The majority of top teams in the NFL provide more than just a solid starting group or a few superstars. Quality depth allows those teams to fill in the holes that inevitably come every season due to injury.
Being able to replace certain positions with good talent is more important than others. Having a quality replacement at quarterback or running back is more important than a team's third safety. All of this was discussed in a column written last week by CBSSports.com NFL insider Pat Kirwan.
The former NFL scout, assistant coach and player personnel director also mentioned the teams that did the best job of meeting those needs during this off-season.
Thanks largely to the addition of Kyle Orton, the Cowboys joined the Patriots, Lions, Bears and Steelers in Kirwan's top five.
"Kyle Orton may be the best backup quarterback in the NFL and Dallas always puts a premium on that position," Kirwan wrote. "Heck, the head coach was a Dallas backup quarterback. Orton alone has to put the Cowboys in the top five teams. Dallas doesn't have the depth of the Patriots, Steelers or Bears but they do have some key backups to go along with Orton. Felix Jones, Pat McQuistan, Marcus Spears, Dan Connor, Orlando Scandrick and Michael Jenkins are a solid group."
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