The wheeling and dealing of the offseason is in the rearview mirror and teams are, for the most part, stuck with the rosters they currently have for the 2015 season. For some teams those rosters are ready to compete for a Lombardi Trophy, but others might need a few years of rebuilding before thinking about a Super Bowl.
Vikings make big jump, Cardinals plunge in PFF roster rankings
Pro Football Focus thinks the Minnesota Vikings are primed for a postseason run, while the Arizona Cardinals could be a disappointing team in 2015.
Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
NFL grading site Pro Football Focus takes a look at every play by every player to assign grades and they used that information to rank the rosters of all 32 teams for ESPN.
Unsurprisingly, the Seattle Seahawks came out on top for the second consecutive year, although PFF's Sam Monson described their offensive line as "below average at best." Still, Seattle retains the key pieces that have led to back-to-back trips to the Super Bowl and still ranks as the team with the best roster.
While the No. 1 spot isn’t surprising, the placement of some of the other teams on the list could raise some eyebrows.
The risers
Last year, the Vikings were listed as No. 29 on PFF’s list of the top rosters in the NFL after a 5-10-1 season. The team didn’t make many significant offseason moves this year, but the performance of the team during a 7-9 season in 2014 has the folks at PFF convinced that big things are on the way for the Vikings.
Much of that confidence has to do with the play of Teddy Bridgewater, who finished his rookie season on a high note. No quarterback in the NFL graded higher than Bridgewater over the last five weeks of the season. Couple his late success with the return of Adrian Peterson and the improvement of players like Xavier Rhodes and there are suddenly high expectations for the Vikings.
The Steelers looked like a team that would need some time to transition into the future and take a step back in 2014, but the quick emergence of Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell helped the team find its way into the postseason. Now Pittsburgh has an intimidating trio of offensive threats behind a strong offensive line that helped the team's roster bump from No. 27 last year to No. 12 this year.
The concerns for the team revolve mostly around its inability to rush the passer. Cameron Heyward and Jason Worilds finished with 7.5 sacks each and now the team will have to replace the production of Worilds after his sudden retirement. If Bud Dupree makes a big impact early in his career, he could cushion that blow for the team.
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The fallers
Maybe the only thing surprising about the fall from No. 2 in 2014 to No. 17 in 2015 for the 49ers is that it wasn’t a bigger one. Describing the offseason for San Francisco as anything less than a disaster is being kind. Jim Harbaugh is gone, four important starters retired and other key contributors left through free agency.
Still, the 49ers have some good players on the roster. NaVorro Bowman and Aldon Smith will be back for the team in 2015 and newcomers like Torrey Smith and Darnell Dockett add more talent to a roster that now lacks in depth, but still has some strong points.
The Cardinals ranked No. 9 in the NFL before the 2014 season and validated that ranking with an 11-5 record and a trip to the playoffs. Yet the team looked like a bit of a mess while it racked up wins and somehow found success with the NFL’s 24th ranked offense and 24th ranked defense.
With Carson Palmer now returning after an ACL tear and question marks like Jonathan Cooper penciled in as a starter on the offensive line, PFF isn't convinced that good things are on the way for the Cardinals in 2015.
Stuck in neutral
23. Miami Dolphins
Six straight seasons between six and eight wins have certainly left the Dolphins stuck in the middle, but this offseason has many convinced that the team is ready to challenge the New England Patriots for the AFC East crown. New additions like Ndamukong Suh, Jordan Cameron and DeVante Parker have many optimistic, but PFF is not convinced.
While Monson notes that the Dolphins have some top-flight talent to work with, it’s the lack of depth that raises concerns. Injuries affect every team and it could set the Dolphins back more than most.
The Jaguars have been toward the bottom of the league for a few years now, so it’s never surprising to see them projected as one of the worst teams. But a No. 32 ranking for a second straight year comes after an offseason in which the Jaguars spent top dollar to climb out of the cellar.
Newcomers like Julius Thomas and Jared Odrick should make a big impact for the Jaguars in 2015, but PFF isn't convinced that the team gets positive momentum going with players like Blake Bortles, Luke Joeckel and Johnathan Cyprien starting their NFL careers in disappointing fashions. Adding new pieces is a good start for Jacksonville, but if the young draft picks don't start stepping up, the Jaguars are going to remain at the bottom of the NFL.
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