Lombardi: Player chips

[Uncle Rico]

Michael Lombardi did this with AFC teams last week, and now he rates teams' players, who's blue chip and who's red chip.

NFL.com news: In evaluating AFC, Colts have perfect blend of blue-chippers

From a quick glance the two surprises I see are making Randy Moss only red chip (may that chip be on his shoulder all year!) and giving Santonio Holmes blue chip status (I seem to remember no one else wanted him).

Pretty breezy mid-July reading. I know these types of assessments are meaningless and all these rankings columns are adding up to a big pile of nothing. But I thought Lombardi's approach was a good way to take a look at the players in the conference and where their teams may stand, while we wait for the football to begin.

 

[mgteich]

I would think that the writer thinks more of Mankins, Light and Banta-Cain than many patriots fans.

Michael Lombardi did this with AFC teams last week, and now he rates teams' players, who's blue chip and who's red chip.

NFL.com news: In evaluating AFC, Colts have perfect blend of blue-chippers

From a quick glance the two surprises I see are making Randy Moss only red chip (may that chip be on his shoulder all year!) and giving Santonio Holmes blue chip status (I seem to remember no one else wanted him).

Pretty breezy mid-July reading. I know these types of assessments are meaningless and all these rankings columns are adding up to a big pile of nothing. But I thought Lombardi's approach was a good way to take a look at the players in the conference and where their teams may stand, while we wait for the football to begin.

 

[Uncle Rico]

I would think that the writer thinks more of Mankins, Light and Banta-Cain than many patriots fans.

Vollmer too. I can't help thinking that if these guys play to Moss's level, as Lombardi groups them, it'll be a very good year.

 

[Deus Irae]

A lot of his "chips" are questionable, IMO, regardless of team.

For example: Hali for the Chiefs is suddenly a blue chip? There was talk that he might get cut last year.

 

[sbpatfan]

Maybe it's just me but I find this article pretty stupid, it seems like he just turned, "name your team's top players" into something incredibly complicated and drawn out.

Thank you Michael Lombardi for informing me that Tom Brady and Vince Wilfork are "blue chips" of the Patriots.

 

[stinkypete]

I'd also hardly consider a punter or a fullback to be a "Blue chip" player.

 

[Sciz]

This is full of lol

Brandon Marshall is blue chip. Randy Moss is red chip. Malcom Floyd is red chip. He had under 800 yards last season, and 140 of them were in the last game.

How in effing hell is Oher a blue chip? He played 1/3 of a season at the position that he's already being anointed the best at.

Alex Mack played every single snap for the Browns last season and was light years better at C than Oher was at LT, yet isn't even red.

 

[ausbacker]

Gary Brackett Blue Chip? C'mon Man. Would anybody know who he was if he didn't look like Junior in the Simpsons?

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

Gary Brackett Blue Chip? C'mon Man. Would anybody know who he was if he didn't look like Junior in the Simpsons?

Brackett is the epitome of a "system" player. In fact, anyone not named Freeney and Mathis are replaceable. We've seen the Colts let go LB's in the past and they've been terrible with their current teams.

Tamba Hali as a blue chip player is laughable as well.

Antwan Odom as a blue chip player? He's gotten injured every season but one and never has registered 10 sacks.

 

[Ron Sellers]

Aside from debating who is a 'blue chip' and who is a 'red chip' player, maybe Lombardi should look at roster philosophy.

It seems to me that the Colts tens to be top heavy, and then fill the rest of the roster with lower paid players, while the Pats and Chargers try to spread the salary (and talent) throughout the whole roster. The Jets seem to copy the Colts model - but the thing is they don't have a single player worth paying top dollar like Manning.

 

[ausbacker]

Brackett is the epitome of a "system" player. In fact, anyone not named Freeney and Mathis are replaceable. We've seen the Colts let go LB's in the past and they've been terrible with their current teams.

Tamba Hali as a blue chip player is laughable as well.

Antwan Odom as a blue chip player? He's gotten injured every season but one and never has registered 10 sacks.

I find it embarrassing that he would even be mentioned as a red chip player. He's a nobody IMO.

 

[letekro]

Brackett is the epitome of a "system" player. In fact, anyone not named Freeney and Mathis are replaceable. We've seen the Colts let go LB's in the past and they've been terrible with their current teams.

Tamba Hali as a blue chip player is laughable as well.

Antwan Odom as a blue chip player? He's gotten injured every season but one and never has registered 10 sacks.

Saying someone is a "system" player is really an empty statement. What does that even mean? Idiots used to say the same thing about Brady. Cassell had a big year when Brady was out - I suppose that's further evidence of Brady being a "system" player? Please. Brackett makes play after play week-in week-out. Does the Colts system allow him to best showcase his talents - absolutely, but that doesn't make him less of a player.

 

[ausbacker]

Saying someone is a "system" player is really an empty statement. What does that even mean? Idiots used to say the same thing about Brady. Cassell had a big year when Brady was out - I suppose that's further evidence of Brady being a "system" player? Please. Brackett makes play after play week-in week-out. Does the Colts system allow him to best showcase his talents - absolutely, but that doesn't make him less of a player.

Brackett makes plays now does he? Rightio chap. Which of the 3.5 sacks over 7 years jump out at you immediately? The only stat that pushed Brackett slightly above spud is the 11 interceptions. He's not even a tackling machine with two brilliant players in Freeney and Mathis on the line ahead of him.

He's a middle tier talent, not upper tier talent.

 

[letekro]

Brackett makes plays now does he? Rightio chap. Which of the 3.5 sacks over 7 years jump out at you immediately? The only stat that pushed Brackett slightly above spud is the 11 interceptions. He's not even a tackling machine with two brilliant players in Freeney and Mathis on the line ahead of him.

He's a middle tier talent, not upper tier talent.

I don't remember saying he gets a lot of sacks, perhaps because I never said it. An MLB in the Colts system is primarily tasked with covering the deep middle on passing plays, so I'm not sure what his lack of sacks says about him as a football player. But, I'll leave that to you to explain.

 

[ausbacker]

I don't remember saying he gets a lot of sacks, perhaps because I never said it. An MLB in the Colts system is primarily tasked with covering the deep middle on passing plays, so I'm not sure what his lack of sacks says about him as a football player. But, I'll leave that to you to explain.

It's not just the lack of sacks but also the lack of tackles. I think he's a dependable player who performs his role for the Colts. I'm simply gobsmacked that he would be referred in the same category as some truly great players.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

Saying someone is a "system" player is really an empty statement. What does that even mean? Idiots used to say the same thing about Brady. Cassell had a big year when Brady was out - I suppose that's further evidence of Brady being a "system" player? Please. Brackett makes play after play week-in week-out. Does the Colts system allow him to best showcase his talents - absolutely, but that doesn't make him less of a player.

The way I define a "system" player is someone that only has the athletic ability to play in one system. For example, players that leave the Tampa 2 system don't do very well elsewhere. Maybe you can make the argument that guys like Bruschi and Vrabel are "system" players.

It's the very reason why the Colts didn't mind letting guys go like Mike Peterson and Cato June. In fact, Cato June stayed in a cover 2 scheme with the Bucs but he hasn't done very well. As you well know, the Tampa 2 scheme relies on a consistent pass rush. If you don't have it, your D gets torched. The Colts haven't missed a beat since those two departed and I'm sure they wouldn't miss Brackett.

 

[Fencer]

I didn't count, but did he only have, say 10 blue-chip LBs? Vs. a similar number of blue-chip centers?

And speaking of blue-chip LBs -- TBC??

 

[Spiral]

Interesting that Mayo doesn't make the list, b/c he was hurt for 4 games or so, but Kris Jenkins is a blue chipper, despite the fact that he only played in 6 games.