It’s time for part six of the Grand List, the series in which I (very) slowly unveil my list of the top 1000 players in history. This is the portion of the list where I talk about a few quarterbacks who may have been better than they tend to get credit for, some big nasties in the middle of the offense, and a bunch of tight ends. Reminder: send all 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.

LFG, pals.

The List, Continued

875. Carl Nicks (2008-2013)
Offensive Guard
New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Before a serious medical issue brought on by organizational ineptitude ruined his career, Nicks was one of the best offensive linemen in the league. At his peak, he was a huge guy who could really move. Adept in both pass protection and run blocking, Nicks did excelled both at keeping his Hall of Fame quarterback safe and at paving the way for a revolving door of unheralded running backs to pick up solid numbers on the ground. His teammate, Jahri Evans, was an all decade selection at the position, but Nicks was arguably even better, if only for a short time.

874. Antoine Bethea (2006-Present)
Safety
Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, New York Giants

Bethea has been a steady defender for a long time, across several teams. He won a title and made a few Pro Bowls with the Colts as a free safety, but his natural fit was at strong safety. Though he has lacked consistency in coverage throughout his career, has had some good seasons in that area and has usually avoiding being a liability. His real talent lies in stopping the run and rushing the passer. He doesn’t blitz often, but when he gets the call, he produces pressure at a high rate. Bethea attacks the line of scrimmage and has been successful in creating run stops, and he is equally adept at making tackles in the open field. Although coverage is king in the modern game, it felt right to give a hat tip to a great run stopping safety.

873. Otto Schnellbacher (1948-1951)
Safety
New York Yankees, New York Giants

While playing with the AAFC’s New York Yankees, he also played for the NBA’s St. Louis Bombers and Providence Steamrollers. He eventually transitioned to football only and played with the Giants for two seasons after the AAFC-NFL merger. Tall, long, and possessing the requisite leaping ability you’d expect from a pro basketball player, Schnellbacher was a tremendous deep field safety. He led the AAFC in interceptions (11), yards (239) and touchdowns (1) in his first year as a pro. In his final year, he led the NFL in those same three categories (11, 194, 2). Paired with inner-circle teammate Emlen Tunnell, Schnellbacher helped perfect the umbrella defense that could shut down the mightiest passing attacks by neutralizing downfield passes. His range and brilliant ball skills enabled Tunnell to take more risks to force turnovers.

872. Doug Betters (1978-1987)
Defensive End
Miami Dolphins

At his peak, Betters was as good as almost anyone ever to play end in a 30 front. He combined for 30 sacks over the 1983 and 84 seasons, earning defensive player of the year honors in the former (16 sacks, 8 run stuffs). Betters was a sink end, meaning he would play defensive end in a base 3-4 and sink down to tackle in passing situations. He was good against the run and great against the pass, possessing all the hustle and determination you’d expect a commentator to ascribe to a white guy in the trenches.

871. Johnny Lujack (1948-1951)
Quarterback, Defensive Back, Kicker
Chicago Bears

Offense. Defense. Special teams. Lujack really could do it all. He picked off three passes in his first game as a pro and finished his rookie year with eight interceptions. His second season? He led the league in passing yards (2658), yards per pass (8.5), and touchdowns (23). In the final game of that season, Lujack tossed six scoring passes and broke the record for passing yards in a game (468). “What happened the year after that?” you might ask. Well, he led the league in rushing touchdowns (11), setting a then-record for quarterbacks in the process. After four years and as many all pro selections, he called it quits.

870. Reshad Jones (2010-Present)
Safety
Miami Dolphins

In many ways, the same things said about Bethea apply to Jones, but to a stronger degree. Jones is better against the run and as a blitzer and is more inconsistent in coverage. His highs are incredibly high, including 2012 and 2016, when he allowed passer ratings of 38.0 and 42.8 into his coverage. He has been consistently excellent in the run game, never producing a bad – or even average – season. Jones has played well around the line of scrimmage, generating 223 tackles that put the offense behind schedule, and he has turned twenty percent of his pass rushing opportunities into pressure. He has two Pro Bowl nods, but he should have four.

869. Reggie Roby (1983-1998)
Punter
Miami Dolphins, Houston/Tennessee Oilers, Washington, San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Roby was a big man with a big leg, but it was more than just power that made him great. His punting motion was a thing of beauty: quick, compact, and explosive, it was perhaps the closest a punter has come to Dan Marino’s throwing motion in terms of overall aesthetic and effectiveness. He sent kicks booming into the heavens, but he possessed the control to keep them from turning into touchbacks. To boot, Roby also did a great job limiting opposing returns. He made three Pro Bowls and five all pro teams over his career.

868. Donald Driver (1999-2012)
Wide Receiver
Green bay Packers

Slow and steady wins the race. Driver wasn’t slow, but he was steady, producing seven 1000 yard seasons from 2002-09 and averaging 77 catches for 1083 yards and 6 touchdowns per 16 games during that span. Those aren’t Hall of Fame numbers, but rather the numbers of a reliable threat who provided a little predictability to an offense led by an unpredictable quarterback. Whether using his Olympic caliber high jumping skills to snatch wild Favre passes out of the air or maintaining soft hands in the gelid Green Bay winter (and using those hands to secure notoriously hard passes), Driver was producing for the Packers. ^[1]He had seven seasons with over 1000 TRY and currently ranks 68th on the career list.

867. Tom Fears (1948-1956)
Wide Receiver, Defensive Back
Los Angeles Rams

Fears was a possession receiver who was in many respects a precursor to the modern tight end. He led the league in receptions three times, twice breaking the single season record for that stat. Moreover, he became the first receiver with multiple 1000+ yard seasons when he led the league with 1116 yards in 1950. That same year, Fears cemented his legend with a monster playoff performance, gaining 334 yards and 3 touchdowns on 16 receptions, spread across two games. He didn’t produce much outside of his three big seasons, but those years, in concert with his postseason masterclass, earned him a spot in Canton. ^[2]By True Receiving Yards with regular and postseason combined, Fears had three seasons over 1000 and another two over 900.

866. Ed Sprinkle (1944-1955)
Defensive End, Wide Receiver
Chicago Bears

Sprinkle was an edge rusher in the truest sense of the term, lining up far outside and taking wide angles to the passer. The Claw was known as a vicious player, although he seemed to reserve his venom for pass plays, as he was not particularly good against the run. However, he was one of the first great true pass rushers and had a skill that would be even more valuable in the modern game. Even for his era, he was small, but he was quick and fast enough to beat tackles around the edge. Sprinkle was also a fine rusher on punt block squads.

865. Leonard Marshall (1983-1994)
Defensive End
New York Giants, New York Jets, Washington

Another sink end, Marshall is especially impressive because he was able to take down opposing quarterbacks a respectable 83.5 times despite the fact that he needed maintain the proper discipline to succeed in a two gap scheme for most of his career. When he wasn’t stuck in read and react mode on the edge, he was pass rushing from the interior, where is has historically been more difficult to fill up the box score. On top of the pair of Pro Bowls and all pro selections he earned, Marshall notched three sacks in each of the Parcells Giants’ Super Bowl runs. His hit that knocked out Montana in the NFC Championship Game may have prevented a 49ers three-peat and changed the course of the NFC title picture during the nineties.

864. Alex Wojciechowicz (1938-1950)
Center, Linebacker
Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles

Wojo was a pretty good – sometimes even very good – offensive lineman, but the most notable aspect of his play at center was his unusual pre-snap stance that saw him line up with his feet about four feet apart. That he managed to get out of that position and block anyone effectively is amazing in its own right, but it’s not why he’s on the list. Sure, he was quick on his feet and was especially competent at blocking in space, but he makes the list for his play at linebacker. On defense, Wojo’s specialty was pass coverage. Both quick and fast, he was capable of jumping passes like an antique Derrick Brooks. He picked off 19 passes in his 13 year career, earning himself two all pro selections and helping his teams win a pair of titles in the process.

863. Kent Hill (1979-1987)
Offensive Guard
Los Angeles Rams, Houston Oilers

Playing around 260 pounds, Hill was undersized even by the standards of his era. He made up for his lack of size with incredible functional strength and the ability to generate an explosive pop with his hands. With a physique that could have been sculpted by Michelangelo himself, Hill looked more like a pass rusher than an interior lineman. He possessed the athleticism to match his build, with a sub-five-second  40 time and excellent quickness that enabled him to pull smoothly and operate in space against linebackers who weren’t used to facing guys his size who were as athletic as they were. Hill was solid in pass pro, with great recovery skill if he ever got beat, and he was a top notch run blocker who gave guys like Eric Dickerson the ability to follow their lead blocker without having to slow down that much.

862. Rich Caster (1970-1982)
Tight End
New York Jets, Houston Oilers, Washington, New Orleans Saints

Caster played tight end, but he wasn’t a blocker. He didn’t need to be with wheels like his. Among the fastest ever to play the position, Caster was the rare man at his position who could take the top off the defense. He was a terrific deep threat throughout his career and was such a good receiver that he even played primarily wide out some seasons. Caster’s speed, combined with Namath’s otherworldly long ball, made for some of the most beautiful deep connections you’ll ever see to a tight end.

861. Brent Jones (1987-1997)
Tight End
San Francisco 49ers

Jones could be described as a lower-middle-class man’s Jason Witten. He wasn’t a spectacular athlete, lacking both speed and impressive size. But he was smart, and he had good instincts. He worked hard on his craft and became a pretty good blocker and deft route runner. While not the type of guy to leave a defender in the dust, he had a knack for sinking into holes in coverage. A reliable safety net for two Hall of Fame passers, Jones was a contributor for three title teams and thrice earned all pro honors.

860. Ron Jaworski (1974-1989)
Quarterback
Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins

Jaworski’s heritage and big arm earned him the nickname the Polish Rifle. He could make any throw and was known in NFL circles for his leadership and smarts. After being illegally traded to the Eagles, Jaws learned to play under control and, eventually, became a great quarterback. The 1980 season saw him lead Philadelphia to a 12-4 record and a Super Bowl appearance, largely on the strength of his play. Another quarterback earned AP MVP honors that year, but the Rifle took home UPI and Bert Bell player of the year recognition. ^[3]Among quarterbacks with at least 1500 combined regular and postseason plays, Jaworski ranks 99th in total adjusted yards above average (VAL) with 657 and 98th in TAYP+ (102).

859. Neil Lomax (1981-1988)
Quarterback
St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals

Like Bert Jones after him and Andrew Luck after, Lomax is one of the great what ifs in quarterback history. After one of the most dazzling college careers in history, he went to a ho-hum Cardinals squad and continued to shine. He was a great athlete with all the physical gifts you could ask for, and he produced at a pace that would make one question why he only earned two trips to the Pro Bowl. Lomax took too many sacks, as playmakers carrying their teams often do, but he made extraordinary plays look simple. He finished his career with a +46 touchdown-interception differential despite 1.) a penchant for deep shots and 2.) not playing in an innovative passing offense. Unfortunately, hip problems abbreviated his underrated career. ^[4]As of today, Lomax ranks 80th in VAL (1232) and 74th in TAYP+ (104) for his career.

858. Craig Morton (1965-1982)
Quarterback
Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, New York Giants

Morton started his career off hot with Dallas, appeared to be at the end with the Giants, and then returned to glory in Denver. In his early years, he worked with Bullet Bob Hayes to terrorize secondaries. A speedster like Hayes needs a strong arm to fully exploit his game breaking ability, and Morton had a rocket launcher. He later used that powerful arm to hook up with speedy Haven Moses over the top again and again. A greedy passer who was never scared to try to eat huge chunks of yardage at a time, Morton thrice led the league in yards per pass and twice led all passers in yards per completion. His big play ability helped guide both the Cowboys and the Broncos to the Super Bowl. ^[5]Among qualifying QBs, Morton ranks 66th in value over average (1789) and 70th in TAYP+ (104).

857. Bernie Kosar (1985-1996)
Quarterback
Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys

Kosar doesn’t seem to be fondly remembered outside of Cleveland, but he was a legitimately great player for a solid half decade. Despite not having a stellar supporting cast on offense, he produced solid numbers from 1986-92 (sans 1990). His play helped turn around the sad sack Browns and turn them into contenders in the late eighties. He only made one Pro Bowl, and he never earned an all pro nod. However, in 1987, Kosar had the highest passing DVOA and DYAR, highest ANY/A, and highest TAY/P and VAL of any quarterback. Despite playing at an MVP level, the discussion that year revolved around names like Elway, Montana, and Rice. ^[6]Among qualifying QBs, Kosar ranks 62nd in value over average (2007) and 71st in TAYP+ (104).

856. Bob Trumpy (1968-1977)
Tight End
Cincinnati Bengals

Standing at 6’6″ and with pretty good speed, Trumpy almost always presented defenses with a matchup problem. He had a fairly lean build but was still an adequate blocker. However, having him stay in to block was a waste of his receiving talent. With his long build and sure hands, he easily plucked passes out of the air, regardless of the coverage. Trumpy’s 1969 campaign is one of my favorite ever from a tight end. Working with rookie phenom Greg Cook, Trumpy put up 835 yards and 9 touchdowns on just 37 receptions (22.6 YPC for those too busy to do the math). ^[7]His 1350 TRY is among the best seasons ever from a true tight end.

855. Jay Novacek (1985-1995)
Tight End
Dallas Cowboys, St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals

Novacek was a pretty good tight end with the Cardinals but really came into his own after joining the Dynasty Cowboys. Similar to Jones with the 49ers, he wasn’t physically imposing or particularly gifted athletically (for an NFL player, not for a human). However, he possessed great football intellect, consistently able to get open against any type of coverage. Novacek also had some of the best hands in the history of the position. Whenever Aikman couldn’t find Irvin open downfield, Novacek was there to give his quarterback the opportunity to gain positive yardage. He was a three time champion and five time Pro Bowler who could have had more touchdowns in an offense not designed to let their running back ram in down the throat of the defense at the goal line.

854. Barney Chavous (1973-1985)
Defensive End
Denver Broncos

If you look at his page on Pro Football Reference, Chavous doesn’t really stand out. A mere 23 official sacks. No Pro Bowls or all pro teams. Not even an all conference selection. This is where even reference sites dedicated to preserving history can still miss the mark on great players. ^[8]This also shows how the NFL and its associated record keepers refusing to acknowledge sacks that occurred prior to 1982 can dramatically impact the legacy of a player. While he moved all over the defensive line and assumed many roles and responsibilities over his long career, Chavous was primarily an end in a 3-4 base. In the Orange Crush ecosystem, he played a difficult two-gap assignment that required both patience and fast reactions. He proved more than capable, playing under control and freeing up bigger names like Jackson and Gradishar, while also dragging down opposing passers 75 times.

853. Adrian Wilson (2001-2012)
Safety
Arizona Cardinals

Wilson was one of the most impressive physical specimens ever to grace the safety position – big, athletic, and powerful. He wasn’t the first safety to play in a tweener role as a linebacker hybrid, but he was one of the finest and excelled in that area before it became a sought after position. Partly because he didn’t post gaudy interception totals, he didn’t get as much postseason recognition as he probably deserved. In 2005, for instance, he had eight sacks and 10 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Those are insane number for a safety. Wilson finished his career with 27 interceptions and 25.5 sacks, a feat only a handful of other players in history have (officially) matched. ^[9]Cardinals fans would claim Larry Wilson is the only member of the 50-50 club, but I have yet to find evidence of him exceeding 21 career sacks. Other members unofficially include Sam Huff (30 picks, … Continue reading

852. Brandon Graham (2010-Present)
Defensive End
Philadelphia Eagles

With 2:16 remaining in Super Bowl LII, the Patriots faced 2nd and 2 on their own 33 yard line. Everyone knew how it would end – with Tom Brady heroically leading his team to a last minute touchdown to defeat the underdog Eagles. Instead, Brandon Graham beat guard Shaq Mason and got his hand up to strip sack the Golden Boy and set up a Philadelphia field goal. That play made Graham a hero, but prior to that, he flew under the radar  because he has never had a season with double digit sacks and still only has 51 in 143 career games. However, he has consistently generated pressure like a madman, making life hard on passers even if he didn’t bring them down. In fact, Graham has pressured quarterbacks on 15% of his pass rush opportunities. Among players with at least 1500 pass rush snaps since 2010, only Von Miller, Cameron Wake, and Aaron Donald pester the passer at a higher rate. Graham has reached this level by beating his man as an edge rusher and as a tackle in sub packages. ^[10]Graham was playing defensive tackle on the play that made him an Eagles legend.

851. Brian Sipe (1974-1985)
Quarterback
Cleveland Browns, New Jersey Generals, Jacksonville Bulls

Often undermanned against tough opponents in the AFC Central, and playing his home games with the wilds winds whipping off cold Lake Erie, Sipe was a big play threat who generally kept his turnover numbers low. He played from behind more often than he probably would have preferred, but he led the league in game winning drives in both 1979 and 1980, picking up consensus all pro honors and an MVP award in the latter. A few years later, he ranked fourth in the NFL in touchdown passes and then moved on to spend two unmemorable seasons in the USFL. Sipe wasn’t all that athletic, he didn’t have a big arm, and he wasn’t a pinpoint passer, but he was just good enough at everything to play at a high level with the right coaching. ^[11]Among qualified QBs, Sipe ranks 87th in VAL (1013) and 67th in TAYP+ (104).