The Most Important Positions In Football - Brendan Darr's Blog

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The Most Important Positions In Football Stuck

Posted on October 17, 2012 at 05:42 PM.

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Today I'll go over the four most important positions in football. I think two of the four are obvious (Quarterback and Left Tackle), one you might expect, and the other is a bit of a surprise.

I think most everyone would assume Left Tackle and Quarterback would make the list. Unless you play in the SEC, you don't need a Quarterback (no offense, Johnny football). However, in the NFL, you need a Quarterback -- but is it the most important position....

4) Nose Tackle In 3-4 Defense

Admittedly, I have long overlooked the importance of the Nose Tackle in a 3-4 defense. I thought, 'hey, its just a really fat guy who doesn't have any stats.' and you know what? I was wrong.

The Nose Tackle clogs the middle, taking on lineman to open space for the linebackers. Guys like Haloti Ngata and Vince Wilfork are masters of the position (and the buffet line) and prove just how vital Nose Tackles really are.

3) Cornerback Of The Shutdown Variety

Guys like Champ Bailey and Darrelle Revis don't just grow on trees. They are vital to a teams success in this new-age NFL where passing is now much more prevalent than rushing. Being able to shut down a teams top receiving option is rarely a one-man job, but if you are able to do it -- it makes you all the more valuable.

I would have put this at number two if Nnamdi Asomugha hadn't bombed in Philly last year. Regardless, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie has been stellar while Asomugha has struggled and Asante Samuels was shipped out.

2) Franchise Quarterback

This may be a little bit of a surprise, but as Alex Smith is proving -- unless of course, you believe ESPN and he is in fact the Best Quarterback in the League -- that a Franchise Quarterback isn't quite as necessary as a Left Tackle.

The obvious counter to this argument is Aaron Rodgers. He won an MVP last year breaking in a new Left Tackle. However, one guy is an exception, not the rule. But when you look at teams that aren't as successful in the NFL, they are lacking a star quarterback. That's why it's a close second place.

1) Guardian Of The Blind Side

The Left Tackle (or Right Tackle with a southpaw at QB) has evolved into the most important position in football. With passing at a premium, so is pass rushing. It takes a special talent to protect the blind side of a Quarterback.

While the Left Tackle/Quarterback debate is a little bit like asking chicken or the egg, teams that have elite Quarterbacks generally have an elite Left Tackle, and elite Left Tackles can provide time for less-talented Quarterbacks to shine.

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Comments

# 1 scottyo60 @ Oct 17

If I have an elite left tackle I'm facing and the teams right tackle is horrible, ill make that left tackle irrelevant every time. No reason to put our best rusher on him, when you can get him a mismatch

# 2 cmehustle @ Oct 17

If we are going my average nfl salary it would be:
QB
LT
DE
DT

# 3 cmehustle @ Oct 17

Just as fyi here are the rest in order of average salary:

CB
LB
WR
RB
S
P/K
TE

# 4 Cardot @ Oct 17

I have always wondered how well a team would do if they have the best 5 offensive linemen in the game, and then surrounded them with journeymen at the skill positions.

# 5 The_Wise_One @ Oct 18

3-4 nose tackle is a big deal. I think they are more valuable than shutdown corners

# 6 NYwRiter94 @ Oct 19

The Giants won their Super Bowl last year with a guard playing left tackle and without a shutdown corner. Dating back five years, the QBs that have played in the Super Bowl? Eli Manning x2 (Two wins), Tom Brady x2, Aaron Rodgers (One win), Ben Roethlisberger x2 (One win), Drew Brees (One win), Peyton Manning, Kurt Warner. Are any of those players not elite(I would argue Ben isn't but I'm very low on him)?

It's become a cliche thing and I get that the idea is to think past the "OMG FRANCHISE QB IS THE ONLY IMPORTANT THING", but that's really what has been proven over the past several years.

# 7 brettford @ Oct 19

Yea gotta agree w NYwRiter94....

Left tackles are really important and yes...saying left tackles are important implies you have an above average understanding of football. But to rank the LT higher than QB?! That is crazy.