Time for part seven of The Grand List, or: the top one thousand players ever, or whatever. We are slowly traveling down this road, and today we break into the 700s. Specifically, we’ll look at players 809-780. It should be the most quarterback-heavy entry into the series to date, including a trio of would-be saviors who bore the weight both of their teams and of unrealistic expectations. I hope you enjoy. If not, as always, send complaints to DeleteSansReading@gmail.com.

Previous articles in the series

The Grand List, part 1: Includes honorable/special mentions and players 1000-990.
The Grand List, part 2: Includes players 989-965.
The Grand List, part 3: Includes players 964-940.
The Grand List, part 4: Includes players 939-901.
The Grand List, part 5: Includes players 900-876.
The Grand List, part 6: Includes players 875-851.
The Grand List, part 7: Includes players 850-810.

Let’s get down to business.

The List, Continued

809. Joe Horn (1995-2007)
Wide Receiver
New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Falcons, Memphis Mad Dogs

Before he drew the ire of pearl-clutching ninnies around the nation for pretending to make a phone call, Horn was a struggling underemployed former community college player looking for a break. He did drills based on a Jerry Rice VHS tutorial and worked himself into a gig in the CFL. With an excellent debut season as a pro, the NFL took notice. Horn saw limited action on offense continued to put in work on special teams to maintain his roster spot. A move to the Big Easy saw his efforts pay off as he began a half decade run in which he averaged 1290 yards and 9 touchdowns per 16 games, including three seasons over 1300 yards. He got a late start and didn’t earn a starting role until he was 28, but once he got the opportunity, he turned it into stardom.

808. Eric Moulds (1996-2007)
Wide Receiver
Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans

Spending his time in cold and blustery Buffalo, often playing with passers with too much or not enough experience and for coaches who didn’t like to pass often, Moulds put up impressive numbers for his situation. After taking a couple of years to develop, he stepped into a starting role and immediately set the Bills team record for receiving yards in a season (1368). He took it to another level in the postseason, catching nine passes for 240 yards and a touchdown in a loss to the Dolphins. Two years later, he posted the second highest receiving total in Bills history (his 1998 and 2000 still hold the top spots). With the speed to beat defenses deep and the toughness and concentration to make contest catches over the middle, Moulds was a complete receiver and dynamic playmaker. His ability to run with the ball made him a threat on kick returns and end-arounds.

807. George Blanda (1949-1975)
Quarterback, Kicker, Linebacker
Houston Oilers, Chicago Bears, Oakland Raiders

Purely as a quarterback or as a kicker, Blanda probably wouldn’t be on this list. However, his ability to excel in both roles merits a spot with the greats. As a passer, he was good enough to wash out of the NFL before getting a big second chance in the upstart AFL. There, he earned MVP honors when he led the league in yards, touchdowns, yards per attempt, and yards per completion, as well as a 10-3 record and a triumph in the league’s second-ever title game. A first ballot inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, more for his career record for points scored than for his quarterback play, Blanda was a beloved figure around the league and in the media. Even after his best years under center were behind him, he retained the ability to enter in relief and provide a spark to the Oakland offense. ^[1]Among quarterbacks with at least 1500 action plays, Blanda ranks 142nd in career total adjusted yards above average (VAL) at -324 and 127th in TAYP+ (100).

806. Andrew Luck (2012-2018)
Quarterback
Indianapolis Colts

Luck will go down with Greg Cook in the Pantheon of “what if” quarterbacks. Possessing every physical and mental tool you could ask for in the man leading your offense, the young prodigy was supposed to be the next John Elway or Peyton Manning. Generally playing with poor teams, in stale schemes, and for inept management, Luck was a master of making lemonade from some mighty bitter lemons. His numbers never overwhelmed, but his play rarely disappointed. The Colts leaned on him in a way few teams have leaned on a player before, and the result was more yards of total offense through 86 games than any player in history. In the mold of beasts of burden before him, he suffered more turnovers than you’d like, often while trying to make something from nothing. ^[2]Among qualifying quarterbacks, Luck ranks 76th in career VAL (1446) and 54th in TAYP+ (105).

805. Matthew Stafford (2009-Present)
Quarterback
Detroit Lions

While he didn’t have Luck’s fanfare coming into the league, and he didn’t have the pressure of replacing a legend, Stafford did have the unenviable task of taking the helm of a perennial embarrassment of an organization and trying to lead that team to the Promised Land. He hasn’t been the most efficient passer, despite playing his home games in a dome his entire career, but his right shoulder has seen an unprecedented workload. After his first two seasons that earned him the tough-but-injury-prone label, he started every game for eight straight years and averaged 616.5 passes per season (38.5 per game). Stafford has played with talented teammates but has rarely benefited from coaching, and his squads have lived and died on his arm. ^[3]Among qualifying quarterbacks, Stafford ranks 63rd in VAL (1897) and 77th in TAYP+ (104).

804. Drew Bledsoe (1993-2006)
Quarterback
New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys

Similar to Stafford and Luck, Bledsoe was drafted first overall to be the savior of a downtrodden franchise. Also similar, he put up big volume numbers without impressing the statheads who lap up efficiency metrics like a little kitty at a saucer. Unlike the other two, Bledsoe’s team reached a Super Bowl. Unfortunately, his Patriots ran into a Green Bay squad that rates among the best of all time. His teams depended on him to even stand a chance against even average opponents. Without much of a ground game, and playing behind a shaky offensive line, he led the league in pass attempts three consecutive years. When teams played New England, they knew the game plan and rarely sold out to stop the run. Everyone know the offense went through Bledsoe. No, he wasn’t as good as the guy who replaced him, but if that’s your bar then you’re going to end up with a pretty short list. ^[4]Among qualifying quarterbacks, Bledsoe ranks 188th in VAL (-1624) and 153rd in TAYP+ (99).

803. Baby Ray (1938-1948)
Offensive Tackle, Defensive Line
Green Bay Packers

In the tradition of ironic nicknames, the hulking Buford Ray earned the nickname Baby. Standing 6’6″ and playing around 250 pounds, Baby was a man among boys in the war-era NFL. Despite his size, he moved like you might expect a modern player of similar stature to move. He had good quickness and decent speed that allowed him to block in the open field to spring open men like Hinkle, Fritsch, and Canadeo. As you might expect, he was no slouch as a drive blocker, capable of moving defenders well out of the play. As a defender, he demanded extra attention from blockers. Towering over opponents (and facing technically primitive kickers and punters) Ray excelled at blocking kicks and providing a valuable field position advantage to the Packers. He earned four first team all pro selections and helped Green Bay win two titles in the process.

802. Charlie Conerly (1948-1961)
Quarterback, Punter
New York Giants

Conerly burst onto the scene with one of the best rookie seasons of any quarterback in history. In the twilight of his career, he posted an AY/A figure of 9.31 at the age of 38. In the 60 years since, only Tom Brady has had a better season in the metric at that age or older. In between, Conerly was a steady performer who had one of the top passing displays in title game history (albeit in limited volume) in a blowout win over the Bears and one of the all-time great performances in a losing effort two years later against the Colts. I would have him higher, but he played with some excellent teammates and for one of the great offensive minds in history, Vince Lombardi. Conerly played well before teaming up with any of them, but not well enough to confidently say they weren’t a significant part of his success. ^[5]Among qualifying quarterbacks, Conerly ranks 48th in career VAL (2841) and 80th in TAYP+ (103).

801. Kevin Glover (1985-1999)
Center, Guard
Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks

Similar to a Tom Nalen or Jeff Saturday, Glover got the job done with precision and athleticism rather than through brute strength. He received most of his attention for a three year span in which he blocked for Barry Sanders, during which the running back averaged 1702 yards per season at 5.3 yards per carry. However, Glover was also good at his job when he was young and blocking for James Jones or trying to keep Eric Hipple upright. His Pro Bowl honors coming when they did is indicative of the way people tend to praise individual offensive lineman for things their quarterbacks or running backs do rather than making an effort to isolate performance. Glover also gets a bum rap from those who want to build up a running back (who needs no building up) by denigrating his blockers. This is a common tactic, whether done in good or bad faith, that is often used because it is so hard to prove wrong. But, as the great Mike Giddings would say, the eye in the sky doesn’t lie.

800. Plaxico Burress (2000-2012)
Wide Receiver
Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, New York Jets

Plax doesn’t show up on many best of lists, but I think his place here is justified, and calling him a top hundred wide receiver in history is reasonable. He began his career in Pittsburgh playing in a smashmouth offense for Coach Bill Cowher, who seemed to only throw the ball grudgingly. Two of his best three seasons in the TRY metric came before Ben Roethlisberger came to town, when he effectively shared the top receiver title with the much more highly regarded Hines Ward. Some of his best work came with a misused Kordell Stewart and a back from the dead Tommy Maddox. He left the Steelers right before they won a title, but he got his missing ring with another storied franchise, catching passes from another Hall of Fame quarterback. While Burress had a fairly standard 2007 regular season, he was huge in the two biggest games of the year. Against the favored Packers in the NFCCG, with a wind chill of -23 in the Lambeau winter, he caught 11 of 13 targets for 151 yards. He followed that up by catching the game-winning pass to upset the undefeated Patriots. Some other stuff happened after that. ^[6]Prior to shooting himself in the leg like a dolt, Burress was a big-bodied playmaker. His prime was seven seasons, 2001-2007. In that period, his TRY numbers (descending) were 1546, 1424, 1328, 1270, … Continue reading

799. Jon Morris (1964-1978)
Center
Boston/New England Patriots, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears

Morris suffers from what I call the Jerry Rice Problem. Despite receiving plenty of postseason recognition, he only once earned first team all pro honors. The reason: he was a direct contemporary of Jim Otto, who hogged all the awards. If his five second team nods became first team selections, Morris retires a six-time first team all pro, cements his legend as the greatest center of the AFL, and walks into the Hall of Fame. But enough with counterfactuals and on to the actuals. Morris was light on his feet and excellent at blocking downfield, a trait that help fullback Jim Nance lead the league in rushing twice and in touchdowns once. He was a technician in pass pro, giving Parilli and Taliaferro room to work in the pocket.

798. Dan Saleaumua (1987-1998)
Defensive Line
Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions

Saleaumua made one Pro Bowl and one all pro team in his twelve-year career, so what is he doing on this list? Turn on a Chiefs game between 1989 and 1995, and you’ll see why he’s here. A massive man, capable of playing anywhere on the line, he was most at home at nose tackle. When he came to Kansas City, he was behind Bill Maas in the rotation. When Maas – a hell of a nose in his own right –  went down, Saleaumua came in and easily outplayed him, tossing bodies all over the field. Not only could he collapse the pocket with raw power, but the sneaky devil could also drop into coverage (and hold up well there). He used that skill to haul in a few interceptions. Sublime play with little acclaim is the life of a nose tackle in a nutshell, but he did have a fan in the studious Dr. Z, who named the powerhouse to his All-NFL team thrice. ^[7]According to his 1991 article, Dr. Z also shortlisted him that year before going with Greg Kragen.

797. Dave Whitsell (1958-1969)
Defensive Back
Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, Detroit Lions

Whitsell was a man of many talents. He only made one Pro Bowl in his career, when he led the NFL with ten interceptions in 1967. However, he was better in coverage in other years but didn’t garner as much publicity because he didn’t fill up the box scores. He was the best coverage player for the Chicago Bears in 1963 when the team ranked best in the league in points and yards allowed, lost one regular season contest, and defeated a stacked Giants squad in the championship game. In addition to his skill in coverage, Whitsell remains one of the greatest kick blockers of all time. With excellent quickness and near-perfect timing, he was a terror off the edge in field goal formation, leading the league in blocks thrice and finishing with at least 21 in his career. According to scouts and researchers who focus on less celebrated roles, Whitsell is also among the best-ever placekick holders.

796. Gino Cappelletti (1955-1970)
Wide Receiver, Kicker, Quarterback, Defensive Back
Boston Patriots, Sarnia Imperials, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers, Sarnia Golden Bears

Cappelletti played quarterback in Canada and began his AFL career playing some defensive back, but it is his role as a receiver and kicker that continues to get his name in Hall of Fame conversations. He wasn’t the most accomplished receiver, with just four seasons producing at a quality starter level – and none at an elite level, but he was steady and dependable on offense and led the Patriots in receiving four times. As a kicker, he was among the most accomplished in the AFL. He holds the league’s single game and career records for field goals, and he had good accuracy. It was as a scorer, however, that the Duke really stands out. He led the league in scoring five times (including the top two scoring seasons), holds the AFL career scoring record, and even holds the record for two-point conversions (4). That versatility led to five Pro Bowls, four all pro selections, and MVP honors in 1964.

795. Paul Hornung (1957-1966)
Running Back, Kicker
Green Bay Packers

Like Cappelletti, Hornung is celebrated for his work on offense as well as his duties as a kicker. Unlike the Duke, Hornung was a college superduperstar who was famous before he took a snap of professional football, picking up the nickname the Golden Boy. He also ended up on one of the most loaded rosters in history, playing for one of the most influential and innovative coaches in history. As an occasionally talented kicker who also played on a consistently high-powered offense, Hornung had ample opportunity to score points. He 1960, he scored 176 of them, setting a record that stood nearly half a century, when LaDainian Tomlinson scored 31 touchdowns. The following season, he took MVP honors after scoring ten touchdowns, throwing for another, and converting 15 field goals and 41 extra points for a team that went 11-3 and won the NFL title. Modern critics tend to point to Hornung as an undeserving Hall of Famer, which would be true if only accounting for his numbers. He was also an excellent guard-in-the-backfield type blocker who made life easier on both Bart Starr and Jim Taylor, and his versatility enabled Coach Lombardi to be more creative with his play designs. The Golden Boy wasn’t as great as his reputation, but he was far better than revisionists argue, and he was an important contributor on four title teams.

794. Bob DeMarco (1961-1975)
Center
St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams

DeMarco entered the starting lineup in his second season and played at a high level for the next dozen years. He earned all pro consideration every season from 1963-69, two of which were first team selections. That number would have been higher if not for the presence of Vikings great Mick Tingelhoff. He managed to stand out despite playing on an average team in a relatively small market – no mean feat for an interior offensive lineman. Following one of his best years as a pro, he moved to Miami and helped guide the Dolphins to a Super Bowl. With age diminishing his skill, he was only able to relegate Jim Langer to the bench for two seasons before the younger stud replaced him. In some ways, DeMarco had a bridesmaid type career, often missing out on legacy-defining honors and moments because he was in direct competition with players at the position who weren’t just great, but all-time great.

793. Mike Barnes (1973-1981)
Defensive Line
Baltimore Colts

Barnes primarily played inside, but he had the ability to play anywhere on the line. Tall and lean, he had to take extra care to use sound technique to avoid losing leverage to shorter offensive linemen. Not highly decorated, with just one Pro Bowl, and all conference pick, and an NFLPA defensive lineman of the year award all coming in 1977, Barnes was also great in less heralded seasons. He just happened to play during perhaps the most stacked period in history for defensive tackles and wasn’t quite as effective as some names that will appear in subsequent articles on this list. During his peak, he was an effective penetrator on the interior, allowing him to bring down quarterbacks regularly, as well as make plenty of stops in the run game. His height allowed him to get his hands on passes and all but eliminate the easy stuff over the middle on action passes.

792. Justin Tuck (2005-2015)
Defensive End
New York Giants, Oakland Raiders

Tuck finished his career with a pair of Pro Bowls and a pair of first team all pro nods, but it his play during a pair of title runs that cemented his status as a Giants legend. He was never the best end in the league, but he was usually near the top as both a pass rusher and run defender. Not relegated solely to edge rushing duty, Tuck was a deft interior pass rusher, and that ability provided the Giants with the ability to fill the four-man front with pass rushers in Steve Spagnuolo’s NASCAR package. That speed front frustrated Tom Brady in two separate Super Bowls, helping stage two of the biggest upsets in the game’s storied history. Tuck himself seemed to play his best when the stakes were highest, notching a pair of sacks in each championship appearance.

791. Red Dunn (1924-1931)
Quarterback (pre-modern)
Green Bay Packers, Chicago Cardinals, Milwaukee Badgers

Joseph ‘Red” Dunn was a four time champion who played his entire career before the NFL began keeping official stats. For this reason, he is often forgotten when discussing past greats at the position. He was probably the best skill player on the earliest Packers dynasty, a passer arguably equal to Benny Friedman but without the pass-heavy offense, college pedigree, or New York market. At retirement, he had between 45-50 touchdown passes (records are incomplete), and he scored six of his own. He was among the earliest thousand-yard passers when he eclipsed the mark as a rookie. In Dunn’s era, versatility was the name of the game, and he was known as a solid defensive back, a slashing punt returner, and an elite kicker. Among antediluvian passers, he is probably the most deserving of Hall of Fame consideration, with Isbell not far behind.

790. Bryan Cox (1991-2002)
Linebacker
Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Chicago Bears, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints

Speed and versatility stand out most among Cox’s many positive traits on the field. Although he spent most of his career officially listed at middle or inside linebacker, he began his career as an excellent outside backer who had the ability to cover and rush the passer with great effect. In his second season, he picked up 14 sacks and earned the first of his three Pro Bowl invitations, as well as a spot on Dr. Z’s All-NFL team. Given the responsibility of playing in the middle and quarterbacking the defense, as it were, Cox saw more limited pass rush opportunities from normal looks. However, he remained an efficient blitzer and had normal duties rushing the passer as an end in nickel packages. From 1992-98, Cox averaged seven sacks and 88 tackles per 16 games, excellent numbers for his role.

789. Jeff Siemon (1972-1982)
Linebacker
Minnesota Vikings

As an athlete, Siemon was similar to a Keith Brooking – not going to confuse anyone with Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons, but still able to meet the threshold to play in the NFL. What he lacked in speed, quickness, or leaping ability, he made up for with football savvy and film study. This allowed him to be in place to make tackles, take out lead blockers, or break up short passes, despite not being as fast as the backs or receivers he was playing against. He made four Pro Bowls and picked up five all conference selections while helping the Purple People Eaters continue their reign of terror. For his trouble, he was able to experience the ecstasy of playing in three Super Bowls – and the agony of losing them all.

788. Cornell Green (1962-1974)
Defensive Back
Dallas Cowboys

At 6’3″ and 210 pounds, Green was a big corner by the standards of any era. Rather than use the aggressive, physical style associated with big men like Blount or Sherman, he played like a smaller corner and relied heavily on sound technique and fluidity to shut down receivers. Green earned four first team all pro nods at corner before moving to strong safety in his thirties. While he wasn’t a feared thumper who could put fear in running backs or receivers crossing the middle, he maintained the finesse and cover ability that made him a great corner, pairing with Cliff Harris to provide valuable back end coverage for a Dallas crew he help bring its first title win. I don’t know if availability is the best ability, but it sure helps. Green managed to play in 182 of 182 possible regular season games in his career, along with 15 postseason starts. His ability to block kicks from the edge was a cherry on top.

787. Jack Tatum (1971-1980)
Safety
Oakland Raiders, Houston Oilers

Known primarily as a lights out hitter who could end careers with his ferocious shots to the head and neck, Tatum was a little more than just a headhunter. He was a good tackler on tape, though the play by plays don’t show him having made a great number of tackles. Although he didn’t haul in that many interceptions, he was better in coverage than his reputation tends to suggest. No one would mistake him for Ed Reed in coverage, but he was effective enough to play nickelback in his final season, in which he posted a career high seven interceptions. In addition to his three Pro Bowls, he was a two-time all pro and a champion. Of course, Tatum’s legacy is most strongly tied to being a symbol of football’s violence. While he had other positives, given that his fury was such a big part of his game, remembering him for his search and destroy style isn’t entirely unfair.

786. Bill Bradley (1969-1977)
Safety, Punter
Philadelphia Eagles, St. Louis Cardinals

Bradley didn’t have a long career, but he filled his short time with superb play. As a safety, he possessed great speed that allowed him to cover large areas of the field. Heady, and with soft hands, he was a playmaker on defense, twice leading the NFL in interceptions (a combined 20 in 1971-72). To this day, Bradley remains one of just two players to lead the league in picks in consecutive seasons. ^[8]Everson Walls is the other, in 1981-82. All three of his first team all pro selections came for his play on defense. With the ability to contribute on special teams, he added value to the Eagles by freeing up roster space. Bradley could punt pretty well, and he was a fine punt returner.

785. Gary Green (1977-1985)
Cornerback
Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams

Green played completely unafraid, as if no moment was too big for his talent, and he was usually right. He wasn’t big, but boy could he hit. If Marion Motley took the romance out of the blitz, Gary Green took the romance out of the sweep. With a lightning quick first step, he blocked both kicks and punts, sometimes soaring through the air like Superman to get his hand on the ball. Obviously, coverage is king for a corner, and he was always in contention for the crown. Explosive and fast, he could bait quarterbacks and then use his speed to recover to deflect the pass or pick it off outright. He reached elite cover status around his third year in the league but didn’t get Pro Bowl or all pro recognition until two years after. Those in the know, like Dr. Z, honored Green before that, as is often the case. Once the media started paying attention, he received some sort of postseason award every year from 1981 until his 1985 retirement.

784. Ken Norton (1988-2000)
Linebacker
San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys

A champion with both the Cowboys and 49ers of the 90s, Norton stands among the great run stuffing linebackers of all time. He diagnosed plays quickly and attacked the line of scrimmage with fury, bringing down runners in the backfield an astounding 91 times in his career. Excluding his rookie year, when he only played three games, and his last year, when he had clearly lost a step, he had an eleven season run in which he missed just four games and averaged 109 tackles per year. Not particularly special in coverage, he did manage to get his hands on three passes in 1995, returning those picks for 102 yards and two scores on the way to his only first team all pro nod. Sometimes it just takes adding a little more to the stat sheet to make voters view a player differently. In this case, it helped that those stats were big plays that came in a blowout win against a division rival when his own team was starting its backup quarterback.

783. Shaun Rogers (2001-2013)
Defensive Interior
Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants

A massive human being, Rogers was a force on the interior of both defenses and kick blocking units. Playing primarily as a nose tackle, he didn’t get the recognition afforded to the smaller under tackles who specialized in rushing the passer. While he wasn’t the speed rush type, Rogers was able to drag down passers 37.5 times in his career, with a high of seven in 2007. He primarily did this with pure power, driving offensive linemen back into the pocket. When you push the pocket like he did, it helps in the run game too, and Rogers was a beast against inside stuff for most of his career. Rogers use the same brute force to block 17 kicks in his career, thrice leading the league in the category and establishing himself as one of the best ever in that area.

782. Malcolm Jenkins (2009-Present)
Safety
Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints

Jenkins started off his career with little fanfare, converting to safety after not working out at cornerback. He helped the Saints win a title as a rookie, but his play wasn’t that of a star. A move to Philadelphia saw him take his game to another level. Given more responsibilities in a new system, the intelligent defender thrived in his new role. Always great on the safety blitz, Jenkins became much more involved in the run game and took on more difficult coverage assignments. His tackling improved, and he became a complete run defender, capable of making tackles in the open field or coming down to support the run near the line. He saw a higher target volume with the new role and responded by upping his coverage game. A leader on and off the field, Jenkins went from being a rookie along for the ride on a title team to being an instrumental member of an unlikely champion.

781. Brad Van Pelt (1973-1986)
Linebacker
New York Giants, Los Angeles Raiders, Cleveland Browns

Van Pelt’s prime overlapped some great seasons from Ted Hendricks, Jack Ham, Robert Brazile, three of the very best ever to play the position. Because of that, he only earned one all pro nod to go with his five Pro Bowl appearances. He may have been most well-known for his post prime career as a part of the Crunch Bunch with Taylor and Carson. It’s a shame, because it almost erases a great player from collective memory. He was an all-around stud linebacker who could attack the run, rush the passer, or drop into coverage with equal effectiveness. With 20 interceptions and at least 24 sacks in his career, Van Pelt is a member of a pretty impressive group of fellows. ^[9]Officially, the list only includes 11 players, but the unofficial list includes guys like Huff, Ham, Hendricks, Lambert, Howley, and Robertson.

780. Joey Porter (1999-2011)
Rushbacker
Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals

How does a guy retire with 98 career sacks, with six more in the playoffs, and rank behind 779 other players? I will do my best to explain as briefly as possible. Porter was a very good pass rusher who executed his assignments well and was an excellent closer, meaning that when he got to the quarterback, he brought down the quarterback. He also played in a system that inflated sack totals and didn’t often require pass rushers to beat blockers one on one, and on teams with defensive lines skilled at freeing up linebackers to make plays. Maybe a bigger indictment is that, while he was good at closing when he got to the passer, he didn’t get in position to create pressure all that much. A boom or bust type rusher, if you will. I won’t criticize his run defense, because that wasn’t really what they paid him for. I will, however, note that he was actually decent in coverage when dropping back in LeBeau’s zone scheme. With the negatives out of the way, it is important to remember that a player must actually execute when on the field, and Porter did so effectively. While he didn’t do the bulk of his work mano-a-mano like, say, Jason Taylor, he still did what was asked of him at a pretty high level.