Grade the defense 2010

[Manimal]

Just an exercise about pinpointing where we are for 2010. These grades are my guesses about how effective I think a player will be in 2010 only.

Grades are:
A = Pro Bowl level starter, lifts play of others around him, has to be accounted for by opponent
B = Solid, dependable starter, plays role well, though may be exposed if there're enough injuries to rest of the unit. Could be a young guy with potential to get to an A, or a former star on the downslope of his career.
C = Below Average NFL-quality starter. If you ranked all NFL starters at his position, he'd be in the lower-middle of the pack. A C+ or B- is more in the middle to upper middle. A quality backup, but someone offenses might target.
D = Should be a backup. Somebody who's on the bubble of making the team, cheap free-agent has-been signed off the street, undrafted free agent, or just someone who could be a solid special teamer but not someone who should play regular defense.
F= Has a future with the Browns.

OK, here goes - and these are projections for 2010:

Projected starters
LDE A. Smith - B+
NT Hoke - B
RDE Keisel - C+
LOLB Woodley - B+
LILB Farrior - B
RILB Timmons - B
ROLB Harrison - A
LCB Taylor - B+
RCB Gay - C
SS Polamalu - A+
FS Carter - C-

Reserves
DE Hood - C+
DE Eason - C
DE Kirschke - C-
DE Harris - D+
OLB Frazier - D+
ILB Fox C+
ILB Boiman D+
OLB Bailey D+
CB Townsend C
CB Madison C-
CB Burnett C-
CB Lewis D

Provisional
NT Hampton B
FS Clark B-

[sysadmin7]

I'll bite, but I'll grade our current roster: 

A. Smith: A
C. Hampton: B- (I like Big Snack, but it's time for him to move on.)
B. Keisel: B (very underrated, so I'll show him some love)
J. Harrison: A
L. Timmons: C+ (I'm not sold on Timmons; Fox has filled in and played better than him this season)
J. Farrior: A (getting older, but still has it)
L. Woodley: A
I. Taylor: C (highly overrated)
W. Gay: C+ (the book is still open on Gay, so his grade is in question)
R. Clark: B
T. Polamalu: A+

Depth:
T. Kirschke: F
Z. Hood: B (again, the book is still open but I think he'll have a solid career as a 3-4 DE)
N. Eason: C
R. Harris: C
C. Hoke: B
A. Frazier: F
K. Fox: B+ (Fox has done nothing but play hard when called upon.)
R. Boiman: C+/B- (I really like the addition of Boiman, especially to ST's and he has been a quality starter in the NFL)
P. Bailey: C+ ( I'm pretty high on Bailey, just like I was when J. Harrison sat the bench and watched C. Haggans start week in and week out. I think Bailey has a lot of upside, but right now he's a BEAST on ST's)
J. Burnett: B (I think this guy has a load of talent and him and Lewis will be the future starting CB's at some point)
K. Lewis: B (see above)
D. Townsend: C
A. Madison: C
R. Mundy: C (the book is still out on Mundy, but I look for him to be cut next season.)
T. Carter: F