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Bench Warmer
By Pete Prisco
CBS SportsLine.com Senior Writer
A certain magazine known for a cover jinx put Joey Porter on its cover last year and called him the NFL's meanest man.
This would have been a better description: The NFL's most overrated player.
Porter signed a five-year, $32 million deal with the Miami Dolphins this spring as an unrestricted free agent. The Dolphins think he can be a pass-rush force, adding to an already talented defense.
Many personnel people and coaches I talked to think they're getting something else, which is a player who has more bark than bite.
Porter had seven sacks last season, but six of those came in three games, two in each of those games. That means in the other 11 games he played -- he missed two for injuries -- he had one sack.
"What's even more alarming about that," said an AFC personnel director, "is that he played a 3-4 outside linebacker. Those players are expected to get double-digits sacks at the least."
Porter turned 30 in March, which is even more reason for concern. Add it all up, and it's why he's the pick as my most overrated player in the NFL, which is something I've picked each of the past four years.
This isn't to pile on Porter, who was fined $1,000 this week for his role in a fight with Cincinnati Bengals tackle Levi Jones in a Las Vegas casino. Porter could still face sanctions from the league for that incident.
The flip side of an overrated player is the league's most underrated player.
So who's that lucky player?
It's New England defensive end Ty Warren. In his fourth season in 2006, Warren had 7½ sacks and 84 tackles. It was his breakout season, and one that some said should have landed him in Hawaii for the Pro Bowl.
The problem is that Warren plays opposite Richard Seymour, who is one of the best defensive linemen in the league. Seymour gets most of the attention, which is why Warren doesn't.
But keep an eye on Warren this season. He might be ready to join Seymour in Hawaii.
Here are the underrated and overrated players for each of the league's 32 teams.
Arizona Cardinals
Overrated
RB Edgerrin James. Yes, he played behind a bad line last year when he struggled. But that's not the whole reason for his 3.2 average.
Underrated
LB Gerald Hayes. Now that Adrian Wilson has finally gone to the Pro Bowl, it's Hayes who gets the slot here. He was a force in the middle as a 4-3 middle linebacker, and should be just as good in the Cardinals' 3-4 defense.
Atlanta Falcons
Overrated
QB Michael Vick. Until he becomes a better pocket passer, he's always going to be in this spot. It can still happen for him, but it takes work. This is a huge year for him on the field -- if he stays there.
Underrated
DT Grady Jackson. Say all you want about his weight -- and he sure is big -- but he knows how to clog things up against the run. He does have to get healthy again.
Baltimore Ravens
Overrated
RB Willis McGahee. Blame the Bills line all you want, but this guy just hasn't performed like a star back.
Underrated
NT Kelly Gregg. He is a short keg-like body in the middle of the defense who helps keep the linebackers clean to flow to the football. He does the dirty work inside.
Buffalo Bills
Overrated
RT Langston Walker. It's hard to find one on this young team, but since they paid him money as a free agent he's the pick.
Underrated
LT Jason Peters. He's close to being a Pro Bowl player. This converted tight end has a ton of potential.
Carolina Panthers
Overrated
MLB Dan Morgan. The tools are there, but he can't stay on the field. That puts him in this category.
Underrated
QB David Carr. He will take over as the team's starting quarterback at some point and show the Houston Texans they made a big mistake.
Chicago Bears
Overrated
S Adam Archuleta. He's never been effective as a cover player. He's basically a glorified linebacker. Watch teams attack him in pass coverage.
Underrated
DT Tank Johnson. Off-the-field problems aside, Johnson is a heck of a player when he's on the field. The Bears need him in the worst way.
Cincinnati Bengals
Overrated
CB Deltha O'Neal. He went to the Pro Bowl in 2005, but didn't come close to getting there a year ago. He could be pushed for his starting job now.
Underrated
DE Robert Geathers. He is a situational pass rusher with speed off the corner. That's why the Bengals made re-signing him a priority.
Cleveland Browns
Overrated
OLB Willie McGinest. He doesn't have much left and that started to show up last season after the Browns paid him big money as a free agent.
Underrated
S Sean Jones. He emerged as a top-notch safety last season, showing why the Browns drafted him in the second round in 2004. He had 111 tackles and five interceptions.
Dallas Cowboys
Overrated
QB Tony Romo. It's way too early to put him as a top 10 quarterback, which some have done. He sure didn't look like it at the end of last season.
Underrated
CB Terence Newman. His not going to the Pro Bowl last year was a crime. He is a top-notch cover corner.
Denver Broncos
Overrated
DT Gerard Warren. In fairness to Warren, he played with dislocated toes last season. But he still didn't play like he did in 2005. Of course, John Lynch could fill this spot every year.
Underrated
LG Ben Hamilton. He has taken over as the team's best offensive lineman. He's a tough, physical player whose best football is still ahead of him.
Detroit Lions
Overrated
G Damien Woody. He hasn't played well since signing with the Lions as a free agent and now he might go to the bench.
Underrated
QB Jon Kitna. Maybe he's not the long-term answer, but he got the job done last season for Mike Martz. He knows where to go with the football.
Green Bay Packers
Overrated
TE Bubba Franks. His career has gone down the toilet in a hurry. This former first-round pick is now fighting for a job.
Underrated
DE Cullen Jenkins. His emergence as a defensive end will allow the Packers to make Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila a situational pass rusher.
Houston Texans
Overrated
RB Ahman Green. In his last 34 starts, Green has nine rushes of 20 yards or more. In 2003, he had 15 alone. The Texans paid him way too much money at his age.
Underrated
CB Dunta Robinson. His silky smooth cover skills get lost because the defense has struggled at times.
Indianapolis Colts
Overrated
DT Anthony McFarland. It was tough finding an overrated player on this team, but McFarland might be it. He did nothing during the regular season, but did show up in the playoffs. Maybe that says something about why he's here.
Underrated
TE Dallas Clark. His versatility is so key to the Colts offense. He can flex out like a receiver and create match-up problems.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Overrated
DE Paul Spicer. The team talks up his effort, but what does he really do? He needs to be replaced.
Underrated
DT John Henderson. For whatever reason, he doesn't get the due he deserves. Maybe it's because he plays next to Marcus Stroud.
Kansas City Chiefs
Overrated
CB Ty Law. He's living off the past. He has slowed down and it shows. Even in the Chiefs' Cover-2 defense, that shows up.
Underrated
DE Jared Allen. If he can stay clear of off-the-field problems, he will cash in big next year as a free agent.
Miami Dolphins
Overrated
LB Joey Porter. And it isn't even close. Why they paid him all that money is a great mystery.
Underrated
S Yeremiah Bell. When he was inserted into the starting lineup in the sixth game last season, the defense became better. He's a good, solid tackler.
Minnesota Vikings
Overrated
LT Bryant McKinnie. He gives up too many sacks. He's never lived up to the hype as a first-round pick.
Underrated
LB E.J. Henderson. He had his best season last year and now moves back from the outside to the middle. He struggled as a middle backer earlier in his career, but he's better suited for it now.
New England Patriots
Overrated
LB Tedy Bruschi. He has slowed down, and that showed up in a big way in the playoff loss to the Colts. He doesn't have it anymore, and is living on his reputation.
Underrated
DE Ty Warren. Keep a close eye on him. His Pro Bowl time is coming.
New Orleans Saints
Overrated
CB Mike McKenzie. When he wants to be good, he's good. But he has too many lapses to be an elite player.
Underrated
G Jahri Evans. As a rookie, he didn't give up a sack. That's high marks for a young lineman.
CBS SportsLine.com Senior Writer
A certain magazine known for a cover jinx put Joey Porter on its cover last year and called him the NFL's meanest man.
This would have been a better description: The NFL's most overrated player.
Porter signed a five-year, $32 million deal with the Miami Dolphins this spring as an unrestricted free agent. The Dolphins think he can be a pass-rush force, adding to an already talented defense.
Many personnel people and coaches I talked to think they're getting something else, which is a player who has more bark than bite.
Porter had seven sacks last season, but six of those came in three games, two in each of those games. That means in the other 11 games he played -- he missed two for injuries -- he had one sack.
"What's even more alarming about that," said an AFC personnel director, "is that he played a 3-4 outside linebacker. Those players are expected to get double-digits sacks at the least."
Porter turned 30 in March, which is even more reason for concern. Add it all up, and it's why he's the pick as my most overrated player in the NFL, which is something I've picked each of the past four years.
This isn't to pile on Porter, who was fined $1,000 this week for his role in a fight with Cincinnati Bengals tackle Levi Jones in a Las Vegas casino. Porter could still face sanctions from the league for that incident.
The flip side of an overrated player is the league's most underrated player.
So who's that lucky player?
It's New England defensive end Ty Warren. In his fourth season in 2006, Warren had 7½ sacks and 84 tackles. It was his breakout season, and one that some said should have landed him in Hawaii for the Pro Bowl.
The problem is that Warren plays opposite Richard Seymour, who is one of the best defensive linemen in the league. Seymour gets most of the attention, which is why Warren doesn't.
But keep an eye on Warren this season. He might be ready to join Seymour in Hawaii.
Here are the underrated and overrated players for each of the league's 32 teams.
Arizona Cardinals
Overrated
RB Edgerrin James. Yes, he played behind a bad line last year when he struggled. But that's not the whole reason for his 3.2 average.
Underrated
LB Gerald Hayes. Now that Adrian Wilson has finally gone to the Pro Bowl, it's Hayes who gets the slot here. He was a force in the middle as a 4-3 middle linebacker, and should be just as good in the Cardinals' 3-4 defense.
Atlanta Falcons
Overrated
QB Michael Vick. Until he becomes a better pocket passer, he's always going to be in this spot. It can still happen for him, but it takes work. This is a huge year for him on the field -- if he stays there.
Underrated
DT Grady Jackson. Say all you want about his weight -- and he sure is big -- but he knows how to clog things up against the run. He does have to get healthy again.
Baltimore Ravens
Overrated
RB Willis McGahee. Blame the Bills line all you want, but this guy just hasn't performed like a star back.
Underrated
NT Kelly Gregg. He is a short keg-like body in the middle of the defense who helps keep the linebackers clean to flow to the football. He does the dirty work inside.
Buffalo Bills
Overrated
RT Langston Walker. It's hard to find one on this young team, but since they paid him money as a free agent he's the pick.
Underrated
LT Jason Peters. He's close to being a Pro Bowl player. This converted tight end has a ton of potential.
Carolina Panthers
Overrated
MLB Dan Morgan. The tools are there, but he can't stay on the field. That puts him in this category.
Underrated
QB David Carr. He will take over as the team's starting quarterback at some point and show the Houston Texans they made a big mistake.
Chicago Bears
Overrated
S Adam Archuleta. He's never been effective as a cover player. He's basically a glorified linebacker. Watch teams attack him in pass coverage.
Underrated
DT Tank Johnson. Off-the-field problems aside, Johnson is a heck of a player when he's on the field. The Bears need him in the worst way.
Cincinnati Bengals
Overrated
CB Deltha O'Neal. He went to the Pro Bowl in 2005, but didn't come close to getting there a year ago. He could be pushed for his starting job now.
Underrated
DE Robert Geathers. He is a situational pass rusher with speed off the corner. That's why the Bengals made re-signing him a priority.
Cleveland Browns
Overrated
OLB Willie McGinest. He doesn't have much left and that started to show up last season after the Browns paid him big money as a free agent.
Underrated
S Sean Jones. He emerged as a top-notch safety last season, showing why the Browns drafted him in the second round in 2004. He had 111 tackles and five interceptions.
Dallas Cowboys
Overrated
QB Tony Romo. It's way too early to put him as a top 10 quarterback, which some have done. He sure didn't look like it at the end of last season.
Underrated
CB Terence Newman. His not going to the Pro Bowl last year was a crime. He is a top-notch cover corner.
Denver Broncos
Overrated
DT Gerard Warren. In fairness to Warren, he played with dislocated toes last season. But he still didn't play like he did in 2005. Of course, John Lynch could fill this spot every year.
Underrated
LG Ben Hamilton. He has taken over as the team's best offensive lineman. He's a tough, physical player whose best football is still ahead of him.
Detroit Lions
Overrated
G Damien Woody. He hasn't played well since signing with the Lions as a free agent and now he might go to the bench.
Underrated
QB Jon Kitna. Maybe he's not the long-term answer, but he got the job done last season for Mike Martz. He knows where to go with the football.
Green Bay Packers
Overrated
TE Bubba Franks. His career has gone down the toilet in a hurry. This former first-round pick is now fighting for a job.
Underrated
DE Cullen Jenkins. His emergence as a defensive end will allow the Packers to make Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila a situational pass rusher.
Houston Texans
Overrated
RB Ahman Green. In his last 34 starts, Green has nine rushes of 20 yards or more. In 2003, he had 15 alone. The Texans paid him way too much money at his age.
Underrated
CB Dunta Robinson. His silky smooth cover skills get lost because the defense has struggled at times.
Indianapolis Colts
Overrated
DT Anthony McFarland. It was tough finding an overrated player on this team, but McFarland might be it. He did nothing during the regular season, but did show up in the playoffs. Maybe that says something about why he's here.
Underrated
TE Dallas Clark. His versatility is so key to the Colts offense. He can flex out like a receiver and create match-up problems.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Overrated
DE Paul Spicer. The team talks up his effort, but what does he really do? He needs to be replaced.
Underrated
DT John Henderson. For whatever reason, he doesn't get the due he deserves. Maybe it's because he plays next to Marcus Stroud.
Kansas City Chiefs
Overrated
CB Ty Law. He's living off the past. He has slowed down and it shows. Even in the Chiefs' Cover-2 defense, that shows up.
Underrated
DE Jared Allen. If he can stay clear of off-the-field problems, he will cash in big next year as a free agent.
Miami Dolphins
Overrated
LB Joey Porter. And it isn't even close. Why they paid him all that money is a great mystery.
Underrated
S Yeremiah Bell. When he was inserted into the starting lineup in the sixth game last season, the defense became better. He's a good, solid tackler.
Minnesota Vikings
Overrated
LT Bryant McKinnie. He gives up too many sacks. He's never lived up to the hype as a first-round pick.
Underrated
LB E.J. Henderson. He had his best season last year and now moves back from the outside to the middle. He struggled as a middle backer earlier in his career, but he's better suited for it now.
New England Patriots
Overrated
LB Tedy Bruschi. He has slowed down, and that showed up in a big way in the playoff loss to the Colts. He doesn't have it anymore, and is living on his reputation.
Underrated
DE Ty Warren. Keep a close eye on him. His Pro Bowl time is coming.
New Orleans Saints
Overrated
CB Mike McKenzie. When he wants to be good, he's good. But he has too many lapses to be an elite player.
Underrated
G Jahri Evans. As a rookie, he didn't give up a sack. That's high marks for a young lineman.
