The NFL Network has completed its 10-part series naming "The Top 100 Players of 2011"as determined by current players.
While the Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers led the league with seven players selected, both the Buffalo Bills and Seattle Seahawks failed to have anyone crack the top 100.
REDSKINS IN TOP 100
The only Redskin on the list was at No. 100 – quarterback Donovan McNabb. Given that McNabb's future with the Redskins is uncertain, perhaps even unlikely, call it the "Mr. Irrelevant Pick."
McNabb, an 11-year veteran, was one of 12 quarterbacks to make the list. His inclusion suggests that McNabb remains well-respected around the league, even after a sub-par year in Washington.
Running back Brian Westbrook, McNabb's former teammate in Philadelphia, presented McNabb during the NFL Network broadcast.
"He's still very mobile," Westbrook said of McNabb. "He's still able to have a rocket for an arm. He's still a leader, and that's the most important thing."
Among active quarterbacks, McNabb ranks third in career pass yards with 36,250 yards (3,377 with Redskins) and fourth in touchdown passes with 230 (14 with Redskins).
"As far as any teammate can be concerned, that's all you can ask for is someone to be an example at all times on and off the field and be a leader," Westbrook said.
McNabb was benched at the end of last season and replaced by Rex Grossman.
REDSKINS SNUBBED?
Five tight ends were selected to the Top 100: Antonio Gates (No. 22), Jason Witten (36), Tony Gonzalez (46), Dallas Clark (78) and Vernon Davis (88).
Meantime, Chris Cooley's 77 catches last year were second most among the five tight ends selected. (Witten had 94 receptions.) Cooley's 849 receiving yards ranked third behind Witten and Davis. His TD catches – he logged just three – trailed the others, which may have impacted his standing.
Eleven linebackers were picked: Ray Lewis (No. 4), Clay Matthews (19), James Harrison (21), Patrick Willis (23), Jonathan Vilma (37), Terrell Suggs (40), Brian Urlacher (49), Jerod Mayo (62), Cameron Wake (63), Lance Briggs (92) and Jon Beason (95).
London Fletcher's 136 tackles last year ranked third among the 11 linebackers (Lewis had 139 and Mayo had 175). Fletcher has had 10 straight seasons of at least 100 tackles (Mayo has had three straight, Willis four straight, and Lewis has had five straight and eight total).
Brian Orakpo's 8.5 sacks last season ranked fifth behind Matthews, Harrison, Suggs and Wake, but Orakpo's 19.5 sacks in the last two seasons would be tied for third.
FORMER REDSKIN COMES IN AT NO. 58
Brandon Lloyd played wide receiver for two years with the Redskins in 2006-07. He caught just 25 passes for 379 yards and zero touchdowns in 23 games in Washington.
Lloyd made the list after a strong 2010 season in Denver where he played in all 16 games catching 77 passes for 1,448 yards and 11 touchdowns. It was the first season of Lloyd's career that he caught more than 50 passes and had more than 750 yards and more than six touchdowns.
Lloyd ranked higher than Brandon Marshall and Miles Austin on the list.
By comparison, Redskins wide receiver Santana Moss has twice as many career touchdowns (52), 4,740 more receiving yards and 352 more receptions than Lloyd in just two more seasons.
AROUND THE NFC EAST
The Cowboys finished with the same record as the Redskins last year – 6-10 – but they led the NFC East with six players represented in the Top 100; DeMarcus Ware (12), Jason Witten (36), Andre Gurode (57), Miles Austin (70), Tony Romo (72) and Jay Ratliff (75).
The Giants' Eli Manning was the only NFC East quarterback absent from the list. (The Eagles' Michael Vick was ranked 20th.) Manning, though, is the only NFC East quarterback to win a Super Bowl.
