What (non QB) position would you pick if guaranteed the GOAT?

[dollars 2 donuts]

Funny thing is I us to always think about starting with a QB.  For me it was Elway...he is not my favorite player of all time, it is just who I would start with as I always used to think he was the greatest QB of all time.

 

However, for me (weirdly because I don't focus on the position), I think the greatest player of all time is Jerry Rice.  If for no other reason than the superlative level he played at for so long and the distance between him and his nearest peers for so long and also that he served as the blueprint for the way guys would train (in trying to be the best) for this game from the 80s on, including our Andre Reed.

[Cripple Creek]

6 hours ago, TheFunPolice said:

Scenario: You can draft the greatest (non QB) player at his position of all-time. Which position do you pick, and why?

 

For me, this is a toss up between DE and LB. I think most offensive positions are too dependent on the work of others, while a Bruce Smith or Lawrence Taylor type player is going to cause pain and misery regardless of what the other guys on defense do. One of my favorite players of all time was Barry Sanders, yet as great as he was once the playoffs came teams could shut him down.

 

When it all comes down to it, I think I would take the greatest LB of all time. It's a lot harder to neutralize him, and if he's the GOAT I can move him all around the defense... Outside, inside, on the line... My DE can be triple blocked or accounted for, although the greats still get theirs. It's a tough call but I go linebacker.

 

Thoughts?

Outside edge rusher. Call it whatever you want, DE or OLB.  When you look at the  GOATs can you imagine what it will take to top their accomplishments?

[without a drought]

Have to go with edge rusher,  to have a player better than Bruce would be amazing. 

[ndirish1978]

54 minutes ago, mannc said:

Then go ahead and tell me how much the “amazing” MLBs make compared to the top WRs and edge rushers.  Also, I noticed that amazing (and non-amazing) MLBs tend to have short, injury-plagued careers these days.

 

I gave an opinion, you can disagree but the dickish-ness in your tone is ridiculous. 

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

....I'd say MLB.......imagine Bflo having a trio like Hamm, Lambert & Russell?.....plenty of pain and NO gain...............

[wppete]

1. DE 

2. WR

3. LB

[Bill from NYC]

14 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Yep. To me the top 3 are QB, the guy who protects his blindside and the guy you pay to get to the opponents guy. I love top end Left Tackles so that is my answer too. 

Yeah, I am pretty surprised to not see more love for LTs. Not only do they prolong the health and career of your most important player, they also improve your running game and dominate the clock when needed.

The Bills have fielded left tackles (Greg Jerman, Demetrus Bell, etc.) who placed the QB's lives in jeopardy in the literal sense. They always placed more value in defensive backs. How well did that work out?

[GunnerBill]

3 minutes ago, Bill from NYC said:

Yeah, I am pretty surprised to not see more love for LTs. Not only do they prolong the health and career of your most important player, they also improve your running game and dominate the clock when needed.

The Bills have fielded left tackles (Greg Jerman, Demetrus Bell, etc.) who placed the QB's lives in jeopardy in the literal sense. They always placed more value in defensive backs. How well did that work out?

 

I do value top flight corners higher than you do but I don't have them above my franchise left tackle.  My order probably goes:

 

1 - QB

2 - LT

3 - EDGE

4 - #1CB

5 - #1WR

6 - C

7 - DT (interior pass rush type)

8 - MLB

 

I feel like any team that has those 8 pieces solidified and in place is gonna be a major Championship contender. I'm quite willing to fill out the rest of my roster with street FAs and one contract mid round draft picks if I feel good about those 8. 

[Kirby Jackson]

28 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I do value top flight corners higher than you do but I don't have them above my franchise left tackle.  My order probably goes:

 

1 - QB

2 - LT

3 - EDGE

4 - #1CB

5 - #1WR

6 - C

7 - DT (interior pass rush type)

8 - MLB

 

I feel like any team that has those 8 pieces solidified and in place is gonna be a major Championship contender. I'm quite willing to fill out the rest of my roster with street FAs and one contract mid round draft picks if I feel good about those 8. 

It’s basically a combination of elite guys and then stars to counter them. You have to have a good LT to protect against the star pass rushers. You need a star corner to neutralize elite receivers, etc... 

[SouthNYfan]

41 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I do value top flight corners higher than you do but I don't have them above my franchise left tackle.  My order probably goes:

 

1 - QB

2 - LT

3 - EDGE

4 - #1CB

5 - #1WR

6 - C

7 - DT (interior pass rush type)

8 - MLB

 

I feel like any team that has those 8 pieces solidified and in place is gonna be a major Championship contender. I'm quite willing to fill out the rest of my roster with street FAs and one contract mid round draft picks if I feel good about those 8. 

 

How about safety?

We've seen what all time great safeties can do to a defense.

Lott

Ed Reed 

Polamalu

Dawkins

Atwater

Berry

Lynch

Earl Thomas

Chancellor

Rodney Harrison

 

Just throwing some names out there who gave been massive impact anchors for some great defenses

 

I think after QB which is #1 you could make a case for any of your positions, and safety should be on there also

[BarleyNY]

19 hours ago, Gugny said:

I'll go with DE or WR ... heavily leaning toward the DE.

 

This.  Pass rusher or WR. 

[Da webster guy]

kicker. 

 

huge advantage on kickoffs, wins me multiple games per season with 60 yard field goals. 

Hauschka is a good kicker and got us in the playoffs last year. Kicking cost us Seattle and Miami games two years ago with Carpenter. 

[4merper4mer]

2 hours ago, Da webster guy said:

kicker. 

 

huge advantage on kickoffs, wins me multiple games per season with 60 yard field goals. 

Hauschka is a good kicker and got us in the playoffs last year. Kicking cost us Seattle and Miami games two years ago with Carpenter. 

GOAT kicker is correct but not exactly for the reasons you cite.

 

If we define GOAT as being capable of doing everything perfectly at their position, we end up with kicker as all other positions have far more dependencies.

 

RB depends on OL even if capable of breaking every run.  WR on QB and OL.  DE on surrounding positions and on and on.

 

The perfect kicker is capable of kicking 106 yard and under FGs with 100% accuracy and depends only on routine execution from OL, LS and holder.  An OL's job of avoiding blocked kicks is easier than pass protection or opening holes.  Holder and LS are a dime a dozen.  EVERY drive all year ending in at least 3 points equals championships and a lot of them.

 

This really can't be argued.

[KD in CA]

BRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCE!

[LeGOATski]

CB. 

 

You can't neutralize him. One half the field (and probably the opponent's best WR) is shut down every game.

 

Huge impact.

[papazoid]

from a strictly strategic standpoint......

 

i would say WR

 

because if you had the greatest WR of all -time then likely the entire offense was clicking....great QB & O-line.

 

you could have the best edge rusher and not have anything as good behind him.

[BadLandsMeanie]

22 hours ago, muppy said:

 and my understanding also is the middle linebacker is the qb of the defense. calls formations and plays that position is hugely important. Interesting thread.  I tend to think of how to answer this by seeing the players whom were the very best at that position and what impact they had in games.... Me personally I think the template is Bruce Smith DE and then a guy like Polamalu as stated previously as a linebacker..very convincing arguments for both sides there....I choose DE myself jmho.

You could be right Muppy. DE might make the bigger overall difference. I watched JJ Watt just take over a game one time. 

 

I would go  LB because they factor in every play. But a DE might make the bigger difference in the end. Hmm, maybe I would flip a coin?

[CuddyDark]

DE. LB. LT

[DrDawkinstein]

17 hours ago, mannc said:

Then go ahead and tell me how much the “amazing” MLBs make compared to the top WRs and edge rushers.  Also, I noticed that amazing (and non-amazing) MLBs tend to have short, injury-plagued careers these days.

 

Not just these days. Always been like that as it is the most violent position in the game. Zach Thomas comes to mind, great player, always out with broken limbs. I remember when Poz broke his arm as well. I once read a MLB describe the position as "being in a huge laundry machine with boulders". You are basically a target for interior lineman to blast on every play, and in the thick of all that man-meat coming together. It's a tough spot for sure, and it's tough to stay healthy there.

[Bangarang]

RB ainec