25 biggest position upgrades in the 2019 offseason. - ESPN Insider

[iowajerms]

Full article attached as .pdf (10 pages)

https://www.espn.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/26761126/ranking-25-biggest-position-upgrades-2019-nfl-offseason

1. Oakland Raiders, WR Antonio Brown replaces Jordy Nelson

Nelson's 2018 stat line: 63 receptions, 739 yards, 3 TD
Brown's 2019 projection: 105 receptions, 1,290 yards, 10 TD​

2. New York Jets, RB Le'Veon Bell replaces Isaiah Crowell

Crowell's 2018 stat line: 164 touches, 837 yards, 6 TD
Bell's 2019 projection: 337 touches, 1,723 yards, 9 TD​

3. Cleveland Browns, WR Odell Beckham Jr. replaces Antonio Callaway

Callaway's 2018 stat line: 43 receptions, 586 yards, 5 TD
Beckham's 2019 projection: 90 receptions, 1,252 yards, 10 TD​

4. New York Giants, RG Kevin Zeitler replaces Jamon Brown

Brown's 2018 PFF grade: 51.7
Zeitler's 2018 PFF grade: 74.5​

5. Cleveland Browns, Edge Olivier Vernon replaces Emmanuel Ogbah

Ogbah's 2018 stat line: 40 tackles, 4.0 sacks
Vernon's 2019 projection: 44 tackles, 7.6 sacks​

6. Kansas City Chiefs, FS Tyrann Mathieu replaces Eric Berry

Berry's 2018 stat line: 11 tackles, 0 sacks, 0 INT
Mathieu's 2019 projection: 93 tackles, 1.8 sacks, 1.6 INT​

7. Detroit Lions, Edge Trey Flowers replaces Ezekiel Ansah

Ansah's 2018 stat line: 11 tackles, 4.0 sacks
Flowers' 2019 projection: 59 tackles, 8.6 sacks​

8. New York Jets, ILB C.J. Mosley replaces Darron Lee

Lee's 2018 stat line: 73 tackles, 0 sacks, 3 INT
Mosley's 2019 projection: 129 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1.1 INT​

9. Indianapolis Colts, Edge Justin Houston replaces Tyquan Lewis

Lewis' 2018 stat line: 13 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 0 INT
Houston's 2019 projection: 46 tackles, 8.9 sacks, 0.5 INT​

10. Jacksonville Jaguars, QB Nick Foles replaces Blake Bortles

Bortles' 2018 stat line: 243-of-403, 2,718 yards, 13 TD, 11 INT
Foles' 2019 projection: 369-of-561, 4,042 yards, 18 TD, 14 INT​

11. Green Bay Packers, SS Adrian Amos replaces Josh Jones

Jones' 2018 stat line: 51 tackles, 1.0 sacks, 0 INT
Amos' 2019 projection: 76 tackles, 0.8 sacks, 2.0 INT​

12. Green Bay Packers, Edge Preston Smith/Za'Darius Smith replace Clay Matthews/Nick Perry

Matthews and Perry's combined 2018 stat line: 67 tackles, 5.0 sacks
Smith and Smith's combined 2019 projection: 81 tackles, 10.7 sacks​

13. Washington Redskins, SS Landon Collins replaces Ha Ha Clinton-Dix

Clinton-Dix's 2018 stat line: 92 tackles, 1.0 sack, 3 INT
Collins' 2019 projection: 112 tackles, 0.8 sacks, 0.9 INT​

14. San Francisco 49ers, Edge Dee Ford/Nick Bosa replace Arik Armstead/Ronald Blair III

Armstead and Blair's combined 2018 stat line: 84 tackles, 8.5 sacks
Ford and Bosa's combined 2019 projection: 96 tackles, 17.1 sacks​

15. Los Angeles Chargers, OLB Thomas Davis replaces Jatavis Brown

Brown's 2018 stat line: 93 tackles, 1.0 sack, 0 INT
Davis' 2019 projection: 98 tackles, 1.3 sacks, 0.5 INT​

16. Cleveland Browns, DT Sheldon Richardson replaces Trevon Coley

Coley's 2018 stat line: 39 tackles, 0.5 sacks
Richardson's 2019 projection: 48 tackles, 3.6 sacks​

17. Denver Broncos, RT Ja'Wuan James replaces Jared Veldheer

Veldheer's 2018 PFF grade: 62.4
James' 2018 PFF grade: 70.8​

18. Oakland Raiders, RT Trent Brown replaces Brandon Parker

Parker's 2018 PFF grade: 61.9
Brown's 2018 PFF grade: 71.0​

19. Carolina Panthers, C Matt Paradis replaces Ryan Kalil

Kalil's 2018 PFF grade: 63.6
Paradis' 2018 PFF grade: 79.0​

20. Buffalo Bills, C Mitch Morse replaces Russell Bodine

Bodine's 2018 PFF grade: 61.6
Morse's 2018 PFF grade: 69.5​

21. Tennessee Titans, LG Rodger Saffold replaces Quinton Spain

Spain's 2018 PFF grade: 62.3
Saffold's 2018 PFF grade: 72.8​

22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Edge Shaquil Barrett replaces Carl Nassib

Nassib's 2018 stat line: 29 tackles, 6.5 sacks
Barrett's 2019 projection: 43 tackles, 4.1 sacks​

23. Philadelphia Eagles, WR DeSean Jackson replaces Jordan Matthews

Matthews' 2018 stat line: 20 receptions, 300 yards, 2 TD
Jackson's 2019 projection: 45 receptions, 765 yards, 5 TD​

24. Oakland Raiders, slot CB Lamarcus Joyner replaces Nick Nelson

Nelson's 2018 stat line: 17 tackles, 0 sacks, 0 INT
Joyner's 2019 projection: 71 tackles, 0.6 sacks, 1.5 INT​

25. Pittsburgh Steelers, CB Steven Nelson replaces Coty Sensabaugh

Sensabaugh's 2018 stat line: 44 tackles, 0 INT
Nelson's 2019 projection: 59 tackles, 2.2 INT​

Honorable mentions

Buffalo Bills upgrade from Zay Jones to John Brown at WR
Houston Texans upgrade from Shareece Wright to Bradley Roby at CB
San Francisco 49ers upgrade from Reuben Foster to Kwon Alexander at ILB
Tennessee Titans upgrade from Tajae Sharpe to Adam Humphries at WR
Arizona Cardinals upgrade from Josh Bynes to Jordan Hicks at ILB
Indianapolis Colts upgrade from Ryan Grant to Devin Funchess at WR

 

[jarntt]

No Travis Frederick?

 

[eaglesnut]

Desean is an upgrade over Mike Wallace who got hurt. But he's really an upgrade over Agholor as the 3rd option in the passing game.

But the bigger addition for the Eagles is Malik Jackson over a broken down Haloti Ngata.

 

[PhoenixEagles1]

No Travis Frederick?

I guess they were thinking new additions but no doubt Fredricks is a beast. He’s the best Center in the league when Healthy

 

[tducey]

Thanks for posting this. Will be interesting to see how all the new players end up doing with their new teams.

 

[Scooby-Doo]

I didn't see the asterisk (*) stating all players have to be at least 5'3 in height to qualify... otherwise Kyler Murray/Brett hundley replacing Josh Rosen/Sam Bradford would have been #1.

 

[Battlelyon]

Okay, Weddle upgrade is not mentioned anywhere. Ha

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

Le'Veon Bell 1,700 yards - LMAO... I bet that guy averages < 4 yards per carry and like 800-900 with some injuries.

Bell is going from a HOF QB to a 2nd year one who played pretty terrible his rookie year.
A top 5 OL to arguably a bottom 5 OL.
Two of the games best WRs (when he played) to.... warm bodies.

LOL, please. Bell is a proven lazy POS who 100% only cared about a huge payday, which he got. $20 he gets fat/lazy REAL quick... and he's due for an injury with how often the Steelers used him. I hear New York is pretty easy to get drugs, too.

Nick Foles should be #2... a High School female cheerleader replacing Blake Bortles would probably still make the list.

 

[Southieinnc]

I guess they were thinking new additions but no doubt Fredricks is a beast. He’s the best Center in the league when Healthy

Centers aren't important.....

 

[PhoenixEagles1]

Centers aren't important.....

Wow, the same joke for the 1000th time. You sure are witty

 

[HaroldSeattle]

Centers aren't important.....

That one never gets old.

 

[Southieinnc]

Wow, the same joke for the 1000th time. You sure are witty

Don't complain - it's what you want.......

 

[PhoenixEagles1]

That one never gets old.

Microscopic sense of humor, huhh?

 

[Across The Field]

Le'Veon Bell 1,700 yards - LMAO... I bet that guy averages < 4 yards per carry and like 800-900 with some injuries.

Bell is going from a HOF QB to a 2nd year one who played pretty terrible his rookie year.
A top 5 OL to arguably a bottom 5 OL.
Two of the games best WRs (when he played) to.... warm bodies.

LOL, please. Bell is a proven lazy POS who 100% only cared about a huge payday, which he got. $20 he gets fat/lazy REAL quick... and he's due for an injury with how often the Steelers used him. I hear New York is pretty easy to get drugs, too.

Nick Foles should be #2... a High School female cheerleader replacing Blake Bortles would probably still make the list.

I think a large chunk of that 1,700 yards is based on projected receiving yards, too. He's always proven to be able to take those short dump offs and make big plays out of them. I agree that the 1,700 total yards is excessive, I think 1,400+ is realistic. Of course that depends entirely on if he stays healthy, which I agree with you is not likely.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

I think a large chunk of that 1,700 yards is based on projected receiving yards, too. He's always proven to be able to take those short dump offs and make big plays out of them. I agree that the 1,700 total yards is excessive, I think 1,400+ is realistic. Of course that depends entirely on if he stays healthy, which I agree with you is not likely.

Oh good point. 1,400 sounds like a good # then. Maybe like 800-900 ground (my original prediction) and 400-500 receiving.

 

[Across The Field]

Oh good point. 1,400 sounds like a good # then. Maybe like 800-900 ground (my original prediction) and 400-500 receiving.

I think that's a pretty solid projection. Nothing takes away raw talent, but he's obviously not a young man anymore. Plus NY really didn't do much to upgrade a pretty bad OL in the offseason. I think Darnold can take a step forward, and I don't hate his WRs - Anderson, Crowder, Onunwa, and Herndon at TE is solid as well - but it's gonna be difficult if he's on his ass all the time.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Anyone have an update on his weight? I know he ballooned from 225 to 260 in the offseason but I'm sure he lost some weight. It would be hard to imagine him at Tolbert's weight getting anything close to 1700 total yards.

 

[LambeauLegs]

Nice to see all 3 of the Packer free agents in the top 12