Pittsburgh Steelers (94/100) Cameron Heyward was second behind only Aaron Donald in PFF's grades of interior defensive linemen last season. This is a case of one elite linebacker pulling along another whose narrative hasnt really matched his production. After missing most of the regular season, Dre Greenlaw came back for the end of the regular season and playoffs to form the perfect linebacker tandem with Warner. 8 in total pressures. Okereke was particularly stout against the run, with his 13 defensive stops against the run tied for the 13th most. Meanwhile, David will have to get it there himself, given that the Bucs defense wasnt exactly bereft of talent last season. He subsequently graded out to 76.5 in his first season. The criteria for making the top tier of IDP linebackers is relatively simple: be an every-down linebacker and play in a linebacker-friendly defense that breeds above-average tackle efficiency for the position. For the purposes of these rankings, we are looking only at true off-ball linebackers, as 3-4 outside linebackers though designated as linebackers are in truth edge rushers. One of the best off-ball linebackers of his generation, David is still playing at an extremely high level and may benefit from New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis and Los Angeles Rams linebacker Bobby Wagner playing very good football well into their 30s on recently signed contracts of their own. Though he's 32 years old, David hasn't taken a major step backwards just yet. Meanwhile, TJ Watt led the league in sacks (22.5) and was the Defensive Player of the Year. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) runs the ball against Green Bay Packers inside linebacker De'Vondre Campbell (59) during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. I agree to receive the "Pick Six Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. It had been three full seasons since his best play, and that best play was nowhere near elite. Pratt didnt miss many tackles as a run defender, either, whiffing on just 5.9% of opportunities after three straight seasons above 10% to start his career. Milano was a fifth-round draft pick back in 2017 but has dramatically outperformed his first-round teammate, Tremaine Edmunds, within the Buffalo defense. Players like T.J. Watt, Matt Judon, Harold Landry and Shaquil Barrett are not included. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports. Final Season Stats. 3 Rams make PFF's top 101 players of 2022 Teams AFC East Bills Dolphins Jets Patriots AFC North Bengals Browns Ravens Steelers AFC South Colts Jaguars Texans Titans AFC West Broncos Chargers. Projected contract: Two years, $18 million ($9M per year, $11.5 million total guaranteed), PFF Free Agency Rank: 55 Wilson showed in the playoffs that he could finally have answered a real problem area for the Cincinnati Bengals, showing up with multiple excellent PFF game grades and making plays in coverage. Those traits have allowed him to make a lot of tackles, but tackles are not always good plays for linebackers if they come after a big gain on the ground or because they were out of position in coverage. Foyesade Oluokun, JAC: New team, new official scorer. After looking like one of the worst linebackers in the NFL for a few years in Green Bay, Blake Martinez rebounded with a solid season in 2020 in New York before succumbing to injury early in the 2021 campaign. The former No. White has had four straight seasons with coverage grades above 60.0, which is not an easy feat for an off-ball linebacker in todays NFL against so many hi-lo concepts and the increase in run-pass options putting a ton of stress on the position. Matt Ryan, Calvin Ridley, Russell Gage, and Lee Smith (don't hate on the importance of the old school tight end) will no longer be suiting up for the team in 2022. The strongest players are experts at open-field takedowns and make it hard for quarterbacks to feel comfortable throwing toward the middle of the field. These power rankings are adjusted based on coach, quarterback and the market each season. Kendricks is one of the games best coverage linebackers, able to consistently squeeze throwing lanes and make plays on the ball once its in the air. Subscribe to PFF+ to unlock An error occured while loading Position Grades. Chenal is going to thrive in man-blitz-heavy schemes. With both Bengals starting safeties in Jessie Bates III and Vonn Bell pending free agents, a big extension for wide receiver Tee Higgins likely in play and fellow off-ball linebacker Logan Wilson also eligible for an extension after the season, its possible Pratt hits the market even after a career year. Here are the top free agents at linebacker, taken from PFF's free agency rankings. Last but certainly not least, Pratt also peaked at the right time, with his 90.1 overall grade since Week 8 the top mark among linebackers. 11 among linebackers,) his AV of 8 was tied for No. Kansas City Chiefs linebacker group ranked as 9th-best in NFL by PFF Teams AFC East Bills Dolphins Jets Patriots AFC North Bengals Browns Ravens Steelers AFC South Colts Jaguars Texans Titans. 2021 Snaps: 717 Rankings&Projections |WR/CB Matchup Chart |NFL & NCAA Betting Dashboards | NFL Player Props Tool | NFL & NCAA Power Rankings Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Chicago Bears inside linebacker Roquan Smith (58) stares into the backfield during pre-game at Nissan Stadium. This ranking may be a surprise after the Seahawks lost future Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner in free agency this offseason, but Wagner seemed to be on the downslope of his career. Walker is one of the best run-and-hit linebackers in the class. Parsons actually finished No. It's funny how taking a "small step backwards" for Wagner is being a second-team All-Pro, a Pro Bowler and setting a career high in tackles even while missing a game. 2021 Snaps:444 Brown has seen his play taper off after a really nice sophomore campaign in 2018 in which he posted an 81.2 grade. on Pro Football Focus' Top-100 players of 2022 rankings. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NCAA player performance data. The PFF grades aren't always right on point, but they do serve as a generally effective tool for comparisons . Hes great at every aspect of linebacker play. Jerome Baker, MIA: I love Baker this season as a Top 15-20 sleeper. Leonard burst onto the scene with 163 combined tackles, seven sacks, four forced fumbles and two interceptions in his rookie season back in 2018. Over the past decade, virtually every stage of the offensive evolution has increased stress on linebackers, putting them in a bind and asking them to account for multiple things on the same play. Over the past three seasons, his 19.8% pass-rush win rate and 23.8% pressure rate are both the second-best marks among off-ball linebackers with at least 100 pass-rush snaps over the span. Best Bets Tool, PFF Free Agency Rank: 27 Hes the complete package for a modern off-ball linebacker. Walker had a career year for the Browns in 2021, and his 78.2 PFF coverage grade was the highest of his career. While Bobby Okerekes grade has fluctuated over the years, Darius Leonard the star of the Colts' defense has been rock solid since exploding onto the scene as a rookie. Dean's range at the linebacker position is unparalleled in this draft class. This is likely a polarizing selection. Despite what PFF says, I don't think there are that many more linebackers who are better in coverage than Kendricks. Even, Parsons is already one of the best defensive playmakers in the NFL as he enters just his second season in the league, but its difficult to rank him purely as an off-the-ball linebacker. Something to note is that 3-4 pass-rushers will not appear on this list. He rarely leaves the field, having never played less than 90% of defensive snaps when healthy in a season, and is a lock for triple-digit tackles as a result. His 89.0 run-defense grade in 2022 ranked fourth at the position, with his 13 tackles for loss or no gain tied for 12th. Patrick Surtain II has been quite literally living up to his name as an elite cornerback and has helped the Denver Broncos maintain their position as a top-tier defense even after trading away their star edge rusher. The Seahawks selected Cody Barton out of Utah with the No. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports By Sam Monson May 24, 2022 While Warner recorded a career-high 137 combined tackles (T-No. Perryman was looking for a new contract heading into 2022 but ultimately played out the year, earning a strong 80.5 run-defense grade. Clemson junior Trenton Simpson Simpson had a solid role as a freshman in 2020, totaling 28 tackles with 6.5 tackles for loss and four sacks, in addition to a forced fumble. He signed a monster five-year, $95 million extension last July, and is worth it considering he's just 25. Edmunds also missed just 6.5% of potential tackles, the lowest rate of his career and another huge sign of continued growth from a football intelligence and play recognition standpoint. More Stats. The folks over at PFF are going through the process of creating rankings and tiers for every position ahead of the 2022 NFL season. The grades for the Detroit Lions in their 9-8 campaign offer up an analytically-based glimpse of how the Lions performed. The six players in the 1A tier figure to be the favorites to post the highest tackle numbers in the league based on their expected role in their defenses. Anthony Brown is an okay slot and Kelvin Joseph was actually the highest rated CB. Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Josey Jewell and Jonas Griffith should be the starters, with free agent signing Alex Singleton looking for snaps, as well. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports. Tae Crowder and Micah McFadden will look to compete for the spot opposite Martinez. Here's why that is important: PFF's Fantasy Football Expected Points tool is primarily used for identifying potential over and undervalued players. Projected contract: Two years, $14.5 million ($7.25M per year), $8.5 million total guaranteed, PFF Free Agency Rank: 99 White was a reliable presence at linebacker following the loss of 2020 first-rounderKenneth Murrayduring Weeks 4-9 and when Murray was battling injuries over Weeks 11-15. 1 linebacker according to PFF, with a grade of 89.7. Kendricks has long been one of the consistent middle linebackers in the league, and he stepped up his game in 2021 with a career-high 143 combined tackles, five sacks and two interceptions. Harris is one of the most physical linebackers in the class who relishes the ability to hit anyone on the other side of the ball. 6 defense in the league last year, and Smith was a big reason why. The following tiers reflect which players are in the best situations to produce they're ranked based on the likelihood of doing so every single week. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. Murray surrendered a near-perfect passer rating into his coverage in 2021, allowing 14 catches on 15 targets for 132 yards and two touchdowns. That's because he's both a speedy 240 pounds and one of the best tacklers in the class, having missed only seven times on 138 career attempts. Sam Monson of PFF recently ranked the top linebackers in the NFL and organized them in tiers. He has not graded above 70.0 since. His past two years against the run have been horrid, with him posting 39.8 and 30.0 run-defense grades. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. The transition from college football to the NFL used to be smooth for linebackers, but even elite prospects can now struggle in Year 1. But in a vacuum, Much of this unit's potential lies with third-round rookie. Its a rebuilt Jaguars linebacking corps after losing Myles Jack to the Steelers. Pro Football Focus supported claims of San Francisco's top-end roster by putting seven of their players in the top 101 of the 2022 season. No linebacker corps gets its collective noses dirtier than the Patriots' unit. Leighton Vander Esch has not lived up to the hype he created for himself after a monstrous rookie season, and so we may see another linebacker eventually fill in for him. According to training camp reports, that is paying off big time for the Eagles. He was All-Pro just one year ago, and has been a leader for this Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense since the days when the franchise was going 2-14. Projected contract: Two years, $14 million ($7M per year, $9 million total guaranteed), PFF Free Agency Rank: 61 If the Cardinals had spent those picks elsewhere and held on to Jordan Hicks in free agency, they would be in a much better spot. 2021 PFF grade: 60.4 (30th of 89). Okereke stepped up in a major way in the absence of fellow off-ball linebacker Shaquille Leonard, with his 72.9 grade ranking 23rd at the position. Since entering the league, Warner has 118 or more total tackles in every season and was named First-Team All-Pro in 2020. Nevertheless, there were several interested teams last time he was a free agent he came very close to signing with theNew York Jetsbefore ultimately returning to Minnesota so it seems defensive coaches think they can find a way to put him in positions to succeed and utilize his athletic ability. Still, the. His first season in Green Bay produced an overall PFF grade of 85.0 and earned him a $50 million extension, but before that, Campbells PFF grades fell between 49.0 and 69.1 for two different teams. 2021 PFF grade: 50.6 (51st of 89). His All-Pro season in 2019 was special, but some might have thought it was just a one-year thing. Chicago signed Nicholas Morrow from Las Vegas to fill the spot next to Smith for 2022. He put forth a monster rookie season in 2019 but hasnt quite attained the same highs in subsequent seasons. Click here to view PFFs full IDP rankings for the 2022 season and tiers for the defensive linemen and defensive backs. Both players posted the highest grades of their career, helping the Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance. 2021 PFF grade: 43.7 (71st of 89). The soon-to-be 30-year-old is a solid all-around off-ball linebacker who has three straight seasons logging at least 750 snaps, and he took a major leap in 2022 with the. He tallied a career-high six pass breakups in 2022. One can make the case that both Wagner and David are still as good as it gets at the linebacker position despite getting up there in age, but each player is coming off a relative down year by their standards, which always brings up the looming specter of decline. 12 among linebackers in 2021 with a PFF coverage grade of 70 in 295 coverage snaps. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. Its hard to overstate Fred Warners effect on the 49ers' defense in their run to the NFC championship in 2021. All Rights Reserved. 1. It's also noteworthy that David is good in coverage, something other linebackers can struggle with. Vander Esch has had an up and down first four years in the NFL, but the talent that made him a first-round pick in 2018 still flashes on occasion and will certainly draw attention. By Marc. He is a fantastic story of earning a job the hard way. Campbell was one of the big surprises of the 2021 NFL season, as he stepped his game up in a major way for the Green Bay Packers. He can chase down the fastest of running backs. Bobby Wagner, Seattle Seahawks Seattle's defense may have deteriorated around him, but Bobby Wagner remains the class of the linebacker position, especially since Luke Kuechly 's retirement. Los Angeles' overall defense is so good, at least on paper, that it might not matter who plays linebacker. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. The Falcons defense has fallen apart around him, and he no longer has a free run to the football as often as he did when he was playing his best football. Bolton, then a rookie, produced one of the highest individual grades for a linebacker. Here are PFF's top 32 linebackers ahead of the 2021 NFL season. In 2021, Davis was given a career-high AV of 15 while again being named an All-Pro after he recorded 105 combined tackles, 13 tackles for loss and three sacks. section: | slug: ranking-nfls-top-10-linebackers-entering-2022-new-no-1-as-bobby-wagner-finally-dethroned | sport: football | route: article_single.us | He may be coming off one of his worst statistical seasons in recent memory, but he also missed five games with injury. Edwards has posted 75.0 grades or better in two of his three NFL seasons and is one of the more underrated players in the league. There is hope that Channing Tindall, Miami's rookie linebacker out of Georgia, can find his way on the field. Milano was a fifth-round draft pick back in 2017 but has dramatically outperformed his first-round teammate. Los Angeles' overall defense is so good, at least on paper, that it might not matter who plays linebacker. The 30-year-old linebacker will be an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career after a delayed start to his NFL career, and now hell be working his way back from a torn pectoral muscle injury. Lloyd, who earned a 90.0-plus grade at Utah in 2021, does look set to start. Even Micah Parsons a Defensive Player of the Year candidate as a rookie put up middling run-defense and tackling grades in his first year in Dallas. 2021 Snaps: 82 Kendricks is another well-rounded linebacker that can cover, as his 73.8 PFF coverage grade ranked No. Parsons is already one of the best defensive playmakers in the NFL as he enters just his second season in the league, but its difficult to rank him purely as an off-the-ball linebacker. The Ravens are still looking for that breakout year from Patrick Queen after two subpar seasons. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports 70 & No.71 on PFF's Top-101 players for the 2022 NFL season. Rashaan Evans and Mykal Walker are solid players, though, and the team will hope that rookie Troy Andersen can make an early impact. Kansas City Chiefs News Chiefs' young linebacker unit breaks into top 10 in PFF rankings The Chiefs' top two linebackers are 22 (Bolton) and 24 (Gay), yet Pro Football Focus finds the. Former Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons just wrapped up his second season in the NFL, and he continues to leave little doubt the Dallas Cowboys made the smart decision using a first-round draft pick on him. Drafting Quay Walker out of Georgia in the first round also helps the Packers' cause. Research past fantasy performance with sortable player stats including PFF-exclusives like aDOT and fantasy points per opportunity. . Vander Esch earned a 90.0-plus grade in three starts in 2021, including two such outings over the final five weeks. As stated in the article, Galina only included true off-ball . Projected contract: Three years, $25.5 million ($8.5M per year, $16.5 million total guaranteed), PFF Free Agency Rank: 65 Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers The 49ers struck gold when they drafted Warner in the third round in 2018. Here are the best available players remaining heading into Day 2 of the 2022 NFL draft. Age: 28. Mosley, Foye Oluokun. He went from having a one-year contract worth $2 million to signing a five-year deal that carries an AAV of $10 million! The Rams have a great defense, and the 32-year-old Wagner could find himself rejuvenated in 2022. . David has been consistent, as only one linebacker has recorded more tackles since he entered the league, and that player is found later on in this list. Anzalone has always shown promise but is probably better coming off the bench, especially after finishing with a bottom-10 overall grade among 94 qualifying linebackers in 2021. This is a case of one elite linebacker pulling along another whose narrative hasnt really matched his production. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. The Rank value requires a minimum number of snaps played. The soon-to-be 30-year-old is a solid all-around off-ball linebacker who has three straight seasons logging at least 750 snaps, and he took a major leap in 2022 with the Denver Broncos. The Packers long searching for a reliable off-ball linebacker brought Campbell aboard on a one-year, $2 million contract, and his 86.7 overall grade was second among linebackers through Week 8 while his 90.7 run-defense grade ranked first, leading to a Pro Bowl nod. Luckily for the Philadelphia Eagles, he was still available in the third round. 2021 PFF grade: 83.5 (N/A). They're both veteran defenders, and they happened to lead the team in snaps played last season. Give him the freedom to play fast, and he'll excel. You must be logged in and create a league profile to apply custom fantasy scoring to the stats, projections and rankings pages. Rounding out the top-tier of linebackers. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. He's a Hall of Famer, no doubt, but the reason he's so high on this list is because he's not done just yet. Ranking 10 best NFL landing spots for Richardson, 2023 NFL combine: WR/TE winners and losers, Takeaways from NFL combine measurements for WR, TE, Pete Prisco's top 100 NFL free agents of 2023, NFL combine: Grading top QBs, plus winners and losers, NFL combine 2023 tracker: Top performances, highlights, Ranking the NFL's top 10 linebackers entering 2022, NFL Combine: Grading top QBs; winners and losers, NFL Draft: Top landing spots for Richardson, Mock Draft: Panthers, Colts trade up for QBs, Colossal Richardson sets multiple QB combine records, Pascal robbed at gunpoint, assaulted; WR 'doing fine', Bryce Young measures similar to former No. Jordyn Brooks is an ascending star who will get more snaps this year. Perryman has been the embodiment of that in his NFL career, to the point where he was often kept off the field on passing downs. You don't do what he did in his rookie season if you aren't a star. He also has 30 quarterback pressures over 135 pass-rush snaps the past three seasons and took a quantum leap in coverage in 2022 en route to a 73.0 grade. With that in mind, some of these units have fewer members than others. He is a truly freakish athlete and will be 25 years old throughout his entire sixth NFL season in 2023 after being selected No. While Parsons proved to be a stud pass-rusher, some had questions about his coverage ability coming into the league. The entire schedule was released on January 31, 2022. With Smith entering the final year of his rookie deal, Spotrac believes he's in line to sign a five-year, $88.18 million extension. Cody Barton is another interesting player who will finally get a chance to start this season. San Francisco 49ers Projected Starters: Dee Ford, Javon Kinlaw, Arik Armstead, Nick Bosa The 49ers breed defensive linemen. With Oluokun one of the few young players available, a market could develop for him that exceeds expectations. Hes not great in other facets, but stopping the run is still an important aspect of the position. ECR VS. ADP. Going back to our introductory paragraph, versatility is needed at the linebacker position, and his versatility is the reason why Parsons comes in at No. James Bradberry (74.1) 2022 PFF Grade 20th ranked Darius Slay (73.1) 2022 PFF Grade 25th ranked Avonte Maddox (71.3) 2022 PFF Grade 33rd ranked Josiah Scott (58.4) 2022 PFF Grade. While Chicago lost Akiem Hicks and Khalil Mackin the offseason, this unit could be rather strong again with some of the additions made in the secondary, and with the defensive-minded Matt Eberflus taking over as head coach. He had been one of the more consistent players at the position in the NFL, and so theres a chance he regains his form. However, he will have to get better in coverage. Expect both young studs to push for 140-plus combined tackles, if healthy. Minnesota Vikings players on both sides of the ball, including Kendricks, have already opened up about the culture change they have felt early on this offseason with Kevin O'Connell. He also registered a fourth-best 79.4 PFF coverage grade among linebackers despite playing a whopping 680 coverage snaps. The Georgia Bulldogs have a 12 players participating at the 2023 NFL combine.
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