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NFL Insiders Predict: Best QB, defense, more the next five years
Matt Bowen, NFL writer: Jets safety Jamal Adams has the ideal skill set to play the position in the modern game. He can cover, tackle in space, blitz and find the ball. With that type of versatility and the leadership skills to command the secondary, Adams can fit with any team and any coach and carve out an impact role.
Mike Clay, NFL writer: Myles Garrett is the obvious response, but there's a reason Garrett was the no-brainer top overall pick in this year's draft. The explosive edge rusher has a high floor and supplies Cleveland with its most intriguing defensive prospect in years. Garrett could very well lead the NFL in sacks over the next decade.
Dan Graziano, NFL Insider:Adams. He's pro-ready mentally right now and should be a leader on that defense from the start and for years to come.
Mike Sando, senior NFL writer:I'll go with Adams too based on pre-draft scouting reports and post-draft chatter from offseason practices.
Field Yates, NFL Insider: The word "safe" is not to be confused with a player who lacks significant upside, but Adams is a "safe" prospect because of his do-it-all skill set that would fit in any scheme. The Jets got a good one who should be a tone-setter and cornerstone for close to a decade.
Mike Clay, NFL writer: Myles Garrett is the obvious response, but there's a reason Garrett was the no-brainer top overall pick in this year's draft. The explosive edge rusher has a high floor and supplies Cleveland with its most intriguing defensive prospect in years. Garrett could very well lead the NFL in sacks over the next decade.
Dan Graziano, NFL Insider:Adams. He's pro-ready mentally right now and should be a leader on that defense from the start and for years to come.
Mike Sando, senior NFL writer:I'll go with Adams too based on pre-draft scouting reports and post-draft chatter from offseason practices.
Field Yates, NFL Insider: The word "safe" is not to be confused with a player who lacks significant upside, but Adams is a "safe" prospect because of his do-it-all skill set that would fit in any scheme. The Jets got a good one who should be a tone-setter and cornerstone for close to a decade.
Bowen: Andrew Luck has yet to reach his ceiling, and he has the natural tools to develop into one of the league's best quarterbacks, but I still see Aaron Rodgers, who's 33, at the top of this list in five years. With a trend of quarterbacks such as Tom Brady and Drew Brees playing high-level football into their late 30s, I can't bet against Rodgers and his enormous talent level.
Clay: Luck. I don't think we've seen his best just yet. He turns 28 years old this year, and his supporting cast can only improve in the coming years. I'm typically not one to doubt Rodgers, but he'll be 38 years old in 2022 and thus a candidate to take a few steps back.
Graziano: Rodgers at age 38 will be what Brady is now, though with fewer titles under his belt. I just don't see any reason to think he slows down, and unless he does, no one can surpass him.
Sando: I'll go out on a limb and say it could be Dak Prescott. It's too early to anoint him but not too early to think about the possibilities based on his impressive rookie season.
Yates: Rodgers. I've run out of words to describe his brilliance. He makes the game look effortless in just about every way. Yes, he'll be 38 five years from now, but we're seeing quarterbacks play effectively into their late 30s. Rodgers' three years of serving as a backup to Brett Favre will provide long-term payoff for the Packers.
Clay: Luck. I don't think we've seen his best just yet. He turns 28 years old this year, and his supporting cast can only improve in the coming years. I'm typically not one to doubt Rodgers, but he'll be 38 years old in 2022 and thus a candidate to take a few steps back.
Graziano: Rodgers at age 38 will be what Brady is now, though with fewer titles under his belt. I just don't see any reason to think he slows down, and unless he does, no one can surpass him.
Sando: I'll go out on a limb and say it could be Dak Prescott. It's too early to anoint him but not too early to think about the possibilities based on his impressive rookie season.
Yates: Rodgers. I've run out of words to describe his brilliance. He makes the game look effortless in just about every way. Yes, he'll be 38 five years from now, but we're seeing quarterbacks play effectively into their late 30s. Rodgers' three years of serving as a backup to Brett Favre will provide long-term payoff for the Packers.
Bowen: Give me the Falcons' defense for the long haul. Atlanta has two young bookend pass-rushers in Vic Beasley Jr. and Takkarist McKinley, linebacker Deion Jones has scary talent, and that secondary, while still developing, has aggressive cornerbacks and a safety in Keanu Neal who will thump ball carriers. This unit isn't quite ready to take over the NFL, but the blueprint is there for Dan Quinn to build a dominant, fast and ball-hawking defense that rivals the one he coached in Seattle.
Clay: The Jaguars. Stop laughing, and hear me out. Yannick Ngakoue, Dante Fowler Jr., Myles Jack and Jalen Ramsey have yet to turn 23 years old, while Malik Jackson, Telvin Smith, A.J. Bouye and Tashaun Gipson are under 28. Add a few years of Calais Campbell, Barry Church and Paul Posluszny, and this is a unit primed to break out in 2017 and built to sustain success over multiple seasons.
Graziano: I think the Giants are in good shape with the big-money pieces they've added on the defensive line and in the secondary the past two years. If they can develop a middle linebacker for Steve Spagnuolo, they could sustain what they did last season for a while.
Sando: It could be the Falcons' D. Seattle will have turned over too many key parts by then. Atlanta's defense could be in full bloom.
Yates: It's hard for me to pick against the Seahawks. They've led the NFL in scoring defense in four of the past five seasons (third in 2016), which demonstrates the blend of a sound system, terrific personnel, outstanding coaching and the ability to replace departed and injured players. Seattle drafts well and plays with a defensive edge that is built to last.
Clay: The Jaguars. Stop laughing, and hear me out. Yannick Ngakoue, Dante Fowler Jr., Myles Jack and Jalen Ramsey have yet to turn 23 years old, while Malik Jackson, Telvin Smith, A.J. Bouye and Tashaun Gipson are under 28. Add a few years of Calais Campbell, Barry Church and Paul Posluszny, and this is a unit primed to break out in 2017 and built to sustain success over multiple seasons.
Graziano: I think the Giants are in good shape with the big-money pieces they've added on the defensive line and in the secondary the past two years. If they can develop a middle linebacker for Steve Spagnuolo, they could sustain what they did last season for a while.
Sando: It could be the Falcons' D. Seattle will have turned over too many key parts by then. Atlanta's defense could be in full bloom.
Yates: It's hard for me to pick against the Seahawks. They've led the NFL in scoring defense in four of the past five seasons (third in 2016), which demonstrates the blend of a sound system, terrific personnel, outstanding coaching and the ability to replace departed and injured players. Seattle drafts well and plays with a defensive edge that is built to last.
Bowen: If the Titans can continue to mesh more spread concepts into the playbook, then Marcus Mariota and this offensive group in Tennessee have the makeup to become one of the NFL's toughest units to prep for. With young talent on the offensive line, a downhill runner in Derrick Henry and an influx of rookie playmakers at wide receiver, the Titans can mold an offense around Mariota that caters to his talent.
Clay: Packers. A lot of this has to do with Rodgers' continued dominance over the next half-decade, but Green Bay has a talented offensive line and the likes of Davante Adams (24 years old), Randall Cobb (26) and Ty Montgomery (24) still early in their careers. Jordy Nelson (32) is not for long, but GM Ted Thompson has added a ton of prospects at both wideout and tailback. The Raiders are a tempting pick, but talented, young depth behind Derek Carr and Amari Cooperis a significant concern.
Graziano: Why not Dallas? No one has a stronger combination of great young offensive line, mega-stud running back and ultrapromising young quarterback.
Sando: It's probably still the Packers' offense, given that Rodgers and Mike McCarthy could still be together at that time.
Yates: The Falcons are going to have a hard time matching the success from last year's offense (their 58 offensive touchdowns in 2016 were the most by any team since 2013), but I still expect this offense to be terrific going forward. Matt Ryan's effectiveness doesn't seem likely to fade soon, and the same goes for Julio Jones and a backfield led by Devonta Freeman. The rebuilt offensive line is a stabilizing factor.
Clay: Packers. A lot of this has to do with Rodgers' continued dominance over the next half-decade, but Green Bay has a talented offensive line and the likes of Davante Adams (24 years old), Randall Cobb (26) and Ty Montgomery (24) still early in their careers. Jordy Nelson (32) is not for long, but GM Ted Thompson has added a ton of prospects at both wideout and tailback. The Raiders are a tempting pick, but talented, young depth behind Derek Carr and Amari Cooperis a significant concern.
Graziano: Why not Dallas? No one has a stronger combination of great young offensive line, mega-stud running back and ultrapromising young quarterback.
Sando: It's probably still the Packers' offense, given that Rodgers and Mike McCarthy could still be together at that time.
Yates: The Falcons are going to have a hard time matching the success from last year's offense (their 58 offensive touchdowns in 2016 were the most by any team since 2013), but I still expect this offense to be terrific going forward. Matt Ryan's effectiveness doesn't seem likely to fade soon, and the same goes for Julio Jones and a backfield led by Devonta Freeman. The rebuilt offensive line is a stabilizing factor.
