If It Ain't Steel's 2013 Top 25 NFL Players

Written by Jayden and Jason

As the season gets ready to begin, it's time to take a look at the top players in the NFL. It's an extension of If It Ain't Steel's Top 12 Quarterbacks. - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2013/08/if-it-aint-steels-2013-top-12-nfl.html

Each year we're blessed and disappointed, we cheer and we cry, we scream and we...scream. The NFL is America's true pastime and the five months that we have it always go entirely too fast.

So, before it's too late...

1. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers - Honestly, he just seems to get better every year. The thing that should scare every man with a "DC" attached to his name is that he is just now getting into his prime.

2. J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans - Nicknamed J.J. "SWAT", he was as dominant as any down lineman we may have ever seen. He was completely unblockable. Maybe that should be his new nickname: "C-Block." He was so dominant that the Texans might utilize his high level of talent on offense. - http://t.co/OLLJ6PFVzf

3. Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions - How do you stop the 6'5", 235-pound Megatron? With 122 receptions, 1,964 receiving yards, 122.8 yards per game average, 16.1 yards per catch and 11 100-yard receiving games, he commands a double on almost EVERY play. Oh, and he'll turn just 28 a month into the 2013 season.

4. Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots - The Dorian Grey of NFL quarterbacks. He doesn't seem to be slowing down, as he threw for nearly 5,000 yards, had 34 touchdown passes and just eight interceptions in 2012.

5. Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings - If he came back from his ACL injury legally, then to do what he did was amazing. Think about it - he almost took down the single-season record for total (not yards per game) rushing yards.

6. Geno Atkins, DT, Cincinnati Bengals - He was a true force in 2012 with 12 sacks from the defensive tackle spot. Very special and scary player.

7. DeMarcus Ware, OLB-DE, Dallas Cowboys - Whether a rushing down end or an outside linebacker, Ware is a true force. His sack numbers were down (11½) some last season, but it doesn't change the fear factor.

8. Patrick Willis, ILB, San Francisco 49ers - An athletic freak, he can run, tackle and get to a lot of plays you didn't think he would. Best middle/inside linebacker in the game.

9. Von Miller, OLB, Denver Broncos - Great speed, intense and is a good tackler, Miller has the goods. Goods you'll see in 2013 after the first six games.

10. Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints - Despite last season's results, he threw more interceptions than in 2011, he remains one of the top players in the league.

11. Richard Sherman, CB, Seattle Seahawks - The best cornerback in the NFL - just ask him. But he backs up his cockiness. He can cover, had eight interceptions and led the league with 32 passes defended.

12. Cameron Wake, DE, Miami Dolphins - Another guy who moved to a rushing down end spot from a 3-4 pass rusher and responded with 15 sacks. Just damn good.

13. A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati Bengals - He has an incredible catch radius and brings in nearly everything he lays even a finger on. He led all receivers in 2012 with seven 40-plus-yard receptions and had nearly 100 catches total.

14. Peyton Manning, QB, Denver Broncos - The Sheriff bounced back to look like the Manning of old. His monster of Frankenstein act didn't stop him from coming back and dissecting the NFL in the regular season.

15. Duane Brown, T, Houston Texans - He simply pancakes guys. Makes lot of pass rushers look pedestrian. Simply the best in the game right now.

16. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals - The best thing we can say about him is that only bad quarterback play keeps him from being the best.

17. Clay Matthews, OLB, Green Bay Packers - He had 13 sacks in 12 games. 'Nuff said. Whether you call him Samson or Goldilocks, he's a beast.

18. Aldon Smith, OLB, San Francisco 49ers - One half of the Smith brothers had 19½ sacks, but he didn't get any during the absence of...

19. Justin Smith, DE, San Francisco 49ers - A shoulder injury derailed what was a very good season. He demands the double team and allows other player to be great. Just ask Aldon.

20. Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons - Explosive. A big-play threat. A man among men. So many superlatives can be thrown his way. He's simply the real deal.

21. Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers - No. 7 with/times 3 Super Bowls = 21 on our list. He threw 26 touchdown passes and only eight interceptions in just 13 games. He was injured in week 11 and was in some MVP talks before that. Look for him to return to that form this season.

22. Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England Patriots - He is the league's best pass-catching tight end and can block too. He's a true weapon for Brady.

23. Haloti Ngata, DT, Baltimore Ravens - He has been slowed by injuries lately, but when he's healthy he's a bruising inside player. Just ask Big Ben's nose.

24. Joe Flacco, QB, Baltimore Ravens - We're giving him the benefit of the doubt here, because he had didn't even complete 60% of his passes last season and he had the two worst quarterback ratings since the system was invented. But he did have a remarkable playoff and Super Bowl run.

25. Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants - In some ways he's better than his brother, and he's twice better than Brady, but he does have his inconsistencies. He's still one of the better in the game.


The Next (Magnificent) Seven:

Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons - Matty Ice!

Marshal Yanda, G, Baltimore Ravens - Rock at guard.

Jimmy Graham, TE, New Orleans Saints - 85 receptions and nine touchdowns despite time missed with injuries.

Gerald McCoy, DT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - The anchor on the league's best run defense.

NaVorro Bowman, LB, San Francisco 49ers - Great against the pass and defends almost as well as his line mate.

Lawrence Timmons, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers - Very underrated. Second on Steelers in tackles with 106 and had six sacks, three INTs and two forced fumbles.

Patrick Peterson, CB, Arizona Cardinals - A cover man (7 INTs) and return man (4 TDs) and now catches passes too.

The Possibility Of Keeping Keenan Lewis; Roethlisberger Takes Control Of Team

This is arguably the most critical offseason the Pittsburgh Steelers may have faced under general manager Kevin Colbert. Several contract/Salary Cap issues, free agent issues, age issues and questions of leadership. How things are handled in the coming weeks will determine the direction of the team.

One of those issues that will be coming to a head as of March 12th centers around starting left cornerback Keenan Lewis. Lewis started all 16 games last season and showed that he has the ability to be a top-level cornerback in the league. His taking on the opponent's top receiver after right cornerback Ike Taylor broke his right ankle in Week 13, helped to prove that.

Lewis' 2011 campaign was heady enough to allow the coaches to part ways with veterans Bryant McFadden and William Gay. He then shined last season as a starter for the Steelers, recording 71 tackles, forcing a fumble and was second amongst cornerbacks with 23 passed defended. A season that garnered the attention of his peers as well: http://tinyurl.com/b879b76

This helps to make the unrestricted free agent highly sought after if and when he's allowed to test the free agency waters. Lewis has said, though, that he's "hoping" to be back with the Steelers after excelling last season, per Gerry Dulac, who also said last month that the team "almost certainly" plans to re-sign the 26-year old four-year pro.

What are the possible numbers of Lewis' eventual contract? Taking some data from last season's top free agent cornerbacks and projections from this offseason and we can formulate an idea.

Since Richard Sherman said that Lewis was one of the top three cornerbacks this season, let's look at the top three 2012 free agency CB signings:

Lardarius Webb (Ravens) - six years, $52.74 million, $10 million signing bonus;

Cortland Finnegan (Rams) - five years, $50 million, $27 million guaranteed, $5 million signing bonus;

Brandon Carr (Cowboys) - five years, $50 million, $25.5 million guaranteed, $10 million signing bonus.

If we only go by those numbers, an asking price of five years, $50 million and a $10 million signing bonus wouldn't be out of the question. Fortunately, a rich CB free agent market headed by names like Sean Smith, Charles Woodson, Aqib Talib and Derek Cox keeps Lewis' price down and allows us to surmise a contract possibly anywhere from $35 to $45 million. - http://www.footballsfuture.com/2013/fa/db.html

The recently increased salary cap for the upcoming season, which will add an extra $2.4 million per team taking it to $123 million, aids the Steelers in being able to work a deal with impending free agent.

Does this solidify the chances of signing Lewis, though. No. As Colbert stated after the season ended, all free agents would be allowed to test the waters. With Lewis gaining the attention he has, let's hope those waters don't flow out off the three rivers.

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Locker room schism? What locker room schism? Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger took control of the situation Thursday and told us that no disunity exists with the team.

"For anybody to say there are locker room issues or leadership issues are completely off base. I believe that's the frustration. I believe that it's frustration of last year, I honestly do," the 31-year old QB said.

"Obviously, last year was frustrating for all of us, and when you're frustrated and the season doesn't go the way you want it to and things don't go the way you want them to, things are said. I know all too well, after the Dallas game I was frustrated and said some things."

He's correct there. Is this team in "total disarray" if they take care of business against the Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns or the very Cowboys Big Ben mentioned? Take care of just two of those and they would've been a 10-6 team in the playoffs.

Big Ben continued, saying "The important thing to know is, there are no issues in our locker room. There are no issues with LaMarr. There are no issues on our team.

"The big thing for us is to move forward. Last year was last year, it was 8-8. We're not happy about it. There are frustrations, but you know what? We're done with it. We're moving forward and we're moving into this year...with whoever's here, we're looking to move forward. And we know Woodley's going to be here and we know Woodley's going to be ready to go as we all are going to be."

Ok, Ben, Sr. just proved himself the leader of this team. - http://tinyurl.com/avzmkj3

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TIDBITS: As a related point in the Keenan Lewis part of the discussion, the aforementioned William Gay was released from the Arizona Cardinals on Friday. and that release caused some to question whether the Steelers may bring him back to add depth behind Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown. Most likely not.

Gay was an unrestricted free agent last offseason and looked to greener pastures when he signed a two-year, $4.9 million contract with the Cardinals. Their defensive coordinator last season was former Steelers defensive backs coach Ray Horton, who is now the defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns.

Though anything is possible with him knowing the Steelers coaches and system, the more likely landing spot for Gay would be the Browns.

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As a non-related point to the Big Ben part of the discussion, quarterback Charlie Batch evidently doesn't listen to LL Cool J, because he said he wants to "come back."

"My plan is to come back, and I haven't heard anything differently from the organization," Uncle Charlie said. "And I think when you leave out of there at the end-of-the-year meetings, you know one way or the other. And they didn't tell me that they didn't want me back. So I think that's a good sign."

So James Todd was right, don't call it a comeback. You've been here for years. And since the Steelers only have two QBs under contract, Big Ben and recent signee John Parker Wilson, Uncle Charlie might just might be on the sidelines again as the QB coach-in-waiting.

Will the team bring Jerrod Johnson and Byron Leftwich back to camp to compete for spots also? They had four QBs last season before Johnson was finally let go. The same could happen this summer. Just which four, though?