After reading Bill Barnwell’s “The Perfect NFL Roster,” I got to thinking; what would the worst roster look like under the same criteria and salary cap restriction. Using the salary cap floor, which is 89% of the $167M cap, and player grades from Pro Football Focus, I came up with this Best 53 roster.
The Criteria
I followed Barnwell’s criteria as closely as possible. Which was as follows:
“
1. Team restraints. We’ll need to find at least one player — but no more than three players — from each of the 32 NFL teams.
2. A limit on rookie deals. Last year’s playoff teams had an average of five players from the 2014 draft, six from the 2015 draft and nine from the 2016 draft. So will our team. We’ll also have four undrafted free agents who have yet to hit unrestricted free agency.
3. Rookies! Our team will have seven rookies, with one player taken from each round of this year’s draft. The remaining 22 players will have to be veterans who are not on their first contract.
4. Special teams. As tempting as it is to fill a team with big-play threats and situational contributors, real teams fill out the back of their roster with players who contribute on special teams. Our team will do the same.
“
The only exception I made to these rules were I excluded undrafted free agents. It was hard enough to try to objectively qualify a guy who hasn’t played a down in the NFL as a “bad” player. For the rookies, I took into account injuries, off the field issues, and their current place on their team’s depth chart. The other criteria that I added was, for a player to be named a starter, he had to start at least 6 games for an NFL team in 2016.
And finally, the scheme. I took a look at the worst offense and defense in the NFL last year, by yards. So this team will be running a 3-wide version of the Rams offense, and the 49ers base 3-4 defense.
The Offense
Quarterbacks
| QBs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Jared Goff | Ryan Mallett | Chad Kelly |
| LAR | BAL | DEN |
| $6.349M | $2M | $481K |
| 2016 | Vet | 2017 |
The Quarterbacks start out with last year’s number 1 overall pick, Jared Goff. Goff struggled last season, throwing just over 1,000 yards, 54.6% completion, and a 5:7 TD:INT ratio in 7 games for the Rams. Bad enough for him to have the second worst grade among qualified QBs. His backup is Ryan Mallett, who showed in the first preseason game against the Redskins that he deserves to be on this list. And we top things off with this year’s Mr. Irrelevant, Chad Kelly. Kelly earns the spot here as a rookie for his off-the-field issues.
3 roster spots filled, 50 left
$8.83M Spent | $139.8M Left
Running Backs
| RBs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doug Martin | Chris Ivory | Jeremy Langford |
| TB | JAX | CHI |
| $7M | $6M | $750K |
| Vet | Vet | 2015 |
| Tim Hightower | Knile Davis | |
| SF | PIT | |
| $1.107M | $615K | |
| Vet | Vet |
Doug Martin’s worst in the league 2.9 yards per carry through 8 games last year earns him the starting spot on the roster. Chris Ivory would see the short yardage and goal line carries. Langford would be used in some third down/passing situations. Hightower and Davis both make solid contributions on special teams.
5 roster spots filled, 45 left
$15.472M Spent | $124.328M Left
Wide Receivers
| WRs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tavon Austin | Torrey Smith | Mike Williams |
| LAR | PHI | LAC |
| $14.997M | $4.875M | $3.59M |
| Vet | Vet | 2017 |
| Nelson Agholor | Albert Wilson | Ryan Switzer |
| PHI | KC | DAL |
| $2.557M | $1.797M | $607K |
| 2015 | 2014 | 2017 |
Tavon Austin is one of the big money makers on this list, mainly for his big play potential. But it is that potential not coming to fruition that lands him on this list. Smith falls in a similar category, but it was his inability to get the ball last season (a 40.8% catch percentage) that lands him here. And if you need to know why his teammate, Nelson Agholor, is on this roster, just mention his name to any Eagles fan. It was very difficult to place rookies into this roster, but Mike Williams lands here due to his looming injury concerns and Ryan Switzer grabs the last spot for his current place on the Cowboys depth chart combined with his potential special teams contributions.
6 roster spots filled, 39 left
$28.403M Spent | $95.925 Left
Tight Ends
| TEs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Luke Stocker | Demetrius Harris | Ryan Griffin |
| TB | KC | HOU |
| $1.7M | $1.55M | $3.5M |
| Vet | 2014 | Vet |
Luke Stocker and Demetrius Harris finished the season with the 2 worst grades for qualified tight ends. Combine that with the fact the Buccaneers went out and grabbed another tight end in the first round, and you’ve got Stocker taking the top TE spot.
3 roster spots filled, 36 left
$6.75M Spent | $89.175 Left
Offensive Line
| OL | ||
|---|---|---|
| T Donald Stephenson | T Chris Clark | G Germain Ifedi |
| DEN | HOU | SEA |
| $5M | $3.25M | $1.878M |
| Vet | Vet | 2016 |
| G Earl Watford | C Cameron Erving | T George Fant |
| JAX | CLE | SEA |
| $2.625M | $2.572M | $547K |
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
| G Forrest Lamp | C/G Kraig Urbik | |
| LAC | MIA | |
| $465K | $1.375M | |
| 2017 | 2015 |
I probably could have put the entire Seahawks offensive line up here and called it a day, but we had some higher earners that turned up with just as poor of grades. Donald Stephenson is the top earner for this group, starting in 12 games for the Broncos last season at right tackle. The middle of the offensive line is maned by the Brown’s Cameron Erving, whose offensive line average 4.1 sacks per game. Lamp is another unfair addition to this roster, but his level of potential combined with his injury lands him a spot.
8 roster spots filled, 28 left
$17.712 Spent | $71.463 Left
Offensive Spending Breakdown
The offense accounted for 51.56% of the overall team salary. This makes sense, as most of the positions that you might have to over-pay for, for marginal talent, are on the offensive side of the ball. Positions like wide receiver, which accounted for 36.8% of the offensives total salary.
The Defense
Defensive Line
| DL | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ziggy Hood | Michael Johnson | Jack Crawford |
| WAS | CIN | ATL |
| $1.3M | $5.125M | $2.083M |
| Vet | Vet | Vet |
| Akeem Spence | Jihad Ward | Caleb Brantly |
| DET | OAK | CLE |
| $2.25M | $1.259M | $510K |
| Vet | 2016 | 2017 |
Michael Johnson and Jack Crawford both currently play DE in 4-3 schemes, but I feel both have the size to move down to a 5-tech. Ziggy Hood takes the nose tackle, being the middle of one of the worst run defenses in the league. Jihad Ward had the worst grade among qualified interior defenders. Caleb Brantley is the next rookie on the roster, due to his off-the-field issues.
6 roster spots filled, 22 left
$12.527M Spent | $58.936 Left
Linebackers
| LBs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Connor Barwin | Erik Walden | Keenan Robinson |
| LAR | TEN | NYG |
| $3.5M | $3.25M | $2.535M |
| Vet | Vet | Vet |
| Will Compton | Darron Lee | Shaq Lawson |
| WAS | NYJ | BUF |
| $1.797M | $2.323M | $2.336M |
| Vet | 2016 | 2016 |
| A.J. Klien | Blair Brown | |
| NO | JAX | |
| $2.8M | $465K | |
| Vet | 2017 |
Erik Walden and Connor Barwin take the outside backers, along with Shaq Lawson and Darron Lee, whose young talent has under-delivered, landing them spots on this roster. Keenan Robinson and the man that replaced him in Washington, Will Compton, take the inside linebacker spots. Blair Brown was a tough choice, as there weren’t any standouts in the 5th round of the draft, but his position on the depth chart lands him a roster spot.
8 roster spots filled, 14 left
$19.006M Spent | $39.93M Left
Cornerbacks
| CBs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Vontae Davis | Joe Haden | Damarious Randall |
| IND | CLE | GB |
| $10.25M | $14.4M | $2.159M |
| Vet | Vet | 2015 |
| E.J Gaines | Jalen Mills | Fabien Moreau |
| BUF | PHI | WAS |
| $1.797M | $559K | $671K |
| 2014 | 2016 | 2017 |
Corners were the biggest surprise for me. Both Vontae Davis and Joe Haden were 2 time pro bowlers, but according to Pro Football Focus, took big steps back last year. E.J. Gaines just made the trip from L.A. to Buffalo, but it doesn’t change the fact that he’s a fringe player at best. Jalen Mills was PFF lowest graded, eligible corner. And Fabien Moreau rounds out the 2017 rookies due to his pec injury sustain at his pro day.
6 roster spots filled, 8 left
$29.836M Spent | $10.094M Left
Safeties
| Ss | ||
|---|---|---|
| Chris Conte | Patrick Chung | Colin Jones |
| TB | NE | CAR |
| $1.6M | $4.5M | $1.225 |
| Vet | Vet | Vet |
| T.J. Green | Anthony Harris | |
| IND | MIN | |
| $947K | $615K | |
| 2016 | 2015 |
Veteran Chris Conte was PFF’s second worst Safety last year; second only to his backup on this roster, the Colts second round pick from 2016, T.J. Green. The Patriot’s Patrick Chung takes the strong safety spot, as the weakest, regular starter at that position in 2016.
5 roster spots filled, 3 left
$8.887M Spent | $1.207M Left
Defensive Spending Breakdown
The defense accounted for 46.94% of the total team salary. Again, as expected, the passing game takes up the majority of that salary. Cornerbacks accounted for 42.47% of the defenses total salary.
Special Teams
| ST | ||
|---|---|---|
| K Chandler Catanzaro | P Lac Edwards | LS Aaron Brewer |
| NYJ | NYJ | ARI |
| $900K | $559K | $775K |
| 2014 | 2016 | Vet |
The Jets take the cake for the special teams. Chandler Catanzaro is competing for the kicker spot with the Jets after a dismal season with the Cardinals, hitting on only 75% of his field goals. The other kicker spot goes to Jets Punter Lac Edwards. His league worst 40.8 yards per punt lands him a spot on the roster. Aaron Brewer’s 39 rating in Madden in 2013 and his ensuing moniker as the “The Worst Player in the NFL,” makes him the perfect long snapper to cap off the roster.
3 roster spots filled, 0 left
$2.234M Spent | $1.027M Over Salary Floor
The Starting 22
| Offense | |
|---|---|
| QB | Jared Goff |
| RB | Doug Martin |
| Z | Torrey Smith |
| X | Mike Williams |
| Slot | Tavon Austin |
| TE | Luke Stocker |
| LT | Donald Stephenson |
| LG | Earl Watford |
| C | Cameron Erving |
| RG | Germain Ifedi |
| RT | Chris Clark |
| Defense | |
|---|---|
| DE | Michael Johnson |
| NT | Ziggy Hood |
| DE | Jack Crawford |
| Sam | Erik Walden |
| Mike | Will Compton |
| Will | Keenan Robinson |
| Jack | Connor Barwin |
| CB | Vontae Davis |
| CB | Joe Haden |
| SS | Patrick Chung |
| FS | Chris Conte |
Leave a Reply