GOAT - position by position

[Ralphwiggum]

There's an argument that Edelman is the third best slot receiver to play for the Pats after Welker and Troy Brown. Love me some Jules but he has no business in a conversation with the other names being thrown around in this thread.

I'm a Barry Sanders guy at RB but can't argue with Jim Brown. Fuck Emmitt Smith, though. He's kind of like Jeter to me, a no-doubt HOFer who is simultaneously massively overrated. He ran behind great O-lines on great teams in his prime, and had incredible durability for a RB so he played forever and piled up a ton of stats. I can live with Jim Brown over Barry as GOAT but not Emmitt Smith.

 

[BigJimEd]

I'll add a name that some consider the original slot receiver, Charlie Joiner.

Payton or Brown for me as top RB.

 

[Ale Xander]

Sanders was/is the greatest cover guy ever. (With Revis as a close #2, IMO.) But it's hard for me to argue that he was the best cornerback, for the simple reason that he did not tackle. And I'm not talking about the fact that he was a bad tackler. I mean he literally wouldn't tackle. He'd just throw a shoulder at ball carriers who came his way and that was it.

I'm partial to Charles Woodson - an outstanding cover man, a ferocious tackler and one of the best all-around defensive players ever.

Are there any Michigan fans who are NOT partial to Charles Woodson?
Plus, you have to be partial to someone, especially a DB/PR, who steals a Heisman away from Peyton.

 

[Tangled Up In Red]

Fuck Emmitt Smith, though. He's kind of like Jeter to me, a no-doubt HOFer who is simultaneously massively overrated. He ran behind great O-lines on great teams in his prime, and had incredible durability for a RB so he played forever and piled up a ton of stats.

I couldn't agree more. Very good player who landed in a perfect situation, and doesn't belong in this conversation. The Jeter comp is spot on.

 

[Al Zarilla]

Guy was so much better than every punter who came before him that he revolutionized the position. His career stats would probably make him an average to slightly below-average punter today, but were he to have the benefit of modern coaching/training/philosophy, it's hard for me to argue that he wouldn't have been the best.

Transformative, for sure.



Jim Brown is arguably the greatest athlete of all time.

Works for me. The more time that goes by, the less the older guys are appreciated. Brown though had terrific speed to go along with fullback size, so he should never lose favor.

 

[BostonWolverine]

I love Gronk as much as the next Patriots fan but I think calling him the goat is a bit of a stretch. The major arguments for Gronk as the best ever rely on his play off statistics and his rate stats being superior to anyone else. While his playoff numbers and stats are dominate, Tony Gonzalez is no slouch in per game statistics. So now the question is being first and second in every major receiving statistic in a 277 game sample or a 16 game sample more important.

Even if we add Gronk's playoff numbers into his totals he only places in the top four of all time in a single stat, touchdowns. His 9024 yards finishes just outside at 5th. While these arguments are always biased towards what you value, I'm hard pressed to put Rob over Tony.

edit* Gonzalez and Winslow per game receptions ranks should be switched.

 

[Kliq]

I love Gronk as much as the next Patriots fan but I think calling him the goat is a bit of a stretch. The major arguments for Gronk as the best ever rely on his play off statistics and his rate stats being superior to anyone else. While his playoff numbers and stats are dominate, Tony Gonzalez is no slouch in per game statistics. So now the question is being first and second in every major receiving statistic in a 277 game sample or a 16 game sample more important.

Even if we add Gronk's playoff numbers into his totals he only places in the top four of all time in a single stat, touchdowns. His 9024 yards finishes just outside at 5th. While these arguments are always biased towards what you value, I'm hard pressed to put Rob over Tony.

edit* Gonzalez and Winslow per game receptions ranks should be switched.

Tight ends do more than catch passes though.

 

[BaseballJones]

Gronk is perhaps the best blocking TE of all time. Just watch during these playoffs how he just obliterates defenders in the run game. Add to that his absolutely elite pass-catching skills and you have the ultimate tight end. Basically if you were to create a player in Madden at the TE position, a healthy and in-his-prime Gronk is what you'd come up with.

The only downside to him is his health and relatively short career.

 

[pappymojo]

Even if want to exclude blocking from an evaluation of tight ends, an average of 0.7 touchdowns per game is amazing.

Technically, 0.69 touchdowns per game. Also if you round up, 69 yards per game. Double 69. Double nice.

 

[Bellhorn]

I'm partial to Charles Woodson - an outstanding cover man, a ferocious tackler and one of the best all-around defensive players ever.

And just a split-second too slow on his blitzes.

 

[garlan5]

Gronk is perhaps the best blocking TE of all time. Just watch during these playoffs how he just obliterates defenders in the run game. Add to that his absolutely elite pass-catching skills and you have the ultimate tight end. Basically if you were to create a player in Madden at the TE position, a healthy and in-his-prime Gronk is what you'd come up with.

The only downside to him is his health and relatively short career.

Vernon davis was underrated at blocking. if he had slightly better hands and less injuries i don't know if there would be a discussion. he was a game changer under Harbaugh. Completely underutilized until then. If he had played with a Brady his whole career i bet he would have smashed record books. i'm not making any case for him as a goat but imagine what if. Brent Jones was one of the best too. Shannon Sharpe was mentioned and he too could block and catch.

 

[Mugsy's Walk-Off Bunt]

I love Gronk as much as the next Patriots fan but I think calling him the goat is a bit of a stretch. The major arguments for Gronk as the best ever rely on his play off statistics and his rate stats being superior to anyone else. While his playoff numbers and stats are dominate, Tony Gonzalez is no slouch in per game statistics. So now the question is being first and second in every major receiving statistic in a 277 game sample or a 16 game sample more important.

Even if we add Gronk's playoff numbers into his totals he only places in the top four of all time in a single stat, touchdowns. His 9024 yards finishes just outside at 5th. While these arguments are always biased towards what you value, I'm hard pressed to put Rob over Tony.

edit* Gonzalez and Winslow per game receptions ranks should be switched.

Those aren't the major arguments for Gronk. His superior blocking skills are.