He ended up making the Pro Bowl by logging a career-high 863 snaps and racking up 121 tackles and 61 defensive stops. The PFF grades aren't always right on point, but they do serve as a generally effective tool for comparisons . Alex Anzalone and Chris Board are two depth players who start for the Lions. 2021 PFF grade: 80.1 (3rd of 89). Final Season Stats. Seahawks LB Jordyn Brooks ranked No. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. NFL 2022 Draft Positional Rankings: Linebackers By Jacob Wayne | Mar 30, 2022, 1:34pm #1: Devin Lloyd - Utah #2: Nakobe Dean - Georgia #3: Chad Muma - Wyoming #4: Leo Chenal - Wisconsin #5: Christian Harris - Alabama #6: Brian Asamoah - Oklahoma #7: Brandon Smith - Penn State #8: Channing Tindall - Georgia #9: Damone Clark - LSU 6 defense in the league last year, and Smith was a big reason why. Kendricks' grade did falter in 2021 a 59.9 mark that was down from 82.6 and 90.1 the past two years, respectively. He started in 16 games after starting in only 11 total in his previous three NFL seasons. Nakobe Dean is a dark horse with this group. That 42.0 mark was his first time dropping below 70.0 since 2015. 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. After looking like one of the worst linebackers in the NFL for a few years in Green Bay. 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. You don't do what he did in his rookie season if you aren't a star. Warner had a transformative effect on the 49ers defense when he became the starter. However, Dean played his role at an elite level, ranking 10th among all corners graded by PFF. Expect both young studs to push for 140-plus combined tackles, if healthy. Mosley endured the worst-graded season of his NFL career. may surprise some based on his age. 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. The transition from college football to the NFL used to be smooth for linebackers, but even elite prospects can now struggle in Year 1. 7 ranking in Pro Football Focus' list of the top 25 safeties of the 2022 . 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. If you go back and watch him play throughout his rookie season, you'll not only see a talented pass-rusher, but a good linebacker that can read and react quickly. It's like your very own digital cheat sheet. The only season in which he did not record at least 100 tackles was his rookie campaign, when he missed two games. 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. Rounding out the top-tier of linebackers. Los Angeles' overall defense is so good, at least on paper, that it might not matter who plays linebacker. Then, he was named All-Pro again in 2020 with an AV of 14 for the second straight season. NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler. 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. There may be no better all-around linebacker in the class. Projected contract: Two years, $18 million ($9M per year, $11.5 million total guaranteed), PFF Free Agency Rank: 55 2021 PFF grade: 43.7 (71st of 89). Cody Barton is another interesting player who will finally get a chance to start this season. both project to be every-down linebackers on ideal defenses for expected production. PFF ranks 49ers Fred Warner as the top linebacker in the NFL According to PFF's Sam Monson, the 49ers have the best linebacker in the NFL and another top-20 player at the position. 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. 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. In this article, I list my top 20 rookie linebacker rankings for your IDP dynasty leagues. Only Micah Parsons graded out higher than Werner among first-year linebackers last season. Teams are afraid to throw at Surtain, and he has one of the lowest target totals among . Nevertheless, he may have to play on a one-year prove-it deal as he recovers. 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, in 2015. despite dropping into coverage at times. But in a vacuum, Much of this unit's potential lies with third-round rookie. 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. He recorded 122 combined tackles, four interceptions and a whopping eight forced fumbles, which led the league. Teams could do a lot worse than White if they are looking for a solid weakside linebacker who has the speed to stay with pass-catchers in coverage for the most part. You are not logged in. on Pro Football Focus' Top-100 players of 2022 rankings. It's good news, then,. . Here's what PFF wrote about Wagner's season. A pair of Seahawks came in at No. Login or Register Projections: QB | RB | WR | TE | K | DEF | DL | LB | DB Micah Parsons is one of the best young talents in the league, but he does split his time between off-ball linebacker and edge rusher, where he's at his best work. Just 25, he's on his way. At age 30, Kendricks should again be one of the best middle linebackers in the NFL in 2022. The second linebacker tier features 17 linebackers on teams that are expected to be less zone-heavy than those in the tier above. He was not as good a coverage or run-stopping linebacker as he was as a pass rusher, but his talent makes you think he will figure it out shortly. 2021 Snaps: 979 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. 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 12th. 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. They spent a lot of money on Roquan Smith at the linebacker spot, [so] why not bring in another Georgia guy?" . Turn on this feature to cross off players during your draft. 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. David missed five games in 2021 due to injury, but he still had a solid season, recording 97 combined tackles. He may be coming off one of his worst statistical seasons in recent memory, but he also missed five games with injury. 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. 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. He is set to play next to Anthony Walker, who is a solid if unspectacular player. He has top-notch natural coverage skills for a linebacker his size, but everything else is a work in progress. , who draws all the attention at the offensive line, opening up room for the linebackers for clean tackle opportunities. The Super Bowl has come and gone in 2022 and we have started to turn our attention to the next football season. Plenty of well-known 'backers had coverage grades in the 30s this past season. Next to him is the underrated Josh Bynes, who returned to Baltimore in 2021 after one season in Cincinnati. He put forth a monster rookie season in 2019 but hasnt quite attained the same highs in subsequent seasons. 9 linebacker in coverage with a 73.9. 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). Meanwhile, David will have to get it there himself, given that the Bucs defense wasnt exactly bereft of talent last season. 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. PFF analyzes every player and every play of every game in the 2022 NFL season. 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. His past two years against the run have been horrid, with him posting 39.8 and 30.0 run-defense grades. Aug 9, 2022. No linebacker recorded more coverage snaps than Warner in all of 2021. 2021 Snaps: 783 After looking like he might be the next great linebacker earlier in his career, Deion Jones play has fallen off a cliff. According to PFF, T.J. Edwards was the 10 th-ranked linebacker in 2021 but is still unproven and only has started 30 games in the NFL. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. 10. 1 as Bobby Wagner finally dethroned Ranking the top 10 linebackers for the upcoming NFL season By Jordan Dajani Jun 28, 2022 at. Now that we're at the end of the 2021-22 NFL season, the free agency picture is coming into focus and teams are beginning to identify potential targets to improve their roster weaknesses. Zach Cunningham, if nothing else, stops the run. PFF ranked him as one of the 30 best players in the NFL last season, which he certainly was. Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia . PFF themselves had the Cowboys 2021 secondary in the top 10. Van Noy has now had stints in Detroit and Miami, but his good PFF grades are almost exclusively reserved for his time in the Patriots defense. 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. According to training camp reports, that is paying off big time for the Eagles. Vander Esch earned a 90.0-plus grade in three starts in 2021, including two such outings over the final five weeks. 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. Bobby Wagner may surprise some based on his age. New: Draft Mode! Rashaan Evans and Mykal Walker are solid players, though, and the team will hope that rookie Troy Andersen can make an early impact. The Rank value requires a minimum number of snaps played. Mosley, Foye Oluokun. 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. 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. Click here to view PFFs full IDP rankings for the 2022 season and tiers for the defensive linemen and defensive backs. 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. Josey Jewell and Jonas Griffith should be the starters, with free agent signing Alex Singleton looking for snaps, as well. Here are the top 10 linebackers scheduled to become free agents in March. They're both veteran defenders, and they happened to lead the team in snaps played last season. Projected contract: Two years,$12.5 million ($6.25M per year), $8 million total guaranteed, PFF Free Agency Rank: 139 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. Projected contract: Two years, $14.5 million ($7.25M per year), $8.5 million total guaranteed, PFF Free Agency Rank: 99 The 2022 Atlantic Coast Conference football season, part of the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season, was the 70th season of college football played for the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. Projected contract: Two years, $10 million ($5M per year), $5.5 million total guaranteed, PFF Free Agency Rank: 163 Davids 88.5 coverage grade this season ranked second among off-ball linebackers, and his elite 93.0 mark over the past four seasons is the top mark at the position. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. He also registered a fourth-best 79.4 PFF coverage grade among linebackers despite playing a whopping 680 coverage snaps. The Jaguars replaced Jack with Oluokun, who also has outstanding physical traits. Maybe the most volatile position in football, linebackers have seen their worth in the NFL fluctuate over the years. David also just put forth his worst season since 2016, posting a 72.3 grade. Walker is one of the best run-and-hit linebackers in the class. Its a rebuilt Jaguars linebacking corps after losing. Let's have a look at them. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. In two weeks, NFL GMs will begin negotiating with free . Johnson finds himself in one of the most unique contract situations in NFL history. 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. 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 2023 fantasy football drafts. 1. #1 - Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers LB Fred Warner The San. his sure hands also need to be highlighted," PFF's Zoltn Buday wrote. Barr is a bit of a unique player, generally deployed as a Sam linebacker in a 4-3 scheme who occasionally gets his hand in the dirt. PFF predicts Bears will sign three top-50 free agents originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago. 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 most underrated linebackers of the past several years, Demario Davis' late-career emergence as an elite LB has been fun to watch. The 2022 season was Long's first as a full-time starter at middle linebacker, but he's made the most of opportunities in the past. He pairs with the solid Matt Milano, who posted the second-best season grade of his career (67.0) in 2021. the star of the Colts' defense has been rock solid since exploding onto the scene as a rookie. 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. Chicago Bears Roquan Smith and Indianapolis Colts Shaquille (Darius) Leonard stock is falling due to availability concerns, making E.J. 6-keys: media/spln/nfl/reg/free/stories, By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the. Tranquill is coming off a career year in L.A. The Rams attacked the linebacker position this offseason, adding. While those grades arent poor, by any stretch, they are a notable step down from these players' excellent career baselines and some way short of their elite best. Projected contract: One year, $6 million, $4.5 million guaranteed, PFF Free Agency Rank: 75 Across the three years prior to joining Green Bay, Campbell hadnt earned a grade higher than 56.6 in any season. Much of this unit's potential lies with third-round rookie Christian Harris, who managed 34 run stops at Alabama in 2021 (tied for 36th among 374 qualifying FBS linebackers). Give him the freedom to play fast, and he'll excel. Linebacker Rankings: 2022 Regular Season, Updated: 9/1/2022 Want Custom Fantasy Scoring? 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. 2022 stats (Chargers): 5 sacks, 146 tackles, 1 forced fumble. 2022 (146 FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets) Yards per route run: 25th; PFF receiving grade: 12th; YAC: 7th; 2021 (133 FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets) Yards per route run: 94th; PFF receiving grade: 111th . He might not even start this 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. 1. A position of concern and potential weakness heading into last season has become a real strength for Kansas City. Al-Shaair missed a lot of time in 2022 but earned a career-best 67.8 overall grade and 79.7 run-defense grade. 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. Seahawks rookie Ken Walker makes top 20 in PFF's RB grades for 2022 season Tim Weaver January 25, 2023 7:00 am PT Seahawks running back Ken Walker had a special rookie season, posting 1,050. 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. Fred Warner (San Francisco 49ers) earned the top spot and Darius Leonard (Indianapolis Colts). 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. He subsequently graded out to 76.5 in his first season. Milano was a fifth-round draft pick back in 2017 but has dramatically outperformed his first-round teammate, Tremaine Edmunds, within the Buffalo defense. There are also linebackers who are at their best in coverage, which is useful for todays NFL. At 6-foot-3, 242 pounds, he has legit NFL size and athleticism. Vander Esch quietly played some good football in 2022 after signing a one-year flier to return to the Cowboys following a free agency period that didnt pan out as hed hoped. Here are PFF's top 32 linebackers ahead of the 2021 NFL season. However, he's still a work in progress in coverage and didn't tally a single interception or pass breakup in his college career. His 170 combined takedowns ranked third among linebackers this past season. The 2022 season was Longs first as a full-time starter at middle linebacker, but hes made the most of opportunities in the past. More Stats. Okereke was particularly stout against the run, with his 13 defensive stops against the run tied for the 13th most. Drafting Quay Walker out of Georgia in the first round also helps the Packers' cause. 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. Better luck with his health led to a respectable 63.8 overall grade and 72.6 pass-rush grade in 2021. These athletes are called upon to be run-stuffing defensive linemen on some downs, and hybrid cornerbacks on others. 2 in the NFL, only trailing Fred Warner and the San Francisco 49ers. Murray surrendered a near-perfect passer rating into his coverage in 2021, allowing 14 catches on 15 targets for 132 yards and two touchdowns. The Rams attacked the linebacker position this offseason, adding Bobby Wagner. Jack is now trying to reboot his career in Pittsburgh after suffering similar ill-fortune in Jacksonville. In today's NFL, few positions have become as difficult to play as off-ball linebacker. The Tennessee Titans are set to sport a talented and exciting inside linebacker duo in 2022 with David Long and Zach Cunningham, but where do they rank as compared to others in the NFL?. David also graded out as the No. Parsons was the No. Chicago signed Nicholas Morrow from Las Vegas to fill the spot next to Smith for 2022. That hypothetical AAV of $17.6 million would make Smith the third highest-paid linebacker in the NFL. In his recent post on linebackers, PFF's Sam Monson ranked Nick Bolton No. The rest of 1A should surprise no one, with this group almost filling out the consensus top-five linebackers in ADP terms,. White backed up his first season as a starter in 2021 with another solid campaign in 2022, earning grades of at least 62.0 against the run and in coverage. There's no way he was going to get better, right? 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. 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. In May, Sam Monson of PFF ranked as the league's No.16 linebacker coming into the 2022 NFL season. Leonard burst onto the scene with 163 combined tackles, seven sacks, four forced fumbles and two interceptions in his rookie season back in 2018. The grades for the Detroit Lions in their 9-8 campaign offer up an analytically-based glimpse of how the Lions performed. His 62 run stops over the last two seasons ranks ninth among off-ball linebackers, and his 18 tackles for loss or no gain is tied for 14th. Still, the Rams ranked fourth in the NFL last season in zone coverages (82.60%). 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. He put forth a monster rookie season in 2019 but hasnt quite attained the same highs in subsequent seasons. 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. The former No. Subscribe to Sign Up 1. Okereke is a solid stand-in next to Leonard. Seahawks only have one player in PFF's top-40 graded edge defenders Teams AFC East Bills Dolphins Jets Patriots AFC North Bengals Browns Ravens Steelers AFC South Colts Jaguars Texans Titans AFC. Research past fantasy performance with sortable player stats including PFF-exclusives like aDOT and fantasy points per opportunity. "He posted a 1.5 percent drop rate in 2022, which . Consequently, the list of consistently elite players is far shorter than for other positions, and there is much more volatility in this position group. 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. Hes earned himself a nice raise. The ACC consisted of 14 members in two divisions. . 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. That's still a very good grade, but there should be concerns about his age and a potential decline going forward. Please try again later. The top 10 linebackers in NFL currently are dynamic weapons and reliable leaders. Click here for PFF's full list of top 100 free agents. 3) Demario Davis, New Orleans Saints. 2021 PFF grade: 65.1 (T-23rd of 89). Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports. Put some respect on Demario Davis pic.twitter.com/4jzOf4GYS1. 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. Edwards has shown that as much as linebacker is one of the most athletic-traits-driven positions in football, prospects with marginal physical tools can still become solid NFL starters. 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. 11 among linebackers,) his AV of 8 was tied for No. The Penn State product ranked No. Singleton earned a career-best 82.6 run-defense grade that ranked eighth among off-ball linebackers, tallying more than 100 tackles for the second year in a row, with his two-year total of 212 ranking sixth among off-ball linebackers. I laid out some of my thoughts on their situations, rambling on longer for some more than others. Best Bets Tool, PFF Free Agency Rank: 27 Luckily for the Philadelphia Eagles, he was still available in the third round. His 913 snaps for the Raiders last season was a career-high mark and more than doubled his previous best. 6 in the NFL in sacks and No. 2022 NFL linebacker unit rankings: Giants come in at 24 (PFF . The Seahawks selected Cody Barton out of Utah with the No. 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. Pittsburgh Steelers (94/100) Cameron Heyward was second behind only Aaron Donald in PFF's grades of interior defensive linemen last season. Pro Football Focus has finalized the regular season grades for the 2022 NFL season. Al-Shaair is in line to get paid as a free agent after teammatesFred Warner and Dre Greenlawfind themselves among the 16 highest-paid off-ball linebackers in the NFL. But neither player made the cut for the top 50, which hurts . 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 | However, both Mike Williams and Tee Higgins didn't get a whole lot of love and are lower on the list. This is a case of one elite linebacker pulling along another whose narrative hasnt really matched his production. Its a rebuilt Jaguars linebacking corps after losing Myles Jack to the Steelers. Now its just a matter of how nice itll be. He at least improved upon his 29.7 grade as a rookie with a 43.5 mark in Year 2. 2021 PFF grade: 60.4 (30th of 89). at The Ravens are still looking for that breakout year from Patrick Queen after two subpar seasons. His processing skills took massive steps forward in 2021, causing his grade to jump from 57.1 to 76.3. Hes the complete package for a modern off-ball linebacker. Amid replacement-level cornerback and safety play at times, Warner's gravitas over the middle of the field allowed the team to play a high percentage of zone coverage to protect its outside cornerbacks. After sitting out in 2020, C.J. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. 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.