TJ
Frank Kaminsky is my Hero.
I wont encroach on K9's trademark Heros and Goats headline, but I wanted to list the players who I felt played well and above expectations and those who struggled and played below expectations in 2017.
Stars
Scrubs
I'm likely omitting a few from both categories, so I'm eager to see how you all feel.
Stars
- Chandler Jones - Dude has lived up to his contract. It's rare to see a player sign a massive contract and subsequently get better. Led the NFL in sacks, TFLs, and was always a disruptive force in the pass rush.
- Patrick Peterson - Continues to take on the other team's best wide receiver and make them irrelevant. Business as usual.
- Larry Fitzgerald - Nothing else needs to be said, but 2nd in the league in receptions and continued improvement in the slot and blocking game is remarkable. Every season he plays after this is house money for the team and the fans
- Kerwynn Williams - Not a sexy pick, but when both DJ and AD went down, Kerwynn stepped up and improved his game. It was apparent that he became a more patient runner and was looking for holes, even though they were very small. Almost as if he learned a bit from AD
- Antoine Bethea - Everyone lamented the loss of Jefferson and Swearinger, but his presence and leadership were much welcomed to the secondary
- Phil Dawson - This won't be a popular pick; however, after a miserable start to the season, he was automatic once the likes of Gabbert and Stanton were behind center. Some of his misses/blocks can be attributed to poor blocking up front on FG and XPAs (thanks, Amos). But Dawson had 5 games of 4 or more FGs. For a while, he was literally the only one scoring points.
- Buddah Baker - Has a lot to prove as safety, but had some really awesome moments and was an absolute stud as a ST man. Phil and him had the ST play of the year IMO with the lob wedge kickoff that went to Baker against Washington.
- Josh Bynes - Late addition who proved himself to be a solid contributor from Day 1. Beat out my boy Scooby. Hope he returns.
Scrubs
- Jermane Gresham - Physical blocker and made the occasional catch, but was underwhelming most of the time and was a liability based on his emotions. I was almost certain he was going to get tossed from a game. If his contract wasn't so prohibitive, he'd be cut during the offseason, but we'll have to live with him for at least one more season.
- Justin Bethel - Not only did he struggle as CB2, but he somehow got worse on special teams. He was not in on many plays. This may be due to the emergence of Baker, but there's no reason for Bethel to be on this team anymore
- Brandon Williams - Arguably the biggest waste of a roster space on the team. What does he contribute exactly?
- Robert Nkemdiche - Whether it's lingering injuries or effort, he continues to underperform and underwhelm. He looked like Tarzan during the preseason, but played like Jane when it counted. Rarely did I hear his name or see him make an impact at the point of attack. I do think he needs to come into camp in better shape and with a better attitude. He leaves much to be desired.
- Evan Boehm - For a guy who was hyped to be a potential starter as a rookie, he proved himself to be awful and hasn't developed at all. If you can't start in front of AQ Shipley or Watford, you probably suck.
- Troy Niklas - Good news is that he was finally healthy. Bad news is he did nothing when he was on the field, which leaves him with zero excuses for not contributing. Can make an argument that he lost us the Washington game with his costly drop at the end.
- John Brown - I feel for the kid, but it seems like whatever ailment he has is lingering and has negatively impacted his explosiveness and energy. I'm rooting for the kid to have a comeback season, but not counting on it.
- JJ Nelson - Apparently found an old pair of Bryant Johnson's gloves in the locker room. So many dropped passes!!! Still can be a threat on go routes, but has to do a better job of catching the football.
I'm likely omitting a few from both categories, so I'm eager to see how you all feel.
