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Unearthing Every NFL Team's Early Hidden Gem

NFL players who make significant contributors without being on high-end contracts are crucial to their teams.

Expectations are already built for established veterans, top free-agent signings and first-round draft picks. They form a roster's throughline.

Outliers elevate a team's performance.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers wouldn't have won the Super Bowl last season without a young secondary filled with non-Day 1 draft selections. The Kansas City Chiefs probably wouldn't have made the Super Bowl without the contributions of fourth-round safety-turned-cornerback L'Jarius Sneed.

These are but two examples of the hidden gems found within loaded rosters.