Quote:Interesting comparison, Copycat.  Let's explore this further

 

QB- 1996 Brunell  2015 Bortles.  Brunell was a little more experienced, having spent a year or two in Green Bay learning under Holmgren before coming here.  A very good QB.  Bortles has greater potential than Brunell.  He is comparably mobile, but taller with a stronger, more accurate arm.  Even

 

RB-1996 Stewart, Means, Jordan; 2015 Yeldon, Robinson, Gerhart, Pierce, Grant  This year's RB group is deeper than 1996, but 1996 was bigger.  Edge 1996

 

WR-1996 Smith, McCardell, Jackson, Rison; 2015 ARob, Lee, Hurns, Greene.  While I like this current group of receivers, the edge goes to 1996.  Two guys with over 11,000 yards receiving, and another just as good but his head wasn't on straight (Rison)

 

OL-1996 Boselli, Coleman, Widell, Tyski, Searcy; 2015 Joeckel, Beadles, Wisniewski, Linder, Parnell-Edge 1996.  Boselli and Searcy far exceeds anyone on this current OL.

 

DL-1996 Lageman, Jurkovic, Davey, Smeenge, Brackens, Simmons; 2015 Clemons, Marks, Miller, Odrick, Davis, Smith.  Edge 1996  Those guys really could rush the passer and had good pass rushers like Simmons (old) and Brackens (young) rotating in.  Right now, our best pass rusher is Clemons, and old guy.

 

LB-1996 Hardy, Schwartz, Robinson; 2015 Telvin Smith, Poz, Skuta-Edge 1996.  Nobody on the current roster is as good as Hardy was.  Telvin Smith and Eddie Robinson is a virtual push.  Poz is the one advantage for 2015.

 

DB-1996 Beasley, Washington, Hall, Hudson; 2015 Colvin, House, Cyprien, Brown-Edge 2015  Beasley had a knack for INTs, but the rest were stiffs.  From top to bottom, this group is the best secondary this team has had since 2004, and may be better overall than that group.

 

STs 1996-PK Hollis, P Barker; 2015 PK Myers, P Anger.-Edge 1996.

While I agree with your assessment, we did not know that those guys were that good back then.  It will take time to see if this squad has that kind of talent.  Regardless though I was not inferring a position by position comparison but rather that the team started out slow and grew into something special.  Mind you, I would love to come back in 6 years and see everyone of the guys on this squad rated higher than 1996's.

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