<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>DB rankings: Teams 1-10Scouts Inc. 1. Baltimore RavensUnder coordinator Rex Ryan, the Baltimore Ravens have one of the most aggressive defensive schemes in the NFL, which places a lot of pressure on the secondary. FS Ed Reed is one of the best safeties in the NFL, while CB Chris McAlister continues to play at a Pro Bowl level. Reed is a versatile player who can play a lot of different roles in the Ravens' coverage schemes. McAlister is a big, physical player who gives the Ravens a premier shutdown corner. He has the responsibility of matching up on a week-to-week basis with the opponent's No.1 receiver. Second-year SS Dawan Landry was a pleasant surprise last season, finishing the season tied for second on the team with five interceptions. CB Samari Rolle is an experienced player whose overall performance has fallen off the past few seasons. 2. Chicago BearsThe Bears were very effective last season stopping opposing offenses on third down. They have three very solid corners who can matchup on the outside versus multiple spread offenses. Starting CB Charles Tillman is a physical corner who plays with good awareness and instincts in the Bears' Tampa-2 system. Right cornerback Nathan Vasher lacks Tillman's size, but is very effective in playing the ball downfield. No. 3 Ricky Manning Jr. also plays bigger than his size and was very effective in the Bears' sub defensive packages. When healthy, SS Mike Brown is a very underrated player. Also, the Bears added Adam Archuleta due to the health concerns surrounding Brown. Archuleta is a favorite of Lovie Smith and will compete for the starting SS position. FS Danieal Manning has very good speed and extended range in deep zones. 3. Denver BroncosSimply put, Champ Bailey is the best corner in the NFL. He is a shutdown corner with the ability to take the opposing team's No. 1 receiver out of the game. And he is a willing insert player and an effective tackler in run support. Dre' Bly, who the Broncos acquired in an offseason trade with the Lions, will replace the late Darrent Williams. Bly is a good No. 2 corner with outstanding ball skills. There is solid depth at the corner position in Domonique Foxworth and Karl Paymah. Veteran John Lynch continues to be effective as the starting free safety. He is the leader of the secondary, with outstanding instincts and intangibles to play the position. Nick Ferguson is expected to start at SS. Ferguson is an adequate starter who finished last season on injured reserve. 4. Oakland RaidersOne of the few bright spots for the Raiders last season was the performance of their defense. The Raiders do a great job of mixing loaded-zone concepts with pressure. Nnamdi Asomugha is a big, physical corner with a tremendous upside to develop into a frontline No. 1 in the NFL. He is an athletic player with very good transition skills when matching up in coverage. CB Fabian Washington is a young developing player who lacks the size of Asomugha. However, he is a solid No. 2 corner with the upside to develop into a top-notch player. SS Michael Huff is a tough, physical player with good positional versatility on the backend in coverage. Look for Huff's responsibilities within the schemes to increase in 2007. FS Stuart Schweigert is a young, smart, instinctive player who handles the calls and adjustments within the secondary. 5. Philadelphia EaglesDefensive coordinator Jim Johnson loves to attack with multiple pressure packages that allow his secondary to make game-changing plays. The Eagles' secondary is led by SS Brian Dawkins. Dawkins is still a very versatile player in the Eagles' defensive schemes. He is a physical player who can still be very productive in both regular and sub defensive packages. SS Sean Considine is a definite upgrade over Michael Lewis in coverage, but needs to continue to develop his total body strength. Corners Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown are very effective on the outside. Sheppard is a good starting left corner with instincts and the ability to matchup with premier receivers in the NFL. Brown is a tough, physical player who plays bigger than his listed size. Backups William James and Joselio Hanson provide good depth at the corner position. 6. Jacksonville JaguarsThe Jaguars released starting strong safety Donovin Darius this past offseason. Darius had durability issues the past few seasons, but is still a very productive player against the run and an outstanding leader in the secondary. With that said, the Jaguars still possess a very good secondary, starting with corners Rashean Mathis and Brian Williams. Mathis has all the tools to develop into a solid No. 1 corner in the NFL, while Williams is a versatile player who has the experience to match up either on the inside or outside versus multiple spread offenses. First-round pick Reggie Nelson is expected to replace last year's starting FS, Deon Grant. Nelson is an instinctive playmaker who should excel on the backend in coverage due to his speed and range. SS Gerald Sensabaugh is expected to replace Darius, and handle the adjustments and calls within the secondary. 7. Dallas CowboysNew defensive coordinator Brian Stewart will rely on more pressure schemes, which should improve the performance in the Cowboys' secondary. CB Terence Newman is one of the top players at his position in the NFL. He is a very good athlete with outstanding coverage ability and ball skills. Anthony Henry is a physical corner who is more natural from a press than off position. However, he must play with more consistency this season. Backup Aaron Glenn is an experienced player who is best suited in the slot in sub situations. SS Roy Williams is best suited up near the line of scrimmage where he can factor in as the eighth defender in the box. He has outstanding physical traits but is a liability in deep zones against the pass. FS Ken Hamlin was signed this offseason and should improve a pass defense that finished 14th in the NFL last season. 8. San Francisco 49ersThe 49ers were one of the most aggressive teams in free agency this past offseason. The focus was on addressing their defense due to the explosive offenses they face in the NFC West. Newly-signed corner Nate Clements should improve a pass defense that finished 26th in the NFL. Clement has very good size, speed, quickness and playmaking skills. He will allow the 49ers to match up out on the outside versus multiple groupings. Walt Harris is a solid No. 2 corner who played well in 2006, while backup corner Shawntae Spencer is a solid No. 3. SS Michael Lewis was another solid addition this offseason and should be a strong factor against the run. Lewis is a physical, downhill player in run support, but he can be a liability on the backend in coverage. FS Mark Roman is a smart, instinctive player who has good position versatility. 9. San Diego ChargersThe Chargers are one of the most talented teams in the NFL. CB Quentin Jammer played at a very high level last season. He has all the intangibles to develop into a solid frontline player in the NFL and is the Chargers' No. 1 corner. Drayton Florence will have his hands full fighting Antonio Cromartie -- last year's first-round pick -- for the starting CB position opposite Jammer. Cromartie is a big, physical player with a tremendous amount of talent, but he lacks experience as a starter. With that said, the Chargers have three talented corners to match up in the AFC West. FS Marlon McCree is a consistent player who has good recognition skills and instincts. He has good ball skills and handles the calls in the secondary. Clinton Hart and rookie second-round pick Eric Weddle will battle for the starting SS position. 10. Washington RedskinsThe Redskins have a very talented secondary that struggled with consistency and durability last season under defensive coordinator Greg Williams. The duo of FS Sean Taylor and SS LaRon Landry gives the Redskins a tremendous amount of versatility in the backend of their secondary. Taylor is a big, playmaking safety with good athletic skills, while Landry has the upside to develop into a Pro Bowl player. However, Taylor needs to play with more consistency in 2007. CB Shawn Springs is the team's most consistent player in the secondary when healthy. Springs has good cover skills and can match up with the opponent's No. 1 receiver. CB Carlos Rogers is a physical player who can be a liability in coverage due to his inconsistent play. The Redskins have a lot of depth at corner in David Macklin, Fred Smoot and Jerametrius Butler.</div>http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/insider/new...%3fid%3d2932054
Spots 4 and 5 surprise me. Fabian Wasington has done nothing to prove himself a solid #2 YET. The Eagles have a struggling set of DB's. No one has emerged as their top DB yet, and Dawkins isn't getting any better to help that.
Samari has dropped off a lot but word from camp says he's back to his 04 and 05 self which is good cause he played better the Chris those years.
