. Jerome Baker, MIA: I love Baker this season as a Top 15-20 sleeper. A position of concern and potential weakness heading into last season has become a real strength for Kansas City. 88 selection in the 2019 NFL Draft. Galina ranked the Colts at No. Still, its an interesting group because of Ernest Jones, especially after his very good Super Bowl performance as he came back from an injury-plagued season. PFF analyzes every player and every play of every game in the 2022 NFL season. Honorable mentions: Tremaine Edmunds, Matt Milano, Logan Wilson, Shaq Thompson, Alexander Johnson, Deion JonesJeremiah Owusu-Koramoah,Zach Cunningham, Anthony Walker, C.J. Cunningham is one of the most run-focused linebackers in the game, but his PFF coverage grade has declined throughout his career, dripping from average at best to outright poor over the last two seasons. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. 16 at his position by PFF Teams AFC East Bills Dolphins Jets Patriots AFC North Bengals Browns Ravens Steelers AFC South Colts Jaguars Texans Titans AFC West. Edmunds is just 24 years old and entering his fifth NFL season. #1 - Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers LB Fred Warner The San. He signed a monster five-year, $95 million extension last July, and is worth it considering he's just 25. Here are PFF's top 32 linebackers ahead of the 2021 NFL season. The Rams have a great defense, and the 32-year-old Wagner could find himself rejuvenated in 2022. He may be coming off one of his worst statistical seasons in recent memory, but he also missed five games with injury. Across the three years prior to joining Green Bay, Campbell hadnt earned a grade higher than 56.6 in any season. Unfortunately for Vander Esch, he once again finds himself in the middle of the pack of a deep free-agent group at linebacker, but he should do a bit better this time around. Bobby Wagner may surprise some based on his age. A pair of Seahawks came in at No. I also gave a target round for your rookie drafts, these are just suggestions as all drafts are different. Leonard burst onto the scene with 163 combined tackles, seven sacks, four forced fumbles and two interceptions in his rookie season back in 2018. Though he's 32 years old, David hasn't taken a major step backwards just yet. 1 linebacker according to PFF, with a grade of 89.7. Projected contract: Two years, $15 million ($7.5M per year, $10M total guaranteed), PFF Free Agency Rank: 86 He has yet to post a sub-70.0 grade, with three out of his four years coming in above 78.0. Parsons was the No. s departure, and his 105 tackles were more than his first three seasons combined. 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. His 75.9 grade two years marked a career high. 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. After looking like he might be the next great linebacker earlier in his career. Research past fantasy performance with sortable player stats including PFF-exclusives like aDOT and fantasy points per opportunity. The transition from college football to the NFL used to be smooth for linebackers, but even elite prospects can now struggle in Year 1. The first week of March will see the NFL Combine which will be followed by College Pro Days. One of the five highest-graded linebackers last season in his first year with Carolina, Luvu is another Demario Davis trajectory candidate. Yes, Davis was a late-bloomer, but not many players can make the impact he does in stopping the run, tackling, rushing the passer and working in coverage. Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David (54) reacts after a play against the Carolina Panthers in the fourth quarter at Raymond James Stadium. These power rankings are adjusted based on coach, quarterback and the market each season. Hightower will be 32 years old in Week 1 of 2022, but there's an argument that taking the 2020 season off has his body refreshed and revitalized. He even hit 107 combined tackles in 2020 despite playing in just 11 games! Projected contract: Two years, $9.5 million ($4.75M per year), $5.25 million total guaranteed. However, he will have to get better in coverage. Rashaan Evans and Mykal Walker are solid players, though, and the team will hope that rookie Troy Andersen can make an early impact. Hes a high-upside player now playing with a future Hall of Famer. Nakobe Dean is a dark horse with this group. There are also linebackers who are at their best in coverage, which is useful for todays NFL. While Mike Zimmer is gone, new defensive coordinator Ed Donatell is an experienced coach who can get the most out of Kendricks and this defense as a whole. Zach Cunningham, if nothing else, stops the run. 2021 PFF grade: 60.4 (30th of 89). 1 linebacker on this list entering 2022. Tae Crowder and Micah McFadden will look to compete for the spot opposite Martinez. Linebackers with the most INT's in both man and zone coverage last season Man: Bobby Okereke (2) Zone: Darius Leonard (4) pic.twitter.com/RJ4JbjcbYx PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. Barr agreed to a pay cut before the 2021 season that also voided the 2022 and 2023 seasons on his five-year extension signed in 2019. Jordyn Brooks is an ascending star who will get more snaps this year. No. 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. 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 may be coming off one of his worst statistical seasons in recent memory, but he also missed five games with injury. Tremaine Edmunds has not quite lived up to expectations, but hes still young and can grow into a good player. The 2022 season was Tranquills first as a full-time starter following Kyzir Whites departure, and his 105 tackles were more than his first three seasons combined. He also frequently lines up at safety, defensive line and nickel corner, and if he had his way . The folks over at PFF are going through the process of creating rankings and tiers for every position ahead of the 2022 NFL season. No linebacker corps gets its collective noses dirtier than the Patriots' unit. He also made the absolute most of the occasional blitz, tallying 15 pressures, five sacks and three more quarterback hits on 70 pass-rush snaps. 2021 PFF grade: 43.7 (71st of 89). Seven 49ers listed on PFF Top 101 Players of 2022 ranking By Site Staff follow Feb 23, 2023 at 12:56 PM -- shares Seven San Francisco 49ers landed on Pro Football Focus' Top 101 Players. Getting outside the . on Pro Football Focus' Top-100 players of 2022 rankings. Now, Brown hits free agency coming off a career-low 421 snaps, though he still maintained a 60.0-plus coverage grade, which is where he derives a lot of his value as an off-ball linebacker. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. According to Stathead's AV tool, Leonard was tied in having the second-best season of any linebacker last year. 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. Kendricks is another well-rounded linebacker that can cover, as his 73.8 PFF coverage grade ranked No. While Parsons proved to be a stud pass-rusher, some had questions about his coverage ability coming into the league. The linebacker position in the game of football is one of the most important. Best Bets Tool, PFF Free Agency Rank: 27 The ACC consisted of 14 members in two divisions. Luckily for the Philadelphia Eagles, he was still available in the third round. 70 & No.71 on PFF's Top-101 players for the 2022 NFL season. Subscribe to PFF+ to unlock An error occured while loading Position Grades. 6 in the NFL in sacks and No. Speed and Matthew Adams late-round dart throws. Gay hasnt graded as well but possesses the characteristics to become a top linebacker. A position of concern and potential weakness heading into last season has become a real strength for Kansas City. Devin Lloyd, Utah BIG BOARD RANK: 15 Those tools caused Edwards to go undrafted despite an excellent college career, and he had to fight his way into a starting job by excelling in the preseason and on special teams. 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. Projected contract: Three years, $25.5 million ($8.5M per year, $16.5 million total guaranteed), PFF Free Agency Rank: 65 Some of the players in this group have been All-Pro caliber linebackers in the past, but Jones is coming off a PFF grade in the 30s after once looking like the next great young linebacker in the league. The scheme plays a part in them making some plays. Here are the best available players remaining heading into Day 2 of the 2022 NFL draft. 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. Singleton has had quite the career path to this point, finally reaching unrestricted free agency ahead of the 2023 season after entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent of the Seattle Seahawks in 2015. That could be a problem for folks expecting the same numbers. 9 linebacker in coverage with a 73.9. 2021 PFF grade: 64.2 (24th of 89). Typically, David is the ideal linebacker for IDP. Rounding out the top-tier of linebackers, Lavonte David is likely another surprise player based on where he tends to go in drafts, but dont let the age fool you. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah put together a great rookie season transitioning from more of an out-of-the-box linebacker at Notre Dame to an in-box linebacker. 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. . Los Angeles' overall defense is so good, at least on paper, that it might not matter who plays linebacker. David Long, meanwhile, was playing at a solid level before an injury forced him to miss most of the second half of the 2021 season. Micah Parsons this season: 0 TDs allowed in coverage (284 snaps) 88.7 PFF Grade (1st among all LBs) 93.0 pass-rushing grade (Best in NFL) pic.twitter.com/Lq7G9IVzuU. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. However, Dean played his role at an elite level, ranking 10th among all corners graded by PFF. 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. We thought about if Parsons should even be included in this list since he played a fair amount of pass-rusher last season, but the bottom line is that Parsons is a great linebacker who can wear several different hats on defense. All Rights Reserved. 6 defense in the league last year, and Smith was a big reason why. 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 started in 16 games after starting in only 11 total in his previous three NFL seasons. Offensive Line | Quarterback | Backfield | Pass-Catcher | Secondary | Linebackers | Special Teams) 2022 NFL Defensive Line Rankings Below is every team ranked 1-32 by how their defensive line shapes up for 2022. Perryman was signed to a two-year, $6.085 million contract before the 2021 season and promptly traded to the Las Vegas Raiders before the first week of the campaign. 3 min read. It's good news, then,. This group could rank much higher by the end of next season. He pairs with the solid Matt Milano, who posted the second-best season grade of his career (67.0) in 2021. Projected contract: Two years, $14 million ($7M per year, $9 million total guaranteed), PFF Free Agency Rank: 61 Another player without elite physical tools, Jewell reads the game very quickly and is consistently in the right place at the right time against the run. However, he's still a work in progress in coverage and didn't tally a single interception or pass breakup in his college career. Al-Shaair missed a lot of time in 2022 but earned a career-best 67.8 overall grade and 79.7 run-defense grade. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. Hes expected to return for Dallas playoff run after a shoulder injury knocked him out down the stretch, which will provide a big boost to the ferocious Cowboys defense. Parsons lined up as an edge rusher on 40.6% of his snaps as a rookie, and thats where he did the bulk of his damage. We have already seen that play from Smith in Chicago, but the decline of the defense around him and perhaps more importantly directly in front of him has led to a decline in his play. Expect both young studs to push for 140-plus combined tackles, if healthy. Then there's the added bonus of playing behind Aaron Donald, who draws all the attention at the offensive line, opening up room for the linebackers for clean tackle opportunities. Projected contract: Four years, $40 million ($10M per year, $22.5 million total guaranteed), PFF Free Agency Rank: 63 10 among linebackers last year. Hightower opted out of the 2020 season, and after a bit of a slow start getting reacclimated to the speed of the NFL game, he was back to his old self for stretches of the 2021 season. His 33 run stops in 2020 were a top-10 mark at the position. Edmunds 86.9 coverage grade in 2022 was the third-best mark among off-ball linebackers, and he forced an incompletion on 10.3% of targets into his coverage while allowing just four explosive receptions the entire season (0.9% of targets into his coverage, ninth among linebackers). 2021 Snaps: 679 The redshirt junior is a dominant run-stuffer, as his 49 run-defense stops in 2022 ranked second among all linebackers in the country while his 20 tackles for loss/no-gain were tied for third. He was good as a true linebacker, but his ability to play two different roles on any given snap made him special and provided a hybrid ability that caused problems for offenses. The former No. With that said, an elite linebacker does make a defense better there just arent that many of them in the league at this moment. PFFs Fantasy Strength of Schedule (SoS) metric provides a league-wide, season-long view of opponent matchups for each fantasy position. He finished as the highest-graded linebacker in football, recording 140 tackles, two interceptions and a career-high six sacks. He recorded 122 combined tackles, four interceptions and a whopping eight forced fumbles, which led the league. Wagner gets a new opportunity on a new team with a lot more talent around him this season, so there is good reason to suspect that his grade might bounce back. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. The 49ers applied the second-round restricted free agent tender at a price tag of $3.986 million to Al-Shaair for the 2022 season, perhaps illustrating that they feared he would get signed to an offer sheet elsewhere if they went with the right of first refusal tender. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: stories | Perhaps most importantly in todays NFL, Tranquill followed up his 74.6 coverage grade in 2021 with a career-high 75.4 mark, with his 18 stops in coverage a top-20 figure among off-ball linebackers. A couple of former Clemson stars made this ranking of the NFL's top wide receivers from the 2022 regular season. What a find he was for the Packers last year. Recently, Seth Galina from PFF ranked all 32 linebacker units in the league. After Warner's monster 2020 campaign, we thought he could be the No. He, perhaps critically, chose to stay in the defense that helped produce that phenomenal season, but we are all too aware of the folly of using just one season of play to determine everything we know about a player. For IDP fantasy football leagues, there is a ton of variance in preseason player rankings, but utilizing tiers can help us properly value each group of players in. At 6-foot-3, 242 pounds, he has legit NFL size and athleticism. A lot is riding on the development of Zaven Collins and Isaiah Simmons, who have simply not played well enough especially for first-round picks. 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. 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. Hes not great in other facets, but stopping the run is still an important aspect of the position. That's still a very good grade, but there should be concerns about his age and a potential decline going forward. PFF themselves had the Cowboys 2021 secondary in the top 10. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NCAA player performance data. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports. The main contributors to a linebackers IDP success are the volume of defensive snaps combined with playing in zone-heavy defenses, which rack up tackles more efficiently. Lavonte David has been one of the best linebackers in the league for almost a decade, whereas teammate Devin White has not graded above the 51.9 mark he attained as a rookie. His first year with the Packers resulted in a whopping 85.0 mark. 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. 2021 Snaps: 783 In 2022, he boasted a pass . Brown appeared to be on his way to a strong free agency in the 2021 offseason after three solid seasons as a starter, but he may have been an unfortunate victim of the salary cap drop, as he ultimately agreed to return to the Titans on a one-year, $4.5 million deal. Nevertheless, he may have to play on a one-year prove-it deal as he recovers. This was the last season that the conference used divisions in its football scheduling. Milano was a fifth-round draft pick back in 2017 but has dramatically outperformed his first-round teammate, Tremaine Edmunds, within the Buffalo defense. 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. 2021 Snaps: 979 Maybe the most volatile position in football, linebackers have seen their worth in the NFL fluctuate over the years. They happily scooped up the extremely talented Georgia linebacker. According to training camp reports, that is paying off big time for the Eagles. He packs a punch as a downhill player, as he can light up offensive linemen with ease. Campbells ranking could justifiably be at the very top of this list or somewhere in the 30s, based on his career so far. On Tuesday, PFF's Seth Galina released his linebacker rankings for all 32 teams in the NFL. may surprise some based on his age. After looking like one of the worst linebackers in the NFL for a few years in Green Bay. 15 overall among NFL linebackers.Bolton was in his sixth tier, which was reserved for "young ascending" players at the linebacker position. 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. Jewell also provides value on the occasional pass-rush snap and very rarely misses tackles. 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. , who draws all the attention at the offensive line, opening up room for the linebackers for clean tackle opportunities. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. It's also noteworthy that David is good in coverage, something other linebackers can struggle with. Typically, David is the ideal linebacker for IDP. Unfortunately, he took a bit of a step back from his All-Pro and Pro Bowls ways. His PFF grade of 77.9 ranked eighth last year among linebackers, and he once again showed he's a well-rounded linebacker that doesn't get the kind of credit he deserves. Warner had a transformative effect on the 49ers defense when he became the starter. Players like T.J. Watt, Matt Judon, Harold Landry and Shaquil Barrett are not included. We have already seen that play from Smith in Chicago, but the decline of the defense around him and perhaps more importantly directly in front of him has led to a decline in his play. 2021 Snaps: 323 There may be no better all-around linebacker in the class. He set career highs across the board, notching 146 combined tackles, six QB hits and two interceptions. 1. These athletes are called upon to be run-stuffing defensive linemen on some downs, and hybrid cornerbacks on others. The Rams attacked the linebacker position this offseason, adding Bobby Wagner. The Jaguars replaced Jack with Oluokun, who also has outstanding physical traits. No linebacker corps gets its collective noses dirtier than the Patriots' unit. 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. Linebacker Rankings 2022 NFL Draft Home Positions LB ALL QUARTERBACK RUNNING BACK WIDE RECEIVER TIGHT END OFFENSIVE LINE DEFENSIVE LINE EDGE LINEBACKER DEFENSIVE BACK #1 RANKED - SCOUTING REPORT 17 Nakobe Dean POSITION RANK #1 OUR RATING 90.4 ILB All Scouts Average Overall Rank 20.8 All Scouts Average Position Rank 2 Height Feet 6-0 Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports If he can play more consistently week to week, teams may view him as a low-risk, high-reward option in a weak linebacker class. March 2, 2023 3:21 pm ET. After looking like he might be the next great linebacker earlier in his career, Deion Jones play has fallen off a cliff. 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. 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. at 2021 Snaps: 82 Defensively, the attrition was less significant; however, one of the unit's leaders did leave in free agency Foye Oluokun. Next to him is the underrated Josh Bynes, who returned to Baltimore in 2021 after one season in Cincinnati. Denver let Alexander Johnson walk in free agency, which depleted this unit. More Stats. 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. Pro Football Focus's top linebacker in the 2020 NFL Draft only kind of, sort of plays linebacker. His 2021 campaign wasn't his best, but he seems like a player that's just going to get better, and someone who could end up becoming the next Lavonte David for the Bucs. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. A new defensive coordinator and scheme will help him, though. Hes the complete package for a modern off-ball linebacker. The transition from college football to the NFL used to be smooth for linebackers, but even elite prospects can now struggle in Year 1. He might not even start this season. The best linebackers in todays league are elite coverage players, but they can also affect the game in other ways.
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