10 thinnest position groups in the NFL
Here, theScore identifies - in no particular order - the 10 thinnest position groups on either side of the ball entering the 2020 NFL campaign.
Jaguars' quarterbacks| QB |
|---|
| Gardner Minshew |
| Mike Glennon |
| Josh Dobbs |
| Jake Luton |
Minshew obliterated expectations as a sixth-round rookie last season, but the sample size isn't large enough to coin him a franchise quarterback yet. Behind Minshew, the Jaguars signed Glennon, a veteran of 22 career starts - most of them horror shows. Dobbs and Luton don't offer much upside and could be on the chopping block when the Jaguars trim their roster in the preseason.
Eagles' running backs| RB |
|---|
| Miles Sanders |
| Boston Scott |
| Corey Clement |
| Elijah Holyfield |
| Michael Warren |
| Adrian Killins Jr. |
The Eagles want Sanders to be their answer at running back, but they have little insurance if he goes down or fails to progress in 2020. Scott began last season on the practice squad and is now Philadelphia's top option after Sanders. Though he impressed in limited action last year, the 5-foot-6 scatback isn't built for an every-down role. Clement is a valuable role player but isn't dynamic enough to be featured. The bottom half of the depth chart is stacked with bubble guys.
Seahawks' defensive tackles
Mitchell Leff / Getty Images Sport / Getty| DT |
|---|
| Jarran Reed |
| Poona Ford |
| Demarcus Christmas |
| Bryan Mone |
| Cedrick Lattimore |
| Josh Avery |
Though Reed and Ford are adequate starters, neither is spectacular. The former is looking to rebound from a poor year on and off the field, while the latter has never offered value in passing situations. After those two, the Seahawks' depth teeters off considerably. Christmas, Mone, Lattimore, and Avery are all first- or second-year players; Christmas - a sixth-round pick in 2019 - is the only one of those four to even be drafted.
Redskins' receivers| WR | TE |
|---|---|
| Terry McLaurin | Jeremy Sprinkle |
| Kelvin Harmon | Hale Hentges |
| Steven Sims Jr. | Richard Rodgers |
| Trey Quinn | Logan Thomas |
| Antonio Gandy-Golden | |
| Cody Latimer |
McLaurin turned heads as a rookie last season, overcoming substandard quarterback play to haul in 58 catches for 919 yards and seven touchdowns. But he's a lone glimmer of hope. Nobody else in the Redskins' receiving corps even touched 400 yards in 2019. Washington would love Gandy-Golden, a fourth-round pick out of Liberty, to emerge as another threat, but that's quite a lot to ask given the transition he's making from a non-Power 5 college program.
Panthers' defensive backs| CB | S |
|---|---|
| Donte Jackson | Tre Boston |
| Troy Pride Jr. | Juston Burris |
| Cole Luke | Jeremy Chinn |
| Corn Elder | Kenny Robinson |
| Stantley Thomas-Oliver | T.J. Green |
The Panthers look to be in serious defensive trouble after allowing James Bradberry to walk in free agency and releasing Eric Reid. The team is currently slated to start Pride, a fourth-round rookie, opposite Jackson at cornerback. Carolina has plenty of youth in the secondary, but it lacks a star who can alleviate some of the pressure on the young players when they're thrust into prominent roles.
Bengals' offensive line
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty| LT | LG | C | RG | RT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonah Williams | Michael Jordan | Trey Hopkins | Xavier Su'a-Filo | Bobby Hart |
| Hakeem Adeniji | Alex Redmond | Billy Price | O'Shea Dugas | Isaiah Prince |
It's baffling that Cincinnati didn't use a Day 2 draft pick on an offensive lineman considering it doesn't have a single quality starter established up front. The Bengals are hoping for a big year from Williams, who's penciled in at left tackle after missing his entire rookie season following shoulder surgery. There isn't much reason for optimism at the other four spots, where the presumed starters have been liabilities more than assets throughout their pro careers.
Giants' edge rushers| EDGE |
|---|
| Kyler Fackrell |
| Oshane Ximines |
| Lorenzo Carter |
| Chris Peace |
A porous edge presence contributed to the Giants' defensive woes in 2019 and doesn't look to be vastly improved entering 2020. At this point, New York has essentially swapped Fackrell for Markus Golden, who had 10 sacks a year ago and was easily the Giants' best pass-rusher. It's possible New York brings back Golden, who's still a free agent. But with or without him, it's difficult to envision this core of edge rushers emerging as an intimidating unit.
Buccaneers' running backs| RB |
|---|
| Ronald Jones II |
| Ke'Shawn Vaughn |
| Dare Ogunbowale |
| T.J. Logan |
| Raymond Calais |
Despite noticeable improvements from his rookie to sophomore seasons, Jones still doesn't look to be the featured running back the Buccaneers desire. Tampa Bay added Vaughn in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft, but it's hard to know what the Vanderbilt product will bring to the table upon arrival. Ogunbowale and Logan have never shown themselves to be capable of thriving in high-usage roles, while Calais will likely be limited to special teams if he makes the roster as a seventh-round rookie.
Texans' defensive backs
Mark Brown / Getty Images Sport / Getty| CB | S |
|---|---|
| Bradley Roby | Justin Reid |
| Gareon Conley | Eric Murray |
| Vernon Hargreaves | Michael Thomas |
| Lonnie Johnson Jr. | Shalom Luani |
| John Reid | |
| Phillip Gaines | |
| Keion Crossen |
One of the most deficient defensive units in the league last year added nothing of significance this offseason. Instead, the Texans arguably downgraded at safety by signing Murray and cutting Tashaun Gipson. Roby is coming off a solid campaign but isn't suited to serve as any team's No. 1 cornerback. Conley and Hargreaves were mid-season pickups in 2019, and neither stood out when given opportunities to shine. Houston is counting on a great deal of internal development in its defensive backfield.
Patriots' quarterbacks| QB |
|---|
| Jarrett Stidham |
| Brian Hoyer |
| Brian Lewerke |
| J'Mar Smith |
All the starting experience in the Patriots' quarterback room belongs to Hoyer, who's proven to be a liability beyond short stretches in relief. As they prepare for the new season, the Patriots appear set on allowing Stidham, a former fourth-round pick with four career pass attempts in the NFL, to win the starting job. New England added Lewerke and Smith as undrafted free agents, but they're more likely to battle for a spot on the practice squad than anything else.
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