Espn Says We Have The 31St Ranked Roster

[Falcon-Itus]

31. Atlanta Falcons

2014 Ranking: 30

Top five players: Julio Jones, Desmond Trufant, Matt Ryan,Jon Asamoah, Ryan Schraeder

Starters who should be upgraded: Tyson Jackson, Charles Godfrey, Jake Matthews, Patrick DiMarco

Analysis: Ryan is one of the more underrated quarterbacks in the league, but he has shown he needs help for the Falcons to be a winning team. The state of their offensive line will once again be a concern, with Matthews in particular needing to take a huge step forward after an ugly rookie season (he allowed seven sacks and 51 total pressures).

Trufant is on the cusp of greatness at cornerback, looking primed to take the next step into the Darrelle Revis/Richard Sherman category, but there's a worrying lack of quality elsewhere on the roster -- particularly on defense.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/13046017/seattle-seahawks-top-ranking-rosters-all-32-teams-nfl

[g-dawg]

ridiculous - they cannot even get our top 5 players right - Schraeder, really? Jake Matthews, our injured top 10 LT who played hurt last year - already needs to be upgraded?

that is just ludi...

here is the rest of the hideous list:

Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Ranking the rosters of all 32 NFL teams

By Sam Monson
Pro Football Focus

For the second year in a row, we are ranking the entire rosters of each team in the NFL for ESPN.

We got together PFF's analysts and ran through the data, composing a ranking that incorporated our grading as well as football evaluation for added context -- allowing us, for example, to reward teams that have an excellent quarterback situation but a relative hole along the defensive line when it came to run defense. We have collected the number of elite or high-quality players each team can count among its starters (for these purposes we gave each team a starting side of 12 on each side of the ball to reflect both base and nickel/third-down defense), and you will see those figures in the chart at the bottom of the page.

Here is our 1-32 ranking of every roster in the NFL. The team at the top remains the same from a year ago, but nearly every other franchise made moves up or down the list.

1. Seattle Seahawks

2014 Ranking: 1

Top five players: Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Marshawn Lynch, Jimmy Graham, Russell Wilson

Starters who should be upgraded: Lemuel Jeanpierre, J.R. Sweezy, Justin Britt, Tony McDaniel

Analysis: The best roster in football belongs to the Seahawks. The team, which was littered with injuries at the time, came up one play short of winning back-to-back Super Bowls, and that had more to do with a questionable play call and a fantastic defensive play than any sort of roster weakness.

The offensive line remains below average at best, but Wilson, Lynch and now Graham give the Seahawks weapons perfectly suited to make up for any blocking issues, especially when their read-option plays are added into the equation. Lynch broke 130 total tackles last season, including the playoffs, while no other back got near 100.

The Legion of Boom was very banged up by the end of that Super Bowl, but Sherman and Thomas remain elite talents, and there are quality players all over the defense. Even free-agent pickup Cary Williams, much maligned in Philadelphia, could have a pretty good year in a defense that puts better talent around him and supports his aggressive play. With the roster in this kind of shape, the Seahawks aren't going anywhere for a while.

2. Green Bay Packers

​2014 Ranking: 8

Top five players: Aaron Rodgers, Randall Cobb, Josh Sitton, Jordy Nelson, Clay Matthews

Starters who should be upgraded: Letroy Guion, B.J. Raji, Sam Barrington, Davante Adams

Analysis: Top to bottom there are several teams with more talent than the Packers, but the boost they receive for having Rodgers -- the league's best quarterback -- is substantial. Top passers can cover up a lot of cracks, and quarterbacks as good as Rodgers can elevate a roster from good to excellent.

If there is a worry for this team, it remains up the middle, where the retention of both Guion and Raji is a concern given their play last season. On offense, Rodgers is helped by having a pair of elite targets -- Nelson and Cobb -- while Eddie Lacy is capable of raising himself to the top tier of running backs with a little more consistency.

3. Baltimore Ravens

2014 Ranking: 16

Top five players: Marshal Yanda, Ricky Wagner, Kelechi Osemele, Terrell Suggs, Brandon Williams

Starters who should be upgraded: Courtney Upshaw

Analysis: There's a lot to like about the Baltimore roster. No, Joe Flacco isn't elite, but the offensive line became one of the league's best a year ago and that paved the way for an excellent season from running back Justin Forsett, who returns for 2015. Rookies have the potential to make a big impact on this team: Wide receiver Breshad Perriman and tight end Maxx Williams could become two of the Ravens' top three targets on offense by season's end.

The defense is not quite what it once was, but it's still full of good players. Cornerbacks Jimmy Smith and Lardarius Webb should be better if they can just stay healthy. Defensive tackle Haloti Ngata has departed, but Brandon Williams and Timmy Jernigan played very well last season and should fill that void.

4. New England Patriots

2014 Ranking: 6

Top five players: Devin McCourty, Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Dont'a Hightower, Jamie Collins

Starters who should be upgraded: Alan Branch, Bryan Stork, Ryan Wendell

Analysis: If nothing else, the Patriots made some of the most interesting roster moves in the game. This offseason they began by dismantling the secondary that was the backbone of their Super Bowl-winning defense. Gone are Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner, two players who played a big role in New England's success last year. Instead of investing heavily at the position in free agency or the draft, the Patriots didn't select a cornerback until Darryl Roberts in the seventh round -- two rounds after selecting a long-snapper from Navy.

Elsewhere, the team has talent in key places, with the Brady-Gronkowski connection enough to create a high-powered offense on its own.

5. Denver Broncos

2014 Ranking: 3

Top five players: Von Miller, Chris Harris Jr., Malik Jackson, Demaryius Thomas, C.J. Anderson

Starters who should be upgraded: Gino Gradkowski, Derek Wolfe, Sylvester Williams

Analysis: Denver is still able to maintain a quality roster around high-priced quarterback Peyton Manning thanks to some smart drafting and having a few key players on very cheap contracts (such as running back Anderson). Outside linebacker Miller and cornerback Harris are elite players at key positions, and the Broncos have found quality players across other important spots like defensive end Jackson.

The concern for this roster is the offensive line, which has become even more acute a problem since Ryan Clady went down this offseason with a season-ending injury. Clady hadn't been playing to his previous level in some time, but rookie Ty Sambrailo out of Colorado State represents a major downgrade as he adjusts to a much higher level of competition. Louis Vasquez now remains the only quality player on what used to be one of the league's better lines.

6. Philadelphia Eagles

2014 Ranking: 5

Top five players: Jason Peters, Evan Mathis, DeMarco Murray, Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham

Starters who should be upgraded: DeMeco Ryans

Analysis: Head coach Chip Kelly's offseason overhaul still has the Eagles in good shape, particularly along the offensive line, which is one of the NFL's best units when healthy. Adding Sam Bradford at quarterback probably doesn't provide much of a change in production from what Kelly has gotten out of Nick Folesand Mark Sanchez the past two years, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. At running back, Murray and Ryan Mathews combine with the versatile Darren Sproles to give the offense multiple options.

Defensively, the Eagles are led by defensive end Cox up front, while outside linebacker Graham will get his first extended look as a starter after five productive seasons in a part-time role. The addition of Kiko Alonso will help the middle-of-the-field coverage, while Mychal Kendricks continues to improve every year. The position to watch is cornerback, where Byron Maxwell comes over from Seattle, and Nolan Carroll will battle rookies Eric Rowe and JaCorey Shepherd for the starting role vacated by the departing Bradley Fletcher, who was coming off a disastrous 2014.

7. Detroit Lions

2014 Ranking: 11

Top five players: Calvin Johnson, Golden Tate, Glover Quin, Ezekiel Ansah, Larry Warford

Starters who should be upgraded: Brandon Pettigrew, Travis Swanson, Bill Bentley, Jason Jones

Analysis: The Lions have done a really good job of upgrading their roster the past few seasons. Elite talents like Johnson remain, but they have been augmented by a steady influx of talent on both sides of the ball: Wide receiver Tate, free safety Quin, defensive end Ansah and guard Warford.

As a result, the Lions have a roster with few holes, even after the departure of Ndamukong Suh in free agency. They nearly won a close, controversial playoff game last season, and it won't take much of an improvement for Detroit to be a real contender in 2015.

8. Minnesota Vikings

2014 Ranking: 29

Top five players: Adrian Peterson, Harrison Smith, Sharrif Floyd, Everson Griffen, John Sullivan

Starters who should be upgraded: Brian Robison, Chad Greenway, Matt Kalil

Analysis: Getting Peterson back in the fold will do wonders for this team, but the Vikings' biggest reason for optimism is how Teddy Bridgewater finished the 2014 season at quarterback. Over the final five weeks, he was PFF's highest-graded passer, one spot better than Rodgers. Over the final six games, he was second only to Drew Brees. If he plays in 2015 the way he ended 2014, the Vikings are a legitimate threat to make the playoffs (particularly if Kalil rebounds from a poor 2014 campaign).

Under Mike Zimmer, the defense has taken significant steps forward and could get even better with another step from guys like Xavier Rhodes, who flashed elite talent last season.

9. Cincinnati Bengals

2014 Ranking: 7

Top five players: Carlos Dunlap, Geno Atkins, Vontaze Burfict, Andrew Whitworth, A.J. Green

Starters who should be upgraded: Domata Peko, A.J. Hawk, Rey Maualuga, Russell Bodine, Mohamed Sanu

Analysis: The Bengals are a team with a lot of talent that is being weighed down by their quarterback. Andy Dalton can be awful one week and fantastic the next, and while the Bengals have done well to surround him with good weaponry and blocking, he hasn't proven he can be a consistently effective NFL quarterback.

Cincinnati's defense has a lot of talent, especially if Atkins gets back to his best after a down 2014. The linebacker corps is a concern, with Burfict coming off a knee injury.

10. New Orleans Saints

2014 Ranking: 4

Top five players: Drew Brees, Junior Galette, Jairus Byrd, Zach Strief, Max Unger

Starters who should be upgraded: Nick Toon, Erik Lorig, Dannell Ellerbe

Analysis: The Saints have a rebuilt offensive line that has the potential to be excellent. Unger, acquired in a trade with Seattle, gives New Orleans one of the league's best run-blocking centers, and rookie tackle Andrus Peat allowed just nine total pressures in his final season at Stanford. That overhaul came at the cost of Jimmy Graham, of course, but the Saints still have Brees and a loaded backfield to help make up for it.

Galette's offseason pectoral injury bears monitoring, as he is the only proven pass-rusher they have at the moment. If he misses significant time, rookie outside linebacker Hau'Oli Kikaha might have to play a major role.

11. Dallas Cowboys

2014 Ranking: 18

Top five players: Dez Bryant, Greg Hardy, Orlando Scandrick, Tyron Smith, Tony Romo

Starters who should be upgraded: Nick Hayden, Morris Claiborne, Anthony Hitchens, J.J. Wilcox, Terrance Williams, Tyler Clutts, Joseph Randle

Analysis: The Cowboys have one of the league's best offenses, but some big question marks on defense. The offensive line might be even better this season after last year's dominant campaign, which is why Dallas was fine moving on from DeMarco Murray. Randle averaged 6.7 yards per carry last season and 4.2 yards per carry after contact on 51 carries, and the team is banking on him being very productive behind that blocking.

The defense overachieved a year ago, and the D-line looks very thin entering 2015. The secondary is an issue, while the linebacker corps will get a huge boost if Sean Lee can return healthy.

12. Pittsburgh Steelers

2014 Ranking: 27

Top five players: Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, Le'Veon Bell, Kelvin Beachum, Cameron Heyward

Starters who should be upgraded: Cortez Allen, Stephon Tuitt

Analysis: A career year for Roethlisberger coincided with Brown's emergence as possibly the league's best wide receiver and Bell's development into one of its top all-around running backs. That offensive trio will likely dictate the Steelers' fate in 2015, but their strong offensive line is an important factor as well.

The other side of the ball is where the questions lie; of particular concern is Pittsburgh's lack of a productive edge rush. Perhaps first-round rookie Bud Dupreewill provide a jolt, but right now defensive lineman Heyward is the defense's only true impact player.

13. Indianapolis Colts

2014 Ranking: 12

Top five players: Vontae Davis, Andrew Luck, T.Y. Hilton, Robert Mathis, Dwayne Allen

Starters who should be upgraded: Khaled Holmes, Todd Herremans, Gosder Cherilus, Greg Toler, Kendall Langford, Arthur Jones, D'Qwell Jackson

Analysis: Much like the Packers, the Colts receive a boost for being in great shape at the most critical position in the game. Luck may not be quite as good as the hype surrounding him most of the time -- he was only PFF's ninth-ranked quarterback in 2014 -- but he has elite highs and as much raw ability as any passer in the game. Running back Frank Gore and wide receiver Andre Johnson aren't long-term solutions, but both should represent immediate upgrades. There are issues on the O-line, where Anthony Castonzo is the only one of the starting five to rank above average.

The defense remains a work in progress, but has one elite player at a critical position -- the hugely underrated Davis. Teams throwing his way in 2014 had a passer rating of just 38.8, the lowest mark in the league.

14. Cleveland Browns

2014 Ranking: 24

Top five players: Joe Thomas, Joel Bitonio, Alex Mack, Donte Whitner, Karlos Dansby

Starters who should be upgraded: Craig Robertson, Gary Barnidge, Rob Housler, Josh McCown, Terrance West

Analysis: The Browns have a good roster overall, but they are brought down in these rankings because they are in quarterback purgatory -- with no end in sight.Johnny Manziel was a disaster as a rookie, making McCown the team's new beacon of hope. The Browns are banking on the return of McCown's magical 2013 season with the Bears, which is looking more and more like a fluke.

Cleveland's offensive line and defense are in very good shape, but the skill positions have become a question mark with the losses of Jordan Cameron to free agency and Josh Gordon to suspension.

15. Buffalo Bills

2014 Ranking: 20

Top five players: Marcell Dareus, Kyle Williams, LeSean McCoy, Mario Williams, Jerry Hughes

Starters who should be upgraded: Jarius Wynn, Matt Cassel

Analysis: Under the direction of Rex Ryan, the Bills should have one of the best defenses in the NFL. Their problem is at quarterback, where EJ Manuel, Tyrod Taylor and Cassel are locked in a competition that won't produce an above-average starter. Last year Manuel's passer rating under pressure was 45.5, and that somehow beat Cassel by over 20 points.

McCoy brings a top-level talent to a backfield that was already impressive, and an improved Sammy Watkins in his second season could make him one of the best wide receivers in the league. The concern outside of the quarterback position is along the right side of the offensive line.

16. Carolina Panthers

2014 Ranking: 22

Top five players: Luke Kuechly, Thomas Davis, Charles Johnson, Kawann Short, Greg Olsen

Starters who should be upgraded: Roman Harper, Michael Oher

Analysis: The prospect of heading into another season with no real answer at offensive tackle must be a scary one for Cam Newton. The last time Oher started at left tackle, he allowed 11 sacks on the year, and over the past four seasons he has averaged 8.75 sacks allowed. The offensive line looks weak overall, with onlyRyan Kalil at center ranking above average, but the Panthers are at least loading up with weapons for Newton at receiver.

The defense again has potential to be a very good unit, but there is a notable hole at edge rusher following the loss of Greg Hardy. Carolina's safeties aren't great, either.

17. San Francisco 49ers

2014 Ranking: 2

Top five players: NaVorro Bowman, Joe Staley, Aldon Smith, Anquan Boldin, Bruce Miller

Starters who should be upgraded: Erik Pears, Darnell Dockett, Shareece Wright, Michael Wilhoite

Analysis: The Niners' roster was already on the decline, and then they lost a lot of talent to retirements this offseason, but the cupboard is not completely bare. Bowman returns to lead the defense alongside Smith, who's still one of the league's best edge players.

On offense, Colin Kaepernick has not developed as smoothly as the 49ers would have liked after he burst onto the scene in 2012. He has a new deep threat inTorrey Smith to go with a reliable possession receiver in Boldin. The offensive line has holes, but left tackle Staley is still at the top of his game, while centerDaniel Kilgore was a pleasant surprise last year.

18. San Diego Chargers

2014 Ranking: 14

Top five players: Eric Weddle, Philip Rivers, Brandon Flowers, Orlando Franklin, Keenan Allen

Starters who should be upgraded: D.J. Fluker, Kendall Reyes, Sean Lissemore, Tourek Williams, Jimmy Wilson, Donald Butler

Analysis: The Chargers will always be in the playoff mix with Rivers at the helm, as he continues to play at a high level heading into his 12th season. The offensive line got a nice addition in Franklin, who will form one of the best run-blocking left sides in the league alongside King Dunlap. The wide receiver unit looks strong with Allen, Malcom Floyd and Stevie Johnson, while tight end Ladarius Green is poised to finally take the reins from Antonio Gates.

The defense features all of its best players in the secondary, led by safety Weddle and cornerbacks Jason Verrett and Flowers. The front seven is a concern, however. The Chargers don't have an edge rusher who can get consistent pressure, and the defensive line has been destroyed in the running game the past two seasons.

19. Kansas City Chiefs

2014 Ranking: 10

Top five players: Justin Houston, Dontari Poe, Jamaal Charles, Derrick Johnson, Travis Kelce

Starters who should be upgraded: James-Michael Johnson, Eric Fisher, Zach Fulton, Donald Stephenson, Jason Avant,

Analysis: This is another team with major offensive line concerns. The Chiefs really need former No. 1 overall pick Fisher to take a step forward at left tackle, and if Mitch Morse were to work out at center as a rookie, that would help them out a lot, too. Until then, the offense is reliant on Charles, Kelce, Jeremy Maclinand a lot of smoke and mirrors from Andy Reid.

The defense is a different story, with good overall talent and a true force coming off the edge in the form of Houston.

20. New York Giants

2014 Ranking: 19

Top five players: Odell Beckham Jr., Geoff Schwartz, Jason Pierre-Paul, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Johnathan Hankins

Starters who should be upgraded: George Selvie, Jameel McClain, Jon Beason, J.T. Thomas, Weston Richburg, John Jerry

Analysis: Odell Beckham Jr.'s emergence as a rookie gives the Giants one of the best wide receiver trios in the league (Victor Cruz, Reuben Randle). Eli Manning bounced back in new offensive coordinator Bob McAdoo's system a year ago, so they could have an explosive passing attack, especially with Shane Vereen now coming out of the backfield. The offensive line is one of the biggest question marks on the roster.

The defense has a few nice pieces on the defensive line and at cornerback, but the Giants will trot out perhaps the worst linebacker unit in the league. Second-round rookie safety Landon Collins will be counted on heavily to make tackles in the back end.

21. New York Jets

2014 Ranking: 23

Top five players: Darrelle Revis, Sheldon Richardson, Nick Mangold, Damon Harrison, Muhammad Wilkerson

Starters who should be upgraded: Buster Skrine, Calvin Pace, David Harris, Quinton Coples, James Carpenter, Willie Colon, Breno Giacomini, Jeff Cumberland, Geno Smith, Tommy Bohanon

Analysis: As usual, it's the defensive line that will carry the Jets. They boast three very good starters in Wilkerson, Richardson and Harrison. They also added first-round rookie Leonard Williams to the mix just for fun. The secondary can match up with anyone, now that Revis and Antonio Cromartie are back in town.

Offensively, the quarterback situation gets the most publicity, and rightfully so. The Jets would love to see Smith take a big step forward in his third year, butRyan Fitzpatrick will be right there to push him for playing time. Fitzpatrick is coming off a quietly solid season in Houston, and if he wins the job, he'll have an intriguing set of weapons: Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker, Jeremy Kerley and tight end Jace Amaro. The offensive line has three subpar options surrounding an excellent center (Mangold) and a dependable left tackle (D'Brickashaw Ferguson).

22. St. Louis Rams

2014 Ranking: 31

Top five players: Aaron Donald, Robert Quinn, Chris Long, William Hayes, Nick Fairley

Starters who should be upgraded: Alec Ogletree, Greg Robinson, Tavon Austin, Nick Foles

Analysis: With perhaps their five best players all residing on the defensive line, the Rams are building their foundation in the right place. Donald is the best young defensive tackle in the league, while Quinn remains one of the most feared pass-rushers despite taking a step back from his 2013 dominance. There is a sea of average in the back seven, but St. Louis is hoping its stout front will mask some of those deficiencies.

The offensive line has gotten a lot of attention in recent years, though there's little to show for it at this point. The skill positions are also a place where potential has trumped production, as the Rams are still waiting on Austin and Brian Quick to emerge. Rookie running back Todd Gurley may be just what the offense needs to get back on track. At quarterback, the big unknown is whether Foles can be a productive player outside of the Eagles' system.

23. Miami Dolphins

2014 Ranking: 13

Top five players: Cameron Wake, Ndamukong Suh, Brent Grimes, Reshad Jones, Branden Albert

Starters who should be upgraded: Dion Sims, Ja'Wuan James, Dallas Thomas

Analysis: The Dolphins are a fashionable pick to be contenders this season, and Tom Brady's suspension does provide a potential opening in the AFC East. But on paper they don't look as ready to seize the opportunity as the other two teams in the division. Suh joins Wake to form a duo that should provide fireworks on the defensive line. The D also contains quality players like Grimes and Jones, but beyond that, depth is a serious concern across the unit.

On offense, Ryan Tannehill is a solid starter who still needs to iron out his inconsistency and accuracy issues, while there is no star playmaker with the ball in his hands. (The Dolphins are certainly banking on rookie first-rounder DeVante Parker developing into one.) This team has a decent amount of top-end talent, but it could be in trouble if injuries bite.

24. Arizona Cardinals

2014 Ranking: 9

Top five players: Calais Campbell, Jared Veldheer, Daryl Washington, Patrick Peterson, Tyrann Mathieu

Starters who should be upgraded: Alex Okafor, Matt Shaughnessy, Tony Jefferson, Rashad Johnson

Analysis: This Arizona defense has typically performed better as a unit than you'd expect from its overall talent level. The Cardinals have a couple of excellent players -- Campbell, Mathieu and a healthy Peterson -- but they also have a ton of average contributors for whom the scheme does a lot of heavy lifting.

The offense is all about potential, with former first-round pick Jonathan Cooper still an unknown quantity as the Cardinals' starting right guard, and some other question marks at tight end and fullback. Even the quarterback position is less than a sure thing, with Carson Palmer recovering from a torn ACL.

25. Chicago Bears

2014 Ranking: 15

Top five players: Alshon Jeffery, Martellus Bennett, Pernell McPhee, Kyle Long, Jeremiah Ratliff

Starters who should be upgraded: Kyle Fuller, Jordan Mills, Dante Rosario

Analysis: The Bears' roster has seen a ton of turnover, but it's perhaps most defined by the quarterback who stuck around: Jay Cutler. He is a talented but hugely flawed passer who can range from awful to very good, depending on his ability to fit within the offense and jive with the coaching staff. Chicago's offensive line (aside from right tackle Mills) has the potential to be very good, as does its group of skill position players.

The defense will debut a new-look 3-4 this year, and while talent seems to be there, plenty of question marks remain. The Bears have the look of a roster only midway through a rebuilding project.

26. Houston Texans

2014 Ranking: 25

Top five players: J.J. Watt, Duane Brown, Brandon Brooks, DeAndre Hopkins, Kareem Jackson

Starters who should be upgraded: Whitney Mercilus, Jared Crick, Garrett Graham, Brian Hoyer

Analysis: Any time you have a quarterback competition between Hoyer and Ryan Mallett, your roster has at least one major hole -- and unfortunately it is at the most important position. The offense has significant depth concerns across the board.

On defense, Watt remains the best player in football, and Vince Wilfork can still play good snaps next to him at nose tackle. If the Texans give Wilfork more of a situational role, he may even improve with the added rest. The future of Jadeveon Clowney, who's coming off microfracture surgery, is still very much in the air. When healthy, he's an undeniable talent.

27. Washington Redskins

2014 Ranking: 26

Top five players: Ryan Kerrigan, Jason Hatcher, Chris Culliver, Trent Williams, DeSean Jackson

Starters who should be upgraded: Robert Griffin III, Bashaud Breeland, Keenan Robinson, Dashon Goldson, Perry Riley Jr.

Analysis: The Redskins made a lot of smart moves this offseason, and the fact they still rank this far down the list tells you just how bad the roster was when new general manager Scot McCloughan took over. The additions of good players like cornerback Culliver and defensive tackle Stephen Paea help, but there are still major issues on defense.

The biggest issue is obviously at quarterback. Both RG III and Kirk Cousins have performed terribly of late, and it's left the team rudderless on offense. First-round rookie offensive tackle Brandon Scherff needs to be good right out of the gate, or the right side of that offensive line will cause problems.

28. Oakland Raiders

2014 Ranking: 28

Top five players: Khalil Mack, Dan Williams, Donald Penn, Gabe Jackson, Rodney Hudson

Starters who should be upgraded: Khalif Barnes, Mychal Rivera, Derek Carr, Curtis Lofton

Analysis: The Raiders were surprisingly solid on the offensive line last season, particularly in pass protection. First-round rookie wide receiver Amari Coopershould be an immediate upgrade to what was a below-average receiving corps in 2014. Quarterback Carr received heaps of praise in some circles for his rookie season, but he still has ways to go to prove he's the answer in Oakland.

The defensive side of the ball is led by second-year linebacker Mack, who proved a dominant force against the run as a rookie. He can still improve as a pass-rusher, and if that part of his game comes around, he'll be a Pro Bowler for years to come. Adding nose tackle Williams in free agency should help the run defense.

29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2014 Ranking: 17

Top five players: Gerald McCoy, Lavonte David, Mike Evans, Vincent Jackson, Demar Dotson

Starters who should be upgraded: Louis Murphy, Chris Conte, Johnthan Banks, Bruce Carter, Clinton McDonald

Analysis: McCoy and David are elite defensive talents, but unfortunately for the Bucs, they don't have much around them. Players like Danny Lansanah andHenry Melton have the ability to change that, but there are still major holes at defensive end, nose tackle and safety.

No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston is the headline addition to the offense, but the Bucs are also slated to start rookies at left tackle and right guard, leaving some uncertainty around the level of protection Winston will get in Year 1.

30. Tennessee Titans

2014 Ranking: 21

Top five players: Jurrell Casey, Derrick Morgan, Kendall Wright, Delanie Walker, Jason McCourty

Starters who should be upgraded: Justin Hunter, Brian Schwenke, Byron Stingily, Coty Sensabaugh, Michael Griffin

Analysis: Few teams are leaning on rookies as much as the Titans heading into 2015. Quarterback Marcus Mariota obviously has the potential to transform the offense, but he's an unknown quantity at this point, and fellow rookie wide receivers Dorial Green-Beckham and Tre McBride, and running back David Cobb, all figure to play big roles out of necessity.

Casey is the only star on defense, but he does have several good players alongside him, especially if Brian Orakpo can stay healthy. Heading into his third season, the Titans need a big step forward from cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson, who allowed six touchdowns last season and a passer rating of 110.8 when targeted.

31. Atlanta Falcons

2014 Ranking: 30

Top five players: Julio Jones, Desmond Trufant, Matt Ryan, Jon Asamoah, Ryan Schraeder

Starters who should be upgraded: Tyson Jackson, Charles Godfrey, Jake Matthews, Patrick DiMarco

Analysis: Ryan is one of the more underrated quarterbacks in the league, but he has shown he needs help for the Falcons to be a winning team. The state of their offensive line will once again be a concern, with Matthews in particular needing to take a huge step forward after an ugly rookie season (he allowed seven sacks and 51 total pressures).

Trufant is on the cusp of greatness at cornerback, looking primed to take the next step into the Darrelle Revis/Richard Sherman category, but there's a worrying lack of quality elsewhere on the roster -- particularly on defense.

32. Jacksonville Jaguars

2014 Ranking: 32

Top five players: Brandon Linder, Julius Thomas, Sen'Derrick Marks, Jared Odrick, Ryan Davis

Starters who should be upgraded: Roy Miller, Chris Clemons, Paul Posluszny, Allen Hurns, Marqise Lee, Luke Joeckel

Analysis: The Jaguars have some good players, including Linder, Marks, Odrick and Thomas. Here's the problem: Two of those four came over in free agency and have yet to play a down for the team, and only Linder makes it into the high-quality grading bracket.

The key pieces that were supposed to turn the franchise around -- Joeckel, Blake Bortles and Johnathan Cyprien in particular -- have all fallen well short of expectations thus far. In Bortles' case, the team at least knew he would be a long-term project and never intended to start him as a rookie, but the signs were not good in his first year. He will need to make a major leap forward as a sophomore to help the team out.

[IronHead34]

So.... Who was the worst?

Jacksonville, Oakland, Tenn, Tampa?

Edited June 10, 2015 by IronHead34

[Falcanuck]

Lmfao yeah let's replace Matthews

[WornOutFalconFan]

I hope they are wrong but if they aren't I hope being 31 in talent doesn't equate to 31 in rank.

I can't take another year of the defense getting slapped around like little red-headed step children.

[Falcon-Itus]

So.... Who was the worst?

Jacksonville

I would post the whole article, but I'm not sure that is allowed here.

[g-dawg]

I hope they are wrong but if they aren't I hope being 31 in talent doesn't equate to 31 in rank.

I can't take another year of the defense getting slapped around like little red-headed step children.

our roster from #1-#53 is probably about 18th right now - however, it could get better in a hurry - if the rooks and FA's contribute.

[Falcanuck]

Other than that the only positions we need to upgrade are FB, FS and DT (which we have). Seems pretty good to me

[paulitik]

This is quite possibly the most stupid thing I've ever read.

This is why I wouldn't ever pay money for ESPN Insider. Thank you for those that do for your brave sacrifice.

[Drunken Minotaur Zebra]

ok ESPN

[Oldskooler]

I believe the "upgrade" they meant in regards to Matthews was him getting healthy and playing much better.

I believe he will.

I do not believe the author intended to say that Matthews should be replaced.

As for our roster, Ryan alone means we should rank higher. We have the one irreplaceable piece that most teams as bad as ours lack: a true franchise QB.

But overall, top to bottom? Yeah, we're pretty close to the bottom.

[peoriabird]

Pioli'ed?

[Knight of God]

This is good for us. No pressure. Now we just go and drag a few teams and see what they say then.

[Monolith2001]

Jake Matthews...an injured first year player needs an upgrade? Author must have been pulling names out of a hat to zero in on him. I could see putting Toilolo on that list and DiMarco didn't play that big of a role in offense to matter all that much.

[ya_boi_j]

That's what's up

[FentayeJones]

I usually dont give a chit about these types of subjective articles from reporters with very little knowledge of our roster, but to say our roster is worse than the Titans, Bucs, Raiders, Redskins, Bears is ludicrous. On top of that, they put the Saints roster in the top 10.

[g-dawg]

how about ESPN's love affair w/ Saints? #10 overall roster? really?

[g-dawg]

I usually dont give a chit about these types of subjective articles from reporters with very little knowledge of our roster, but to say our roster is worse than the Titans, Bucs, Raiders, Redskins, Bears is ludicrous. On top of that, they put the Saints roster in the top 10.

yeah, the article is hideous - the entire nation thinks so - i read the comments under the article - FAIL

[Lornoth]

How do they justify us going from #30 last year to #31 this year? We've gotten that much worse somehow?

Really ridiculous article. The whole Schraed/Jake thing is just the tip of the iceberg. Ain'ts being that high is just turrible as well.

[SaintsH8]

ESPN has been a joke every since Disney bought them out. I use to watch ESPN all throughout high school and most of college but they are a complete joke now lol jake Mathews needs to be replaced

[SavvyFalcon89]

ESPN....go home you're drunk.

[JayOzOne]

I guess we all coach Smith an apology.

[JDaveG]

I don't blame them for lack of familiarity with our roster or anyone else's. But if you know at the outset that you can't possibly be that familiar with 32 different NFL rosters, then don't write articles ranking those rosters.

[spanish_falcon]

lol ESPN...

[Guest Gritz]

ESPN-Exceptionally Stupid People Network.