1. Darrelle Revis- Revis is easily the best cornerback in the NFL right now, and he breaks up almost as many passes as receptions allowed.

2. Nnamdi Asomugha- Despite a poor 2011, I still believe in his ability as a pure cover guy. However, Nnamdi is awful in run support and can't tackle.

3. Champ Bailey- I bet this guy could still be a premier cover corner into his late 30's.

4. Tramon Williams- He was so beast last season that only a "decent" 2011 doesn't detract from how great he was in coverage in 2010.

5. Brandon Flowers- Flowers shows us that you don't need height to be an elite corner.

6. Charles Woodson- Has had a poor season this year against the run and as a pass rusher, but he's starting to come around. Woodson is still playing solid- as always- in coverage.

7. Ike Taylor- Only Darrelle Revis has been better in coverage statistically, but stats don't tell the whole story. However, this physical corner has still been very good in 2011.

8. Asante Samuel- Samuel can't play the run or tackle at all, but he is still a top corner in this league.

9. Antoine Winfield- He can do it all, and his top ten ranking is a result from some really good pass rushing- for a corner- and run stopping.

10. Jonathan Joseph- Joseph was one of the best free agent signings, and he is having a shutdown year and playing at the high level he did in 2009.

11. Carlos Rogers- Have you seen him this year? The best signing of 2011.

12. Leon Hall- I miss it when he and Joseph ruled the world in 2009.

13. Jabari Greer- When will he ever have an injury-free season?

14. Joe Haden- Haden is proving that he was the better rookie from last year's class.

15. Brent Grimes- You don't need to be tall to be an effective corner.

16. Charles Tillman- But this guy disagrees.

17. Chris Gamble- Has been one of the best corners this season.

18. Devin McCourty- I'm going to patiently wait for a bounce-back, but he won't move into the top 15 until he shows he can be consistently good beyond his rookie year.

19. Antonio Cromartie- He gets beat, but he's still a good corner.

20. Cortland Finnegan- He's starting to turn it up again this season.

21. Vontae Davis- He's having a down year, and this is the reason why he isn't in the top 20. But look for him to start climbing up in the future and possibly getting into the top ten one day.

22. Josh Wilson- Wilson was a terrific signing for the Washington Redskins, even though he has been a little bit disappointing this season after a really good year that went under the radar in 2010 with the Ravens.

23. Corey Webster- I miss his 2008 greatness, but he's still a solid player.

24. Aqib Talib- A great talent when he is at his best, but that's usually tough to come by.

25. Chris Houston- He's having a a breakout year and is one of the main reasons why the Lions are where they are at.

26. Ladarius Webb- Has taken the place of Wilson to become the Ravens best corner.

27. Alterraun Verner- Makes up one of the best trios in the NFL with Finnegan and Jason McCourty, and Verner is a 2010 rookie corner who is largely overshadowed by Haden and McCourty.

28. Captain Munnerlyn- Underrated speed demon who can definitely hold down the fort.

29. Chris Culliver- An extremely underrated rookie corner who combines with Rogers to make one of the better cornerback duos in the league.

30. Stanford Routt- Nnamdi's replacement is overpaid but is still decent.

31. Seth Smith- He is in the midst of an awful year, but Smith is still one of the better corners in the league.

32. Brandon Carr- Might be a little low, but it's because he doesn't really blow me away and is more of a solid player.

33. Chris Carr- Another solid corner who needs some more playing time.

34. Quentin Jammer- Physical corner who has been a little disappointing this year, but not as much as last year's breakout Antoine Cason.

35. Ron Bartell- Easily the best cornerback on the Rams roster.

36. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie- Loads of talent, but really nothing to show for it because he plays like he doesn't care.

37. Sheldon Brown- Doesn't give up many catches, but they end up being big plays when he does.

38. Leigh Bodden- I will never get why the Patriots released him, because he's an underrated player who is one of the best players in zone coverage; he was in the midst of a solid season amidst poor play from most of the other corners (McCourty).

39. Jason McCourty- Don't sleep on the "other" McCourty.

39. Terrence McGee- It's sad to see a perennially underrated corner going on the decline "thanks" to age and injury.

40. Sam Shields- He really impressed me last season and is one of the better slot corners in the league.

41. Patrick Robinson- Watch for him to shoot up the rankings soon, but I'm not totally sold on him yet.

42. Richard Marshall- He doesn't give up that many catches, but- despite his speed- gets a burned way too much.

43. Chris Cook- The off the field trouble mars some talent that isn't talked about quite enough.

44. Tracy Porter- Everybody remembers him for being a Super Bowl hero, but he has been struggling of late. However, Porter is still a decent corner who can make plays when needed.

45. Mike Jenkins- Jenkins is one of the most talented corners in the league, but he gets burned a lot.

46. Richard Sherman- I'm really starting to believe in this rookie, and he is an underrated player who is easily the Seahawks best corner.

47. Rashean Mathis- The veteran has really improved from an awful 2010 season.

48. Antoine Cason- I really can't take him seriously after what has happened this season, but he is another guy who is primed to move on up.

49. Nate Clements- Plays the run as well as any corner in the league, and he isn't terrible in coverage either.

50. Derek Cox- He has the potential to really shoot up this list with some more improved play.

His 2008 season was a wonder to behold

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Posted By: Joe Soriano - Category: NFL, NFL Rankings, CBs, Devin McCourty, Antonio Cromartie, Darrelle Revis, Seth Smith, Vontae Davis, Terrence McGee, Jonathan Joseph, Alterraun Verner, Cortland Finnegan, Jason McCourty, Ike Taylor, Leon Hall, Nate Clements, Joe Haden, Sheldon Brown, Chris Carr, Ladarius Webb, Antoine Cason, Quentin Jammer, Brandon Carr, Brandon Flowers, Champ Bailey, Stanford Routt, Asante Samuel, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Nnamdi Asomugha, Corey Webster, Mike Jenkins, Josh Wilson, Captain Munnerlyn, Chris Gamble, Jabari Greer, Patrick Robinson, Tracy Porter, Aqib Talib, Brent Grimes, Charles Woodson, Sam Shields, Tramon Williams, Chris Houston, Charles Tillman, Antoine Winfield, Chris Cook, Carlos Rogers, Chris Culliver, Richard Marshall, Ron Bartell, Richard Sherman, Leigh Bodden FA

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9/2011 Team Scope: Cincinnati Bengals

September 1st 2011 15:01

The Cincinnati Bengals are a mess, and they're only going to win a couple of games this season. What I say is now well-known fact, but I must say it anyway to properly start this team preview. Soon, I will break down their roster, and you will see why they are such a mess.

Andy Dalton looks like a solid West Coast quarterback, but the personnel around him aren't suited for the type of offense that Dalton is. While new offensive coordinator Jay Gruden is bringing in the WCO, receivers A.J. Green and Jerome Simpson are vertical threats. Green's enormous talent is being wasted in this system, but there really is no other way. The benefactor will be slot receiver Jordan Shipley, who will continue his solid play from last year. I think 70 catches are more than just a possibility.

Jay Gruden is also a fan of the running game, and Cedric Benson will obviously be the biggest factor offensively. Benson is a punishing, workhose back who trades efficiency for durability. If there was a prototypical back to combat the running defenses that they will face in their division, Benson is the one. His backup, Bernard Scott, has really struggled recently with consistency, or lack thereof, and injuries. He's much better than he has been lately and is a more than capable backup. Scott won't get very many carries thanks to Benson's workhose mentality, but he should be a quality change-of-pace back.

The Bengals are an incompetent organization overall, and their management of the offensive line has been especially terrible in recent years. They had Evan Mathis last season, one of the better guards in the league, and they had him riding the bench in favor of the absolutely awful Nate Livings. The Bengals traded Mathis to the Eagles this offseason for basically nothing (another win for Philly). Interestingly enough, they signed former Eagles guard Max Jean-Gilles to be a backup to Livings. And Jean-Gilles is, of course, a very poor player.

The good thing for Bengals fans is that the team has treated Andrew Whitworth very well. They have given him another extension, and he put on quite a show last year. He is one of the best and most underrated players in the game, and he was actually a legit MVP candidate- even though he was an offensive lineman.

Right guard Bobbie Williams is a player who has been underrated for his entire career. Even though his run blocking ability has deteriorated due to age, his pass blocking is still among the best in the NFL. Williams is still an average run blocker, and he is slightly better than the legendary Brian Waters in pass protection. Williams has never been to a Pro Bowl despite his high-level of play. It certainly is a shame that one of the best guards in the league has never been given any fan recognition.

I have absolutely no idea as to why Robert Geathers gets playing time. He is one of the worst defensive ends in the league, and he puts absolutely no strain on the opposing quarterback. May I suggest giving Carlos Dunlap every snap he can get? The UF standout is the Bengals only legit end. Domata Peko needs to get back on track, but the defensive tackle next to him- Geno Atkins- is extremely underrated and is a great interior pass rusher.

The Bengals have five capable linebackers. Manny Lawson was a great signing, and he is a top edge-rusher. The newly signed Thomas Howard is a solid starter, and another former Raiders- Brandon Johnson- is a decent player who is mostly used in sub-packages. Rey Maualuga is the team's best linebacker, and Keith Rivers is solid- but struggles with his health and is a tad overrated.

The loss of Jonathan Joseph means that the Bengals no longer have one of the best cornerback duos in the game. Leon Hall is still with the team, however, and he is a better coverage corner than Joseph. Although his former teammate is a proficient tackler, Hall makes up for that with his speed. The new man opposite of him, Nate Clements also from Frisco, is a decent veteran who can make plays in run support. He is slightly below average in coverage though. The Bengals made a nice trade with the Seahawks by trading a bad defensive tackle for the speedy Kelly Jennings. He will be a more than average third corner.

I don't exactly have high hopes for the team's safeties, because Chris Crocker is their only start-able safety. He's solid, but the guys around him like Reggie Nelson and Gibril Wilson are marginal players.

The Bengals have a severe lack of talent on their roster, and I think their absolute ceiling is six games. I highly doubt that they even win that many, and I think a three to four win season for Cincy is a closer prediction to what their record will be. But contrary to what Bill Parcells said, you aren't what you're record says you are.

Remember this beast in college?

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8/2011 Team Scope: Indianapolis Colts

August 8th 2011 14:08

The Colts aren't contenders anymore, but I still think they will edge out the Texans and win the AFC South. Although the Texans got much better in the secondary with the additions of stalwarts Jonathan Joseph and Danieal Manning; I don't think their defense has the right personnel to successfully run the 3-4. I also think the Colts' offense is far more consistent and more potent. Even though the Colts don't have a dynamic back like Arian Foster, Joseph Addai is a more than capable player.

I don't think I even need to talk about the Colts' at quarterback. Peyton Manning is a beast, and he's going to play every game this season. If he somehow doesn't; then Curtis- well, we don't need to talk about that either.

I love the receiving weapons around Peyton because they are so diverse. Reggie Wayne is one of the best five receivers in the NFL, Pierre Garcon is a nice deep threat, Austin Collie is the best receiver out there at catching, and Blair White is a nice fourth option. We all know that Peyton loves to use his mind to create mismatches. Well, he's got two of the best receiving tight ends in the NFL to use to confuse and over-match defenses.

As far as the running game goes, the Colts need Addai to be healthy. He's really the only thing they have at running back, and he is a very underrated player. People are writing him off, but Addai is one of the top 20 backs in the league right now. Donald Brown and Mike Hart, on the other hand, are two liabilities in the running game. I've basically given up on Brown as a starting-caliber running back- or even a decent number two- in this league.

The offensive line, however, is a mess. Manning helps mitigate the concerns on the line, but the front office certainly knows how bad the guys blocking for Manning are. I should have said "the guys blocking for Addai", because it is Addai who suffers the most from the incompetent blocking up front.

Anyway, the Colts drafted Anthony Castonzo and Ben Ijalana, and they are both starters on the left side of the line. They both look like decent players, but they only good player on this line is veteran center Jeff Saturday. The other two starters, Mike Pollak and Ryan Diem, are liabilities.

The other line has improved from last season, and there's no doubting who the two most dangerous players on that line are. Newly signed backup end Jamaal Anderson has the versatility to play inside, as does backup end Eric Foster. Antonio Johnson, Fili Moala, rookie Drake Nevis, and recent signing Tommie Harris will get snaps at defensive tackle. Harris's career went on a strange decline, and it will be interesting to see how he does in Indy.

Clint Session moved on and is now playing with the Jags- I have no clue why they played only an average LB that much. It doesn't really matter much to the Colts, because they're already solid at the position. They signed Ernie Sims, but he's a subpar player who is worse than Session. He was terrible last year with the Eagles, but he is a legitimate downhill run-stuffer.

Gary Brackett is a leader on defense and a fixture at MLB. Young, speedy linebackers Pat Angerer and Philip Wheeler will both get significant playing time on the outside.

The Colts only have one corner that I like, and that's nickel corner Justin Tyron. He's a solid player who is their best player in coverage. Jerraud Powers is physical and can make plays, but he's a liability in coverage. I'm not a fan of Jacob Lacey, or really any other corner on this roster for that matter. I think the Colts are really going to struggle to hold down the opposition, because this defense just doesn't look that good.

Melvin Bullitt is a solid player who can hit and make tackles, but he can't cover all that well. Antoine Bethea is one of the best safeties in the NFL, and he is far and away the best player in this terrible Colts' secondary. Although he does have lapses in coverage, he can actually cover and makes a ton of plays. Bethea makes mistakes, but he is a difference-maker on defense.

As always, the Colts are going to score points, but they will also give up their fair share of points. And as always, their offense will score enough points for them to be a playoff team. The Colts aren't what they used to be, but they are still a good team with a high-powered offense.