Reader ranked in the 92nd percentile of all qualifying interior defensive linemen in PFF run-defense grade on a per-snap basis in 2021. He has the combination of athletic traits and college production that typically translates to NFL success. He should once again anchor the strength of Pittsburghs roster a top-tier defensive front. With solid size 6-feet, 198 pounds and a long wingspan Stevenson fits the mold of a man coverage CB that fits the Matt Eberflus scheme. Disastrous lines, or even disastrous weak-link mismatches, can determine the outcome of games, while strong units provide an incredible advantage to an offense. Ojulari. Calling Donald elite is doing him a disservice. That puts a lot of pressure on rookie George Karlaftis to hit the ground running, particularly after letting Melvin Ingram III leave for Miami in free agency. Narrowing that focus to just the last five years, Jordan ranks first among edge defenders in snaps played (4,826) and fourth in PFF grade (92.0). Watts 18.3% pass-rush win rate ranked fifth among all interior defensive linemen with at least 100 pass-rushing snaps prior to his injury in 2021. Whether it be offseason grades, the trade for Carson Wentz and just an overall evaluation of the roster, theyve struggled mustering any semblance of applause. The Jets defensive line was hamstrung last year by a preseason. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. The only other interior defensive lineman with a pass-rush win rate over 16% in that six-year stretch is Donald (23.3%). repeatedly in Super Bowl LV, pressuring him on 31 of his 56 dropbacks (55%). Gervon Dexter finished 8th in tackles and 10th in total run stops in 2022, as the anchor in the Gators defense. If you are going to be a run-heavy team, invest assets into the OL. Gary developing into the player who the Packers drafted him to be in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft while playing alongside returners like. RT Lane Johnson, LT Orlando Brown Jr. Carolina gets their quarterback of the future with Bryce Young. Green Bay Packers Solid depth for the Brownies. Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive end Aaron Donald (99) celebrates in the fourth quarter during the NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers at SoFi Stadium. Considering LB was not a pressing need for Baltimore compared to the CB, DL, and IOL positions, I am questioning the selection. The rest of the unit beyond Quinn looks uninspiring on paper. The Rams defense should continue to be able to count on elite play from Donald on nearly every defensive snap, creating opportunities for Leonard Floyd, AShawn Robinson, Greg Gaines and Justin Hollins in 2022. It wouldnt be surprising to see Barmore build on that rookie performance with a big 2022 season. During the 2020 season, those two ranked seventh and eighth respectively in PFF's wins above replacement (WAR) metric. . The first pick, Bryce Young, set the tone for a draft full of surprises, with blockbuster trades, dramatic falls, and strategic maneuvers that kept us on the edge of our seats. Barrett, meanwhile, ranks first among all edge rushers in quarterback pressures since joining the Buccaneers in 2019 (232). The 318-pound defensive tackle was one of the positions best run defenders across the 2019 and 2020 seasons but took a step back with the Jets last year (57.3 PFF run-defense grade). Hicks is a strong late addition for the Buccaneers if he can stay on the field. Allens 18.5% pass-rush win rate since 2020 ranks fourth among all qualifying interior defensive linemen. makes this a formidable unit entering next season. Michael Brockers one of the established veterans on the interior is coming off by far the worst season of his NFL career (40.6 PFF grade in 2021). INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: QB ANTHONY RICHARDSON, FLORIDA He enters the 2022 season as the Ravens top option off the edge and will be relied upon to generate pressure on a defense lacking high-end pass-rushing options. And there were few more disappointing performances than Washingtons defense ending the 2021 campaign ranked 27th in yards allowed per play (5.7). Had Johnson not spent time sitting behind Bijan Robinson, he would have posted much better college numbers. Donalds peers are the NFLs all-time greats on defense the Reggie Whites and Lawrence Taylors of the world rather than anyone else currently playing. Cincinnatis defensive line, like much of its defense, has been shaped by free agency over the last two-to-three offseasons. Since he was drafted in 2018, only the. Atlanta took some steps to make things better this offseason by bringing in, on the edge but relying on a second-round rookie and a fifth-year edge rusher who has never earned a PFF pass-rushing grade above 62.0 as the top two options at the position still isnt a spot you want to be in as a defense. The Giants defensive front has a high ceiling, but thats reliant on. However, Buffalo also added. Williams looked like a breakout candidate entering the 2021 season. When healthy, hes still one of the most difficult defensive linemen in the league to block. has been a force for the Chiefs since he was drafted in 2016. failing to build on a strong 2020 campaign. both rank among the top-three players at their respective position in quarterback pressures over the last three seasons while also playing the run at a high level. Johnson finished with a 14% pressure rate in 2022, tied for the 11th-highest in the edge class. PFF is a little bit lower on both Landry and Dupree than Tennessee is given the size of their recently signed contracts, but both are still productive players who can capitalize on the interior push from Simmons and Autry. There seems to be a perception that Mack isnt elite anymore, but he ranked first at the position in PFF grade in his last healthy season in 2020. in the draft, but he doesnt profile as the interior run stuffer that this roster needs. Jeffery Simmons is beginning to establish himself as one of the best, young interior defensive linemen in the NFL, as his 62 quarterback pressures in 2021 ranked fifth at the position. hurts this groups outlook entering 2022 and likely puts, back into a similar role to the one he filled in 2021 (69.3 PFF grade on over 750 defensive snaps). And the Bills can never have too many weapons in the arms race AFC. Dallas' defensive tackles combined for a 33.1 PFF run-defense grade last season (30th in the NFL), and the only real addition to the group this offseason was fifth-round pick John Ridgeway. Onyemata missed the early portions of the 2021 season while serving a suspension for violation of the NFLs performance-enhancing drugs policy, but he was the same impactful presence he has been for much of the past five years on their interior defensive line when he returned. @PFF_Sam https://t.co/BjBHgziMsx. is the defensive tackle on the Raiders roster with the highest 2021 PFF grade at just 61.3 overall. Vea has missed some time over that stretch, but hes been a big part of one of the best run defenses in the NFL when on the field. He tested well at the NFL Combine, running a 4.49 at 260 pounds (97th percentile). Watt failed to reach that threshold again last year with the Cardinals. In 2022, 31% of his targets came on throws 20-plus yards downfield, second to only Marvin Mims in the class (38%). Kyu Blu allowed the third-highest EPA when targeted last season (second-highest average depth of target). If any team can somewhat justify drafting a running back 8th overall, its the Atlanta Falcons. Which team has the best defensive line unit in the NFL? Rashan Gary has improved in each of his last two seasons, making the jump to elite pass-rusher in 2021, as his 26.0% pass-rush win rate trailed only Maxx Crosby last season. Brown tested extremely well at the NFL scouting combine finishing first in both the first in the vertical jump (40, 94th percentile) and broad jump (127, 93rd percentile). The former Tennessee Volunteer missed his rookie season in 2020 with injury, but he recorded 36 quarterback pressures in a rotational role last year. Cleveland will be lucky to sniff close to the same level of play on their interior, as its defensive tackles collectively earned the fifth-lowest grade of any group in the league last season. However, Brown benefited substantially from massive volume as his efficiency left more to be desired. Cincinnatis defensive line, like much of its defense, has been shaped by free agency over the last two-to-three offseasons. Tomlinson began his career with the Giants as a run-stuffing specialist, but hes started to make more of an impact as a pass-rusher over the past two seasons. Turner was also thought to be a fringe first-rounder, so the Bengals scooping him up toward the end of Round 2 was another great value selection. Miami Dolphins up to No. Highsmith saw his pass-rushing efficiency decrease in 2021 while doubling his snap count from 459 as a rookie to 910 last season. . Hargrave developed into a strong all-around nose tackle in four seasons with the Steelers, but he was still somewhat of a rotational player who operated behind Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt. Al-Quadin Muhammad comes over with new head coach Matt Eberflus from Indianapolis after earning PFF grades between 60.0 and 67.0 in each of the last four seasons for the Colts. The Pittsburgh Steelers follow the script: The Steelers take Joey Porter Jr. to open up Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft. The Browns did add Perrion Winfrey in the draft, but he doesnt profile as the interior run stuffer that this roster needs. The Browns did add. It often takes rookie defensive linemen a little bit of time to find their footing. Chris Jones has been a force for the Chiefs since he was drafted in 2016. The former second-round pick out of Notre Dame missed the entire 2021 season as he dealt with a knee injury and the tragic loss of his brother in a hit-and-run accident. Luke Wypler in Round 6 was another nice addition to the Browns offensive line. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. He can step in immediately at the next level as a swing tackle. A few more seasons with that kind of production will erase the under-the-radar label accompanying his name. Heyward is set to enter his 12th NFL season at 33 years old, but he has only gotten better with age. Offensive line rankings for the 2022-23 NFL season with key additions, departures, tiers, depth charts, and more. Hes joined by veterans Jerry Hughes (34 in August) and Mario Addison (35 in September) alongside Jonathan Greenard. The San Francisco 49ers' linebacker unit, led by Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw, comes in at No. PFF's Ben Linsey releases an in-depth ranking of the best team running back tiers heading into the 2022 NFL season. The Dolphins blitz-heavy approach made possible by talent in the secondary such as Xavien Howard, Byron Jones and Jevon Holland allows them to generate pressure via scheme rather than individual pass-rushing talent. Green Bay Packers, 73% 5. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. He also tested extremely well at NC States pro day, running the second-fastest 3-cone drill at 4.53 at 322 pounds. Protect Kyler Murray at all costs. Pappoe lit up the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine in February, putting up a 4.38-second time. Veas 11.3% pressure rate is a top-10 mark among 119 players with 500-plus pass-rushing snaps since 2018. Watt will go down as one of the greatest what-ifs of this generation of NFL players. He came away from the 2021 campaign with PFF run-defense and pass-rush grades north of 75.0 and an 84.9 overall mark. Highest @PFF_College grades by a R1 edge taken in the last 5 years: 1. I also love the addition of WR Tyler Scott on Day 3. And those pressures are backed up by an 18.5% pass-rush win rate that also ranks fourth in the NFL. He reunites with fellow former Michigan product Daxton Hill in the Bengals secondary. Robert Quinn stands out as the clear star of Chicagos defensive line following their decision to cut ties with Khalil Mack. The 2022 NFL season is right around the corner, and training camps are quickly approaching. It pulls together any defensive lineman who spends the majority of their snaps lined up between the tackles. Lawsons return from injury is accompanied by the addition of first-round pick Jermaine Johnson II and free-agent acquisition Jacob Martin to the edge defender rotation. However, there isnt a ton of proven, high-level NFL talent. He ranks second at the position in PFFs WAR metric over the last six seasons, trailing only Aaron Donald among players who have played the vast majority of their snaps on the interior. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. The 49ers have one of the deeper edge rotations in the league with Samson Ebukam, Drake Jackson, Charles Omenihu, Kerry Hyder and Kemoko Turay all competing for snaps on the edge. His 329 carries ranked second in the nation and his 83 forced missed tackles ranked 3rd. Here's a look at how each NFL team ranks at each position. Jones and Blackson are the most established of that group, but theyve combined for just one season with a PFF grade above 60.0 on at least 250 defensive snaps in 11 combined seasons. . The Eagles' addition of Jordan Davis to a defensive tackle rotation that already included Javon Hargrave and 2021 draft selection Milton Williams could allow the team to rotate Cox more and keep him fresh. Zero complaints from me with Darnell Wright slated to protect Justin Fields. Jones and Nik Bonitto fit in with Bradley Chubb and DreMont Jones. PFF's Ben Linsey ranked the Rams No. That came just one year after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers swarmed Patrick Mahomes repeatedly in Super Bowl LV, pressuring him on 31 of his 56 dropbacks (55%). However, Pittsburgh still has a top-three interior defensive lineman and top-three edge defender on the roster, as. The former Tennessee Volunteer missed his rookie season in 2020 with injury, but he recorded 36 quarterback pressures in a rotational role last year. The Rams have a great defense, and the 32-year-old Wagner could find himself rejuvenated in 2022. We dont have anything against the former Alabama star, but the team faced warranted backlash by spending a high pick on another defensive lineman when it previously rostered Matt Ioannidis and Tim Settle as elite depth options. San Francisco lands at No. Final 2022 NFL offensive line rankings Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson (65), guard Isaac Seumalo (56) and center Jason Kelce (62) against the Green Bay Packers at Lincoln Financial Field. In all, 129 interior defensive linemen played at least 250 defensive snaps in 2021 plenty of competition for the top 25 spots on this list. A dominant four-year stretch from 2012 to 2015 that included three Defensive Player of the Year trophies was followed by fewer than 500 defensive snaps in three of the next four seasons. RT Jack Conklin. There are several younger players, such as Greg Rousseau and A.J. Best Prop Bets for Sunday Night Baseball (Trust Both Starters and Freddie Freeman in Dodgers vs. Braves Finale), 3 toughest CB matchups for Commanders' Terry McLaurin in 2022, Latest testimony paints Commanders owner Dan Snyder in embarrassing light, Former Washington players Brig Owens, George Izo pass away. However, theres reason to believe Aidan Hutchinson, the No. It seems strange to say for a team with a reigning two-time MVP at quarterback, but the Packers could lean on their defense in 2022. Thats no easy task. 2) Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs Wright should be a plug-and-play option as the Bears right tackle in Year 1 and for the foreseeable future. His 114 quarterback pressures since 2020 are fewer than only Aaron Donald, Chris Jones and Cameron Heyward. However, Pittsburgh still has a top-three interior defensive lineman and top-three edge defender on the roster, as T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward both rank among the top-three players at their respective position in quarterback pressures over the last three seasons while also playing the run at a high level. A 33-year-old, is the star acquisition, fresh off a postseason run where he led all defenders in PFF pass-rushing grade. Allen's 18.5% pass-rush win rate since 2020 ranks fourth among all qualifying interior defensive linemen. . 12. to keep this from being one of the worst units in the league again next season. All five starters finished with sub-50.0 PFF pass-blocking grades. Barmores rookie season wasnt perfect, but he was already a more productive pass-rusher than any other rookie defensive tackle drafted in the past five years. 4. Matthew Judon is never going to crack the elite tier of edge rushers, but he can be relied on to play the run and provide a steady stream of pressure. wasnt a fluke, as his 75 quarterback pressures during the 2021 regular season were a top-five mark among all edge rushers. 3 and No. Smith and Hunter ranked first and second in quarterback pressures back in 2019. is still in the fold as an impact player up front, as his 18.3% pass-rush win rate when healthy last season ranked fifth among all interior defensive linemen with at least 100 pass-rushing snaps, but staying healthy has been the issue for Watt as he enters his 12th NFL season. . The final word with Brown is that he is capable of leading a backfield based on his experience. Nick Bosa: 94.73. Philadelphia added, is beginning to establish himself as one of the best, young interior defensive linemen in the NFL, as his 62 quarterback pressures in 2021 ranked fifth at the position. 59. On the interior, Justin Jones, Khyiris Tonga, Angelo Blackson and Mario Edwards Jr. will all compete for snaps. That group includes a five-technique like J.J. Watt, who spends time both inside and outside of the tackles, and players who are more of true nose tackles in the mold of Grover Stewart or Greg Gaines. 105.) His 74.0 PFF pass-rushing grade in 2021 was the highest of his three-year career, as were his 43 quarterback pressures. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. In an expanded role across two seasons with the Eagles, though, he has emerged as one of the better interior pass-rushers in the league. And thats before considering T.J. Watts presence on the edge. A 33-year-old Von Miller is the star acquisition, fresh off a postseason run where he led all defenders in PFF pass-rushing grade. LT Jordan Mailata The talent didnt go anywhere, though. Lawsons return from injury is accompanied by the addition of first-round pick. A great addition to combat the loss of Tremaine Edmunds. Sounds a lot like what he saw last season from Joe Mixon. , both of whom performed at a high level in 2021, earning PFF grades above 80.0 last season. Nick Bosa will not be in that competition coming off a 2021 season where he ranked seventh at the position in PFF grade, as hes one of the best all-around edge defenders in the NFL. Questionable offseason decisions forced Commanders into Phidarian Mathis pick. He addresses an area of need on the roster after Cincy lost defensive backs in free agency. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. Like PFF, wed take Jonathan Allen, Chase Young, Daron Payne and Montez Sweat over any of those lines. 6 overall (plus the 81st pick from DET). Joe Burrow was pressured on 18 of his 42 dropbacks (43%) and sacked seven times in Super Bowl LVI against Aaron Donald, Von Miller and the rest of the Los Angeles Rams pass-rush unit. Wheels up. The Browns are in a similar boat to Las Vegas. In an expanded role across two seasons with the Eagles, though, he has emerged as one of the better interior pass-rushers in the league. Hes joined on the Saints defensive line by David Onyemata (22nd on PFFs interior defensive line rankings) and Marcus Davenport, who has produced at a high level when healthy (88.8 PFF grade in 2021). Jones recorded a PFF pass-rushing grade above 84.0 in four of his six seasons with the Cardinals. There are several younger players, such as. And there were few more disappointing performances than Washingtons defense ending the 2021 campaign ranked 27th in yards allowed per play (5.7). His 19.7% pass-rush win rate since 2020 ranks third at the position, behind only. PFF is a little bit lower on both Landry and Dupree than Tennessee is given the size of their recently signed contracts, but both are still productive players who can capitalize on the interior push from Simmons and Autry. The rest of the unit beyond Quinn looks uninspiring on paper. The Akiem Hicks addition gives the Buccaneers another wrecking ball on the interior to pair with Vita Vea. on the interior. , thats one of the best edge tandems in the league. 4. Oweh had a solid rookie season against both the run and pass, ending the year with a 67.9 PFF grade. RG Wyatt Teller Reddick, meanwhile, is tied for 15th among edge rushers in quarterback pressures over the last two seasons (99). Thibodeaux has ideal pass-rush traits off the edge that led to a 91.5 pass-rushing grade at Oregon in 2021, but it can sometimes take players in the trenches a season or two to find their footing once jumping to the NFL. Quinn is fresh off a second-team All Pro appearance in 2021, but his 69.9 PFF grade (34th among 108 qualifying edge defenders) indicates that there were more deserving players for that accolade. Hargrave developed into a strong all-around nose tackle in four seasons with the Steelers, but he was still somewhat of a rotational player who operated behind, . McGuire has explosiveness traits with an 82nd percentile broad jump and 83rd percentile vertical jump at 6-foot-4 and 268 pounds. is as consistently productive an edge defender as youll find, as he defends both the run and pass at a high level while missing very little time in New Orleans over the last decade. That came just one year after the. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. have had a more efficient run defense by expected points added per play than the Buccaneers. 2 spot is a feat in an of itself. Since 2016, those two rank first and fourth respectively among edge defenders in PFFs WAR metric. His career 2.4 yards per play ranks 3rd-worst among the RBs I sampled from this years class. He has the combination of athletic traits and college production that typically translates to NFL success. Few defensive linemen have been more reliable than Williams since he entered the league in 2015. The defensive tackle position remains the weak point of the unit after combining for a 33.1 PFF run-defense grade in 2021 (30th out of 32 teams). All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. Pro vs. college PFF grades for every R1 edge since 2017 with reference lines for where Hutchinson, Thibodeaux and Walker would fall pic.twitter.com/74pKXIDz8G, Ben Linsey (@PFF_Linsey) April 25, 2022. Blacklock improved his PFF grade from 30.2 as a rookie to 50.4 in 2021, but the run game is his biggest area for growth after earning PFF run-defense grades below 40.0 in each of his first two seasons. It still stands out as a group with potential entering the 2022 season, though. The Ravens underwhelming draft continued into Day 3, with edge rusher Tavius Robinson. . The Packers (No. It still stands out as a group with potential entering the 2022 season, though. The only reason Allen isnt higher than eighth is that he hasnt had quite the same impact against the run. OFFENSIVE LINE By: MICHAEL RENNER However, the Eagles have done a nice job of continuing to add depth and create a deep rotation this offseason. The Bears needed a future tackle and got the second-best guy on their board behind Paris Johnson Jr. Even including preseason, Wanogho has fewer than 250 career snaps to his name. Im also a big fan of QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson and love the value of him as a Day 3 pick. Considering the Bengals were able to get him at the end of Round 1, its great value for a young player that has room to grow as a pass rusher. C Tyler Linderbaum https://twitter.com/PFF/status/1537797219688099845. Buffalo still has arguably the leagues best front four, but they have been contained in recent weeks and now rank sixth in pressure rate after once leading the league. What separates Clark from most nose tackles is his pass-rushing impact when hes lined up over center. The interior was bolstered by some familiar faces to Brandon Staley Sebastian Joseph-Day and Morgan Fox along with Austin Johnson from the New York Giants. Since he was drafted in 2018, only the New Orleans Saints have had a more efficient run defense by expected points added per play than the Buccaneers. His 91.9 PFF pass-rushing grade last season trailed only Myles Garrett at the position, and no defender recorded more quarterback pressures than Crosby did over the course of the regular season. The strides that Wilkins made in his third NFL season last year seemed to fly under the radar. 2022 NFL Team Defense Rankings: Ranking the Top Defenses in the NFL Heading into Week 11 Week 10 provided plenty of noteworthy defensive performances, including some poor outings, but we're focusing on the top ten defensive units following the chaos. Narrowing that focus to just the last five years, Jordan ranks first among edge defenders in snaps played (4,826) and fourth in PFF grade (92.0). The Cardinals are asking two rookies Cameron Thomas and Myjai Sanders to replace Chandler Jones production on the edge. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. will not be in that competition coming off a 2021 season where he ranked seventh at the position in PFF grade, as hes one of the best all-around edge defenders in the NFL. Simmons is the centerpiece of a defensive front that the Titans have invested heavily in over the past few seasons. Jones recorded a PFF pass-rushing grade above 84.0 in four of his six seasons with the Cardinals. And Jonathan Allen might actually be the best player on the defensive. Health has been one of the bigger concerns for the 32-year-old Hicks, who played over 400 defensive snaps just once in the past three seasons. San Francisco 49ers Projected Starters: Dee Ford, Javon Kinlaw, Arik Armstead, Nick Bosa The 49ers breed defensive linemen. He thrived as both a pass and run blocker while playing on both sides of the offensive formation. Kansas Citys edge defenders collectively rank 28th in PFF grade since 2020. The Rams dont have the same kind of depth particularly on the edge as some of the other teams in this tier, but that matters a whole lot less when Aaron Donald is on the roster, as hes the most reliably elite performer in the NFL. However, Jones hasnt gotten much help from his teammates on the edge in recent years. Michael Onwenu was the team's highest-graded lineman on PFF, and after playing three different positions in 2021, he was a full-time right guard in 2022. . Washington Commanders news fromFanSided Daily, 3 toughest CB matchups for Commanders Terry McLaurin in 2022, 3 defenses that should worry Commanders QB Carson Wentz in 2022, Ben Linsey split his rankings into six tiers. 1 on his list of the best defensive lines in football, leading the "Elite" tier. The Cardinals need help everywhere, and Ojulari bolsters the hole at the edge. Especially considering the reason they did not have a second-round pick was that they traded to the Bears to acquire another linebacker (Roquan Smith) during the 2022 season. Could Cole Turner be Commanders' breakout offensive star in 2022? The Cowboys ranking depends on how you classify Micah Parsons, as hell likely split his time between off-ball and edge alignments again in 2022, just as he did during his rookie season. Meanwhile, Lawrence ranks tied for second in PFF grade at the position since 2017. Simply put, hes the best football player in the QB class, and there would be no debate if he wasnt undersized. However, Tuitt recorded 71 quarterback pressures (second-most among interior defensive linemen) the last time he saw the field in 2020. Still, he may be a viable alternative to Wylie going forward, given the standard Wylie has set this season. Turner can fly (4.26 40-yard dash) and operate as a perimeter cornerback. Philadelphia Eagles, 74% 3.