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Every NFL team’s key role player
Oakland Raiders wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson poses for a photo after scoring a touchdown against the New York Jets during the third quarter at Oakland Coliseum on Sept. 17, 2017. Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

Every NFL team has a series of superstars on both offense and defense who steal the limelight, but in order for a team to be successful, they need quality starters at every position and strong reserves/role players.

Often, it’s those role players who are ultimately the difference between a championship run or a story about what could have been.

Here’s a look at every NFL team’s key role player.

Arizona Cardinals – John Brown, wide receiver

This spot could have just as easily have gone to wide receiver J.J. Nelson, but John Brown has been an under-the-radar gem for the Cardinals several years running. He finished fourth on the team in all purpose yards (697) in 2016 despite starting only six games, and did his damage through the air, on the ground and returning both kicks and punts. Unfortunately he is currently being limited by a quad injury.

Atlanta Falcons – Adrian Clayborn, defensive end

After starting for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers over four seasons, Adrian Clayborn joined the Falcons as a reserve and like many others on defense, plays a key role. A rotational defensive end with quality experience, Clayborn recorded 7.5 sacks with Atlanta over his first two seasons and provides a solid third-and-long option. The 29-year-old has one sack this season, and made his presence felt with a big hit on Aaron Rodgers in Week 2.

Baltimore Ravens – Justin Tucker, kicker

Kickers may start all 16 games for a team, but there’s no denying how they play a very specified role. And for Justin Tucker, he’s long been a solid option for the Ravens, but that was never more evident than in 2016 when he connected on all 10 field goals beyond 50 yards and was named to the Pro Bowl. The streak of perfection on attempts from 50-plus ended in Week 2, but few kickers in the NFL are more reliable than Tucker.

Buffalo Bills – Ryan Groy, offensive lineman

Ryan Groy is your typical O-line reserve, having spot started 10 games throughout his career. However, when called upon, Groy has been as good as anyone else. In 2016, Groy took over for an injured Eric Wood and didn’t allow a single sack on 291 pass-blocking snaps. Groy is listed as a backup center and also can fill in at right guard for the Bills.

Carolina Panthers – Julius Peppers, DE

Even at 37 years old, Julius Peppers remains a major factor. The future Hall of Famer is part of Carolina’s rotation on the defensive line and is already having an impact. He was credited with half a sack in the team’s season-opening win over San Francisco, and then he added two sacks in a win over Buffalo. Peppers says this Carolina defense is the best he’s ever been a part of.

Chicago Bears – Deonte Thompson, wide receiver

Deonte Thompson started six games for the Bears a season ago, but rarely saw time on offense. He did haul in 22 of his 36 targets however, gaining 249 yards at an average of 11.3 per reception. Beyond that, he was a more than capable kick returner, adding an additional 804 yards. His 1,053 all-purpose yards were second-most on the team. This season, Thompson has five catches for 72 yards, a touchdown, and 90 kickoff return yards.

Cincinnati Bengals – Alex Erickson, wide receiver

Alex Erickson was among the best return men in the game of football a season ago, gaining 1,076 all-purpose yards. Only 71 of those yards came through the air (six receptions on eight targets). His kick return average of 27.9 ranked near the top of the league and his punt return average of 7.0 wasn’t too shabby, either. This season, he’s becoming more of a factor in the passing game. Erickson has five catches for 62 yards, nearly matching his season total from last year.

Cleveland Browns – Duke Johnson, running back

The Browns have very little to offer when it comes to top-end talent or under-the-radar quality, but Duke Johnson has been an unsung hero for them. On the ground, through the air or as a return man, Johnson gets the job done. He’ll even throw a pass on a trick play if asked. He was third on the team in all-purpose yards (1,003) a season ago. This year it’s been more of the same, as Johnson has 21 rushing yards and 79 receiving yards.

Dallas Cowboys – Cole Beasley, wide receiver

Cole Beasley really is a do-it-all man for the Cowboys and has been for several years. He’ll throw a pass on a trick play, run the ball if called upon, play all over the field at receiver and add a valuable asset on special teams. In 2016, he finished the year with 843 all-purpose yards, which was second on the team. He started only six games. He was a favorite target of Dak Prescott as he caught 75 passes. He has seven catches for 65 yards in two games this season.

Denver Broncos – Bradley Roby, cornerback

Bradley Roby is well known to Broncos fans, but perhaps his fame doesn’t extend much further than that. He’ll get a start or two throughout the year depending on defensive formation, but more often than not, he’s just a silent talent for one of the league’s best secondaries. In 2016, Roby hauled in two interceptions and brought each back for a touchdown. He also recorded a sack, forced a fumble and totaled eight passes defensed. He has seven tackles and an interception already this season.

Detroit Lions – Theo Riddick, running back

Riddick saw a fair amount of carries last season, but Ameer Abdullah has really taken up the featured back role for the Lions this season. Riddick still is a factor in the passing game for Detroit though. Riddick caught six passes for 27 yards and a touchdown in Week 1, and he picked up 37 yards in Week 2 for Detroit. He's not as shifty and doesn't have the big-play ability of Abdullah, but he is a reliable asset for Detroit.

Green Bay Packers – Ty Montgomery, running back

Ty Montgomery may be inching closer to a stranglehold on a starting position in Green Bay, but entering the 2017 season, he served as one of the most explosive role-players in all of football. He finished 2016 with 805 yards from scrimmage, a catch rate of 78.6% and a yards per carry average of 5.9. He’s equally effective as a rusher and receiver. Through two games in 2017, he has 89 rushing yards and 114 receiving yards.

Houston Texans – Alfred Blue, running back

The Texans go heavy with Lamar Miller on the ground, but when he needs to be spelled, Alfred Blue is more often than not the man who gets the call. He finished second on the team with 420 rushing yards a season ago and actually averaged more yards per carry than Miller (4.2 to 4.0). And while he’s not targeted out of the backfield often, his 75% catch rate is also quite impressive. Blue has been unavailable at the start of the 2017 season due to an ankle injury.

Indianapolis Colts – Malik Hooker, safety

Malik Hooker opened up the season as the backup safety to Darius Butler in Indy after the Colts made him a first-round pick in the draft. The rookie got his first start in Week 2 because of an injury to Butler, and he quickly recorded his first career interception. He covers tons of ground as a safety and will likely hold onto the starting job for Indy.

Jacksonville Jaguars – Chris Ivory, running back

A former 1,000-yard back with the New York Jets, Chris Ivory has taken on a reserve role with the Jaguars behind rookie Leonard Fournette. That sort of value can not be overstated, and not only does Ivory now serve as a tutor and a mentor, but has the ability to start on a moment’s notice and play productively. He’s ahead of former second-round pick T.J. Yeldon on the depth chart and has over 100 combined yards through the first two games of the season.

Kansas City Chiefs – Tyreek Hill, wide receiver

Tyreek Hill may be the most famous name on this list and the most obvious addition. As his role continues to increase, he won’t be a role player, but for now, he belongs. Although he started only one game in 2016, he finished the season with a team-leading 1,836 all-purpose yards and scored 12 total touchdown (three rushing, six receiving, two punt return, one kick return). He opened the 2017 season with 133 receiving yards and a touchdown in a win over the Patriots.

Los Angeles Chargers – Hunter Henry, tight end

Although Hunter Henry does get the starting nod on occasion, he’s not an every-week starter for the Chargers, who still give veteran Antonio Gates the bulk of starts. Still, Henry has proven to be a valuable asset behind Gates, putting up 478 yards and eight touchdowns a season ago. He had 7 catches for 80 yards in the Chargers’ Week 2 contest. Arguably, he’s the best reserve tight end in football.

Los Angeles Rams – Johnny Hekker, punter

Johnny Hekker is arguably the best punter in football, so that alone warrants his placement here. And while many dismiss special teams as a whole, much less the job of a punter, Hekker continuously helps to sway the battle of field position in the Rams’ favor. A three-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro, Hekker averaged nearly 48 yards per punt in 2016.

Miami Dolphins – Mike Hull, linebacker

Another special teams ace, Mike Hull finished second in the NFL a season ago with 13 special teams tackles — almost all coming on kickoff coverage. In limited defensive snaps, he recorded an additional seven tackles and an interception. Hull’s impressive play when called upon earned him much more playing time this season. In Miami’s first game, he had 10 tackles including one for a loss. He’s a little bit of a liability in coverage, but still a good player.

Minnesota Vikings – Jerick McKinnon, running back

Yes, we know Jerick McKinnon is only Minnesota’s third-string running back behind rookie Dalvin Cook and offseason signing Latavius Murray. Even with that the case, McKinnon is still valuable. He fits into Minnesota’s offense as more of a change-of-pace back and good receiving option out of the backfield. He had 43 receptions last season for 255 yards and two touchdowns. He has six catches on eight targets for 41 yards this season, along with 21 rushing yards through two games.

New England Patriots – Nate Ebner, defensive back

Nate Ebner isn’t just an Olympian, he’s also a two-time Super Bowl champion and arguably the best special teamer in the NFL. Ebner led the league with 14 special teams tackles in 2016 and also played the role of punt protector. For good measure, he added two forced and an additional five tackles. Unfortunately, he’s been limited by a shoulder injury in 2017, but he’s still a valuable part of the Patriots.

New Orleans Saints – Willie Snead, wide receiver

Snead is suspended the first three games of the season, and you can see how much the offense misses him. Ted Ginn has become the No. 2 option behind Michael Thomas, with Coby Fleener seeing increased targets. Snead, a Ball State product, has been a valuable member of the Saints’ offense the past two seasons. He caught 69 passes for 984 yards and three touchdowns in 2015, and followed that up with 72 catches for 895 yards and four touchdowns last season. He’s not the primary target for Drew Brees, but he’s an important one.

New York Giants – Zak DeOssie, long snapper

Running back Shane Vereen could have filled this space for the Giants, but the value of long snapper Zak DeOssie can not be overstated. One of the team’s captains, DeOssie is the second-longest tenured Giant behind quarterback Eli Manning and consistently performs at a high level. He’s not only a leader and solid long snapper, he’s also usually the first down the field on punts.

New York Jets – Marcus Williams, cornerback

Marcus Williams is a do-it-all man for the Jets, playing multiple defensive back positions and contributing on special teams. He’s recorded nine interceptions and 23 passes defensed in his young career, and has proven to be an effective blitzer, picking up 2.5 career sacks and two forced fumbles. He’s fallen behind on the Jets’ depth chart this season but could be seeing more playing time in the future.

Oakland Raiders – Cordarrelle Patterson, wide receiver

Cordarrelle Patterson may not start, but his impact is felt in nearly every game he’s played since 2013. Not only can he contribute through the air when called upon, he’s a unique athlete capable of being used on reverses and in any variation of a trick play. On special teams, he’s even more valuable, averaging over 31 yards per kick return three times in his career. He’s had over 1,000 all-purpose yard in each season in the NFL and is well on his way to repeating those numbers in 2017 for the Raiders.

Philadelphia Eagles – Trey Burton, tight end

Trey Burton didn’t do much for the Eagles offensively over his first two seasons, but came on a bit in 2016 when needed. But beyond his occasional production from the tight end position, he’s arguably their best special teams player. He finished second in the NFL with 13 special teams tackles a season ago and wasn’t penalized a single time. And as fans saw in Week 2, he came up with a big onside kick recovery against Kansas City.

Pittsburgh Steelers – Chris Hubbard, offensive lineman

Statistically and analytically, not much stands out about Chris Hubbard. However, in breaking down the scheme and film, it becomes apparent how valuable he is to the Steelers’ offense. Hubbard is the top reserve at both tackle positions, will lineup at tight end and serve as an extra offensive lineman in heavy sets. He’s about as versatile as it gets.

San Francisco 49ers – Kyle Juszczyk, fullback

Kyle Juszczyk is such a versatile player that the 49ers actually created a position — “offensive weapon” — for him when they signed him. He blocks like a traditional fullback, catches like a tight end, runs like a power back and contributes on special teams (specifically on the hands team). Juszczyk is very literally a Swiss army knife for San Francisco.

Seattle Seahawks – Tyler Lockett, wide receiver

Tyler Lockett is one of the best special teams players in the game of football, making a name for himself in 2015 with a series of long kick returns and punt returns — one was a 105-yard return for a touchdown. He also contributes offensively with his hands and legs, as well as occasionally taking a snap as a fullback. Lockett was a big factor in the passing game in Week 2 with 64 receiving yards on six catches.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Cameron Brate, tight end

Tampa Bay used its first-round selection this year on a tight end, but that doesn’t mean you should sleep on Cameron Brate. Brate went undrafted in 2014 and signed with Tampa’s practice squad that year. He played in one game that season for Tampa Bay, 14 the next, and then he became a factor last year. Brate broke out with 57 catches for 660 yards and eight touchdowns. He had two catches for 24 yards in the team’s first game against Chicago this season while splitting snaps with rookie O.J. Howard. The Bucs will continue to develop Howard, yet Brate will continue to have a strong role in the team’s offense thanks to his abilities in the passing game.

Tennessee Titans – Derrick Henry, running back

DeMarco Murray may have rekindled his career with the Titans, but Derrick Henry is a back who makes the most of every opportunity. He compiled 627 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns a season ago, adding an impressive catch rate of 86.7%. In Week 2, he showed what he can do as a feature back. He led the Titans with 92 rushing yards on 14 carries while getting the bulk of the action due to a hamstring injury for Murray.

Washington Redskins – Kendall Fuller, cornerback

Not every role player will put up noteworthy numbers, and such is the case for Redskins cornerback Kendall Fuller. The first-round talent who slipped in the 2016 NFL Draft due to injury concerns has proven a valuable asset for the Redskins. He is one of the most efficient tackling cornerbacks in football and has steadily seen his coverage improve. He also adds versatility, with an ability to play outside and, primarily, in the slot.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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