With the 2019 NFL season just around the corner, our analysts provide their predictions on individual award winners.
Participating analysts: Brian Baldinger, Judy Battista, Jeremy Bergman, Ali Bhanpuri, Tom Blair, Gil Brandt, David Carr, Charley Casserly, Brooke Cersosimo, Jeffri Chadiha, Dave Dameshek, Terrell Davis, Gennaro Filice, Akbar Gbajabiamila, Marcas Grant, DeAngelo Hall, Dan Hanzus, James Jones, Maurice Jones-Drew, Steve Mariucci, Shaun O'Hara, Dan Parr, Kevin Patra, Adam Rank, Marcel Reece, Gregg Rosenthal, Adam Schein, Marc Sessler, Joe Thomas, Jim Trotter.
Most Valuable Player
T-1. Patrick Mahomes (6 votes: Baldinger, Brandt, Gbajabiamila, Jones-Drew, Rosenthal, Schein)
T-1. Carson Wentz (6 votes: Battista, Chadiha, Filice, Grant, Patra, Sessler)
3. Drew Brees (5 votes: Bhanpuri, Casserly, Hall, Hanzus, O'Hara)
4. Tom Brady (4 votes: Blair, Davis, Rank, Reece)
T-5. Alvin Kamara (2 votes: Bergman, Carr)
T-5. Aaron Rodgers (2 votes: Jones, Thomas)
T-5. Matt Ryan (2 votes: Cersosimo, Dameshek)
T-8. Saquon Barkley (1 vote: Mariucci)
T-8. Derek Carr (1 vote: Trotter)
T-8. Lamar Jackson (1 vote: Parr)
Why Judy Battista chose Carson Wentz: He is healthy and has an incredible array of offensive talent around him -- hello again, DeSean Jackson -- and one of the NFL's best offensive lines protecting him. If Wentz stays on the field, we see the player he looked like in 2017, when he was on the way to the MVP before injury.
Offensive Player of the Year
1. Saquon Barkley (11 votes: Baldinger, Battista, Brandt, Cersosimo, Dameshek, Davis, Hanzus, Jones-Drew, O'Hara, Rank, Trotter)
T-2. DeAndre Hopkins (4 votes: Hall, Mariucci, Reece, Schein)
T-2. Patrick Mahomes (4 votes: Bergman, Casserly, Parr, Sessler)
4. Christian McCaffrey (3 votes: Chadiha, Grant, Patra)
5. Antonio Brown (2 votes: Carr, Jones)
T-6. Odell Beckham Jr. (1 vote: Gbajabiamila)
T-6. Derek Carr (1 vote: Bhanpuri)
T-6. Ezekiel Elliott (1 vote: Blair)
T-6. Alvin Kamara (1 vote: Filice)
T-6. Aaron Rodgers (1 vote: Thomas)
Why Maurice Jones-Drew chose Saquon Barkley: The 2018 Offensive Rookie of the Year picks up where he left off by looking more comfortable in his second year in Mike Shula's offensive system and getting more involved in the passing game. Plus, with all of the injuries and suspensions to other skill-position players, he's all Big Blue's got. Saquon goes off for at least 2,300 scrimmage yards.
Defensive Player of the Year
1. Aaron Donald (12 votes: Bergman, Bhanpuri, Brandt, Chadiha, Davis, Grant, Jones-Drew, O'Hara, Rank, Schein, Thomas, Trotter)
T-2. Myles Garrett (5 votes: Cersosimo, Dameshek, Filice, Gbajabiamila, Sessler)
T-2. Khalil Mack (5 votes: Blair, Casserly, Hall, Jones, Mariucci)
4. Bradley Chubb (3 votes: Baldinger, Battista, Parr)
T-5. Jamal Adams (1 vote: Hanzus)
T-5. Stephon Gilmore (1 vote: Rosenthal)
T-5. Darius Leonard (1 vote: Carr)
T-5. Von Miller (1 vote: Patra)
T-5. Bobby Wagner (1 vote: Reece)
Why Jim Trotter chose Aaron Donald: History is not on Donald's side, as no player has ever won the award three straight seasons (Lawrence Taylor and J.J. Watt are the only others to take it in back-to-back years). But Donald is a transcendent talent, and transcendent talents have been known to do transcendent things.
Offensive Rookie of the Year
1. Kyler Murray (13 votes: Baldinger, Battista, Brandt, Cersosimo, Dameshek, Davis, Filice, Hall, Hanzus, Jones-Drew, Parr, Rosenthal, Schein)
2. Josh Jacobs (6 votes: Bhanpuri, Casserly, Chadiha, Gbajabiamila, Mariucci, Trotter)
3. David Montgomery (5 votes: Blair, Grant, Patra, Rank, Reece)
4. N'Keal Harry (2 votes: Carr, O'Hara)
T-5. Marquise Brown (1 vote: Thomas)
T-5. T.J. Hockenson (1 vote: Bergman)
T-5. Daniel Jones (1 vote: Sessler)
T-5. Deebo Samuel (1 vote: Jones)
Why DeAngelo Hall chose Kyler Murray: Let's be honest: Rookie awards are based on stats. There are very few offensive rookies who are Day 1 starters or who will get regular touches, which is why it's gotta be Kyler Murray. Even though the Cardinals lack in a lot of areas, he's a good enough playmaker to elevate guys around him, and he'll show us enough to have everyone talking about how special he is by the end of the season.
Defensive Rookie of the Year
1. Devin Bush (12 votes: Battista, Blair, Chadiha, Davis, Jones, Jones-Drew, Mariucci, O'Hara, Patra, Rank, Schein, Trotter)
2. Brian Burns (6 votes: Baldinger, Bergman, Filice, Parr, Rosenthal, Sessler)
T-3. Josh Allen (4 votes: Bhanpuri, Brandt, Cersosimo, Hanzus)
T-3. Quinnen Williams (4 votes: Dameshek, Gbajabiamila, Grant, Thomas)
5. Devin White (3 votes: Carr, Casserly, Hall)
6. Rashan Gary (1 vote: Reece)
Why Adam Schein chose Devin Bush:Devin Bush was put on this earth to play middle linebacker for the Steelers. He's a stud. He's a leader. He's a tackling machine. Pittsburgh is going to love him, and the Michigan product will dominate the way Darius Leonard did for the Colts last year.
Comeback Player of the Year
1. Le'Veon Bell (6 votes: Bergman, Casserly, Cersosimo, Gbajabiamila, Hanzus, Trotter)
2. Earl Thomas (4 votes: Bhanpuri, Parr, Rank, Rosenthal)
T-3. Travis Frederick (3 votes: Davis, Jones-Drew, Sessler)
T-3. Carson Wentz (3 votes: Brandt, Chadiha, Patra)
T-5. Devonta Freeman (2 votes: Hall, O'Hara)
T-5. Jimmy Garoppolo (2 votes: Mariucci, Thomas)
T-5. Deion Jones (2 votes: Baldinger, Filice)
T-5. Cooper Kupp (2 votes: Battista, Grant)
T-5. Jerick McKinnon (2 votes: Carr, Reece)
T-10. Joey Bosa (1 vote: Schein)
T-10. Hunter Henry (1 vote: Blair)
T-10. Jason Verrett (1 vote: Jones)
T-10. Jameis Winston (1 vote: Dameshek)
Why Charley Casserly chose Le'Veon Bell: Bell might start slow this year, as he adapts to his new teammates and a new system. But as the season progresses, he will regain his old form and enjoy a highly productive campaign. In the big picture, the time off won't hurt him.
Coach of the Year
1. Freddie Kitchens (5 votes: Bergman, Chadiha, Dameshek, Hall, Thomas)
2. Frank Reich (4 votes: Hanzus, Mariucci, Parr, Rosenthal)
T-3. Bill Belichick (2 votes: Patra, Trotter)
T-3. Jon Gruden (2 votes: Carr, Gbajabiamila)
T-3. Matt LaFleur (2 votes: Jones, O'Hara)
T-3. Sean Payton (2 votes: Baldinger, Bhanpuri)
T-3. Mike Zimmer (2 votes: Cersosimo, Jones-Drew)
T-8. Bruce Arians (1 vote: Davis)
T-8. Jason Garrett (1 vote: Brandt)
T-8. Adam Gase (1 vote: Reece)
T-8. John Harbaugh (1 vote: Sessler)
T-8. Anthony Lynn (1 vote: Casserly)
T-8. Doug Marrone (1 vote: Rank)
T-8. Sean McDermott (1 vote: Schein)
T-8. Doug Pederson (1 vote: Grant)
T-8. Andy Reid (1 vote: Battista)
T-8. Mike Tomlin (1 vote: Filice)
T-8. Mike Vrabel (1 vote: Blair)
Why Jeffri Chadiha chose Freddie Kitchens: The Browns have had just one 10-win season and one playoff appearance this century. Kitchens has enough talent on the roster to achieve both feats in his first full year on the job.
