Sam Monson is an analyst at Pro Football Focus. He’s a sales and marketing director in Dublin, Ireland. Apparently, Monson is also a ball-hawking defensive back for his local football league (see his Twitter profile). Jene Bramel was sent across the pond to scout him. His report is forthcoming.

In the spirit of Monson’s football position, the PFF writer built a RSP team that I believe places heavy emphasis on taking away the pass as well as testing good passing defenses. He has a strong 1-2 punch at receiver, a promising all-around tight end, and throwing the ball to them is none other than Drew Brees, who makes his first appearance on a RSP Writers Project Team.

Just from the initial scan of Monson’s roster, he has built a unit with defensive backs capable of sticking to receivers like flypaper and relentless edge rushers along the defensive line. While I’m not a fan of some of his depth, it’s easy to nitpick any of these teams in that department. What I do know is that Monson’s team will be competitive as long as it stays healthy and when I say competitive, I mean compiling stats in the left-hand column labeled “W.”

Offense

Running Back Depth Chart
Starting Position	Role (optional)	Name	Value	Commentary (Why you picked the player: specific skills and talents you like, potential upside, and fit within the system)
RB1		Chris Ivory	2	Ivory provides the inside rush presence for when we need it.  He can pound the ball and carry a load inside, but this will be primarily a passing team.
RB2	WR	Danny Woodhead	2.5	Danny Woodhead gives us serious flexibility and will align as a receiver at times as well in this spread offense. Match up problems.
RB3		Aaron Brown	0.5	Brown is a player I’ve always liked and felt he could do a job as a Reggie Bush type player for somebody. Will emulate Woodhead’s role.
		Jackie Battle	0.5	Battle is another hard-nosed runner who can fill multiple roles in the offense and carry the ball well.

Wide Receiver Depth Chart
Starting Position	Role (optional)	Name	Value	Commentary (Why you picked the player: specific skills and talents you like, potential upside, and fit within the system)
WR1		Mike Wallace	7	Wallace is the game’s best deep threat.  Capable of running off any coverage and breaking loose at any time.
WR2		Marques Colston	5.5	Colston may have the best hands in the game and goes over the middle with a fearlessness few can match. He’s a money possession guy.
WR3		Danny Amendola	3	Amendola is Wes Welker-lite.  He’ll move the chains with short yardage catches and multiple breaking routes underneath.
WR4		Golden Tate	1.5	Golden Tate has great hands and some real wiggle to his game.  Should be higher up anyone’s depth chart and we’ll work him into the offense.
WR5		Darius Reynaud	0.5	Reynaud is a wide receiver-running back who can do a job for this offense if we get this far down on the depth chart.  Also adds value as a return man.
WR6	Returner	Jaymar Johnson	0.5	Jaymar Johnson has speed to burn, and enough quickness to succeed on simple routes.

Fullback and Tight End Depth Chart
Starting Position	Role (optional)	Name	Value	Commentary (Why you picked the player: specific skills and talents you like, potential upside, and fit within the system)
TE1		Tony Moeaki	1.5	Moeaki is a bargain at this price and has receiving skills to be split out, but blocking skills to be an in-line force as well as pass protect.
TE2		Martellus Bennett	1.5	Bennett is a monster blocker but also a huge body who can handle catches despite underachieving in this area.
	RB	Jason Snelling	1	Jason Snelling is a jack of all trades and can do a number of jobs for the offense, great depth player to have.
	H-Back	Hayden Smith	0.5	Smith is a former rugby player with awesome development potential.  Will earn his spot on special teams but could develop into more.

Tackle Depth Chart
Starting Position	Role (optional)	Name	Value	Commentary (Why you picked the player: specific skills and talents you like, potential upside, and fit within the system)
RT1		Todd Herremans	5	Herremans played better than people gave him credit for at right tackle.  Always looked more like a tackle than a guard to me, and he’ll backup left tackle if Gaither goes down, prompting a re-shuffle off the offensive line.
LT1		Jared Gaither	7	Gaither is one of the league’s best left tackles, and easily the most physically imposing left tackle in the game.  Elite blind side protector for Brees.
RT2		Ryan Cook	1	Ryan Cook will be our swing lineman and can backup the entire right side of the offensive line including center.

Guard Depth Chart
Starting Position	Role (optional)	Name	Value	Commentary (Why you picked the player: specific skills and talents you like, potential upside, and fit within the system)
RG1	Backup T	Harvey Dahl	3.5	Dahl starts at right guard but also played well at right tackle and would move there if Herremans had to move to left tackle at any time.  He can handle himself on the edge as well as inside.
LG1		Bobbie Williams	2.5	Bobbie Williams is a great veteran player who was still playing well before injury.  Moving to the more enclosed left guard spot will only help him.
RG2		John Greco	0.5	Always played well when he has gotten playing time, Greco will be off the bench at right guard if needed.
LG2		Ryan Wendell	0.5	Solid backup player graded well in limited snaps last year for Pro Football Focus, we would not be disappointed if he had to play.

Cornerback and Safety Depth Chart
Starting Position	Role (optional)	Name	Value	Commentary (Why you picked the player: specific skills and talents you like, potential upside, and/or fit within the system)
LCB1		Darrelle Revis	12	Will play much like the Jets use him – tracking No.1 receivers and taking them out of the game in man coverage.
SS1		Tyvon Branch	5	In the box strong safety and will take hybrid wide receivers and tight ends out of the game in man coverage when needed. Best man coverage skills of any safety and the only player capable of neutralizing these new super athlete tight end.
RCB1		Lardarius Webb	8	May emerge into Revis territory next season and is capable of playing left and right corner as well as the slot – vital to accommodate Revis tracking receivers
FS1	Returner	Danieal Manning	2.5	Excellent single-high free safety. He has range like nobody outside of Ed Reed and will be using it in a lot of Cover-1 calls.
LCB2	Nickel CB	Chris Cook	0.5	Has awesome coverage ability and physical tools like few cornerbacks.  Vikings gambled on him and he’ll play the edge in nickel sets for us with either Revis or Webb taking the slot.
SS2		Craig Steltz	0.5	Tough, solid strong safety that could and should be starting for somebody. We’re happy to have him on the roster as backup and special teams help
RCB2		Roderick Hood	0.5	Another player that just plays well and never stays long. Great depth.
FS2		Dwight Lowery	0.5	Can play cornerback and safety and gives us some flexibility and great depth should injuries hit.
		Sterling Moore	0.5	Showed a lot of very good play in limited snaps for the Patriots last season.  We’ll carry him and see what he can develop into
		Mistral Raymond	0.5	You have to have at least one awesome name in the team.  Raymond will start for the Vikings this year but is worth a look for this team as depth and a player who will run all day on special teams.

Linebacker Depth Chart
Starting Position	Role (optional)	Name	Value	Commentary (Why you picked the player: specific skills and talents you like, potential upside, and fit within the system)
MLB1		Stephen Tulloch	6	With a potentially light interior defensive lineman we need Tulloch to shore things up behind it.  Unrivaled ability to cover a wide interior and clean things up.
WLB1		Erin Henderson	3.5	Played like one of the best outside linebackers in football last year, can play all three positions giving flexibility and does everything well, will be a three-down player.
SLB1		Chris Chamberlain	0.5	Earned a look at a two-down SAM linebacker last year. Solid vs the run.
MLB2		D.J. Smith	0.5	Very talented backup at middle linebacker and should be starting for the Packers (though won’t), but he provides some excellent cover at value.
SLB2		David Vobora	0.5	Vobora is a very capable two-down SAM linebacker who attacks lead blocks like few players.  Great depth at the spot and may push to start with a good enough showing
WLB2		Brian Rolle	0.5	WLB backup who could push to start if Henderson slips.
		Heath Farwell	0.5	Special teams ace.

Defensive End and Tackle Depth Chart
Starting Position	Role (optional)	Name	Value	Commentary (Why you picked the player: specific skills and talents you like, potential upside, and fit within the system)
RDE1		Trent Cole	11.5	May be the best 4-3 defensive end in football.  Relentless, athletic, great against the run, and almost impossible to prevent applying pressure.  He will be elite in this defense.
DT1		Kyle D. Williams	8	Became a terror in the Buffalo Bills defense.  Amazing quickness, burst, and leverage. Surrounded by these players, he will be unstoppable.
DT2		Justin Smith	11	Plays 3-4 defensive end for the 49ers but plies his trade as a three-tech in sub-packages.  Could easily handle that role full time.  May be the most dominant defensive player in the game.
LDE1		Brian Robison	3	More than good enough to take advantage of favorable match ups given his teammates.  Brings pressure constantly, doesn’t play run badly and rarely comes off field.
DT3		Terrance Knighton	0.5	Two-down run stuffer and rotational body when needed.
DT4		Letroy Guion	0.5	Will play nose tackle for Vikings this year but will be developed as three-tech backup here, where he has physical tools to succeed.  Quick, athletic, light, and he can penetrate and disrupt.
RDE2		John Chick	0.5	Talented situational pass rusher.  Won’t play many snaps, but will be effective when he does.
LDE2		Raheem Brock	0.5	Capable 4-3 defensive end backup that can play pass and run well enough if called upon.