Bucky Brooks: What makes a SB contender?

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What makes a Super Bowl contender?

There are a number of ways to build a championship team, but I recently had a discussion with my "Move the Sticks" podcast partner, Daniel Jeremiah, in which we explored the essential pieces needed to field a Super Bowl contender.

Drawing from my personal experience as an NFL player and scout, I believe elite teams feature eight to 10 "blue" players on the roster. Those guys are not only the team's designated difference makers, but they are typically regarded as top-10 players at their respective positions. As a player, I spent time with a Green Bay Packers squad that eventually won a Super Bowl with a star-studded lineup that featured Brett Favre, Reggie White, LeRoy Butler and a host of other studs who obliterated opponents with their individual and collective talent. Prior to that, I played on a Buffalo Bills team that was fresh off four straight Super Bowl appearances with a core of Hall of Fame inductees (Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed and Bruce Smith) leading the way. Despite these Bills' Super Bowl failures, I gained an appreciation for the collective ability needed to compete at the highest level while playing on a squad that owned the AFC for a four-year period prior to my arrival.

Although the NFL has certainly changed dramatically since the 1990s, the core components needed to seriously compete for the Lombardi Trophy remain the same. The legitimate contenders in the league have a franchise quarterback surrounded by explosive playmakers with an exceptional offensive line leading the way. Defensively, the top teams can get after the passer with multiple players and they have a number of playmakers capable of taking over games. Whether it is coming up with timely turnovers or creating negative plays at the point of attack, the defense must have enough five-star talents to disrupt the flow of the opponent's offense.

With those factors in mind, DJ and I came up with the ultimate roster composition for a Super Bowlcontender in today's environment. Which positions should executives focus on in roster construction? The top teams have "blues" (top-10 players) and other steady performers in the following areas ...

1 franchise quarterback
3 offensive linemen
3 offensive playmakers
2 pass rushers
3 defensive playmakers

In a pass-happy league, it is important to have a roster that features enough weapons to win using the aerial attack as the driving force of the offense. Conversely, the defense must be able to disrupt the timing of the passing game and create turnovers on the second level.

After taking a long, hard look at every roster in the league, I believe there are five teams already positioned to make a run at the Lombardi Trophy, as well as five hopefuls that could be a draft move away from potentially joining the winner's circle.

SUPER BOWL-READY

You can pencil these teams into your playoff bracket, likely as high seeds. They not only have all of the pieces of the puzzle in place, but they possess the right mix of veterans and youngsters to make it happen in 2019.

New England Patriots
Franchise quarterback: Tom Brady.
Offensive playmakers: Sony Michel, James White, Julian Edelman.
Offensive linemen: Shaq Mason, Joe Thuney, David Andrews.
Pass rushers: Michael Bennett.
Defensive playmakers: Stephon Gilmore, Devin McCourty, Kyle Van Noy, Dont'a Hightower.

OK, the Patriots are the outlier in this group, lacking an established No. 2 pass rusher. But Bill Belichick's ability to use a variety of simulated pressures and exotic blitzes makes New England's pass rush more scheme-driven than others. With Van Noy, Hightower and others capable of contributing as pressure players, the Patriots are capable of disrupting the opponent's passing game without a name-brand QB hunter. That's why I slightly tweaked the formula here and listed one pass rusher and fourdefensive playmakers.

Cleveland Browns
Franchise quarterback: Baker Mayfield.
Offensive playmakers: Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, David Njoku.
Offensive linemen: Joel Bitonio, JC Tretter, Chris Hubbard.
Pass rushers: Myles Garrett, Olivier Vernon.
Defensive playmakers: Denzel Ward, Sheldon Richardson, Christian Kirksey.

John Dorsey has helped the Browns shed their underdog label by adding five-star talents across the roster. Cleveland is absolutely loaded with difference makers at key positions, which makes a Super Bowl run a realistic possibility under new head coach Freddie Kitchens. Oh, and one side note: Kareem Hunt would merit serious consideration for "offensive playmaker" designation, but his eight-game suspension led me to settle with the other three.

Los Angeles Rams
Franchise quarterback: Jared Goff.
Offensive playmakers: Todd Gurley, Robert Woods, Brandin Cooks.
Offensive linemen: Andrew Whitworth, Austin Blythe, Rob Havenstein.
Pass rushers: Aaron Donald, Clay Matthews/Dante Fowler Jr.
Defensive playmakers: Eric Weddle, Aqib Talib, Marcus Peters.

L.A.'s rise to the top of the NFC has been fueled by Sean McVay's play-calling brilliance and Les Snead's savvy talent acquisition. The Rams have been major players in the free-agent and trade markets, and the bold moves have helped the team become a dominant unit in the NFC.

Dallas Cowboys
Franchise quarterback: Dak Prescott.
Offensive playmakers: Ezekiel Elliott, Amari Cooper, Jason Witten.
Offensive linemen: Zack Martin, Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick.
Pass rushers: DeMarcus Lawrence, Robert Quinn.
Defensive playmakers: Jaylon Smith, Leighton Vander Esch, Byron Jones.

Say what you want about Jerry Jones and his approach to team-building, but there's no disputing the promise of this Cowboys' roster. America's Team is loaded with young talent at marquee positions -- and the group's collective playmaking ability could make Dallas the NFC's No. 1 seed at the end of the 2019 campaign. And yes, Frederick's status is still uncertain, as the center missed the entire 2018 campaign with Guillain-Barre syndrome. But even if he's still struggling with the autoimmune disorder in the fall, RT La'el Collins is emerging as a fine lineman, and would slide right into the third slot above.

Chicago Bears
Franchise quarterback: Mitch Trubisky.
Offensive playmakers: Tarik Cohen, Allen Robinson, Trey Burton.
Offensive linemen: Bobby Massie, Charles Leno Jr., Kyle Long.
Pass rushers: Khalil Mack, Akiem Hicks.
Defensive playmakers: Roquan Smith, Kyle Fuller, Eddie Jackson.

It's not a coincidence the Bears surged to the top of the NFC North after acquiring Khalil Mack just before last season kicked off. The ultra-explosive sack master not only completed Ryan Pace's roster makeover, but No. 52 gave the Bears the high-end difference maker needed to seriously contend for the Lombardi Trophy. Stout center Cody Whitehair also received consideration for one of the O-lineman spots above.

CLOSE, BUT NO CIGAR

These teams are on the verge of joining the group above, but they need an additional piece to seriously contend for the crown.

Philadelphia Eagles
Franchise quarterback: Carson Wentz.
Offensive playmakers: Zach Ertz, DeSean Jackson, Jordan Howard.
Offensive linemen: Jason Kelce, Lane Johnson, Brandon Brooks.
Pass rushers: Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham.
Defensive playmakers: Malcolm Jenkins, Rodney McLeod.
Need: defensive playmaker.

The Eagles took a step back in 2018, with Wentz shaking off the rust from a knee injury and eventually suffering a back ailment. The team's defense needs some more juice on the second level. Some potential priorities heading into the draft: an explosive linebacker with blitz and coverage capabilities; a versatile defensive back with playmaking potential on the perimeter or near the box. Speaking of playmaking, that last offensive playmaker spot came down to Howard and Alshon Jeffery. Went with Howard because, since the RB entered the NFL in 2016, only two backs (Ezekiel Elliott and Todd Gurley) have more rushing yards than Howard's 3,370.

Los Angeles Chargers
Franchise quarterback: Philip Rivers.
Offensive playmakers: Melvin Gordon, Keenan Allen, Mike Williams.
Offensive linemen: Mike Pouncey, Russell Okung.
Pass rushers: Joey Bosa, Melvin Ingram.
Defensive playmakers: Derwin James, Casey Hayward, Denzel Perryman.
Need: offensive lineman.

The Chargers keep inching closer to Super Bowl contention, but are a few pieces away from fielding a roster that can win against any team utilizing any style. To be effective against heavyweights in the AFC, the Bolts' offensive line must be able to control the line of scrimmage to create running lanes for Gordon or provide sufficient protection for Rivers to deal from the pocket. If L.A. can find another piece to solidify the offensive line, we could see No. 17 spark the Bolts on a deeper postseason run.

New Orleans Saints
Franchise quarterback: Drew Brees.
Offensive playmakers: Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara, Jared Cook.
Offensive linemen: Terron Armstead, Ryan Ramczyk.
Pass rushers: Cameron Jordan, Sheldon Rankins.
Defensive playmakers: Marshon Lattimore, Demario Davis, Vonn Bell.
Need: offensive lineman.

Sean Payton is an offensive wizard with a preference for leaning on a balanced approach to keep opponents on their toes, but he needs a more dominant O-line in place to fully implement his plan. The surprising retirement of center Max Unger leaves a void in the middle of the unit, which makes finding an interior blocker a top priority on draft weekend.

Pittsburgh Steelers
Franchise quarterback: Ben Roethlisberger.
Offensive playmakers: James Conner, JuJu Smith-Schuster.
Offensive linemen: Maurkice Pouncey, David DeCastro, Ramon Foster.
Pass rushers: T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward.
Defensive playmakers: Joe Haden, Stephon Tuitt, Javon Hargrave.
Need: offensive playmaker.

The Steelers might have a more cohesive locker room without Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell, but the offense will surely miss their production on the field. Without a pair of five-star talents on the perimeter, Pittsburgh will need to add an explosive weapon via the draft to complement Conner and Smith-Schuster as the top offensive options.

Kansas City Chiefs
Franchise quarterback: Patrick Mahomes.
Offensive playmakers: Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins.
Offensive linemen: Mitchell Schwartz, Eric Fisher, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif.
Pass rushers: Chris Jones.
Defensive playmakers: Tyrann Mathieu, Kendall Fuller.
Need: Pass rusher and defensive playmaker.

The Chiefs have been widely hailed as Super Bowl contenders due to the emergence of Patrick Mahomes as the league's MVP, but a sagging defense threatens to torpedo those hopes. The Chiefslost a pair of high-end pass rushers in the offseason (Justin Houston and Dee Ford) and the secondary remains a question mark despite the addition of the "Honey Badger." In a league that's governed by the passing game, K.C. must have edge rushers and cornerbacks as top priorities on the draft board. Lastly, we'll obviously have to see what comes of the ongoing investigation involving Hill.