NFL’s All-Underrated Team on offense after first half of 2024 season

Every week, SB Nation wants to reveal the names and games of NFL players who have outperformed their name recognition in our “Secret Superstars” articles.

Now that we're closer to the halfway point of this 17-game season than ever before, let's expand our horizons a bit and focus on the players who outperformed public perception during the first half of the 2024 season. Let's start with the secret superstar of the attack so far.

Geno Smith, QB, Seattle Seahawks

After the Seahawks suffered a heartbreaking 26-20 loss in overtime to the Los Angeles Rams last Sunday, Smith completed 21 of 34 passes for 363 yards, three touchdowns, three interceptions, and a passer. He apologized to the entire city of Seattle for the game that received a 1 rating. 90.7, EPA is -8.8.

Smith has taken hits, literally and figuratively, against perhaps the NFL's worst offensive line, and he's continued to do so all season. This is a particularly glaring issue considering Seattle's pass-heavy offense this season. Smith leads the NFL in attempts (347), completions (237) and passing yards (2,622). But with the offensive line not quite NFL-ready aside from left tackle Charles Cross, Smith has the most attempts (119) and completions (59) under pressure, with 10 Nine of his interceptions were completed on the under. Duress.

There's only so much a quarterback can do about this before the game starts to fall apart, but if he can keep a clean sheet, even for short periods of time, Smith becomes one of the NFL's best deep ball throwers. He proved that in the Rams game, as he has all season. Smith completed 5 of 7 passes of 20 or more air yards against the Rams for 157 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions and a passer rating of 153.3.

It's unfortunate that Smith's season, and perhaps the Seahawks' season, is hampered by the play of a truly offensive offensive line, but don't let that obscure a season in which he can actually throw the ball. No.

Jordan Mason, RB, San Francisco 49ers

Mike Shanahan's book on offense said, “Put any running back in the backfield and that running back will shine.” It seems that this quality has been passed down to the next generation. With Christian McCaffrey dealing with various injuries in 2024, most teams would be in a bit of trouble if their franchise back missed at least the first half of the season, but not Kyle Shanahan's 49ers. . Kyke Shanahan's 49ers simply elevated McCaffrey to Jordan Mason, a 2022 undrafted free agent from Georgia Tech who had 476 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns in his first two seasons in the NFL. .

Through the first nine weeks of the season, only Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, and Josh Jacobs have more rushing yards than Mason's 685, and that's because Mason lost to the 49ers in Week 8 due to a shoulder issue. This is because he was absent for a while during the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Dallas Cowboys. And a bye loss in Week 9 put him further behind. Back in early October, Mason looked more like a potential rushing champion.

McCaffrey is estimated to be back on the field in the second half of the season, which is great news for the 49ers, but maybe there's a way to get him, Mason, and rookie Isaac Guerendo (another secret superstar) all on the field? There may be. one time. Wouldn't that be fun?

Darnell Mooney, WR, Atlanta Falcons

Sometimes, all a player needs to show what they can actually do is the right environment, and they'll pick it up from there. That certainly applies to receiver Darnell Mooney, a 2020 fifth-round pick of the Chicago Bears out of Tulane. He managed a 1,000-yard season with the Bears in 2021, but didn't truly reach his best until the Atlanta Falcons signed him for Three-Yard. His contract is worth $39 million this year, with $26 million guaranteed for the 2024 preseason.

Zach Robinson's offense is very similar to Sean McVay's with its 11-heavy, condensed formations, and pre-snap movement, but Mooney is at times on par with Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. He plays the role of a possession receiver with explosive power. In a big hurry. Through the first half of the 2024 season, the players who have received more passes than Mooney's 8 of 14 targets for 20 air yards or more are George Pickens of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jaden Reed of the Green Bay Packers, and Jaden Reed of the Green Bay Packers. Only DK Metcalf of the Seahawks. 196 yards, 2 touchdowns. Overall, Mooney had 41 catches on 64 targets for 588 yards and five scores.

With a great quarterback in Kirk Cousins ​​and a modern passing offense unlike anything the Windy City has experienced, Mooney should continue to shine.

Tucker Kraft, TE, Green Bay Packers

The Packers' passing game in 2024 is a little uncertain at this point. Between Jordan Love's injury and the dominance of YOLO throws (he's tied for the league lead with the aforementioned Geno Smith with 10 interceptions on just 240 dropbacks), you'll never know. What do you get? But one sure thing is the emergence of second-year tight end Tucker Craft. Only tight end George Kittle has more receiving touchdowns than Craft's five. The 2023 third-round pick from South Dakota State University has 28 catches for 376 yards and 35 targets.

The 6-foot-5, 259-pound Craft is the modern-day prototype tight end, with competitive catches, vertical speed and route recognition, and Godzilla ability against potential tacklers. He is now doing his best to normalize an offense that has been less than consistent.

Garrett Bolles, OT, Denver Broncos

As my SB Nation colleague Mark Schofield likes to say, a quarterback's progression isn't linear. That's certainly true for offensive linemen, too, including Garrett Bolles, a 2017 first-round pick out of Utah State who hovered a bit between the top and the top, allowing eight sacks and 51 total pressures in his rookie season. apply. Since then, every season.

So far, 2024 has been one of the best seasons. Bolles allowed one sack, one quarterback hit, and 11 quarterback hurries on 356 pass-blocking snaps. This is especially impressive considering Bolles is blocking rookie quarterback Bo Nix.

Bolles is playing in the final year of a four-year, $68 million contract extension he signed in 2020, and he signed at the perfect time when the contract year phenomenon was clearly in his favor.

Sam Cosmi, OG, Washington Commander

New Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury has put together one of the most interesting and effective NFL offenses this season. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels is playing like an MVP candidate, but forget about Offensive Rookie of the Year, Daniels isn't the only thing that matters to the 7-2 Commanders. It's also important to couple the run game with a strong RPO offense, and if you want it all to work, it's best to have a good offensive line.

That goes for the managers, too, and right guard Sam Cosmi has been a big part of that. Cosmi was a 2021 second-round draft pick out of Texas and has had the physical tools for several days, but it was clear he needed to improve his technical consistency. Cosmi's growth in Kingsbury's offense is clear – he has repeated pass blocking 338 times, allowed one sack, two quarterback hits, and 10 quarterback hurries (like Daniels, he throws deep and plans). That's a good number if you're defending a quarterback who wins on the run.

As a run blocker, Cosmi has developed an appealing palette of attractive power moves that blow away defenders, skilled pulls that seal the edge, and second-level wins that showcase his athleticism and accuracy.

Hjalte Fromholt, C, Arizona Cardinals

Hjalte Froholt, a 2019 fourth-round pick of the New England Patriots from Arkansas State, is another example of an offensive lineman who needed some time to hit his stride. Froholt barely played in his rookie year after suffering a shoulder injury in the preseason, was waived by the Pats in November 2020, had coffee on the Houston Texans' practice squad, and was traded to the Cleveland Browns in October 2021. I signed a contract. Froholt allowed seven sacks and 18 total pressures with the Browns in 2021, which led to a switch to the Cardinals in time for the 2023 season.

It was during his time at Arizona that Fromholt first began to reveal his better potential. He allowed three sacks in 2023 and showed even more with his power game. To date in 2024, he has allowed zero sacks, three quarterback hits, and eight quarterback hurries in 301 pass-blocking snaps, making him a force multiplier in the Cardinals' multidimensional run game. It has become.

Check out our midseason defensive secret superstars later this week.