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Football

A Season to Remember

2018 NFL Season Recap

Henry Anderson • DE • New York Jets • Fourth season • @HenryAnderson91

Anderson enjoyed a career season after being traded from Indianapolis to the New York Jets for a seventh-round pick on draft day. Appearing on 668 snaps, 220 more than any other season in his career, Anderson posted career highs in sacks (8), hurries (31), total pressures (48) and run stops (25) while earning a career-high 76.5 grade from Pro Football Focus. Out of 195 defensive linemen, Anderson finished 12th in total pressures and ninth in sacks, according to Pro Football Focus. Anderson is an unrestricted free agent entering his fifth season in the league.

Johnson Bademosi • CB/ST • Houston Texans • Seventh season • @J_Bademosi24

Bademosi made six special teams tackles on 308 special teams snaps, the 53rd-most of any player in the league, helping Houston earn a 71.7 grade on special teams, which ranked eighth in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. Appearing on 21 defensive snaps for the 11-5 AFC South champions, Bademosi is on the books for $2.5 million in 2019 as one of the league's highest-paid special teamers.

Doug Baldwin • WR • Seattle Seahawks • Eighth season • @DougBaldwinJr

Baldwin missed games due to and played through minor injuries in 2018, totaling 618 yards and five touchdowns across 13 appearances in the regular season before Seattle was eliminated in the Wild Card round by Dallas. On 79 targets, Baldwin dropped just one pass while earning a 79.9 grade from Pro Football Focus, which ranked 22nd out of 122 qualifying wide receivers. When targeting Baldwin, Russell Wilson owned a 108.1 passer rating – Wilson has had at least a 103.7 passer rating when targeting Baldwin in each of the last six seasons. Baldwin enters the 2019 season with two years remaining on a lucrative four-year, $46 million extension he signed in 2016.

Devon Cajuste • WR/TE • Cleveland Browns • First season • @devoncajuste

Cajuste rose to stardom as a key figure on HBO's "Hard Knocks" leading up to the 2018 season but was released by Cleveland on Sept. 1 as part of the final cut to 53. Cajuste announced his retirement from football on Jan. 31.

Alex Carter • CB • Washington Redskins • Second season • @AlexCarter

Carter appeared on 13 special teams snaps in Washington's final game of the season after signing a contract several days prior.

David DeCastro • G • Pittsburgh Steelers • Seventh season

DeCastro was named to his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl despite missing two early-season games with a broken hand. On 661 pass-blocking snaps, DeCastro allowed just two quarterback hits and zero sacks – he was one of only four guards to play 80 percent of his team's offensive snaps and not allow a sack. According to Pro Football Focus, DeCastro has not surrendered a sack since a Wild Card round playoff game against Miami on Jan. 8. 2017.

Zach Ertz • TE • Philadelphia Eagles • Sixth season • @ZErtz_86

Ertz was one of several Cardinal to put forth a career year in 2018, breaking Jason Witten's single-season receptions record for tight ends with 116. Starting all 16 games with 1,163 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, Ertz was named to his second consecutive Pro Bowl. When targeting Ertz, Eagles quarterbacks notched a 96.9 quarterback rating – Ertz did not drop a pass in his final eight games and dropped just two over his final 15 appearances. Ertz, who was targeted a whopping 154 times in 2018, joins Jimmy Graham, Antonio Gates and Jason Witten as the only tight ends in history with at least 400 receptions in his first six seasons. Ertz has three years remaining on a five-year, $42.5 million contract he signed in 2017.

Cameron Fleming • T • Dallas Cowboys • Fifth season • @CammyJFresh

Fleming appeared on 240 offensive snaps for Dallas, including three spot starts in place of All-Pro left tackle Tyron Smith, helping the Cowboys win the NFC East and a Wild Card round playoff game against Seattle. Fleming is an unrestricted free agent heading into 2019.

Josh Garnett • G • San Francisco 49ers • Third season • @IAmJoshG

Garnett appeared on 59 offensive snaps for San Francisco in 2018, allowing two pressures on 29 pass-blocking snaps while battling through several nagging injuries. He will earn $1.72 million in 2019 in the final season of his four-year rookie contract.

Ryan Hewitt • TE/FB • Indianapolis Colts • Fifth season @Huey_85

Hewitt caught one pass for a one-yard touchdown on 193 offensive snaps and 168 special teams snaps in 2019, his first in Indianapolis. He is an unrestricted free agent entering the 2019 offseason.

Kevin Hogan • QB • Denver Broncos • Third season • @KHoagie8

Hogan did not play a snap in 2018, serving as Case Keenum's backup after being picked up by Denver on Sept. 2. Hogan enters the 2019 season as a restricted free agent.

Austin Hooper • TE • Atlanta Falcons • Third season • @AustinHooper18

Hooper capped a career season by earning his first Pro Bowl berth, catching the NFC's only score of the game, a 20-yard strike from Dak Prescott. The third-year right end smashed his previous career highs in receptions (71, fourth among tight ends) and yards (660) while catching a career-high four touchdowns and seven passes of at least 20 yards. Hooper will be a hot commodity after the final year of his four-year, $3.2 million rookie deal he signed in 2016.

Peter Kalambayi • OLB • Houston Texans • First season • @Kalambayi34

Kalambayi totaled 13 tackles on 32 defensive snaps and 297 special teams snaps, the 63rd most of the 1,863 NFL players to appear on special teams in 2018. Missing just one game for the AFC South-champion Texans, Kalambayi has three years remaining on his rookie contract entering 2019.

Andrew Luck • QB • Indianapolis Colts • Seventh season • @ALBookClub

Luck was back to his best in his first healthy season since 2015, leading Indianapolis to a playoff berth with 10 wins in the club's last 11 regular-season games. The former No. 1 overall pick totaled 4,593 passing yards with 39 touchdowns, setting career highs in completion percentage (67.3) and quarterback rating (98.7). Luck, the leading candidate for the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award, was awarded his fourth Pro Bowl berth after Indianapolis' exit from the playoffs at the hands of Kansas City after an upset win at Houston in the Wild Card round. With a healthy franchise quarterback, one of the league's strongest cores of young talent and $122 million in cap room, the most of any team, the Colts' rise will continue in 2019.

Blake Martinez • ILB • Green Bay Packers • Third season • @Big__Blake50

Martinez matched a career high and ranked second in the league with 144 tackles to go with a career-high five sacks in 2018. Martinez's 1,050 snaps on defense were the fourth-most of any NFL linebacker. Martinez more than doubled his career high in pressures (19) and earned career-high grades from Pro Football Focus in coverage (82.6) and overall (74.8). A budding leader on Green Bay's defense, Martinez will be an unrestricted free agent after the final season of his rookie deal in 2019.

Daniel Marx • FB • Atlanta Falcons • First season

Marx signed with Atlanta as an undrafted free agent before his release on July 30. Seattle briefly signed him on Aug. 25 before releasing the fullback on Sept. 1.

Josh Mauro • DE/DL • New York Giants • Fifth season • @JustJoshin90

After signing a one-year, $880,000 deal with the New York Giants, Mauro finished with one sack on five pressures, 15 run stops and 28 tackles. According to Pro Football Focus, it was a career year for Mauro in run defense, earning career-high grades against the run (79.9) and overall (66.8).

Christian McCaffrey • RB • Carolina Panthers • Second season • @CMcCaffrey5

McCaffrey continues to live up to his billing as the No. 8 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, earning All-Pro honors following a season in which he set several franchise records and finished third in the league in yards from scrimmage (1,965). The centerpiece of Carolina's offense, McCaffrey nearly doubled his rushing attempts (219) from his rookie season, gaining 1,098 yards on the ground with seven scores and an exceptional 5.0 yards per carry. As a receiver, McCaffrey set an NFL record for running backs with 107 receptions, totaling 867 yards and six scores. McCaffrey's 966 total snaps were by far the most of any running back in the league, missing just 30 offensive snaps during Weeks 1-16.

Quenton Meeks • CB • Jacksonville Jaguars • First season • @ShowTimeQM

Meeks made eight tackles and two passes defensed on 47 defensive snaps and 137 special teams snaps after signing with Jacksonville as an undrafted free agent. Meeks is under contract for two more seasons with the Jaguars.

Ty Montgomery • RB • Green Bay Packers/Baltimore Ravens • Fourth season • @TyMontgomery2

Montgomery was traded from Green Bay to Baltimore for a future draft pick mid-season, totaling 41 rushes for 188 yards with one score and 25 catches for 235 yards. Montgomery, who has 192 rushes and 932 yards, 107 receptions for 892 yards and 10 total touchdowns for his career, enters the 2019 offseason as an unrestricted free agent.

Kyle Murphy • T • Green Bay Packers/ Los Angeles Rams • Third season • @KyleMurphy78

Murphy spent the season on injured reserve after injuring his ankle during Green Bay's preseason. Murphy was eventually released from injured reserve on Dec. 27 before signing with the Los Angeles Rams' practice squad during their Super Bowl run.

Trent Murphy • DE/OLB • Buffalo Bills • Fifth season • @TMurphy_93

Murphy registered four sacks, 21 pressures and 24 tackles in his first season with Buffalo after inking a three-year, $22.5 million contract in the offseason. Murphy, who battled several injuries throughout the season, appeared on a career-low 441 defensive snaps in his first season after recovering from knee surgery.

Francis Owusu • WR • Miami Dolphins • First season

Owusu spent his second preseason with Miami before being released on Sept. 1 as part of final cuts. Owusu was signed to the Dolphins' practice squad on Nov. 28.

David Parry • DT • Minnesota Vikings • Fourth season • @DavidParry58

Parry was released by Minnesota after appearing in 50 defensive snaps and eight special teams snaps in three appearances during the first seven weeks of the season. Parry managed one sack and three total pressures on 33 pass-rushing snaps before his release.

Andrus Peat • T/G • New Orleans Saints • Fourth season • @AndrusPeat

Peat started all 15 games in which he appeared for the NFC South champion New Orleans Saints, helping the team reach the NFC Championship as part of one of the league's best offensive lines. Appearing on 879 offensive snaps, Peat helped the Saints earn a 92.9 offensive grade from Pro Football Focus, the third-highest in the league, and earned his first invite to the Pro Bowl.

Harrison Phillips • DT • Buffalo Bills • First season • @HorribleHarry99

Phillips made 35 tackles, including four for loss, while appearing in all 16 contests for Buffalo. He did not miss a single tackle on the season, adding eight quarterback pressures and 13 run stops on 389 defensive snaps. Phillips could see a spike in play time in 2019 after the retirement of Kyle Williams.

Justin Reid • S • Houston Texans • First season • @jreid_viii

Reid, a third-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, was arguably the top rookie safety in football this season, totaling 88 tackles, 10 passes defensed, three interceptions, one forced fumble and one touchdown for the AFC South-champion Houston Texans. A member of ESPN's All-Rookie team, the versatile Reid appeared on 946 defensive snaps for the league's fifth-best scoring defense (19.6 points allowed per game) while earning a 77.0 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, which ranked second among rookie safeties and 20th out of 93 qualifying safeties. Following the Texans' exit from the postseason at the hands of Indianapolis, Reid announced he would be returning to The Farm to finish his engineering degree during the offseason.

Jordan Richards • S • Atlanta Falcons • Fourth season

In his first season with Atlanta, Richards set career highs in tackles (39), run stops (16), starts (12), defensive snaps (429) and passes defensed (3) playing in place of the injured Keanu Neal. Richards enters the 2019 season as an unrestricted free agent.

Brennan Scarlett • OLB • Houston Texans • Third season • @BScarlett17

Scarlett's season was cut short by an injury in Week 12, two weeks after earning an exception 94.4 grade on a season-high 34 defensive snaps from Pro Football Focus in a win at Washington. He finished with 18 tackles, one forced fumble and one interception with an 89.9 overall grade from PFF. Scarlett enters the 2019 offseason as a restricted free agent.

Dalton Schultz • TE • Dallas Cowboys • First season • @BinghamBaller9

Schultz started seven games, including the final six, across 11 appearances during his rookie season in Dallas before the Cowboys were eliminated by the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional playoff round. Appearing on 387 offensive snaps, Schultz caught 12 passes for 116 yards while earning a 78.7 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus. Schultz was one of seven tight ends (minimum 20 percent of snaps) in the league to not allow a single pressure on 133 pass-blocking snaps.

Richard Sherman • CB • San Francisco 49ers • Eighth season • @R_Sherman25

Sherman started 14 games in his first season with San Francisco after inking a three-year, $27.15 million deal in the offseason. Sherman finished with four pass breakups, his second career sack and 37 tackles. He was targeted 40 times by opposing quarterbacks, which tied a career low, allowing 25 receptions for 365 yards and just one touchdown. Sherman's 0.72 yards allowed per coverage snap ranked fifth among cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus. The 30-year-old finished the season healthy, a welcome sign after an Achilles injury ended his 2017 season.

Aziz Shittu • DL • Dallas Cowboys • Second season • @AzizShittu

Shittu signed a futures contract with Dallas after finishing the season on the Cowboys' practice squad. 

Michael Thomas • S • New York Giants • Sixth season • @Michael31Thomas

Thomas was the New York Giants' biggest haul in free agency after a terrific 2018 season after which he was named to his first Pro Bowl as a special teamer. Appearing in all 16 games, he finished with 59 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble, setting career highs in passes defensed (6) and interceptions (2). Making six starts while appearing in all 16 games, Thomas played 522 defensive snaps and only appeared on less than 20 such snaps once over the final 10 games. He ranked 20th in the league in special teams snaps (344) and 13th in special teams tackles (9) – as a team, the Giants had the third-highest special teams grade (75.9) in the league, according to Pro Football Focus.

Solomon Thomas • DL • San Francisco 49ers • Second season • @SollyThomas90

The former first-round pick appeared in all 16 games for San Francisco in 2018, totaling 31 tackles and one sack in 13 starts. Appearing on 644 defensive snaps, Thomas registered a career-high 21 hurries on 28 total pressures, adding 16 run stops. Late in the season, Thomas' productivity increased after seeing more snaps on the interior, registering 10 hurries in his final four games.

Levine Toilolo • TE • Detroit Lions • Fifth season • @LevineToilolo

Toilolo appeared in all 16 games for Detroit after signing a one-year, $1.5 million deal in the offseason. He finished one yard short of his career high in yards with 263, catching 21 passes with one touchdown, a trick play in Week 17 involving kicker Matt Prater. Toilolo's stellar 87.0 pass-blocking grade was a career high by 15.0 percentage points – on 246 pass-blocking snaps, Toilolo did not allow a single pressure, one of seven tight ends in the league to do so (minimum 20 percent of snaps).

Griff Whalen • WR • Oakland Raiders • Sixth season • @GriffWhalen

Whalen was injured in the preseason after signing with Oakland in March. He was released with an injury settlement on Aug. 27.