Over the past few weeks, we’ve analyzed the best players in the league at each position by jersey number. Now we’re combining those lists to create our 2009 all jersey-number team. From 1 to 99, here are the best players at each jersey number.
To see how we selected our finalists, you can review the jersey number project with wide receivers in this post and then with tight ends in this postand quarterbacks in this post and running backs in this post and offensive linemen in this postand kickers/punters in this post and defensive linemen in this post and linebackers in this post and defensive backs in this post.
1 – PK Neil Rackers, Cardinals
2 – QB Matt Ryan, Falcons. Other position winner: P Dustin Colquitt, Chiefs
3 – PK Stephen Gostkowski, Patriots. Other position winner: QB Derek Anderson, Browns
4 – QB Brett Favre, Vikings. Other position winner: P Andy Lee, 49ers
5 – QB Donovan McNabb, Eagles. Other position winner: P Mike Scifres, Chargers
6 – QB Jay Cutler, Bears. Other position winner: PK Joe Nedney, 49ers
7 – QB Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers. Other position winner: P Jason Baker, Panthers
8 – QB Matt Schaub, Texans. We originally gave the position nod to Matt Hasselbeck, but as Hasselbeck continues a steep decline, we’re switching to an ascending player in Schaub. Other position winners: QB Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks; PK Ryan Longwell, Vikings
9 – QB Drew Brees, Saints. Other position winner: P Shane Lechler, Raiders
10 – QB Eli Manning, Giants. Other position winners: WR Santonio Holmes, Steelers; PK Nate Kaeding, Chargers
11 – WR Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals. Other position winners: PK Sebastian Janikowksi, Raiders; QB Daunte Culpepper, Lions
12 – QB Tom Brady, Patriots. Other position winner: WR Marques Colston, Saints
13- QB Kurt Warner, Cardinals. Other position winner: WR Johnny Knox, Bears
14 – WR Brandon Stokely, Broncos. Other position winner: QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bills
15 – WR Brandon Marshall, Broncos. Other position winners: QB Seneca Wallace, Seahawks; P Craig Hentrich, Titans
16 – WR/RS Josh Cribbs, Browns. Other position winner: QB Charlie Batch, Steelers
17 – QB Philip Rivers, Chargers. Other position winners: WR Braylon Edwards, Jets; PK Shayne Graham, Bengals
18 – QB Peyton Manning, Colts. Other position winners: WR Sidney Rice, Vikings; P Jeff Feagles, Giants
19 – WR Miles Austin, Cowboys
20 – S Ed Reed, Ravens. Other position winner: RB Thomas Jones, Jets
21 – CB Nnamdi Asomugha, Raiders. Other position winner: RB LaDanian Tomlinson, Chargers
22 – CB Asante Samuel, Eagles. Other position winner: RB Matt Forte, Bears
23 – RB Ronnie Brown, Dolphins. Other position winners: CB DeAngelo Hall, Redskins; WR Devin Hester, Bears
24 – CB Darrelle Revis, Jets. Other position winner: RB Marion Barber, Cowboys
25 – RB Ryan Grant, Packers. Other position winner: S Ryan Clark, Steelers
26 – CB Antoine Winfield, Vikings. Other position winner: RB Clinton Portis, Redskins
27 – RB Ray Rice, Ravens. Other position winner: CB Rashean Mathis, Jaguars
28 – RB Chris Johnson, Titans. Originally, we opted for Adrian Peterson over Johnson, but as Johnson continues his historic season, and as Peterson continues to struggle, we’re going to make a switch. Other positional winners: RB Adrian Peterson, Vikings; S Gibril Wilson, Dolphins
29 – CB Leon Hall, Bengals. Other position winner: RB Joseph Addai, Colts
30 – S Mike Brown, Chiefs. Other position winner: FB John Kuhn, Packers
31 – CB Cortland Finnegan, Titans. Other position winner: RB Jamal Lewis, Browns
32 – RB Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars. Other position winner: S Eric Weddle, Chargers
33 – RB Michael Turner, Falcons. Other position winner: CB Charles Tillman, Bears
34 – RB Ricky Williams, Dolphins. Other position winner: S Dominique Barber, Texans
35 – CB Zack Bowman, Bears. Other position winner: RB Jerome Harrison, Browns
36 – S Nick Collins, Packers. Other position winner: RB Brian Westbrook, Eagles
37 – S Yeremiah Bell, Dolphins. Other position winner: FB Jason McKie, Bears
38 – S Dashon Goldson, 49ers. Other position winner: RB Samkon Gado, Rams
39 – RB Steven Jackson, Rams. Other position winner: CB Brandon Carr, Chiefs
40 – TE Jim Kleinsasser, Vikings. Other position winners: RB Brian Leonard, Bengals; S Marquand Manuel, Lions
41 – S Antoine Bethea, Colts. Other position winners: FB Lorenzo Neal, Raiders; TE Spencer Havner, Packers
42 – S Darren Sharper, Saints. Other position winner: RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Patriots
43 – S Troy Polamalu, Steelers. Other position winner: RB Darren Sproles, Chargers
44 – TE Dallas Clark, Colts. Other position winners: RB Ahmad Bradshaw, Giants; S Jarrad Page, Chiefs
45 – FB Mike Sellers, Redskins. Other position winners: TE Leonard Pope, Chiefs; DB De’Von Hall, Colts
46 – RB Ladell Betts, Redskins. Other position winners: TE Daniel Fells, Rams; LB Vinny Ciurciu, Lions
47 – FB Lawrence Vickers, Browns. Other position winners: S Jon McGraw, Chiefs; LB Brit Miller, 49ers
48 – S Chris Horton, Redskins
49 – FB Tony Richardson, Jets. Other position winners: LB Zack Follett, Lions; DB Rashad Johnson, Cardinals
50 – LB Curtis Lofton, Falcons. Other position winner: OG Ben Hamilton, Broncos
51 – LB Barrett Ruud, Buccaneers. Other position winner: C Dominic Raiola, Lions
52 – LB Ray Lewis, Ravens
53 – LB Keith Bulluck, Titans
54 – OG Brian Waters, Chiefs. Other position winners: LB Andra Davis, Broncos; DE Quentin Groves, Jaguars
55 – OLB Terrell Suggs, Ravens. Other position winners: DE John Abraham, Falcons; C Alex Mack, Browns
56 – LB Brian Cushing, Texans
57 – LB Bart Scott, Jets. Other position winners: C Olin Kreutz, Bears; DE James Wyche, Jaguars
58 – DE Trent Cole, Eagles. Other position winner: LB Karlos Dansby, Cardinals
59 – LB London Fletcher, Redskins. Other position winner: OG Nick Cole, Eagles
60 – OT Chris Samuels, Redskins. Other position winner: DT Joe Cohen, Lions
61 – C Nick Hardwick, Chargers. Other position winner: DT Gerard Warren, Raiders
62 – C Casey Wiegmann, Broncos
63 – C Jeff Saturday, Colts
64 – C Jake Grove, Dolphins. Other position winner: DT Kedric Gholston, Redskins
65 – OG Andre Gurode, Cowboys
66 – OG Alan Faneca, Jets. Other position winner: DT DelJuan Robinson, Texans
67 – C Jamaal Jackson, Eagles
68 – C Kevin Mawae, Titans. Other position winner: DE Jonathan Fanene, Bengals
69 – DE Jared Allen, Vikings. Other position winner: OT Jordan Gross, Panthers
70 – OG Leonard Davis, Cowboys. Other position winner: DE Kendall Langford, Dolphins
71 – OT Michael Roos, Titans. Other position winner: DE Kroy Biermann, Falcons
72 – DE Osi Umenyiora, Giants. Other position winner: OT Vernon Carey, Dolphins
73 – OG Jahri Evans, Saints. Other position winner: DT Jimmy Kennedy, Vikings
74 – C Nick Mangold, Jets. Other position winners: OLB Aaron Kampman, Packers; NT Jacques Cesaire, Chargers
75 – NT Vince Wilfork, Patriots. Other position winner: OG Davin Joseph, Buccaneers
76 – OG Steve Hutchinson, Vikings. Other position winner: NT Jamal Williams, Chargers
77 – OT Jake Long, Dolphins. Other position winner: NT Kris Jenkins, Jets
78 – OT Ryan Clady, Broncos. Other position winner: DE Jacob Ford, Titans
79 – NT Ryan Pickett, Packers. Other position winner: OT Jeff Otah, Panthers
80 – WR Andre Johnson, Texans. Other position winner: TE Bo Scaife, Titans
81 – WR Randy Moss, Patriots. Other position winner: TE Owen Daniels, Texans
82 – TE Jason Witten, Cowboys. Other position winner: WR Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs
83 – WR Wes Welker, Patriots. Other position winner: TE Heath Miller, Steelers
84 – WR Roddy White, Falcons. Other position winner: TE Benjamin Watson, Patriots
85 – TE Antonio Gates, Chargers. Other position winner: WR Chad Ochocinco, Bengals
86 – WR Hines Ward, Steelers. Other position winner: TE Todd Heap, Ravens
87 – WR Reggie Wayne, Colts. Other position winner: TE Brent Celek, Eagles
88 – TE Tony Gonzalez, Falcons. Other position winner: WR Isaac Bruce
89 – WR Steve Smith, Panthers. Other position winner: TE Daniel Graham, Broncos
90 – DE Julius Peppers, Panthers
91 – DE Will Smith, Saints. Other position winner: OLB Tamba Hali, Chiefs
92 – OLB Elvis Dumervil, Broncos. Other position winner: DT Albert Haynesworth, Redskins
93 – DT Kevin Williams, Vikings. Other position winner: OLB Anthony Spencer, Cowboys
94 – OLB DeMarcus Ware, Cowboys. Other position winner: DE Aaron Schobel, Bills
95 – OLB Shaun Phillips, Chargers. Other position winner: DT Jonathan Babineaux, Falcons
96 – OLB David Bowens, Browns. Other position winner: DE Tyler Brayton, Panthers
97 – NT Kelly Gregg, Ravens. Other position winner: OLB Calvin Pace, Jets
98 – DE Robert Mathis, Colts. Other position winner: LB Brian Orakpo, Redskins
99 – OLB Jason Taylor, Dolphins. Other position winner: DE Andre Carter, Redskins