NFL Position Battles: Overrated and Underrated

As training camps open across the NFL, football fans everywhere will soon be flooded with discussions of “position battles”. While there are, in some cases, some very interesting camp competitions featuring potential impact players, local newspapers and national columnists alike will try to turn some irrelevant competitions into headlines as well. Not all position battles are created equal.

Here is a breakdown of some of the most overrated, and underrated, position battles going into training camp. A lot of ink will be spilled over most of these battles, but only some will truly shape the season.

Overrated Battles:

3. Randy Moss vs. Mario Manningham – 49ers WR 2

What will the 49ers get out of Randy Moss in 2012-13?

For a guy who’s last full season in the league was utterly disappointing—and who sat out the entirety of last year—Randy Moss’ signing with the 49ers sure sparked a lot of discussion. Quickly, everybody started talking about the go-routes Moss would run, and how that would stretch the field beautifully for the 9ers. Manningham’s presence, meanwhile, went relatively unnoticed. While both of these guys are nice additions, 2 factors make this a vastly overrated battle: 1) San Francisco will in all likelihood remain a conservative, run-first offence, limiting the role of both Moss and Manningham; 2) Alex Smith is still the quarterback. Wide receivers are wholly dependant on their quarterbacks to get them touches, and while the 49ers tried to load up at WR this offseason, Smith remains the worst quarterback on a contending team. Moss may still be lightning fast on those go-routes, but it won’t matter if Smith can’t get the ball to him.

2. Stevan Ridley vs. Shane Vereen vs. Danny Woodhead – Patriots RB 1

Since 2005, the Patriots have had exactly 1 running back tally more than 1000 yards on the ground during the regular season (2009-10 when BenJarvus Green-Ellis totaled 1008 rushing yards). In other words, the Pats have been working with a running-back-by-committee approach for the last several seasons. Surely, 2012-13 will be no different, as New England will likely have—again—one of the best passing attacks in the game. All three of the guys vying for the starting RB spot will get touches throughout the season, while none will be a true game-changer rushing the ball. The Patriots always garner a lot of media attention, but c’mon: as long as they have Brady, Gronk, and Welker, who really cares about the starting RB?

1. David Gerrard vs. Matt Moore vs. Ryan Tannehill – Dolphins QB 1

Courtesy: AP
Will either of these guys turn the Dolphins into contenders?

The competition for the Phins’ starting QB is one of the most talked about position battles at this point. While any starting quarterback competition deserves some attention, the issue here is that none of the competitors—nor the team itself—are very good. At this point, Gerrard appears washed up, and Moore is nothing more than a journeyman. While Tannehill is the Dolphins QB of the future, the team looks to be in no rush to start him, preferring to treat him with care. Starting Tannehill seems to make sense, since the team doesn’t appear to be in a position to contend this year anyway, but it would be a surprise to see him win the battle at this point. Since the most interesting candidate is also the long shot, and since Miami will likely struggle this year, the Gerrard-Moore-Tannehill debate seems hugely overblown.

Honorable Mention: Tim Tebow vs. Mark Sanchez – Jets QB 1

Sick of hearing about these guys yet?

While the Miami quarterback competition is one of the most talked about battles in camp, the Jets quarterback competition is definitely the most talked about one. There’s one problem with that, though: Tebow vs. Sanchez isn’t a battle at all. Rex Ryan is on record saying that Sanchez “is our starting quarterback”, making it all but a certainty that the Sanchise will be under center for Week 1. While this could have been number 1 on the list of overrated position battles in 2012 with all the talk surrounding the situation, the fact that it isn’t a battle at all pushes it into honorable mention territory.

Underrated Battles:

3. Antoine Caldwell vs. Brandon Brooks – Texans RG


The Texans enter the year with a completely new right side of their offensive line. While there is a battle at the tackle position as well, the Texans' zone-blocking scheme means that the guys in the middle are hugely important. Caldwell has a handful of starts in Houston over the last three years, however Brooks – selected with pick 76 in April's draft – is a young player with a ton of upside. The Texans rely hugely on a successful run-game, so ultimately it will come down to who fares better in run-blocking. The Texans should be the class of the AFC South, but if their O-line stumbles, it isn't out of the question for the Titans to surpass them. Whoever wins the battle for right guard will play a major role for Houston this year.

2. Bill Bentley vs. Jacob Lacey vs. Alphonso Smith – Lions CB 2

Aaron Berry was supposed to be one of the Lions’ starting cornerbacks, opposite Chris Houston. But, it turns out Berry is a bit of a dirtbag, getting arrested twice this offseason, and subsequently getting released from the team. Now, the Lions will turn to one of Bentley (a rookie), Lacey (a new addition) and Smith (a player known for lapses in judgment) to fill the role. The Lions think they can compete with the Packers for the NFC North title, but a lot of that will come down to how their defense performs. Essentially, then, the winner of this competition has a chance to be a major contributor on a contending team. There may not be a big-name in the competition, but the winner will end up playing a major role in the Lions’ 2012-13 season.

1. J’Marcus Webb vs. Chris Williams – Bears LT

Courtesy: Getty Images
The Bears are hoping Chris Williams can handle the transition to Left Tackle

Much like the Lions, the Bears think they have a legitimate shot to dethrone the Packers as the class of the NFC North. Offensively, they are hoping to be more explosive, having locked up Matt Forte long-term, and having acquired Brandon Marshall from the Dolphins. Just like in the past, however, a lot of the Bears’ potential offensive success will depend on the play of their offensive line. Incumbent left tackle J’Marcus Webb has struggled mightily over the last couple years, leading Lovie Smith and co. to move Williams over from the guard position. Surely the Bears’ brass want Williams to come out of this battle as the winner, but the positional transition could prove to be a little much for the 26 year old.

Honorable Mention: Adrian Arrington vs. Nick Toon vs. Joe Morgan – Saints WR 4

Courtesy: The Times-Picayune
Adrian Arrington is the early favorite for the Saints' WR 4

I know what you’re thinking: how can a battle for a team’s 4^th receiver really be that important? Well, for most teams, the 4^th wideout is no more than an afterthought. For the Saints, however, WR 4 has a major impact. Robert Meachem, the Saints 4^th receiver a year ago, put up 40 catches for 620 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2011, showing that this position can produce impact numbers in the Saints’ system. Arrington seemingly has the early edge, but Toon is a rookie who has major upside, and Morgan is a burner who could contribute on special teams as well. Whoever wins can expect plenty of targets, and will be a key player for the Saints as they try to recover from the bounty-gate scandal.