2018 3GML Team Previews

New England Patriots

Offense  

Quarterback:

Dak Prescott

Overall - 82

Best feature to use in 2018:  87 Play Action Rating

Prescott leads a team that won only 4 games in 2017 but can easily double that moving forward. Last season he didn’t use his legs much and that’s something that will likely change in the 2018 season. He has a strong 82 speed, 86 acceleration, and 87 play action rating that can become extremely useful in getting on the edge and being a dual threat. Last year he took a step back from his rookie campaign in the real NFL and it cost him. Moving into year 3 with a trio of capable backs behind him for the Pats, means you can expect a jump from him this season, with 4000 yards and 400 rushing yards as a possibility.

With his backup as late round Kyle Lauletta as his only safety blanket though, the entire season rests on Prescott being healthy, if he’s not this team is doomed.

Running Back:

Alvin Kamara

Dion Lewis

Alex Collins

I love this 3 headed monster backfield led by stud Alvin Kamara. The two all-purpose backs in Lewis and Kamara are a nightmare to defend and the underrated Collins could end up being the battering ram that leads this team to a winning record and a shot at the playoffs.

Kamara

Overall - 88

Best feature to use in 2018: 83 Short Route Running

While the team can use Lewis and Collins to ease the burden the starter and someone who could easily find his way into the MVP discussion is Kamara. He’s a guy who can without a doubt if he’s healthy find his way to 100 scrimmage yards per game. His 83 short route running will give linebackers nightmares when they try to cover him. He has good speed at 90 and good acceleration at 93, but his ability to create space and mostly whether or not he can carry a full load will go a long way in determining how far this team goes in 2018.

Wide Receiver: 

Julio Jones

Jermaine Kearse

Malcolm Mitchell 

JJ Nelson

The team will go as far as Julio Jones can take them this season offensively. Jones is one of the elite players in the Madden universe. In 2017 with New England, Jones managed only 857 yards and 6 touchdowns, this year look for Jones to increase those by 50% as the team becomes more familiar in the second year in the league. Kearse will get single covered consistently so he could become a viable weapon. Mitchell and Nelson are burners who will look to use their speed on deep routes to create space for the two dynamic pass catching running backs underneath. 

Jones -

Overall: 98

Best Feature to use in 2018: 98 Catch in Traffic

Jones is the 8th rated overall player in Madden 18 and his 98 catch in traffic is a dominant feature. If this team wants to challenge for the playoffs, the best thing this offense can do is throw 4 or 5 bombs to Julio per contest. 

Kearse - 

Overall: 83

Best Feature to use in 2018: 90 Speed

If you look at the underlying numbers with Kearse they are borderline number 1 numbers. He’s a sneaky good player and a tremendous number two to Jones. I would’t be surprised to see him haul in 700 yards worth of catches in a 3GML league with only 11 minute quarters, he’s one of the more under rated players in this league and a reason people are scared of how good the Patriots general manager is at managing personnel.

Tight Ends:

Eric Ebron

Ebron - 

Overall: 84

Best Feature to use in 2018: 85 Jump

Ebron has been a disappointment overall in the real NFL but he has a chance to shine for the 2018 Pats. Ebron’s speed as a tight end is always been noted and feared but with deep route runners on the outside, Ebron in the seam using is 85 jump could be dynamic. 

The tight ends here are weak and shallow for this unit. While Ebron is scary as a  pass catcher, he does drop the ball consistently and backup or number two tight end Michael Roberts is a 73 overall and Ebron is a 58 run blocker. This team will likely look to add another tight end on the free agent wire before the season begins. 

Offensive Line:

Marcus Gilchrist T

Ja’wuan James T

Andrew Norwell G

Ben Jones C

Josh Kline G

James Daniels G/C/T

An underrated unit with 6 guys who can play and some sneaky guys developing behind it. The unit isn’t dynamic but it’s damn solid and Norwell is a beast who got paid like one this offseason.

Gilbert - Overall 86 Run Block: 85 Pass Block: 86

James - Overall 84 Run Block: 72 Pass Block: 87

Norwell -Overall 91 Run Block: 87 Pass Block: 92

Kline -    Overall 80 Run Block: 72 Pass Block: 83

Jones -  Overall 80 Run Block: 79 Pass Block: 81

Daniels - Overall 74 Run Block: 79 Pass Block: 79

This is a good unit with all 5 guys who are projected to start with pass block grades at 81 or above. Norwell is the beast of the unit with a pass block grade that is 6th in the entire Madden Universe. While the run blocking isn’t great on this unit, including a very below average 72 for Kline, the team should provide solid pass blocking for Prescott and crew moving into 2018.

Defense

Edge:

Bradley Chubb

Carl Lawson

Alex Okafor

This three headed monster will likely be the 3 guys who see playing time consistently this season. The big piece to this puzzle is Chubb, who projects as a dominant edge rusher. Lawson ended up being a great addition and Okafor can flash big play ability. The team needs production from these guys this year and in a year or two it’ll be strength of this team, right now it’s developing but is likely not good enough immediately.

Chubb -

Overall: 80

Best feature to use in 2018: 85 Finesse Move

Chubb is going to eventually be someone to be feared and a player that will likely find his way into the 90s in Madden. However, madden hates rookies so we’ll see. I think he’s the front runner for defensive rookie of the year in the Madden Universe though and I wouldn’t be surprised to see 8-10 sacks this season.

Interior Line:

Damon Harrison

A’Shawn Robinson

Snacks Harrison is a freaking stud and in this league facing off against the interior line of the Jets and the dive happy Todd Gurley led Bills, having Harrison is huge, not only in stature but in terms of impact.

Harrison -

Overall: 95

Best Feature to use in 2018: 93 strength

Harrison is a dominant run defender and he’ll need to be for this team to take the big step forward in 2018. If he goes down this defense won’t be nearly the same, he could be the most valuable piece on this team other than Prescott and Julio Jones. He eats up blockers like cold cuts.

Linebackers:

Reuben Foster

Danny Trevathan

Treamaine Edmunds

Demario Davis

This is a damn scary linebackers corps and the strength of this team. Foster and Trevathan were studs last year in 2017 3GML season, both racking up 100+ tackles and Foster actually finishing 9th in MVP voting. The team didn’t stop adding players though picking up #2 overall rated player according to tbhague in the 2018 draft in athletic freak Edmunds. Demario Davis wraps up a 4 headed monster that could be the best unit in the AFC East.

Foster: 87 overall

Davis: 85 overall

Trevathan: 84 overall

That unit is nasty and their speed is gross. Edmunds was grossly underrated but in 2019 Madden its likely this will be the best unit in the NFL. In 2018 it’s close. Super scary linebacking corps

Secondary:

CB Marshon Lattimore

CB Ronald Darby

CB Rashaan Melvin

FS Marcus Williams

SS Morgan Burnett

3S Derwin James

Nobody talks about this secondary when they are taking about great units in 3GML but this could be a great secondary this upcoming season. Lattimore and Darby are studs outside, and while the safeties aren’t elite they are very solid. This team in dime if they can get the lead could be exceptional. 

Lattimore:

Overall: 90

Best Feature to use in 2018: Press 90

Perhaps the most valuable player to come out of the 2017 draft class is right here. Lattimore is a true shut down corner and having him play that elite press coverage moving forward is scary. Coupling him with Darby and Melvin both at 86 overall grades is intimidating to say the least.

Burnett and Williams are both 84’s and James is an 80 as a rookie. The team has 6 secondary players rated at 80 or above and 5 rated at 84 and above. Scary unit with a shutdown guy out there.

Special Teams:

Dan Bailey - 80

Michael Dickson - 77

These guys are good solid players and won’t cause any issues. Bailey is accurate and Dickson is likely going to be a pro-bowler eventually.

Overall the team is really solid:

Prescott is average at quarterback but he’s not going to hurt you, you have a 3 headed monster in the backfield that is pretty dynamic. Julio Jones is a top 10 player in the league overall. Your offensive line can really pass protect but run blocking is only going to be so-so. The line on defense is okay but very young and needs some time to get seasoned, the back 7 on defense is dynamic and scary and well above average. This team is probably going to have a winning record this season. That said the lack of depth at playmaker other than Jones, a below average run blocking unit up front, and the necessity for Prescott to play all 16 games, coupled with youth on the defensive front means that the team is probably capped at a run for a playoff spot and not a deep run into those playoffs. 2019 is the year this team could contend for a Lombardi Trophy, but they need to take a step forward in 2018 to use as a jumping off point.  This team will compete for a Wild-Card spot as long as Prescott stays healthy.

Miami Dolphins

Offense  

Quarterback:

Ryan Tannehill

This year is massive for Tannehill and his future with the organization. He fits the scheme employed by their head coach in a ball control, keep away, don’t make mistakes offense but can he make the throws and limit the turnovers enough to be successful? The team will find a veteran to backup Tannehill this offseason as they cut Osweiler this past week.

Tannehill -

Overall: 78 (29th overall)

Best skill to use in 2018: 84 Deep Ball Accuracy (5th overall)

Tannehill isn’t a good overall quarterback in Madden, ranking behind backups Nick Foles, Lamar Jackson, and Baker Mayfield. That said he’s a tremendous deep ball thrower, with an 84 rating. The team is likely to struggle to stay in games unless conservative Adam Gase opens up his playbook and throws bombs with the capable former Aggie wide receiver.

Running Back:

Kenyan Drake

Kalen Ballage

The team lacks any depth here as neither of these guys has any experience being a primary back. The teams offense is extremely running back friendly with a running back finishing in the top 5 in MVP voting each of the past 3 seasons with battering ram Chris Ivory actually taking home MVP honors. If Drake can establish himself as a bell-cow perhaps the Dolphins won’t finish in the cellar in 2018.

Drake -

Overall: 82

Best skill to use in 2018: 84 injury

If Drake’s injury number, which is a paltry 84, comes into play in 2018 the team won’t have any shot at balance and Tannehill will have to try to run the show himself. It would spell disaster to a team who is wanting to try to sneak into the playoffs with a terrible roster.

Wide Receiver:

Devante Parker

Kenny Stills

Albert Wilson

Kind of a unit built around Tannehill’s ability to throw the deep ball, all 3 players come in with 91 speed or above, led by Stills at a 92. The team drops too many passes and struggles to consistently separate underneath but going deep is not a problem for this trio.

Stills:

Overall: 84

Best trait to use in 2018: 92 speed

Stills has always been able to do one thing exceptionally well and that is catch the deep ball. He’s a big time deep threat who will need to come up with some big time plays and a high yards per catch average this season in order to give this team a shot. It’s probably the last chance for Parker in Miami this year.

Tight End:

Mike Gesicki

Arguably the most important position consistently for the Dolphins over the past 3 seasons has been the tight end spot and this year the team’s cupboard is bare. While Gesicki is a freak athlete he’s a rookie and very raw without blocking skills so the team will likely address finding someone on the waiver wire before the season starts.

Gesicki - 

Overall: 77

Best trait to use in 2018: 88 Acceleration

Gesicki is a former stud volleyball player who is a truly freaky athlete. He has great speed and leaping ability but he struggles to block in an offense that is designed for that. This year will be a learning experience but he could see a ton of targets in an offense without many weapons.

Offensive Line:

Laremy Tunsil

Dion Dawkins

Daniel Kilgore

Matt Asiata

Marcus Cannon

This offensive line is going to get whooped up on this year and it’s going to be bad. Cannon isn’t a bad player and posts a very good 88 run blocking grade, but damn the rest of this line is rough. Dawkins and Tunsil might develop into good players but 77 is below average for Madden and these guys are your quality starters. 

Tunsil:     Overall 77 Run Block: 73 Pass Block: 80

Dawkins: Overall 77 Run Block: 83 Pass Block: 78

Kilgore:   Overall 73 Run Block: 75 Pass Block: 75

Asiata:     Overall 67 Run Block: 77 Pass Block: 72

Cannon:   Overall 82 Run Block: 88 Pass Block: 77

It’s pretty obvious this team will go out and sign someone to replace Asiata but even then this might the weakest unit in the 3GML universe this season. The pass blocking on this unit isn’t going to get it done and with average running backs it could be a very rough season this year. Asiata is graded as the worst starter in the AFC East and Kilgore is likely the second worst, them trying to block Aaron Donald, Snacks Harrison, and Geno Atkins is going to be kind of gross.

Defense:

Edge:

Robert Quinn

William Hayes

Charles Harris

This team might be decent here off the edge with this trio. Hayes is drastically underrated player and Quinn has been able to rush the passer for years. The team went into rebuild mode the second the Jets offered up way too much to get stud Cameron Wake. The team likely felt comfortable with Charles Harris development and pulled the trigger.

Hayes:

Overall: 87

Best trait to use in 2018: 85 power

Hayes is a really underrated player who could have a nice impact in 2018. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him use good power and savvy to rack up close to double digit sacks.

Interior:

Davon Godcheaux

Jordan Phillips

Vincent Taylor

This unit is awful and they are gonna get demolished. They have to add two dudes or they will give up 2500 yards rushing.

I’m not even going to do a player spotlight. Phillips could develop but he’s a 74 right now and he’s tabbed to start and play 60 snaps per game.

Linebackers:

Shaq Thompson

Jatavis Brown

Raekwon McMillan

Jerome Baker

This quartet gives you something to get excited about. The team jettisoned oft-injured and overpaid Kiko Alonso and traded for Thompson and Brown, while spending a 3rd round pick on the athletic Baker. This unit could be very good in a couple of seasons and provides hope to a bad Dolphins roster.

Thompson:

Overall: 80

Best trait to use in 2018: 86 acceleration

Thompson is a sideline to sideline tackler and will likely make a ton of plays for this defense. For a unit that will likely be on the field a ton in 2018, if Thompson plays the middle there’s a chance he leads the AFC East in tackles. That said he’s not great in coverage despite his speed and acceleration so some good tight ends could end up giving him fits.

Secondary:

SS Reshad Jones

NB Minkah Fitzpatrick

FS TJ McDonald

CB Tony Lippett

CB Xavien Howard

CB Brice McCain

This isn’t a terrible unit and it’s led by the team’s only 90+ player in Jones who clocks in at a 91. No other member of this secondary is above 79 but none are below 75 either. Fitzpatrick will be a versatile stud and can play any role you want him to back there which is what they will use him for. McDonald only has a 64 rating in zone but his 93 acceleration is a useful tool.

Jones:

Overall: 91

Best trait to use in 2018: 88 zone coverage

Jones is an absolute stud and leads the team in overall player rating. He’s someone who can do everything and he and Fitzpatrick on the back end is a tremendous start. 

Specialists:

K - Sanders 73

P - Haack 80

Haack is a good punter but Sanders is a below average kicker, wouldn’t be surprised to see a move there at some point early in the year.

Overall:

It’s possible this is the worst roster in the NFL. The team has more players who are starting rated in the 70s than any other team in the league. Tannehill is the 29th rated quarterback and they have a well below average offensive line, the worst pair of defensive tackles in the league, and only one player above 80 in their secondary. The team lacks depth, playmakers, and a long term plan and their best option to compete in the future is to not compete in 2018. Sell off any pieces worth selling, maintain your 2019 compensatory pick as a first rounder because of cap space and take your beating this season in a completely stacked 3GML.

Buffalo Bills

Offense  

Quarterback:

Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers is alone on this list as the team doesn’t have a backup. However Rodgers is an absolute stud and one of only 7 “perfect” players in the game coming in with a 99 rating. He’s coming off a 3GML campaign where he set a league record with 30 touchdown passes. With the new additions at wide receiver there’s a chance Rodgers surpasses 30 in 2018. The entire season for Buffalo comes down to if he can stay healthy though. With no backup on the roster the team will likely go to someone who is in the low 70s to try to ride through a rough time. We all remember the debacle that was EJ Manual. 

Rodgers:

Overall: 99

Best trait to use in 2018: 97 throw on the run

Rodgers is at his best when he’s moving around and this year he’s going to have to. He’s the best at making big plays out of the pocket and while Buffalo’s offense the past 3 years has had almost none of that, Rodgers staying healthy is the most important part for this team to challenge the Super Bowl Champion Jets. If he can stay healthy Rodgers will likely break every league passing record this year, and I can almost guarantee that.

Running back:

Todd Gurley

Legarette Blount

Gurley is a freaking monster. The 2015 3GML MVP is coming off a down year with an offense that struggled to find balance. He didn’t come up with 1000 yards but still scored 11 touchdowns. After an enormous year in the real NFL where he challenged for MVP honors Gurley should have a huge bounce back campaign in 2018 and is currently second in preseason MVP odds. Blount got a huge bump in ratings this year and comes in as the league’s best backup as an 87. This is a scary duo.

Gurley:

Overall: 92

Best trait to use in 2018: 94 agility

Gurley if he can stay healthy is a serious threat to win MVP honors like he did his rookie season in the 3GML universe. He’s a dual threat and his speed and power combination is dynamic. However, he’s spent time on the shelf each of the past two seasons in our Madden league and he comes in with an extremely low 81 injury rating. Look for Gurley to miss multiple games this year in Madden and former 3GML Jet Blount to get a lot of action. 

Wide Receivers:

Brandin Cooks

Jordy Nelson

Danny Amendola

Juju Smith-Schuster

Josh Doctson

This is a really insanely good unit. The Bills love to throw the football and this is why after David Johnson and Gurley that Rodgers is 3rd in preseason MVP voting. The team went out and really got after the going all in mentality this year trading in division for Cooks, paying Nelson and adding quietly good Amendola to two youngsters who can absolutely contribute. This is far an away the best receiving corps in the AFC East and it could rival any in the NFL in 2018.

Cooks:

Overall: 87

Best trait to use in 2018: 95 Speed

The issue with Cooks last year on the Jets was that he didn’t stay healthy. If he can stay healthy this season with the Bills he could set all sorts of records in upstate New York. Now this offense typically revolves around a dynamic slot guy, look for Amendola to far outperform his fantasy draft position, the team is going to be a more multiple passing look last year and into 2018. Cooks elite speed and Rodgers ability to make big plays could lead Cooks to an All-Pro season.

Tight Ends:

Hunter Henry

Austin Sefarian-Jenkins

This is a good group and Henry really estabilshed himself as a 3GML nightmare last year. He was the 3GML First team all league tight end in 2017 and could find himself in that same role despite being out for the season in the real NFL in 2018. Sefarian Jenkins was a nice savvy move from a GM who decided that he wanted to push his chips to the center of the table in 2018. 

Henry:

Overall: 88

Best Trait to use in 2018: 87 Catch

Henry had over 1000 yards in 2017 3GML land. The Bills love to throw to the tight end and this guy is completely dynamic. A former 3rd rounder netted the Bills Henry in a computer trade and another 1000 yard season could be very likely for Henry in 2018.

Offensive Line:

T Ryan Ramczyk

T Jake Matthews

C Josh Sitton

G TJ Lang

G Will Hernandez

This is a damn good unit. The rookie Hernandez starts at a 78 but by seasons end will likely be somewhere in the mid 80s. Matthews is an 81 overall but the unit is led by Sitton who ranks 21st overall among lineman, Ramcyzk who ranks 24th overall, and Lang who ranks 25th overall. The trio gives the team 3 of the top 25 offensive lineman in the league. 

Sitton:         Overall 88 Run Block: 90 (8th overall) Pass Block: 87

Ramcyzk:   Overall 87 Run Block: 88 Pass Block: 87

Lang:          Overall 86 Run Block: 73 Pass Block: 88

Matthews:  Overall 81 Run Block: 86 Pass Block: 81

Hernandez: Overall 78 Run Block: 82 Pass Block: 82

The team doesn’t have a pass protector under 81 and even their 6th and 7th lineman are solid so depth is a plus here. Really good unit, maybe the second best in the NFL.

Defense

Edge:

Myles Garett

Harold Landry

Vinny Curry

The team switching to a 34 defense changes the “edge” for me but these 3 are going to be dynamic pass rushers. Garett is a freaking stud and could lead the 3GML in sacks and could end up being a DPOY candidate. Landry is a rookie who should skyrocket up ratings if he sees the field much and Curry is quietly a really solid player. This team is good here and is ascending.

Garrett: 

Overall: 88

Best trait to use in 2018: 93 strength

For a guy who plays with that much athleticism what makes him so tough to block is how powerful he is at the point of attack. There’s a chance he gets 20 sacks this season. 

Interior: 

Geno Atkins

Vita Vea

Harrison Phillips

The team switching to a 34 means that Atkins kicks to 34 defensive end. Atkins has been perhaps one of the best players in 3GML History up to this point. He has a 2nd place MVP finish and has been all league twice. Moving him to end could free him up even more to make plays. The moves to draft Vea and Phillips were applauded in draft circles and the combination of Vea and Atkins if the team can do it moving forward cap wise could create a dominant duo on the interior. Atkins is one of the most important and indispensable players in the league in 2018.

Atkins:

Overall: 91

Best trait to use in 2018: 93 power

Atkins dominates the game when he’s in there and he did it to almost win an MVP in 2016. He’s a perennial all league player and that will likely continue this year. If he’s freed up to make plays, he’ll wreck games and free up space for a linebacking corps that’s solid.

Linebackers:

Dont’a Hightower

Reggie Ragland

Zach Cunningham

Shaq Griffin

Definitely not the strength of the team and maybe the weakest point on a really damn good roster. Hightower is a good player here ranking at a nice 84. However he’s not much in coverage coming in at just a 64 in zone. Ragland and Cunningham will start somehow between them with both as 79’s and Griffin is a 72 as a rookie with 91 speed. Only two will see the field at once so this isn’t a bad group and if this is your weakest point on a team, you have a LEGIT shot at hosting a Lombardi. The only issue here is that this team can’t play zone with these guys in the middle. Hightower at 64,  Cunningham at 67, and Ragland at 62 means that they’ll get toasted if they’re in. Look for the team to utilize a TON of dime looks this season to mitigate the lack of coverage at linebacker.

Hightower:

Overall: 84

Best trait to use in 2018:  90 hit power

Hightower is a run and hit linebacker and in a division with David Johnson and Alvin Kamara you better be. Good chance if he plays in sub packages that he’ll end up with 100+ tackles and an all league selection. 

Secondary:

CB - Casey Hayward

CB -Patrick Robinson

CB - Desmond King

FS - John Johnson

SS - Jamal Adams

S - Budda Baker

DB - James Bradberry

One of the deepest units in the entire league is led by the 13th highest rated defensive back in the game in 91 Overall Casey Hayward. Robinson and King clock in at an 83 and 81 respectively to round out a really nice 3 cornerback rotation. Sophomores Adams (86) and Johnson (85) give you a secondary of really good players, all who play zone at 83 or above. Baker is someone who can play every position and is arguably the best coverage guy in the NFL on kicks and James Bradberry set a league record with almost a dozen interceptions last year. Really good unit.

Hayward:

Overall: 91 (13th best DB in football)

Best Trait to use in 2018: 93 zone coverage (8th best in football)

Hayward is a true shut down corner and his contract was a gift to the Bills. Value wise he has one of the better team-friendly deals in football. He’s someone who takes it away and can hold great players to low level gams. 

This unit is really strong, but maybe not completely dominant. In 2019 though, with the youngsters coming on, it could be perhaps the best in the NFL.

Specialists:

K Boswell

P King

King might be the 2nd best punter in the game and Boswell is a good player. Good unit here.

OVERALL:

The Buffalo Bills are going to challenge for the 2018 Super Bowl. The team has the deepest receiving corps in the game, a very solid offensive line, an MVP running back and one of only 7 percent players playing the most important position in team sports in Aaron Rodgers. I think defensively the team lacks a bit of depth in their front 7 and an injury to Hightower or Atkins would be a huge blow. That said injuries could always derail any season. If the team stays healthy and the team uses that late season push and switch to a 34 and continues down that path this team could certainly be adding their name to a plaque in the 2018 offseason.

New York Jets

Offense  

Quarterback:

Derek Carr

Lamar Jackson

This team’s offseason was a bit hectic at the quarterback position with Jackson getting taken 16th overall. The team said they’d split reps during the season but let’s be honest, in the simulations DC will be getting the snaps. Jackson’s 91 speed is going to be a really useful tool for a team that runs its quarterbacks with reckless abandon, but Carr will be getting 70% of the snaps in 2018. 

Carr:

Overall: 83

Best trait to use in 2018: 90 Awareness

Carr needs to be better in 2018 than he was in 2017. While he threw for over 2000 yards and ran for 500 more in 11 games, Carr got hurt and had 9 interceptions and 4 fumbles in those games, while missing too many throws.  He needs to play better this season, and knowing Jackson is in the wings might be the pressure he needs to excel, if not, you may see some sort of Wildcat on steroids pretty often with the electric Jackson.

Running Back:

David Johnson

Duke Johnson

Derrius Guide

Johnson and Johnson is a dynamic threat in the backfield, particularly reigning MVP David Johnson who was on pace to obliterate every record in history until he got hurt and missed 5 games to end his regular season. DJ is arguably the best player in 3GML history, amassing over 1500 scrimmage yards each season and earning an MVP award. Guice is going to see a lot of action this year as the bruiser and finisher.

David Johnson:

Overall: 93 (#2 RB)

Best trait to use in 2018: 96 Break Tackle (#1 RB)

Johnson is almost impossible to bring down. He is the odds on favorite to win MVP again behind the league’s best offensive line. With the best tackle breaking ability  in the league and 90+ speed and acceleration, coupled with great hands. If he’s healthy, he could score 30 times. Duke and Guice are good backups.

Wide Receivers:

Tyreke Hill

Jamison Crowder

Cameron Meredith

Tavon Austin

4 receivers above 80 all with elite speed is certainly how this team is built. Hill is an 87 overall but is the fastest player in the Madden Universe with a 98 speed rating. Austin’s 95 speed rating is 6th fastest in the league and Crowder isn’t a slouch with 91 speed and 92 acceleration. The team isn’t super deep here and these guys are all niche guys with Hill and Austin as demons and Crowder and Meredith very difficult possession guys. Not a tremendous strength and losing Hill would be a big blow.

Hill: 

Overall: 87

Speed: 98 (#1 overall in the game)

Hill if he’s covered one on one this season is going to be a really scary guy to defend. The offense has changed a bit this offseason in a way to try to get Carr and Jackson using their strengths which are throwing bombs and running underneath. Hill should be a 1000 yard guy easily in 2018. He’s a hugely important piece for this team.

Tight Ends:

Rob Gronkowski

Tyler Eifert 

OJ Howard

Yikes this unit is freaking scary, IFFFFFF they can stay healthy. Gronkowski is one of only 7 “99’s” in the entire game and Eifert is a damn solid 89. Howard was the offense rookie of the year in the 3GML last year so to say this is a strength of this team is an understatement. Biggest issue is that both Effect and Gronk have injury ratings in the 70s and both supposedly are on snap counts.

Gronkowski: 

Overall: 99

Best rating to use in 2018: 97 catch in traffic

Gronk is one of the 7 best players in Madden. He has the 3rd best catch in traffic and run blocks at an 83 which would put him above average as a tackle in the league… that’s scary. The issue with him is if he can stay healthy as he comes in as a 78 injury. If he can, this team will be almost impossible to beat, if he can’t. The team gave up a ton to get someone who can’t contribute. 

Offensive Line:

Marshall Yanda

Lane Johnson

Zack Martin

Travis Frederick

Orlando Brown

Forrest Lamp

This is the best individual unit group in the NFL and could go down as the best line of all time in the NFL. Frederick and Martin are tied for the 2nd best lineman in the league at 96 overalls, Yanda is 9th and Johnson is 11th, giving this team four players rated in the top 11 in the league on the line. The weak spot on the line is Brown at a 76 as a rookie or Lamp as a 78 in his second year. If a team can attack this point they will struggle. That said Brown is an 83 run and pass blocker, which both rate above average so good luck there.

Martin:       Overall 96 Run Block: 94 (#3) Pass Block: 94 (#2)

Frederick:  Overall 96 Run Block: 94 (#3) Pass Block: 91

Yanda:       Overall 92 Run Block: 94(#3) Pass Block:89

Johnson:    Overall 91 Run Block: 86 Pass Block: 90

Brown:      Overall 76 Run Block:83 Pass Block: 83

This unit is downright nasty. With 3 of the 4 best run blockers in the NFL and the worst grade an 83 from a rookie who likely will end up in the mid to high 80s by years end, this is going to be a disgusting group. The left side of this line with Yanda, Frederick, and Martin will pave huge holes and pass blocking grades above 89, coupled with Gronk’s 83 run block means that David Johnson could run for 2000 yards if Todd Bowles takes the reigns off.

Defense

Edge:

Joey Bosa

Cameron Wake

Yannick Ngokoue

A nasty trio with Bosa, Wake, and Ngokoue all capable of positing 15 sacks depending on how you want to try to block them. The team gave up a ton for Wake but the left defensive end spot on this roster has been a revolving door, including giving up league’s all time season sack leader in Vic Beasley. A great set of triplets who could combine for 50 sacks.

Bosa:

Overall: 90

Best Trait to use in 2018: 93 awareness

Bosa is a stud who is really solid against the run and the pass. The way this defense is set up Bosa has to do a lot of dirty work and take on a lot of double teams, and yet he still finds a way to post double digit sacks and make plays. He’s an unsung hero but one who will likely get a 9 figure contract soon. Wake and YN will get singled all day and could end up destroying game plans.

Interior:

Aaron Donald

Jarran Reed

Carlos Watkins

Donald is arguably the best madden player alive right now. He’s also a 99 and the second on the team along with Gronk. He’s quietly amassed 3 consecutive all league 3GML positions and this year is going to be coming for number 4. The team isn’t super deep here as Reed is a nice player but the lack of depth here could be conerning. Hankins has a big one year contract offer out for the team, we’ll see if he accepts.

Donald:

Overall: 99

Best trait to use in 2018: 90 Acceleration

The guy has 90 acceleration as a defensive tackle, its insane. Donald has wracked up 27 sacks and almost 50 TFL as a defensive tackle in 3 seasons, despite playing in multiple fronts and taking on double teams consistently. Last season Donald also dropped into coverage on 94 snaps, the most of any lineman in the league in the last 10 seasons. His speed is a unique weapon and he could be the best madden player in the NFL right now.

Linebackers:

Zach Brown

Myles Jack

Mychal Kendrick

Brandon Marshall

The team’s linebackers are an interesting group, led by Brown and his solid 87 rating and two of the best zone linebackers in the game in Jack and Kendrick. Marshall has been solid for years and this year will find himself in a “play all 3 spots as a backup” position. 

Brown: 

Overall: 88 (7th overall non-edge LB)
Best trait to use in 2018: 88 speed (7th fastest)

Brown is an extremely underrated player who the Jets decided to pay massively this offseason. He’s a tackling machine, and while his cover skills aren’t nearly as good as Jack or Brown, he’s a top 10 true linebacker in the NFL.

This group is kind of insanely fast, with Brown’s 88 speed and Kendricks and Jack both clocking in with 87 speed. Good luck throwing on this group.

Secondary:

CB - Jalen Ramsey

CB -Desmond Trufant

NB - Adoree Jackson
SS - Jordan Poyer

FS  - Kevin Byard

This is no doubt the best secondary in the NFL. Ramsey is the number 1 rated defensive back in the NFL and has an insane 96 man cover rating. Trufant is the 7th best defensive back in the NFL with a 92 man rating. Byard is an 89 safety, who led the real NFL in INT’s last year, and Poyer forced 6 turnovers last season, while amassing 95 tackles and a crazy one missed tackle. The nickel Jackson is a 94 speed, 93 acceleration guy who clocks in as a measly 83 overall. Elite unit.

Ramsey:

Overall: 97 (#1 DB)

Best trait to use in 2018: 96 man cover (#1 in NFL)

Ramsey is a total stud and could be a 99 next season. He could be the league’s first ever 100 million dollar corner and it looks like the Jets are going to figure out a way to pay him as they drafted him early two seasons ago. “Jalen will be a Jet for life, no matter what.” The G.M. said earlier this year. The secondary is absolutely absurd with 97,93, 89, 88 coming at you and both corners with man ratings at 92 and 96.

Specialists:

P - Edwards

K - Fairbairn

Not a good unit at all although Edwards had a great 2017. Fairbairn has to get better or he’ll get cut mid year.

Overall:

Your odds on favorite to win the Super Bowl at 3:1. This team has the best offensive line in the league, the best secondary, the reigning MVP, the league’s fastest player, and maybe the two best non QB’s in the NFL. Injuries could play a factor but with depth at key positions including QB, DE, LB, and in the secondary, only a major issue to Donald could really kill this team’s chances. Maybe the first ever team to repeat as 3GML Champs?

'Gronk Rules,' JuJu Miffed and Other AFC East Notes

FLORHAM PARK (NJ) -- Immediately following the New York Jets signing of Rob Gronkowski to go along with fellow Pro Bowler Tyler Eifert, fans wondered what the plan would be for a squad that also owned the rights to the up-and-coming TE OJ Howard fresh off a positive rookie campaign. This morning, we got that answer from head coach Todd Bowles who introduced us to the 'Gronk Rules.'
"Here's the thought around it all," Bowles said. "For the past three seasons, the Super Bowl Champion has come from the AFC East. There's no getting around the fact that to win it all, you have got to win this division. Rob will practice with us each week, get some package work in most games, and be a full participant when we play the Bills, Patriots, and Dolphins."
Bowles then quickly backtracked and offered that Gronk may also sit out Miami games after their "dumpster fire" offseason.
These 'Gronk Rules' could either be revolutionary or the precursor to a ticket out-the-door for Bowles if is tight end is unable to produce during the team's most critical games of the season. Fantasy owners will now need to determine if the coach is bluffing or serious about the pitch count for Gronkowski.
As for Howard, he was less than impressed with the talk from Bowles.
"It's a slap in the face to us all to think he's just going to sit around, get some goalline work, then play against our rivals," Howard said. "We all are just grinding day in and day out and this dude will be out at the club. I'm not giving up that spot - write that down."
Let's look at new from the rest of the division.

BUFFALO BILLS
Late last night the Bills signed off on a trade with the Miami Dolphins to acquire 32-year old Danny Amendola, Stephone Anthony and a 2019 4th rounder in exchange for much-maligned LB Shaq Thompson. The acquisition give Aaron Rodgers a receiving corps of Brandin Cooks, Jordy Nelson, and Amendola while pushing sophomore JuJu Smith-Schuster to the 4th spot.
"I'm pissed off," Smith-Schuster said. "You draft me and I do everything asked of me to move up the chart and, right before camp, they do this. I'm a professional and will use this as motivation, but don't expect me to take the guy out for beers when he gets here."
Rodgers worked the media in JuJu's favor referencing his preference to spread the ball around while subtly guaranteeing that he'd regularly look #19's way whenever he takes the field. The receiver later tweeted the following to move the story forward:

@TeamJuJu - Sorry, was triggered. We a 4-headed monster now. #DiscountDoubleCheckGotMe

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
The NFL finally acted last last week by announcing a 2-game suspension for linebacker Reuben Foster stemming from his difficult offseason. This was Foster's statement as first reported by NFL.com:
"I accept the League's decision and am sorry that my mistakes have hurt my team," Foster said in a statement released by the team. "I have a responsibility to the Patriots, our fans and our community, and I am committed to learning from this situation and making better choices in the future. The support I have received over the last five months has been humbling, and I do not take it for granted."
Foster will miss the team's opener at home against the Houston Texans in addition to their first road trip to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars.
Rookie Tremaine Edmunds seems the obvious choice to take the place of Foster during his absence. However, do not look for Edmunds to take a seat once Week 3 begins as we view him as a stalwart for the Pats all season long.

MIAMI DOLPHINS
After a week that saw the team part ways with a few veteran players to bring in the afore-mentioned Thompson and Jatavis Brown from the New York Jets, the Dolphins look to be re-building their defense after an offseason that saw a complete overhaul of personnel.
"It's great to get a fresh start for all of us," DT Davon Godchaux said. "Me and Xavien (Howard) are the only two guys left from last year, so we have a lot to do in terms of building continuity and re-establishing ourselves as a dominant unit."
Thompson and Brown will most likely play each of the outside linebacker spots as the team looks to implement a 4-3 base defense. Rookie Minkah Fitzpatrick, fresh off a strong camp, has been rumored to be the full-time nickel back for the team while mixing in looks at safety in base defenses.
"Wherever they want me, I'll play there," Fitzpatrick said. "The owner (Stephen Ross) has been public that he didn't want to draft me, but with our GM back in the house, I know that I'm wanted now."

3GML Exclusive One-on-One with Miami GM

CORAL GABLES (FL) -- From outside the quaint, stucco house with a trio of young kids running around the front yard, you'd think you were entering any typical Florida home on a July 4th weekend.
But inside sits a sad, tortured soul who seems relieved to finally get to tell you his story. This is the exclusive interview with the much-maligned and mocked NFL GM who recently became (again) the leader of the Miami Dolphins. Stephen A. Smith reporting.

Smith: So what gives man - I'm just gonna ask: Are you out of your damn mind?

GM: Hey Stephen. It's been a crazy time for sure. I feel bad for all the fans who saw all that talent leave the door, but we're confident we can get back to a competitive level soon.

Smith: But why leave, piss off the owner to the point where he destroys all you build in Miami, only to come back? You guys had Brees ready to sign, Keenan Allen on the cheap, just picked up Michael Thomas, not to mention that defense - And now you got Ryan Tannehill?

GM: You know, he (owner Stephen Ross) made his share of questionable moves to cleanse himself of my stamp on the team, but we ironed all that out now and we're ready to go.

Smith: So, what happened? You gotta give us something man - There has to be something more than what was reported with you just wanting time away.

GM: I can be honest with you. I asked to step away because I wanted real time with my family. I feel like I made some positive changes in my life and now am ready to have a good life/work balance; If you think about Urban Meyer and his time at Florida and now Ohio State, the situation is a bit similar to that.

Smith: But why the bad blood once you walked away?

GM: He (Ross) was mad at me for quitting. He (Ross) said some very offensive things that, in turn, caused me to say some passively aggressive words back to him that caused us both to walk our separate ways to avoid further confrontation.

Smith: OK, last question, since you're not going to give me specifics, what now?

GM: We (Dolphins) are going to stay patient, work with Adam Gase and our new guys, and see if we can make some noise in the AFC East.

3GML Position & Team Rankings

As we progress into summer, the staff writers at 3GML headquarters take a deep dive into the rosters of the 3GML AFC East squads to determine (on paper) who the best team in the league is. 

Although this practice is purely subjective, the writers correctly identified last year's #1 team and eventual Super Bowl Champions (New York Jets) while incorrectly selecting the AFC runners up (Miami) as the worst AFC East squad a year ago.

Here are the position and team rankings heading into the 2018 3GML season:

QUARTERBACK (x2)

BUFFALO: Aaron Rodgers (18)

The quintessential quarterback who can do it all. Rodgers is arguably the most valuable player for any 3GML team -  as he goes, so do the Bills.

NEW YORK: Derek Carr & Lamar Jackson (12)

A good old fashioned QB battle is brewing with the solid Carr looking to hold off the electric Jackson. The team claims they can run a true QB system (a-la Florida Gators with Chris Leak and Tim Tebow), but this isn't the SEC.

NEW ENGLAND: Dak Prescott (6)

The forgotten man in the QB discussion, Dak can use 2018 to reassert himself as a top tier quarterback in the eyes of fans and voters. 

RUNNINGBACK

BUFFALO: Todd Gurley, LeGarrette Blount & Kenneth Dixon (6)

The addition of Blount will help Gurley keep tread on his tires as the team moves into the winter months. Gurley can do it all.

NEW YORK: David Johnson, Duke Johnson & Derrius Guice (6)

The Jets have made it clear that this will be David Johnson's last year in New York (Duke as well). With the addition of Derrius Guice, will the three personalities be able to put egos aside to repeat last year's dominant ground attack?

NEW ENGLAND: Alvin Kamara, Dion Lewis & Alex Collins (6)

All three RBs could start on any other team. The dynamic Kamara looks to be the next big star in the league.

TIGHT END

NEW YORK: Rob Gronkowski & Tyler Eifert (9)

The recent addition of Gronkowski makes this unit terrifying. Tyler Eifert (another offseason addition) is super-talented but also shares injury concerns alongside the polarizing Gronk. Can this unit remain health and become an all-time tandem?

BUFFALO: Hunter Henry & Austin Sefarian-Jenkins (6)

Aaron Rodgers leans a lot on the talented Henry while Sefarian-Jenkins adds a speedy TE2 to the mix.

NEW ENGLAND: Eric Ebron & Michael Roberts (3)

Ebron couldn't secure a new contract in Detroit but should blossom in the Patriots system. Had to google Michael Roberts. 

WIDE RECEIVER

NEW ENGLAND: Julio Jones, Jermaine Kearse & Malcolm Mitchell (8)

This team seems destined to snag Dez Bryant as well with all the swirling rumors. Julio is the best WR in the game.

BUFFALO: Brandin Cooks, Jordy Nelson & Juju Smith-Schuster (7)

A solid and complimentary group with the speed (Cooks), hands (Nelson) and route-running and run blocking (Smith-Schuster) needed across the board.

NEW YORK: Tyreek Hill, Jamison Crowder & Cameron Meredith (3)

Field stretchers who may be decoys at times and long TD haulers at others. 

OFFENSIVE LINE (x2)

NEW YORK: Marshal Yanda, Zack Martin, Travis Frederick, Lane Johnson & Forrest Lamp (18)

Again the best unit in the league and perhaps all-time. The group is getting older and better, but more expensive. 

BUFFALO: Jake Matthews, TJ Lang, Josh Sitton, Will Hernandez & Ryan Ramczyk (12)

Solid across the board. The addition of Hernandez out of UTEP adds a nastiness to the unit.

NEW ENGLAND: Andrew Norwell, Josh Kline, Ben Jones, Marcus Gilbert & Ja'wuan James (6)

An under-appreciated unit who may well add James Daniels as a stalwart under center by mid-season. This unit compliments itself better than any other OL group in the league. 

DEFENSIVE LINE

BUFFALO: Geno Atkins, Vita Vea & Vinny Curry (6)

Both Atkins and Curry may be on their way out after this season due to salary cap constraints. Vea is a perfect fit in the middle of the attacking Bills Red Rush.

NEW YORK: Aaron Donald & Jarran Reed (6)

Donald is the best DT in the game. Reed is a solid #2 whose job is to occupy blockers to allow the talented edge rushers alongside him to eat.

NEW ENGLAND: Damon Harrison & A'Shawn Robinson (6)

Harrison and Robinson comprise the best run-stuffing DT duo in the NFL. Both are perfect pieces to support the philosophy of the NE defensive attack. 

LINEBACKERS

NEW ENGLAND: Reuben Foster, Demario Davis & Tremaine Edmunds (9)

The sky is the limit for this group. Edmunds should be free to wreak havoc alongside the solid Davis and the imposing Foster. 

NEW YORK: Zach Brown, Brandon Marshall & Mychal Kendricks (6)

This veteran group of LBs act as the focused leaders for the Jets defense. All can run, hit and diagnose plays to get their younger peers lined up and ready to go. 

BUFFALO: Zack Cunningham & Reggie Ragland (3)

A solid group, but several notches below the talent level compared to their 3GML peers. 

EDGE RUSHERS (x2)

NEW YORK: Joey Bosa & Yannick Ngakoue (18)

Both are tough, technical and fast. They are often impossible to block and share relentless motors. Good luck.

BUFFALO: Myles Garrett & Dont'a Hightower (12)

With the continued focus on an aggressive defensive attack, Garrett should see ridiculous sack numbers as he enters year #2. Hightower is a vital piece for the Bills defensive attack. 

NEW ENGLAND: Nick Chubb & Alex Okafor (6)

Chubb never stops working and Okafor has earned his nickname as The Hammer.

CORNERBACKS

NEW YORK: Jalen Ramsey, Desmond Trufant & Adoree' Jackson (8)

It is hard to imagine a more talented group of cornerbacks in the league. Ramsey is often viewed as the top CB in the league while Trufant is similarly skilled.

BUFFALO: Casey Hayward, Patrick Robinson & Desmond King (7)

Hayward and Robinson will lock down the outside while King will look to continue his strong play from a year ago.

NEW ENGLAND: Marshon Lattimore, Ronald Darby & Rashaan Melvin (3)

Lattimore exceeded expectations as a rookie and will look to capture the same magic in year #2. Darby and Melvin can both play at high levels and will not get rattled by any moment. 

SAFETIES

NEW ENGLAND: Derwin James & Marcus Williams (9)

James is a potential Sean Taylor clone who can help Williams build off his strong rookie campaign. 

NEW YORK: Kevin Byard, Jordan Poyer & Malik Hooker (5)

Byard came on as one of the top playmaking free safeties a year ago while Poyer was a sneaky strong pickup. Hooker should continue to develop after the ACL tear a year ago; People forget he was a top talent from the '17 draft hidden among the Jets diamonds. 

BUFFALO: Jamal Adams, John Johnson III & Budda Baker (4)

This trio of sophomores will all play in the Bills scheme. They are all playmakers and willing hitters.

SPECIAL TEAMS

NEW ENGLAND: Michael Dickson & Dan Bailey (9)

Dickson was worth the draft pick and Bailey is a true professional.

BUFFALO: Marquette King & Chris Boswell (6)

King was a smart pickup - The Bills can handle the antics.

NEW YORK: Loc Edwards & Ka'imi Fairbain (3)

The Jets may punt 2-3 times all season. They may also look to 'go for 2' much more this season with Gronk and Eifert as end zone targets. 

OVERALL SCORE (Note: QB, O-Line, and Edge were counted twice based on position value)

NEW YORK: (94)

A predictable outcome for a team comprised of many of the biggest names in the sport. Many have speculated that this may be the last year the team can 'keep' a majority of their key players before the salary cap implications begin to test the drafting mettle of the GM. But, make no mistake about it: If this team can continue to develop Carr while giving Lamar Jackson opportunities to make plays on offense, the Jets can be scary. The team has always been led by their all-world defensive unit and scheme - If the offense can catch up, the team should look to repeat. 

BUFFALO: (87)

The team has continued to address needs and build a solid foundation around their stars. Despite the obvious advantage of having Rodgers under center, the team is beginning to take on a more old school offensive approach with a Gurley/Blount backfield behind a 'nastier-by-the-year' O-line led by Will Hernandez and impressive sophomore Ryan Ramczyk. The defense has traditionally been Geno Atkins and the gang. With the selection of Myles Garrett last year and the aggressive foundational change toward an attacking 3-4 midway through the 2017 season, the team has begun to highlight their edge rushers while allowing their talent in the secondary to make game altering plays. 

NEW ENGLAND: (71)

This score seems low looking at the young, exceptional talent being accumulated by the Patriots. In a year, this team could easily occupy the top spot in our rankings if all players develop according to plan. Step #1 for the Patriots: Taste the playoffs. With Dak Prescott utilizing his athleticism to extend plays alongside the rock solid OL, the Patriots are setup to surprise the AFC East. Julio Jones should command double teams to open up space on the edges for Alvin Kamara and Eric Ebron to make plays. The Pats also own the most cohesive defensive unit in the league with Damon Harrison and A'Shawn perfectly combined to stop the run alongside rookie Bradley Chubb and the most physical group of linebackers in the AFC East. Derwin James and Marshon Lattimore may eventually take the place of Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman as the leaders of the best secondary in the league. 

NFL Top 100 players in the 3GML

A look at players on the NFL top 100 who also reside on 3GML teams.

95. Lane Johnson (Jets)
88. Yannick Ngakoue (Jets)
82. Marshon Lattimore (Patriots)
80. Kevin Byard (Jets)
74. Cameron Wake (Dolphins)
71. Zack Martin (Jets)
63. Geno Atkins (Bills)
60. Derek Carr (Jets)
59. Casey Hayward (Bills)
40. Tyreek Hill (Jets)
37. Joey Bosa (Jets)
20. Alvin Kamara (Patriots)
17. Jalen Ramsey (Jets)
15. Rob Gronkowski (Jets)
10. Aaron Rodgers (Bills)
7. Aaron Donald (Jets)
6. Todd Gurley II (Bills)
4. Julio Jones (Patriots)

3GML Camp Position Battles to Watch

As spring slowly turns into summer, football fans subtly pass into that 100 days until kickoff window (98 to go!).

Now that the draft and free agent dust has settled and rookies have begun their NFL journeys, let's look at some crucial position battles going on within our AFC East franchises.

NEW YORK JETS
The reigning champs get the leadoff spot here after a dominant run to the title. With their rivals from Miami purging their roster and turning the team over to Ryan Tannehill, the Super Bowl LII champions will now focus on upending the upstart New England Patriots and the Aaron Rodgers led Buffalo Bills.

The Jets have not been afraid to move on from stars on bloated contracts after jettisoning Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor this offseason. The team has also been rumored to be looking to deal All Pro offensive lineman Marshal Yanda as they look to get a deal done with DT Aaron Donald.

But nothing is more juicy than a quarterback controversy.

JETS BATTLE #1: Derek Carr vs. Lamar Jackson
Most writers are not giving the selection of Jackson as much as attention as they should. Yes, Derek Carr is only 27 years old, a proven leader, and fresh off a Super Bowl title. But didn't the Jets win a playoff game with Nathan Peterman and Kevin Hogan calling the shots? The Jets are a defensive-focused franchise and will always go with the best player available regardless of one's credentials.

The Cam Newton experiment failed because Cam turned the ball over too much for Todd Bowles' liking. If Jackson can be electrifying with his arm and legs (a-la Deshaun Watson for Houston last year) and take care of the football, he will be the best man under center for a team build offensively for speed and multiplicity.

Think about it this way. Imagine a 2 back set with David Johnson and Duke Johnson attacking the flats. Tyreek Hill and Jamison Crowder are sprinting down the seams and Lamar Jackson sees a small bit of space in the center of the field; Can your middle linebacker catch him?

PREDICTION: The Jets spend the first part of the season easing Jackson into the lineup with special 'packages' before yielding way to the electric playmaker by mid-season. During the offseason, Carr is sold for a king's ransom bring the Jets more draft capital to continue their run.

JETS BATTLE #2: Brandon Marshall vs. Myles Jack
The addition of Mychal Kendricks led to this potential battle between the battle tested Marshall and the up-and-coming Jack. The Jets are creative enough on defense to get Marshall and Jack both a healthy amount of snaps, so this battle if more of an opportunity to put the rest of the league on notice that the Jets linebackers are good and fast.

Jack has been in Bowles' doghouse in the past (even being reported as on the trade block after his rookie season). but the PREDICTION here will be that a Kendricks, Jatavis Brown, Zach Brown and Jack combination feels like the four who see the most PT (with Marshall potentially looking like a trade option down the line).

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
On paper, the New England Patriots had a potentially dominant first two days of the NFL Draft. Bringing in DE Bradley Chubb (arguably the best pass rusher in the draft), LB Tremaine Edmunds (arguably the freakiest athlete in the draft), SS Derwin James (arguably the player with the highest ceiling in the draft next to Quenton Nelson and Saquon Barkley), C James Daniels who many believe should start from day #1, and DT Maurice Hurst whom Pro Football Focus viewed as a Top 5 pick prior to the now cleared medical condition.

With all due respect to the Jets and their talent accumulation, these Patriots feel like a Nick Saban led Alabama squad re-tooling every year and dominating the SEC.

PATRIOTS BATTLE #1: Alex Collins, Dion Lewis, and Alvin Kamara
The smart teams do not overpay running backs and can find ways to get their playmakers the ball. However, this battle would feel a lot better if the team had one more grinder in the mix. Yes, some compared Alex Collins to former 3GML MVP Chris Ivory coming out of college, but Collins feels very pedestrian. Dion Lewis is a true team player and could absolutely earn a good number of touches for the team. But Alvin Kamara is the true star of the show.

Kamara can do it all and will be heavily featured in the Patriots 2018 attack. QB Dak Prescott can help get himself back to playing at a Pro Bowl level if he allows Kamara to work in space as a passing threat.

Kamara has done nothing to deserve this concern, but, as it is with any running back, durability will be an issue as the touches pile up. The PREDICTION here is that the Patriots move to grab another 10-touch power back to reduce Kamara's touch count as teams make their initial cuts.

PATRIOTS BATTLE #2: Nickelback
Not the Canadian rock band led by 6'1" Chad Kroeger, but the position to watch for the Patriots.

The Patriots drafted Derwin James for the future and to win now. James could play free or strong safety and can be effective as a linebacker if needed. There is no reason to bench Morgan Burnett and Marcus Williams has earned his time on the field.

Here is the bold PREDICTION: Looking at Marcus Williams' Zone (85) and Man (80) coverage ratings (using Madden metrics), Williams will most like make the most sense as the team's 3rd corner in Nickel packages similar to how Desmond King was utilized by Miami a year ago. It would be great to end with a Nickelback reference but I never made it as a wise man.

BUFFALO BILLS
The boldest offseason move made by the Bills brass was not drafting NT Vita Vea in the first round or trading up to take bulldozing G Will Hernandez out of UTEP, but it was the decision to hire the Rex Ryan-like former head coach out of Miami to run the team's defense.

A philosophical switch on defense is hard to justify to a fanbase that saw their team finish as the NFL's #3 ranked defense a year ago while leading the league in run defense and finishing #4 against the pass. The silver lining: The new DC led the league's #1 ranked defense, #1 ranked scoring defense, and #1 ranked passing defense a year ago.

With all that said, this team is all about Aaron Rodgers. With the team adding the speedy Brandin Cooks from New York and Rodgers' former Packer teammate Jordy Nelson, the team seems primed to make yet another deep playoff run.

BILLS BATTLE #1: Slot Receiver
Josh Doctson was the first ever draft pick of this current Bills regime, but he has yet to live up to his first round pedigree. The Bills are not a group to give up on their players, but the strong play a year ago by Juju Smith-Schuster has caused the team to rethink their plans for WR3.

Rodgers has been openly critical (at times) of Doctson for playing with a lack of confidence. Smith-Schuster on the other hand could look to play with a bit less confidence.

PREDICTION: Juju feels like a future Hines Ward for this team and that is a very good team for a group looking to improve their physicality in a brutally competitive AFC East. Look for the 2nd year man out of USC to earn that coveted spot as Aaron Rodgers' slot receiver.

BILLS BATTLE #2: Safeties Galore
Moving forward, expect the Bills to typically employ 5-6 starting caliber safeties.
With Jamal Adams expected to lockdown the SS position, the team needs to find PT for John Johnson III, Budda Baker (a favorite of the team's GM) and Desmond King (a favorite of the team's new DC).

Make no bones about it: This is a nice problem to have behind a pass rush that includes Myles Garrett and Donta Hightower and a D-line anchored by Vea, Geno Atkins, and Vinny Curry.

With Casey Hayward and Patrick Robinson set to man the outside corner positions, King, Baker, and Johnson III are in line to man the FS, NB, and 4th CB spot for a team that will regularly rotate their players.

PREDICTION: Look for King to win out as the team's starting slot corner. Johnson III seems to be the favorite to lineup predominantly at FS. That leaves Baker.

The UW product has already been rumored to be lining up as the team's primary return man and the team has confirmed that they are piloting a 'Predator' package highlighting Baker in blitz packages. The team is also not afraid to keep six DBs on the field during non-traditional times, so look for Baker to make his share of plays in 2018.