2022 NFL Defensive Linemen Rankings. New Yorks top four pressure producers in 2020 were all interior defenders. The Browns are struggling to deal with the loss of key players to injury or the COVID-19 list, and that has certainly had an impact on their defense. The unit loses Roy Robertson-Harris and Brent Urban heading into 2021 but returns nose tackle Eddie Goldman from an opt-out. was their most productive pass rusher in 2020, but even he finished the year with only a 64.5 pass-rushing grade. Things arent getting any better with Watt no longer in town. Collier, Darrell Taylor and Alton Robinson. He hasnt recorded double-digit sacks in a season since 2014, but he ranks in the 81st percentile of all players at the position in pass-rush win rate over the six years since. A platoon of underrated defensive linemen seven of whom have at least 20 pressures this season help make the entire structure work. His 17.1% pass-rush win rate was a top-10 mark among all interior defenders. FUMTD - Fumble Recovery Touchdowns. There isnt a member of the unit with an overall PFF grade this season over 77.0, and just one full-time starter is even above 70.0. The Dolphins have trust in their coverage players on the backend to hold up if the pressure doesnt get home and the ball comes out. The Falcons will be eager to see better seasons from both Fowler and a healthy Marlon Davidson in his second season after he earned a 58.1 grade on just over 100 snaps as a rookie. The next highest were the Green Bay Packers (79.9) and the Washington Football Team (76.6). He earned a career-high 89.6 overall grade in 2020 and was the sixth-most valuable interior defender in the league, according to, and several players yet to produce at a high level in starting roles (. 1 seed won't be active again until the Divisional Round, but once the . 17. Few defenses have as wide a range of performance as the Bengals this season. To have our 32nd . 5 on the list. Only the, There is no team worse at rushing the passer this season than the Falcons. Young finished the 2021 season as PFF's fourth-highest-graded run defender among the defensive line. Here are PFFs top defensive lines heading into the 2021 NFL season, with 3-4 outside linebackers included since they fall under the edge defender label. While many Giants have put together solid individual performances on defense, the unit is far from a well-oiled machine. Rankings&Projections |WR/CB Matchup Chart |NFL & NCAA Betting Dashboards | NFL Player Props Tool | NFL & NCAA Power Rankings He recorded a run-defense grade below 40.0 and a pressure rate well below 10% for the season. At 38.0%, they now have the third-best pressure rate of any team, trailing the Rams and Packers. The 2023 draft is full of talent at quarterback, tight end and offensive tackle. Only the Atlanta Falcons are generating pressure at a lower rate than Detroit, which has applied heat on the quarterback just 24.3% of the time. will have an opportunity to finally put it all together as the starting left edge defender in Dan Quinns new defense in Dallas. Bosa is responsible for 62 pressures, yet he and Derwin James are the only Chargers defenders with 70.0-plus overall PFF grades for the season. He has above-average PFF grades across the board and a 75.2 overall mark, and his stat line in coverage includes an interception and four pass breakups. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS. Allens 2020 campaign was somewhat overshadowed by Washington's starting edge tandem, but he was excellent when rushing the passer. The team plays some variant of Cover 1 or Cover 3 on 59% of its snaps, and opponents are too easily attacking that. While we at PFF have made the argument that. That being said, Miamis blitz-heavy nature is suffocating to those quarterbacks. He jumps off the snap like a dog that . NFL . Against the run, they rank 29th in yards per attempt and 31st in EPA per play allowed. Clowneys presence should keep teams from focusing all of their attention on. One would think that Pittsburghs defensive line is slated to take a step back after replacing, . Why the Julio Jones trade benefits the Eagles, Where the Eagles land in a ranking of NFL's worst to first candidates in 2021, Eagles won't face Julio Jones in season opener after Falcons agree to trade star WR to the Titans, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. first year with the team was nowhere near what the Falcons were expecting when they signed him to a multi-year deal last offseason. Those three all finished among the top 35 interior defenders in the NFL in overall grade last season. The back half of the season has not gone well for Carolina, but at least the defense remains a formidable unit. Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams. The trio of Calais Campbell, Brandon Williams and Derek Wolfe on the interior is an impressive collection of run-stuffers, though. 2019-20. Befitting a 3-13-1 team that earned the No. 9. All three ranked in the 83rd percentile or better at the position in run-defense grade last season. He joins a group that already features. Aaron Donalds 456 pressures over the past five seasons are 86 more than any other defender despite the fact that he saw a consistent barrage of double and triple teams. No edge defender graded higher as a pass rusher on true pass-rushing snaps than him in 2020. departure wouldnt have represented a major loss. It was a unit that played both the run and pass at an elite level in 2020. A.J. The Rams dont have the same quality of depth as the other top-five defensive lines in these rankings. While Dallas' edge group features some promise, the team needs several interior players to take big steps forward. Updated 03/11/2023 06:12 AM EST. Xavier Mckinney is showing the talent that made him a second-round pick in 2020, intercepting five passes and grading well across the board. Houstons defensive line ranked dead last in overall PFF grade as a unit (47.0) in 2020. The issue has been in the poor performers, with four players who have at least 150 snaps earning a PFF grade below 50.0. Frank Clark has his highest PFF pass-rushing grade (69.9) since 2018, and Melvin Ingram has accrued multiple pressures in every game since the team acquired him from Pittsburgh. NFC . The Patriots' defensive line and linebackers were problem areas last season. The recent addition of, The Patriots' defensive line and linebackers were problem areas last season. His inability to play up to the level he performed at in Seattle has left Kansas City thin along the defensive line beyond Jones, even after the team signed Jarran Reed this offseason. . Poona Ford could receive more time there in 2021. 9 mo. The biggest issue for the Raiders, though, is that their pass defense has nose-dived, with the team allowing a 107.1 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks. General manager Jason Licht managed to bring back every starter from last years championship team this offseason. Even, San Francisco has rescued its season and looks headed for the playoffs, even as a late-season injury to quarterback. The Broncos have been forced deep into contingency plans at linebacker, with both starters lost for the season to injury, but players like Jonas Griffith are still performing well in relief. Rookie. That group will look to match a league-leading 45.1% pressure rate in 2020. He has 71 pressures, already 21 more than a year ago, and an 84.5 PFF pass-rushing grade, a significant jump on his previous career high. Bobby Wagner is, predictably, the only member of the unit with at least above-average PFF grades in every facet of play, and he has 51 defensive stops to his name. D.J. . , and neither carries an overall PFF grade higher than 85.0. With MVP front-runner Patrick Mahomes under center in K.C., I have zero concerns about the Chiefs' offense. Despite his size, he graded out better as a pass-rusher than a run defender in college and won 9.4% of his pass-rushing snaps in 2022. Key Stat: Dunlap was credited with 7.0 sacks in his final eight games after being acquired by the Seahawks in October.. From a grade standpoint, Dunlap had a . Ngakoue, Clelin Ferrell and Maxx Crosby at least give Las Vegas an intriguing mix of young edge rushers. Joey Bosa is one of the best defensive linemen in the game, but lately, this defense hasnt been giving him enough help. Rookie Christian Barmore has already racked up 42 total pressures, the third-most among first-year players. The group ranked 30th in expected points added allowed per run play and had the lowest pressure rate in the league both with and without blitzing. 2017-18. He ranks in the 82nd percentile of players at the position in pass-rush grade and in the 88th percentile of edge defenders in run-defense grade since 2019. They include starting quarterbacks and backups who filled in for QBs dealing with injuries at the end . , a significant jump on his previous career high. Tyrod Taylor, Lamar Jackson, Joe Flacco, Cam Newton, PJ Walker, Mike Glennon, Zach Wilson, Ian Book. Seattles defense has certainly been better than it was early in the year, but its still a far cry from being good. Much of the Ravens pass-rushing success in recent years has been a function of scheme rather than individual talent. Rushing Leader: Jonathan Taylor, 1811 Yds. Simmons 57 pressures, two behind Harold Landry for the team lead. The concerns begin to arise on the edge. The Jets were not a good football team in 2020. This groups success next season will largely depend on the impact of younger players such as L.J. , giving him one of the most lopsided pressure-to-sack rates of any player in the league. 17 overall in the NFL, according to PFF's Sam Monson . He earned a career-high 89.6 overall grade in 2020 and was the sixth-most valuable interior defender in the league, according to PFF WAR. Across the past five seasons, Clowney ranks in the 86th percentile at the position in pass-rushing grade and in the 97th percentile in run-defense grade. The group was led by Jeffery Simmons, Denico Autry and . Among them, only Lamar Jackson is a formidable name in 2021, and even he has struggled for large portions of the season. The Rams dont have the same quality of depth as the other top-five defensive lines in these rankings. at least give Las Vegas an intriguing mix of young edge rushers. He's broken up 13 passes on the season. NFL On the final stop of the PFF training camp tour, analyst Jordan Plocher reports on the Rams' QB situation and D-line. Los Angeles will hope new head coach Brandon Staley can get the most out of the former first-round pick. That includes key players along the defensive front in, . Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. 2021 NFL Defensive Secondary Rankings, by Unit 32. He recorded a career-high 85.4 PFF grade back in 2019 with Houston before injuries cut his 2020 Cincinnati debut short after just five games. Bell averaged 2.57 yards per route run in his final season in college. This ranking doesnt feel fair to Grady Jarrett. The Broncos could very well have the best edge duo in the NFL with. Epenesa, Gregory Rousseau and Carlos Basham Jr. all represent added youth and depth to the Bills' edge defender rotation. The Seattle Seahawks fall in the middle of the pack, ranking 14th on the list . That was the case again last season, as the Eagles were one of just two teams with a pressure rate above 40% without the aid of the blitz. The Texans' entire approach to this season appears to have been scattershot and absent of a coherent strategy. The team's stable of impressive defensive backs gives it strength in vital areas to defend the pass. Andrew Wilbar: Much like center, nose tackles do not go inside the top . They did not make any upgrades across the defensive line. Over the past month, the entire Atlanta defense has two fewer pressures than, Washingtons defense isnt just bad; its worst play comes during the most high-leverage situations. Robert Quinn is vying for the league lead in sacks but has just 42 pressures overall, giving him one of the most lopsided pressure-to-sack rates of any player in the league. Jerry Tillery has been the least valuable defensive lineman in the NFL over the past two seasons, worth -0.22 wins above a replacement-level player over that span. . health, which has been the opposite of reliable for much of his NFL career. FUMR - Fumbles Recovered. , and the team ranks just 28th in pressure rate, in part because its just too easy to pass the ball against that injury-riddled secondary. Tue, 23 Aug 16 10:49:05 . 1. The Saints need that performance over the course of a full season opposite the always-reliable, San Franciscos defensive line went from borderline unblockable in 2019 to underwhelming in 2020. Los Angeles will have to replace. Despite what his sack totals in recent seasons may suggest, Khalil Mack is still the NFL's most dominant edge defender on a snap-for-snap basis. #Browns offensive line in 2020: Pass blocking grade - 86.5 (1st) Against the run, they rank 29th in yards per attempt and 31st in EPA per play allowed. However, the Rams still have to replace all three of their next best line pass rushers opposite of Donald from 2020: Brockers (Lions), Morgan Fox . (79.7) remain one of the best inside duos in the NFL. Mike Tannenbaum's QB rankings Rankings are updated through the end of the 2021 regular season. A team can lean more on the blitz when its starting cornerbacks are, . Passing Leader: Tom Brady, 5316 Yds. Its easy to forget, given how bad Detroits defense has been these past two seasons, that Flowers is one of the better defensive linemen in the league when healthy. Emmanuel Ogbah was their most productive pass rusher in 2020, but even he finished the year with only a 64.5 pass-rushing grade. Titans land in top 10 of Pro Football Focus' defensive line rankings. If it were, the Dolphins would be in the low 30s. New England invested heavily in improving that group this offseason, adding Matthew Judon, Kyle Van Noy, Davon Godchaux, Henry Anderson, Montravius Adams, Christian Barmore and Ronnie Perkins across free agency and the 2021 NFL Draft. Terrell has allowed just 42.9% of passes thrown his way to be caught this season, the best mark in the league. The questions for Arizona arise on the interior, where Watt should see more time than he has in the past few seasons with Houston. 1 seed in the NFC, is that they are still expecting legitimate reinforcements in the form of Jaire Alexander and Za'Darius Smith. He was the most valuable edge defender in the league last season by PFF's Wins Above Replacement metric, and he holds the same title across his three seasons with the Bears. And Baltimore lost two of its best individual pass rushers Yannick Ngakoue and Matthew Judon in free agency this offseason. They have now used 40 different players on defense this season, with the majority of them earning poor PFF grades. The defensive line is at the center of both the pass-rushing unit and the run-defense unit. , coming off an 88.3 overall grade in 2020, is one of the more underrated interior defenders in the NFL. Safety, led the team in total pressures (25) through the first 13 weeks of the 2020 campaign. Seattle has made several additions to help alleviate those issues, starting with trading for, this offseason. graded over 10 points higher as a run defender than as a pass rusher in 2020. Youth is the theme across Carolinas defense. and his 80th-percentile pass-rushing grade since 2017 should help in that department. And that was despite, earning an 85.4 overall grade on over 1,000 defensive snaps. Houstons defensive line ranked dead last in overall PFF grade as a unit (47.0) in 2020. But the Raiders are thin on the interior. The biggest issue for the Raiders, though, is that their pass defense has nose-dived, with the team allowing a 107.1 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks. Bosa and Ford's return to play alongside Arik Armstead could give the 49ers one of the best edge rotations in the NFL. Dolphins (9-8, No. is a name to watch in his second season out of Missouri. The Rams boast the second-best pressure rate of any defense in the league, built largely on the back of Aaron Donald, who has been playing at his very best in recent weeks. Between Chandler Jones, J.J. Watt and Markus Golden, the Cardinals have an impressive collection of players who can win off the edge. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES EDGE 2: 14.5%. He earned a career-high 89.6 overall grade in 2020 and was the sixth-most valuable interior defender in the league . did not make the kind of impact the Cardinals hoped for in 2020, earning a 54.4 overall grade before a hamstring injury cut his season short. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports. INTTD - Interception Touchdowns. The defensive line is at the center of both the pass-rushing unit and the run-defense unit. Dupree will be asked to pick up a lot of that slack, but his pass-rushing stats didnt always accurately reflect his level of play in Pittsburgh. 2021 NFL Defensive Front Seven Rankings, by Unit. HUR - Hurries. The Browns are struggling to deal with the loss of key players to injury or the COVID-19 list, and that has certainly had an impact on their defense.
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