You're right about our three established elites for now 43, but there will soon be three more:
I fully appreciate the recognition this writeup is giving AJ at left tackle, but just one spot over
Steve Avila didn't budge in pass pro and moved some beef around in run blocking. He'll only get better and his game on Sunday was elite quality.
Repeated bing searches for the number of tackles
Ernest Jones got in that game turned up a batch of useless information, but to my eye he was making good, technically sound, hard-hitting tackles, at least one TFL, and plugging the middle against the run. He's not Bobby Wagner yet, but nobody is. He'll be a pro bowler before too long.
And
Puka Nakua? We saw what we saw - and he's still laerning, still growing. When Kupp returns they'll be a DC's nightmare - and while his stat line may diminish his value to the offense will take a quantum leap forward. The D will have to account for him on every pay that goes to Kupp or Atwell. Meantime he already blocks on running plays and is not intimidated by NFL-level opposition.
