ESPNs Top 25 Players of the Decade

[travis minor]

Champ Bailey at 6? Are you freakin kidding me? I would take a great player at every other position over a great corner. Do you think a Viking or a Samoan Warrior would want to play freaking corner back? CORNERBACK? In the totem pole of manliness, cornerback is Ryan Seacrest and Middle Linebacker or Running Back is Shaka Zulu. So ESPN basically thinks Ryan Seacrest is better than Shaka Zulu. Really ESPN? REALLY?

Please, get Champ out of that list. Ronde Barber and Olin Kreutz in the honorable mention? Your telling me Olin Kreutz has been a better player in than Clinton Portis? Your putting Olin Kreutz in the same breath as Larry Allen? When did ESPN let idiots from bleacher report right articles for them?

Still bitter about the trade? If Champ remained a skin you would be singing his praisies. Champ Bailey is the most complete corner ever. Its epic how much you hate on the guy. Yes, we screwed you and that is why you are still bitter after all these years. Most complete corner ever>injury prone running back who never regained his Denver form. In your face.

lol at most complete corner. Your defense was crap with Champ and still is. Champ isn't even the third best corner in Redskins history. With Portis, the Skins have had a top NFL rushing game every season. By the way, Champ has missed nine games for Denver. Portis has missed nine games for Washington. Who's injury prone? Nice try clown.

btw Jay Cutler says hi. Brandon Marshall does too. Enjoy a craptacular season.

why u mad

[Reks]

McNabb should be on this list. Five NFC championship games in eight years and one of the winningest teams of the decade. Kurt disappears in New York and he's there.

[livestrong4ever]

I don't agree with Kurt Warner on that list so high.

[Munchlaxatives]

I don't agree with Kurt Warner on that list so high.

Really. He fizzled out in what, 2003? Bulger was taking the job from him in 2004 and he had one good season in Arizona.

[LAKESHOW]

John Lynch

[J.Kim]

Kurt Warner should not be on the list. 3 years of statistical dominance and 6 years of middling play should not qualify you to be the top 25 players of the decade. Plus, its not like he was overwhelmingly the best player on a successful team either.

I also have a problem with Walter Jones being so high up compared to Jonathan Ogden and Orlando Pace. Jones has been on the decline ever since Steve Hutchinson left for the vikings, and IMO only made the previous Pro-Bowl and All-Pro selection just on his reputation.

I think Ed Reed should have been the highest Defensive Back on this list, not Champ Bailey.

If I had my way, no RB would be on this list, save for LaDainian Tomlinson. Especially this decade, there's always a different RB for every couple of years that headed the top 2 with LdT. Shaun Alexander, Priest Holmes, Jamal Lewis, Edgerrin James, and Adrian Peterson now.

Lastly, I think Kevin Mawae, at the very least, should have been an honorable mention.

[SedaleThreatt37]

It's funny how people forget how great Champ was..he still is actually..there isn't a defensive back in the NFL that would look good with our horrible front 7 and defensive scheme..not Ed Reed, not Nhamdi, not Polamalu..

Champ Bailey in his prime was more than a CB, he was everything to the Broncos..our best tackler, he completely shut down an entire side of the field, he made huge plays when we needed them..

LOL @ Redskins fans..

[J.Kim]

It's funny how people forget how great Champ was..he still is actually..there isn't a defensive back in the NFL that would look good with our horrible front 7 and defensive scheme..not Ed Reed, not Nhamdi, not Polamalu..

Champ Bailey in his prime was more than a CB, he was everything to the Broncos..our best tackler, he completely shut down an entire side of the field, he made huge plays when we needed them..

LOL @ Redskins fans..

And how long did his prime last before he was usurped by Nnamdi for the best Corner title?

Ed Reed, on the other hand, has been the best Safety in the league from pretty much when he first stepped in to the league. Champ has been the best corner in this decade, but I don't think he's the best DB in this decade, and should not be higher than Ed Reed.

[miller31time]

As a Ravens fan, Lewis and Reed seem too low.

[Roger Murdock]

As a Ravens fan, Lewis and Reed seem too low.

As a Browns fan who hates the Ravens and underrates them every year, I agree. I would have Lewis at number 4 and Ed Reed in the top 10.

[BigBurd]

Zach T should be ahead of Urlacher.

If they are close to even do we factor in size, and give Zach the edge because he was so much smaller than Urlacher... we're talking like 5'11" vs. 6'4", and what, -30lbs?

[Dr Manhattan]

Zach T should be ahead of Urlacher.

If they are close to even do we factor in size, and give Zach the edge because he was so much smaller than Urlacher... we're talking like 5'11" vs. 6'4", and what, -30lbs?

Do we also factor in that Zach Thomas has played in systems that allow him to be much more of a play-maker than Urlacher is allowed to be in the Cover 2?

[WAYSA]

Let the debate begin!

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/nfcwest/0-9- ... ecade.html

1. Tom Brady
2. Peyton Manning
3. LaDanian Tomlinson
4. Walter Jones
5. Jason Taylor
6. Champ Bailey
7. Marvin Harrison
8. Michael Strahan
9. Ray Lewis
10. Tony Gonzalez
11. Jonathan Ogden
12. Ed Reed
13. Torry Holt
14. Randy Moss
15. Derrick Brooks
16. Orlando Pace
17. Kurt Warner
18. Shaun Alexander
19. Troy Polamalu
20. Richard Seymour
21. Ben Roethlisberger
22. Steve Hutchinson
23. Brett Favre
24. Terrell Owens
25. Brian Urlacher

Just missed the cut: Alan Faneca, John Lynch, Will Shields, Brian Dawkins, La'Roi Glover, Kevin Mawae, Olin Kreutz, Matt Birk, Larry Allen, Chris Samuels, Zach Thomas, Ronde Barber, Keith Brooking, Al Wilson, Julian Peterson, Donovan McNabb, Antonio Gates, Jason Witten, Chad Ochocinco

- Marvin Harrison seems a tad high.

- I don't think Seymour deserves to be up there with these other players. Like him as a player, but I just don't think he's a top 20 player of this decade.

- I think Pace is about 10 spots too low.

- I don't agree with Holt over Moss.

- Ed Reed does seem a tad low.

[Mike Hunt]

I would have at least mentioned Priest Holmes, for a couple of years, I thought he was a top 3 player in the league.

[Bleeding Blue]

Harrison is definitely not too high...if anything he should be where he is or higher

[Latrell]

Harrison is definitely not too high...if anything he should be where he is or higher

Yeah Marvin seems right at 7, could make the case for him being higher for sure though...The Top 3 on this list are in a legaue of their own though, Brady, LT and Manning are clearly the Top 3 players of the decade. After that its kind of a crapshoot to 25, you can make a case for almost anyone. People are always gonna have beef with player rankings. I haven't read a thread on Realgm about player rankings and see people agree with them. Not one This list does seem pretty crappy though regardless

[Da Schwab]

Now that I look back on it, I think Tony Gonzalez should be #4 behind Brady, Manning and LdT. Tony was the pinnacle of skill success at his position throughout the entire decade, and there haven't been many TEs to come even remotely close to his level.