SneakerReporter NFL Top 30: #14 Odell Beckham Jr.

SneakerReporter NFL Top 30: #14 Odell Beckham Jr.

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by | Aug 21, 2019 | Featured, NFL

14. Odell Beckham Jr.

Team: Cleveland Browns

Position: WR

Experience: 5 Years

The notion of the diva wide receiver is not new to the NFL. The idea dates back to Michael Irvin and there are plenty of other examples leading up to modern-day to pick from. The player today who is most often associated with this moniker is Cleveland Browns superstar Odell Beckham Jr. The wideout has yet to play one game in a Browns uniform but has made plenty of headlines in the short time he’s been with the team. However, no matter how much news he makes he more often than not cashes the checks that his talk writes.

During his five seasons with the New York Giants, he routinely made highlight plays and broke records. As a rookie, his 108.8 yards per game average led the league. By his third season, he eclipsed the 100 receptions in a season mark. That same year he led the league in average yards per touch (13.5 yards). Yet, despite the All-Pro receiver’s talents, the Giants were unable to accomplish sustained success with him on the roster. When it came time to re-up, New York gave him what was then the biggest contract in NFL history for his position. However, before the ink dried Beckham was sent packing to Ohio.

What was once a place where nothing good happened, Cleveland has transformed itself into a respectable organization in a flash. Drafting the likes of Myles Garrett and Baker Mayfield first overall and bringing in veterans Jarvis Landry, Sheldon Richardson, and Kareem Hunt has upgraded the organization. The team is now expected to at least make the playoffs given the amount of talent they have gathered heading into the season. Offensively, this team could break some records this year. Mayfield is an upgrade over an older Eli Manning, Nick Chubb is no Saquon Barkley but he nearly had a 1,000-yard season as a rookie, and Beckham is joined by Landry and emerging talents Antonio Callaway, Rashad Higgins, and tight end David Njoku on the outside.

Joining his former LSU teammate, and best friend, Landry provides him with someone who understands him on a deeper level than just football. In case there are any dustups like what happened between Beckham and the kicking net in the Big Apple, there’s someone there who can talk to him and get his focus back on playing the game. That tandem easily jumps to the top of the list of best wide receiver duos currently in the league. If both are able to keep their stats inline with what they’ve done to this point they could become the best the NFL has ever seen.

This season could see Beckham unleashed in a way we have yet to see and that thought is a scary one for the rest of the league. The Browns are a serious threat to shake things up in not just the AFC North, not just the AFC but the entire NFL. With one move to acquire an all-time talent who was wasting away elsewhere, the entire outlook of the league flipped on its head.

Aug 21, 2019 No Comments
SneakerReporter NFL Top 30: #16 Fletcher Cox

SneakerReporter NFL Top 30: #16 Fletcher Cox

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by | Aug 19, 2019 | Featured, NFL

16. Fletcher Cox

Team: Philadelphia Eagles

Position: DT

Experience: 7 Years

With all of the rule changes in the NFL lately it isn’t often that we get to talk about a player like Fletcher Cox. A throwback to an era of football where physicality was championed above all, the 6’4, 310-pound defensive lineman has plenty of strength. His presence in the middle of the Philadelphia Eagles line has made their defense one of the stingiest units against the run and still remained effective rushing the passer too. Cox isn’t just on the field to take up space, he has shown the ability to disrupt the passing game too. Whether it’s batting down throws or getting to the quarterback, he does it all.

A Pro Bowl selection in each of the last four years, Cox’s dominance at the defensive tackle position is among the best in the game today. Few others share his abilities to be a menace no matter what the game situation is. Need a goal line stand? Fletcher Cox is your man. Need a third and short run stuffed? Fletcher Cox is your man. Need pressure on the quarterback between the guards? Fletcher Cox is your man. He is the keystone of the Eagles defensive line.

Last year, Cox set a career-high with 10.5 sacks. The uptick in knockdowns saw him make First-Team All-Pro for the first time a season ago. He has 44.5 total in seven seasons. But it isn’t all about sacks with Cox. He has played in six postseason games—winning Super Bowl LII in 2017–and in each of the four playoff games Philadelphia has won with him on the roster, Cox has recorded at least one QB hit during the game. For the Eagles, just having the monstrous DT just in their vicinity is enough to rattle opposing quarterbacks.

Big things are expected out of this team in this upcoming year. With Carson Wentz healthy and handsomely paid, the team believes that they have a shot of making it to another Super Bowl. On top of that, the belief is that if they did make it to Miami for Super Bowl LIV, they’d be entering as favorites and not underdogs. All the pieces are in place for a great season. Now the team just has to get on the field and measure up to expectations. One player who certainly won’t let them down is Coz. He’s played in 109 of a possible 112 games since being drafted in 2012.

The former Mississippi State Bulldog is also still in the prime of his career. He won’t turn 29 until after the midway point of this year, and he’s found his groove on the field as the consecutive Pro Bowl selections can attest to. Speedy edge rushers might be all the rage nowadays but there’s a reason that the Eagles selected Cox 12th overall in the 2012 NFL Draft. The move is paying dividends for the franchise now and it only seems like Cox is getting better with age. Philadelphia has its eyes on the prize this season and in order for them to take it home once more they’re going to need the best they can get from number 91.

Aug 19, 2019 No Comments
Derwin James Expected to Miss 3-4 Months

Derwin James Expected to Miss 3-4 Months

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by | Aug 17, 2019 | Featured, NFL

During joint practices between the Los Angeles Chargers and New Orleans Saints, Pro Bowl safety, Derwin James was spotted wearing a walking boot on the sidelines.

There was no mention of James’ injury up to that point but according to NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo, the second-year pro will undergo surgery for a stress fracture in the fifth metatarsal of his right foot. The Chargers believe that he will miss three to four months of action, which would place his return near the end of the 2019 season.

An All-Pro selection as a rookie, James (the 17th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft) was a big part of the Chargers defense last season. He compiled 105 tackles, three interceptions, and 3.5 sacks a year ago.

Los Angeles was expected to be a contender in the AFC after finishing 12-4 and losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion, New England Patriots in the Divisional Round of the 2018 NFL Playoffs. Without James versatility the defense loses a big piece of what made it so special, especially during the second half of the season.

Surgery is going to be performed by renowned foot specialist Robert Anderson. The timeline could change depending on how the surgery goes, the earliest that James could return seems to be mid-November.

Aug 17, 2019 No Comments
SneakerReporter NFL Top 30: #18 Cameron Jordan

SneakerReporter NFL Top 30: #18 Cameron Jordan

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by | Aug 17, 2019 | Featured, NFL

18. Cameron Jordan

Team: New Orleans Saints

Position: DE

Experience: 8 Years

When the New Orleans Saints are brought up as potential Super Bowl contenders, immediately all of the attention goes to their offense. With Drew Brees at quarterback, Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas as two versatile weapons, and Sean Payton being an offensive-minded coach it’s easy to see why much of the focus is on that side of the ball. However, New Orleans has a special player on the other side as well. Defensive end, Cameron Jordan is one of the—if not the—best players at his position in the league today.

Jordan has spent all eight of his seasons in the NFL with the Saints. In that time he’s made four Pro Bowls (2013, 2015. 2017, and 2018) and was selected to the First-Team All-Pro once (2017). For his career he has 71.5 sacks, 25 of which have come in the last two years alone. Every season he’s recorded double-digit sacks he’s been selected to the Pro Bowl. He has played in every one of the 128 regular season games of his career, starting all but one of them. His presence has served as a steadying force for a Saints defense that has seen a lot of turnover and change during the course of his career.

In our discussion of previous defensive linemen on this list we mentioned how opponents would try to show them different looks with double teams, chip blocks, etc. The same holds true for Jordan, yet most times the extra attention doesn’t slow him down. Teams have sometimes put three blockers in his path and he’s found ways to still make plays. Jordan is both explosive and forceful coming off the line of scrimmage. He’s not a one-trick pony as he can rush from the inside and outside depending on the down and distance of the play.

For the Saints, having a player like Jordan that opposing teams must game plan and account for at all times helps open lanes for his teammates. As noted above, the defense in New Orleans hasn’t always been up to par with what the offense execution wise but as of late it’s been Jordan’s dominance that helped them come close to meeting those high standards. His ability to singlehandedly wreak havoc in opponent’s backfields is something this team treasures.

New Orleans believes it is Super Bowl or bust this season. We all saw the uncalled defensive pass interference in the NFC Championship game last year. They, rightfully, believe it should’ve been them taking on the New England Patriots. However, they have another shot this season to get to the big game. The offense once again looks like it should be one of the better units in the entire league. It will be on Jordan and the defense to hold up their end of the bargain once more. The 30-year-old pass rusher has showed no signs of slowing down and that’s welcomed news to the Saints. Another Pro Bowl-caliber season will be needed from him if New Orleans is to make another deep run in the postseason.

Aug 17, 2019 No Comments
NFL Reinstates New England Patriots Wide Receiver Josh Gordon

NFL Reinstates New England Patriots Wide Receiver Josh Gordon

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by | Aug 17, 2019 | Featured, NFL

To start training camp, Phillip Dorsett was the only returning wide receiver for the New England Patriots. Chris Hogan left in free agency, Cordarrelle Patterson opted to follow suit. Julian Edelman was being held out with a thumb injury and Josh Gordon was still on an indefinite suspension.

Fast forward to today and Josh Gordon is officially a member of the Patriots once more. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced that the suspension was lifted and Gordon would be able to rejoin the team on Sunday.

Gordon won’t be allowed to play in any preseason games but is cleared to retake the field when the Super Bowl champions start their quest to defend their title on September 8th against the Pittsburgh Steeler.s

Last season, Gordon played in 11 games with New England, He totaled 40 receptions for 720 yards and three touchdowns before he was once again forced to watch from the sidelines after violating his previous reinstatement protocols.

Towards the end of those 11 games, Gordon and Brady started to develop a clear connection with each other but the receiver would miss the entirety of New England’s postseason run.

With him back, the Patriots suddenly go from inexperienced to deep at wideout. Gordon and Edelman will be back once the games count and their absence has allowed for rookies N’Keal Harry and Jakobi Meyers get valuable practice reps during training camp.

Before tonight, Dorsett was in line to be atop the team’s depth chart. Now he’s more likely to be fourth in the pecking order when Week 1 kicks off.

Aug 17, 2019 No Comments