This article is part of our IDP Analysis series.
- Bruce Arians acknowledged that rookie second-round pick Antoine Winfield will push for a starting job early in Tampa Bay, which puts the rookie on the mainstream IDP radar. Not only is Winfield a candidate to post healthy tackle totals, but his rare coverage abilities make him an enhanced interception threat after he snagged seven in 13 games for Minnesota last year. Rather than his ability to earn a starting role, the main concern with Winfield probably has to do with his durability after he missed time in each of his first three collegiate seasons. At 5-9, 203, Winfield logged a 4.45 40 and 36-inch vertical at the combine, proving he has athletic tools to go with the skill set demonstrated by his excellent collegiate production. This could be one of the league's best defensive backs in a hurry.
- Dallas defensive tackle Gerald McCoy suffered what is feared to be a torn ACL on Monday, a devastating development for a front four hoping to coax a renaissance season out of a gang of mercenary veterans, the others being fellow tackle Dontari Poe and ends Aldon Smith and Everson Griffen. McCoy was the best run stopper of the group and a pocket-collapsing threat in the pass rush, so his absence could be a drag on the pass-rushing impact of Smith, Griffen, and lead defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence.
- Speaking of Smith, he's evidently showing well in Dallas' training camp so far. The former 49ers star has had a hard and uniquely
- Bruce Arians acknowledged that rookie second-round pick Antoine Winfield will push for a starting job early in Tampa Bay, which puts the rookie on the mainstream IDP radar. Not only is Winfield a candidate to post healthy tackle totals, but his rare coverage abilities make him an enhanced interception threat after he snagged seven in 13 games for Minnesota last year. Rather than his ability to earn a starting role, the main concern with Winfield probably has to do with his durability after he missed time in each of his first three collegiate seasons. At 5-9, 203, Winfield logged a 4.45 40 and 36-inch vertical at the combine, proving he has athletic tools to go with the skill set demonstrated by his excellent collegiate production. This could be one of the league's best defensive backs in a hurry.
- Dallas defensive tackle Gerald McCoy suffered what is feared to be a torn ACL on Monday, a devastating development for a front four hoping to coax a renaissance season out of a gang of mercenary veterans, the others being fellow tackle Dontari Poe and ends Aldon Smith and Everson Griffen. McCoy was the best run stopper of the group and a pocket-collapsing threat in the pass rush, so his absence could be a drag on the pass-rushing impact of Smith, Griffen, and lead defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence.
- Speaking of Smith, he's evidently showing well in Dallas' training camp so far. The former 49ers star has had a hard and uniquely troubled life since he posted 19.5 sacks back in 2012, but by all accounts he's remade himself entirely. Hopefully it works well for him in Dallas.
- Green Bay free agent signing Christian Kirksey declared himself fully healthy, which is good to hear given the recent injury struggles of the former Iowa star. Kirksey posted big tackle numbers earlier in his career with Cleveland, accumulating 286 stops and six sacks from 2016 to 2017, but the subsequent two seasons were ended by hamstring and pectoral injuries. Kirksey carries a higher injury risk than most other linebackers as a result, but his IDP upside is enormous all the same. If his draft price is reasonable, then Kirksey's injury risk factor is immaterial relative to the potential payoff. Blake Martinez accumulated 299 tackles and eight sacks as Green Bay's leading inside linebacker over the last two years, and Kirksey should more or less inherit that same role. A top-five overall finish at the position is absolutely within reach for Kirksey if his luck improves.
- In news that is interesting but not necessarily meaningful for IDP purposes, emerging star Tennessee lineman Jeffery Simmons reportedly arrived to training camp at about 10 pounds lighter than his prior playing weight. Listed at 6-4, 305 on NFL.com, it's not clear where his weight might be relative to that number. Simmons is in any case a player who plays bigger than his build, the rare interior lineman who can wreck a backfield with quick disruptiveness. It's why the Titans spent a first-round pick on Simmons last year even though he was recovering from a torn ACL suffered in his final season at Mississippi State. With 32 tackles and two sacks on just 318 regular season snaps, Simmons is a candidate to be among the league leaders for tackles at the defensive tackle position.
- Jacksonville defensive tackle Rodney Gunter will unfortunately retire for the time being due to an enlarged aorta, which leaves an already reeling interior Jacksonville defensive line short on reps. Gunter totaled 75 tackles and 7.5 sacks over his last 1,224 snaps with the Cardinals, so he might have held DL2 streaming utility in IDP leagues if this unfortunate condition hadn't gotten in his way. The Jaguars signed Tim Jernigan, perhaps as a direct replacement. Jernigan's per-snap production has been encouraging enough to this point in his NFL career, but he hasn't played 500 snaps in a season since 2016, when he finished with 31 tackles and five sacks on 629 snaps. Jernigan is unlikely to be much use except in very deep IDP formats.
- Seattle defensive tackles Jarran Reed and Poona Ford are both missing practices currently with lower-leg injuries, which is a fairly concerning development for a Seattle defense already perilously thin at defensive tackle. Reed has shown the ability to produce as an IDP in the past, so it would be good to see him get back into practice in order to build his conditioning and earn a three-down role. He totaled 50 tackles and 10.5 sacks on 776 snaps in 2018, so that's a glimpse of what might be at stake with Reed's snap workload.
