRs with youth upside with Arob and Ginn providing vet leadership.  The TE group is the same and don't think Graham is washed up, he got cut and that stings an ego. The oline seems better equipped.  The only downfall is the thin RB stable.  Even though my faith in football has fallen, I am getting some excitement that has been gone. 

Patterson is going to be all over and probably in the backfield more than anywhere else. I don't think the position designation means much for hybrid players. Graham is still a Red Zone machine, and that's where we have had problems, scoring TDs. Him, Kmet, ARob, and Wims make some big targets in the RZ. Also, Graham and Kmet can stretch the seam, which is going to force ILBs to play off the line more, which should open up some running lanes for Monty and Co. Last year there were 8-9 in the box constantly, with zero threat of an inside seam passing game.  I am worried about RB too, especially if Monty is injured or playing hurt. I guess we will see what Nall can do, and if he can't handle the extra touches, they will have to bring someone in off the street.

[Stinger226]

I think I read where instead of running more inside zones they were going to  use off tackle running lanes more frequently. Now that the OLine coach is also the Running coordinator , we have someone in Nagy's ear to stick to the run more. The red zone was a problem last year, which definitely got upgraded. I can see a 12 set with Holtz in the backfield with Monty or Cohen.