PFF Saints Depth Chart Paints a Clear, Glaring Need (1 Viewer)

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I am a huge fan of PFF’s analytics and play by play grading system. Below are the notable grades for the Saints roster.

Not certain how PFF defines its grades, but I will qualify every as such:

> 79.9 = Quality NFL Starter
69.9 - 79.8 = Above Replacement Level
59.9 - 69.8 = Replacement Level
< 58.8. = Necessary to Replace
QB:
Drew Brees - 91.2

RB:
Alvin Kamara - 69.9
Latavius Murray - 73.9


WR:
Michael Thomas - 90.4
Emmanuel Sanders - 78.4
Tre’Quan Smith - 64.4

TE:
Jared Cook - 75.9

Terron Armstead - 80.0
Andrus Peat - 49.7
Erik McCoy - 76.2
Larry Warford - 73.1

Ryan Ramcyzk - 91.0
Nick Eason - 49.3

Other:
Taysom Hill - 84.1

DL:
Cameron Jordan - 87.6
Marcus Davenport - 84.1

Trey Hendrickson - 63.3
Sheldon Rankins - 65.6

David Onyemata - 55.5
Malcom Brown - 68.2

LB:
Demario Davis - 90.1
Kiko Alonso - 70.9
Craig Robertson - 57.6
Alex Anzalone - 49.1


DB:
Marshon Lattimore - 68.0
Janoris Jenkins - 68.8
Malcolm Jenkins - 68.6

Marcus Williams - 87.3
Patrick Robinson - 62.0
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson - 72.7

In utilizing these numbers, I would say it’s important to use perspective. Obviously, Kamara & Lattimore stand out as players that played at a fringe replacement level in 2019, but should certainly be leaned on to be better in 2020. The depth in the secondary is encouraging, but it would not be unwise to add some talent.

This illustration paints a clear and obvious hole at LG. Andrus Peat is a liability and I am hopeful it’s addressed soon..
 
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If anything, those numbers show how subjective PFF is.

The numbers for Lattimore and Williams don’t make sense. A few others seem off as well.

I know PFF discussed their grading a few years ago when I first really started reading their grading and basically the way it works is on a play by play basis. If you do your job successfully for 9 plays and then get burnt like Jim Nantz toast on the 10th, you’ll have a good grade even though you spend several plays a game looking like a liability.

To me this just shows that along with giving up the one obvious awful play constantly, Peat also struggles on a play to play basis. He’s absolutely a major concern. I hope he improves, but it would be wise to prepare in case he doesn’t.
 
If anything, those numbers show how subjective PFF is.

The numbers for Lattimore and Williams don’t make sense. A few others seem off as well.
Marcus Williams? What's wrong with his grade? A bad play or two doesn't kill a player's grade. The secondary as a whole has allowed significantly less deep balls since Williams took over at FS.
 
Agree with em on all but Williams.
And as others have stated Peat is now here into eternity so we might as well just let it go.
Ya know on second thought I think the dead money from cutting Peat would protect the QB better than he does so maybe there is still hope that he gets cut.
 
It looks like the Front Offices grading of Peat significantly differs from their analytics on him.. as evidenced via the Long term deal.. maybe the Saints staff factored in what his play looks like when healthy, and that he played through injuries most of 2019.. I really hope Peat can get back to what his 2017 tape looked like...

Agreed that Linebacker is the weakest position on the Team, especially with the departure of Klein who was solid but unspectacular.. and the unreliability and volatility of Alex's health.

Interesting to see Onyemeta being our lowest graded DL by them.. I did think for stretches that Tuttle and Brown outplayed him last season but certainly he is better than a 55.5? If Rankins can stay healthy next season that should take the pressure off of Onyemeta to not have to be an Interior pass rusher which is not where he does well, and will let him better focus on just being a 2-gap double team absorber which is where he excels...
 
It looks like the Front Offices grading of Peat significantly differs from their analytics on him.. as evidenced via the Long term deal.. maybe the Saints staff factored in what his play looks like when healthy, and that he played through injuries most of 2019.. I really hope Peat can get back to what his 2017 tape looked like...

Agreed that Linebacker is the weakest position on the Team, especially with the departure of Klein who was solid but unspectacular.. and the unreliability and volatility of Alex's health.

Interesting to see Onyemeta being our lowest graded DL by them.. I did think for stretches that Tuttle and Brown outplayed him last season but certainly he is better than a 55.5? If Rankins can stay healthy next season that should take the pressure off of Onyemeta to not have to be an Interior pass rusher which is not where he does well, and will let him better focus on just being a 2-gap double team absorber which is where he excels...

Defensive tackle has gotta be a hard position to grade for any analytics system. What’s a successful play? If you shoot a gap, eat two blocks and a linebacker cleans up, you didn’t “make the play” but you certainly did your job. I think these numbers show that we’ve got quality edge guys, because they’re consistently isolated and easier to grade and they’re highly touted. Not sure I would put much stock into the interior defensive linemen.

I think LB & OG are the biggest holes on the roster.
 
I am a huge fan of PFF’s analytics and play by play grading system. Below are the notable grades for the Saints roster.

Not certain how PFF defines its grades, but I will qualify every as such:

> 79.9 = Quality NFL Starter
69.9 - 79.8 = Above Replacement Level
59.9 - 69.8 = Replacement Level
< 58.8. = Necessary to Replace
QB:
Drew Brees - 91.2

RB:
Alvin Kamara - 69.9
Latavius Murray - 73.9


WR:
Michael Thomas - 90.4
Emmanuel Sanders - 78.4
Tre’Quan Smith - 64.4

TE:
Jared Cook - 75.9

Terron Armstead - 80.0
Andrus Peat - 49.7
Erik McCoy - 76.2
Larry Warford - 73.1

Ryan Ramcyzk - 91.0
Nick Eason - 49.3

Other:
Taysom Hill - 84.1

DL:
Cameron Jordan - 87.6
Marcus Davenport - 84.1

Trey Hendrickson - 63.3
Sheldon Rankins - 65.6

David Onyemata - 55.5
Malcom Brown - 68.2

LB:
Demario Davis - 90.1
Kiko Alonso - 70.9
Craig Robertson - 57.6
Alex Anzalone - 49.1


DB:
Marshon Lattimore - 68.0
Janoris Jenkins - 68.8
Malcolm Jenkins - 68.6

Marcus Williams - 87.3
Patrick Robinson - 62.0
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson - 72.7

In utilizing these numbers, I would say it’s important to use perspective. Obviously, Kamara & Lattimore stand out as players that played at a fringe replacement level in 2019, but should certainly be leaned on to be better in 2020. The depth in the secondary is encouraging, but it would not be unwise to add some talent.

This illustration paints a clear and obvious hole at LG. Andrus Peat is a liability and I am hopeful it’s addressed soon..

We are just going to have to hope Peat improves. The guy is loaded with talent he just hasn't put it together in the last 5 years. Perhaps it's a mental hurdle and this gives him the confidence he needs. I'm not going to stay negative about it, the deal is done.

Lattimores grade isn't bad at all. PFF grades need to be understood. A #1 shadow corner grade cant be read the same as an average corner filling zones. Corner grades are also one of their most unstable year to year. Some bad luck on well contested catches can really swing things.

I feel like Onyemata had a down year as the grade reflects. I think he'll bounce back. Unfortunately with how much we paid him he has to bounce back, and improve a bit. I think having a healty Rankins will get him going. I heard he ended the year really well according to PFF grades so that's a good sign. To add some perspective, he was a 80+ player last year.

Linebacker has health issues but not talent issues. Anzalone graded well in years with some playing time.
 
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Defensive tackle has gotta be a hard position to grade for any analytics system. What’s a successful play? If you shoot a gap, eat two blocks and a linebacker cleans up, you didn’t “make the play” but you certainly did your job. I think these numbers show that we’ve got quality edge guys, because they’re consistently isolated and easier to grade and they’re highly touted. Not sure I would put much stock into the interior defensive linemen.

I think LB & OG are the biggest holes on the roster.
By far. Agreed.
 

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