I took the Pro Football Focus player grades and tried to build the highest grade team I possibly could. After the player selections, I determined the best schemes for this team would be a 3 wide, zone base offense and a base 4-2-5 defense. * = top graded player at that position.
The Criteria
- The roster must be under the current salary cap of $167M
- We took the top rated player from each round of the 2017 draft
- We use the league average on rookie deals, which is 5 from 2014, 6 from 2015, and 9 from 2016.
- We then took the top rated players from each one of those drafts till the limit was reach, unless the position was full with better graded player
- We tried to include the top graded player at each position
- We will have a well rounded roster that includes role players and special teams
The Offense
Quarterbacks
| QBs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tom Brady | Jimmy Garoppolo | Case Keenum |
| NE | SF | MIN |
| $14M | $434K | $1.906 |
| 94.9* | 85.2 | 85.4 |
It’s obvious the top rated player at the quarterback position is the Patriots’ Tom Brady. His cheap contract also opens the door for this roster. The obvious choice for his backup, though now he is a starter, is the 49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo. His limited action earned him the 10th highest grade among all QBs. And lastely, we had another obvious choice for our third string QB as not only did he help lead his team to the playoffs after getting his number called, he is the 9th highest grade among all QBs; the Vikings’ Case Keenum
3 roster spots filled, 50 left
$16.34M Spent | $150.66M Left | 88.5 AVG Grade
Running Backs
| RBs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Todd Gurley | Alvin Kamara | Dion Lewis |
| LAR | NO | NE |
| $3.77M | $708K | $1.488M |
| 92* | 90.6 | 89.4 |
| Chris Carson | FB Patrick Ricard | |
| SEA | BAL | |
| $392K | $467K | |
| 82.5 | 82.7* |
The running backs turned into a well balanced and very talented group. At the top is the highest graded RB and highest graded player from the 2015 class, the Rams’ Todd Gurley. Backing him up, and providing change of pace, is our top graded 3rd-round pick of this rookie class, the Saints’ Alvin Kamara. The top grade veteran back of the bunch will be providing some 3rd-down snaps for this offense, the Patriots’ Dion Lewis. We round out the running backs with the highest graded 7th-round pick of the rookies, the Seahawks’ Chris Carson. His limited action with Seattle was impressive enough to earn him a high grade. Lastly, I felt this roster had to include the top graded fullback, the Ravens’ Patrick Ricard. Ricard can also provide some depth at defensive line and his UDFA rookie deal saves some cap space.
5 roster spots filled, 45 left
$6.825M Spent | $143.835M Left | 87.4 AVG Grade
Wide Receivers
| WRs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Antonio Brown | Michael Thomas | Doug Baldwin |
| PIT | NO | SEA |
| $13.618M | $1.163M | $4.419M |
| 93.8* | 90.7 | 88.2 |
| Stefon Diggs | Adam Thielen | Matt Slater |
| MIN | MIN | NE |
| $672K | $3.746M | $1.644M |
| 84.8 | 84.4 | 57.9^ |
We start the wide receivers off with the top 2 graded wide receivers in the whole class. First is the Steelers’ Antonio Brown. Second is the Saints’ Michael Thomas, who also happens to be #3 highest grade from the 2016 class. This is the first spot we really had to make some concessions due to the salary cap. Guys like Julio Jones and DeAndre Hopkins were just too expensive to take, so we moved down to the next highest veteran, the Seahawks’ Doug Baldwin. He provides great value out of the slot. Next is a pair from Minnesota, Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen, both in the top 10 of the WR grades. The last receiver of the roster is a bit of a cheat. I wanted to make sure this team was well rounded, so who better to be the special teams captain than the 7x Pro Bowl special teamer, Matt Slater. His low grade is for his WR play, so it is not included in the averages.
6 roster spots filled, 39 left
$25.262M Spent | $118.573M Left | 88.4 AVG Grade
Tight Ends
| TEs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rob Gronkowski | Hunter Henry | Cameron Brate |
| NE | LAC | TB |
| $6.844M | $1.45M | $690K |
| 92.7* | 88 | 80 |
We start the tight ends off obviously with the best in the league and the highest graded TE, Rob Gronkowski. Backing him up is one of the top performers this year from the 2016 draft, the Chargers’ Hunter Henry. Rounding out the tight ends is an undrafted free agent out of Harvard, finishing with a top 6 grade, the Buccaneers’ Cameron Brate. Brate gives us high grade to cost value at the 3rd TE spot.
3 roster spots filled, 36 left
$8.984M Spent | $109.589M Left | 86.9 AVG Grade
Offensive Line
| OL | ||
|---|---|---|
| T David Bakhtiari | T Daryl Williams | G Zack Martin |
| GB | CAR | DAL |
| $6.171M | $754K | $2.853M |
| 88.9* | 86.2 | 92.2 |
| G Brandon Brooks | C Jason Kelce | T Demar Dotson |
| PHI | PHI | TB |
| $6.641M | $6.2M | $4.3M |
| 88.7 | 93.2* | 85 |
| G Andrew Norwell | C David Andrews | |
| CAR | NE | |
| $2.746M | $1.32M | |
| 88.7 | 83 |
Now for my favorite spot, the offensive line. As a former oline coach, I used to love giving out our player grades and had a lunch pail we gave out to the highest graded offensive lineman. For this roster, we start things out with the highest grade LT of the year, the Packers’ David Bakhtiari. Bakhtiari finished just ahead of guys like Joe Thomas, Jason Peters, and Joe Staley due to his dominant pass blacking this season. Next is our top graded RT of the year, the Panthers’ Daryl Williams. Williams also finished as one of the top players this year from the 2015 draft. We finish out the tackles with the Bucs’ Demar Dotson, who provided the highest grade we could get without breaking the bank. Moving to guard, you’ll find absent the highest graded guard of the year, David DeCastro. DeCastro’s $11M cap number was just too big for this all-star roster. Instead, we move to the number 2 graded guard, who finished less than a point below DeCastro, the Cowboys’ Zack Martin. The next 2 finished with the same grade in the 3rd and 4th spots, the Eagles’ Brandon Brooks and the Panthers’ Andrew Norwell. Finally, moving down to center, we have the top graded center, from the Eagles, Jason Kelce. We had to move past Travis Frederick and Alex Mack to the next center that would fit financially on the roster, the Patriots’ David Andrews.
8 roster spots filled, 28 left
$30.985M Spent | $78.604M Left | 88.2 AVG Grade
The Defense
Defensive Line
| DL | ||
|---|---|---|
| Joey Bosa | Aaron Donald | Fletcher Cox |
| LAC | LAR | PHI |
| $5.88M | $3.225M | $9.4M |
| 91.7 | 99.7* | 90.5 |
| Khalil Mack | DeMarcus Lawrence | Grady Jarrett |
| OAK | DAL | ATL |
| $5.943M | $1.718M | $677K |
| 92.1 | 94.1 | 87.7 |
| Chris Jones | Kenny Clark | |
| KC | GB | |
| $1.416M | $2.128M | |
| 88.4 | 87.9 |
We take the biggest advantage of youth on the defensive side of the ball in terms of salary cap, but that also has to do with the wealth of great young talent on the defensive side of the ball right now. For this roster, I felt the player pool worked best for a 4 man front, so you may see a few guys “out of position” but I believe it all still works. We start on the outside of the 4 man front with our starting ends, the Charger’s Joey Bosa and the Raiders’ Khalil Mack. Missing are the top 2 graded edge rushers, Cameron Jordan and Von Miller, but their $12M and $20M cap hits respectively were too much to fit in all this talent while still having a high overall grade average. We then move inside to our 3 tech, the Rams’ Aaron Donald. Donald was not only the highest graded defensive lineman, but our highest graded player overall. Finishing out the starting dline, and playing the role of 1 tech, is the Eagles’ Fletcher Cox. Finishing out the defensive line are a series of top performers from the past 3 drafts, the Cowboys’ DeMarcus Lawrence, the Falcons’ Grady Jarrett, the Packers, Kenny Clark, and the Chiefs’ Chris Jones. All of which would play rotational roles on this front.
8 roster spots filled, 20 left
$30.387M Spent | $48.217M Left | 91.4 AVG Grade
Linebackers
| LBs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bobby Wagner | Lavonte David | Deion Jones |
| SEA | TB | ATL |
| $7.6M | $6M | $1.033M |
| 96.7* | 94.2 | 89.6 |
| Demario Davis | Carl Lawson | |
| NYJ | CIN | |
| $2.225M | $628K | |
| 87.3 | 80.6 |
The linebacking corp is small due the amount of highly graded players on the dline and at the safety position. Because of that, we decided to make this a base 4-2-5 defense. This works in large part because of the top 2 graded linebackers this year, the Seahawks’ Bobby Wagner and the Bucs’ Lavonte David. Backing them up directly will be one of the top graded players this year from last year’s draft, the Falcons’ Deion Jones. Providing mostly special teams support will be the Jets’ Demario Davis and our top rated 4th round pick of this year, the Bengals’ Carl Lawson.
5 roster spots filled, 15 left
$17.486M Spent | $30.731M Left | 89.7 AVG Grade
Cornerbacks
| CBs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Casey Hayward | Jalen Ramsey | Tre'Davious White |
| LAC | JAX | BUF |
| $5.083M | $5.307M | $1.844 |
| 96.4* | 92.2 | 91.6 |
| Patrick Robinson | Kendall Fuller | Desmond King |
| PHI | WAS | LAC |
| $775K | $737K | $535K |
| 90.7 | 90 | 86.5 |
The corners are definitely the position that surprised me the most when it came to the player grades. At the top, we have the Chargers’ Casey Hayward, who got the top grade with his outstanding coverage. Coming in second, and starting opposite Hayward on this roster, is the Jaguars’ Jalen Ramsey. Our nickel back was probably the biggest surprise for me, as I fully expected to see the Saints’ Marshon Lattimore in this spot, was the highest graded first round pick of this year, and the 3rd highest graded corner overall, the Bills’ Tre’Davious White. Also providing support on the inside is the Eagles current nickel corner, Patrick Robinson. Rounding out the corners and providing help on special teams are the Redskins’ Kendall Fuller and our highest graded 5th-round rookie, the Chargers’ Desmond King.
6 roster spots filled, 9 left
$14.281M Spent | $16.45M Left | 91.2 AVG Grade
Safeties
| Ss | ||
|---|---|---|
| Harrison Smith | Adrian Amos | Landon Collins |
| MIN | CHI | NYG |
| $7.469M | $673K | 1.669M |
| 98.8* | 92 | 88.5 |
| Kevin Byard | Budda Baker | Xavier Woods |
| TEN | ARI | DAL |
| $843K | $1.242M | $505K |
| 90.1 | 84.5 | 78.8 |
This safety group is, in large part, the reason for the 4-2-5 defense. Many of the top players from the past 3 drafts play the safety position. However, we start things off with a veteran, and the top graded defensive back, the Vikings Harrison Smith. Smith will handle the FS duties for this roster. Playing the role of SS will be one of the top picks from the 2015 draft, the Giants Landon Collins. And finally, starting opposite Collins at the WS is another 2015 draft pick, and the top graded defensive player from that draft, the Bears’ Adrian Amos. Backing up Smith at the FS will be the Titans’ Pro Bowler Kevin Byard. And rounding out the group are a couple of rookies that will also look to make contributions on special teams, 2nd-round pick Budda Baker and 6th-round pick Xavier Woods.
6 roster spots filled, 3 left
$12.401M Spent | $4.049M Left | 88.8
Specialists and Head Coach
| ST and HC | ||
|---|---|---|
| K Greg Zuerlein | P Johnny Hekker | LS Jake McQuaide |
| LAR | LAR | LAR |
| $1.625M | $1.422M | $919K |
| Head Coach | Sean McVay | LAR |
We didn’t have any grades for the specialists, so I decided to turn to the All-Pro voting. And one team came away with a clean sweep of the specialist, the Los Angeles Rams. We have kicker Greg Zuerlein, punter Johnny Hekker, and since the both of them made it, long snapper Jake McQuaide.
To go along with the specialist, there was only one head coach I felt made sense for this roster. The likely candidate for Coach of the Year, the Rams’ Sean McVay.
3 roster spots filled, 0 left
$3.966M Spent | $83K Left
The Starting 22
| Offense | |
|---|---|
| QB | Tom Brady |
| RB | Todd Gurley |
| Z | Antonio Brown |
| X | Michael Thomas |
| Slot | Doug Baldwin |
| TE | Rob Gronkowski |
| LT | David Bakhtiari |
| LG | Brandon Brooks |
| C | Jason Kelce |
| RG | Zack Martin |
| RT | Daryl Williams |
| Defense | |
|---|---|
| DE | Joey Bosa |
| DT | Aaron Donald |
| DT | Fletcher Cox |
| DE | Khalil Mack |
| Mike | Bobby Wagner |
| Will | Lavante David |
| CB | Casey Hayward |
| CB | Jalen Ramsey |
| SS | Landon Collins |
| FS | Harrison Smith |
| WS | Adrian Amos |