There is hope that Channing Tindall, Miami's rookie linebacker out of Georgia, can find his way on the field. The Steelers brought in former Jaguar Myles Jack to play alongside him. 11 among linebackers,) his AV of 8 was tied for No. Rashaan Evans and Mykal Walker are solid players, though, and the team will hope that rookie Troy Andersen can make an early impact. 1 as Bobby Wagner finally dethroned Ranking the top 10 linebackers for the upcoming NFL season By Jordan Dajani Jun 28, 2022 at. He packs a punch as a downhill player, as he can light up offensive linemen with ease. Nick Bolton and Willie Gay are two young linebackers who came on strong last 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. Oluokun is coming off a PFF run-defense grade of 44.0 and a coverage grade of 54.4. However, he's still a work in progress in coverage and didn't tally a single interception or pass breakup in his college career. JaWhaun Bentley is a hard-nosed player like his counterpart Mack Wilson. Still one of the more underrated players in the league, This is a precarious spot for the Packers to be in, even with 2021 All-Pro. San Francisco 49ers Projected Starters: Dee Ford, Javon Kinlaw, Arik Armstead, Nick Bosa The 49ers breed defensive linemen. 2021 Snaps: 783 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. The PFF grades aren't always right on point, but they do serve as a generally effective tool for comparisons . Pundit Says Ravens Are 'Perfect Spot' for Yesterday's Combine Standout Davis is a player people keep expecting to regress, but he just hasn't. Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia . 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. 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. 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. NFL 2022 Draft Positional Rankings: Linebackers - Sports Articles We have seen elite play from the seventh-year pro, but we've not nearly seen enough of it, given his physical talents. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports By Sam Monson May 24, 2022 Linebacker Rankings 2022 NFL Draft 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. Okereke is a solid stand-in next to Leonard. PFF predicts Bears sign three top-50 NFL free agents 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. Just 25, he's on his way. Best Cornerbacks in the NFL 2022: Rookie Sauce - Pro Football Network Tuesday Round-Up: Seahawks No.8 In Pro Football Focus 2022 Linebacker 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. 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. 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. Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys The first-ever unanimous Defensive Rookie of the Year has quickly become the standard for linebacker play in the NFL. 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. NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler. . 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. Nevertheless, he may have to play on a one-year prove-it deal as he recovers. The rest of 1A should surprise no one, with this group almost filling out the consensus top-five linebackers in ADP terms,. Something to note is that 3-4 pass-rushers will not appear on this list. Their tackle efficiency and every-down roles make them the most coveted players at the position. 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. Best Bets Tool, PFF Free Agency Rank: 27 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. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports. Put some respect on Demario Davis pic.twitter.com/4jzOf4GYS1. 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. Linebacker Rankings: The 32 best LBs entering the 2021 NFL season - PFF The former undrafted free agent is in for a big pay raise this offseason after making the absolute most of his one-year deal. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports. By Marc. He's been an All-Pro each year, and a Pro Bowler for three straight seasons now. Asamoah is undersized at 6-foot-1, 228 pounds, but he possesses sideline-to-sideline range. 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). PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. heading into 2022, here's how each team's linebacking corps stacks up. PFF Free Agency Rank: 86 2021 Snaps: 783 2021 PFF grade: 64.2 (24th of 89) 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. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. 2021 PFF grade: 53.0 (50th of 89). Vander Eschs 70.8 grade is his best since his rookie season in 2018, and he also set career highs in missed tackle rate (6.5%) and yards allowed per coverage snap (0.49). Hes a high-upside player now playing with a future Hall of Famer. Shaq Thompson is a bona fide star, and he may be playing alongside a diamond-in-the-rough partner in Frankie Luvu. 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. ECR VS. ADP. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. Tranquill is coming off a career year in L.A. He was arguably the best player on the best college defense of all time but slipped into the third round of the draft with some potential medical red flags. It's also noteworthy that David is good in coverage, something other linebackers can struggle with. 8 in total pressures. A couple of former Clemson stars made this ranking of the NFL's top wide receivers from the 2022 regular season. Best Linebackers in the NFL 2022: Fred Warner, Bobby Wagner and Demario Still, in a league that continues to throw more and more, Bentley remains best-suited as an early-down run defender who can generate the occasional quarterback pressure. 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. In Eric Kendricks, the Vikings have had a superb all-around linebacker for years. Only Micah Parsons graded out higher than Werner among first-year linebackers last season. A pair of Seahawks came in at No. 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. Muma was one of the most productive defenders in all of college football in 2021, generating 68 total defensive stops, three picks and 21 pressures for the Cowboys. Turn on this feature to cross off players during your draft. Pratts 90.1 coverage grade was the best mark in the NFL. February 24, 2023 7:45 am CT. A couple of New Orleans Saints standouts were recognized on the list of the top 101 NFL players of the 2022 season from Pro Football Focus analyst Sam Monson. 2021 PFF grade: 65.1 (T-23rd of 89). 2021 PFF grade: 65.1 (22nd of 89). . The 1B tier has just as much going for them, with zone-heavy defenses, expected positive tackle efficiency and an every-down roles. Seven 49ers listed on PFF Top 101 Players of 2022 ranking The grades for the Detroit Lions in their 9-8 campaign offer up an analytically-based glimpse of how the Lions performed. Lloyd can take on blocks, blitz and cover tight ends at a high level, which is why he earned a 90.2 grade this year with above-average grades in every facet. With all that said, let's jump in. Bobby Wagner may surprise some based on his age. He also frequently lines up at safety, defensive line and nickel corner, and if he had his way . s departure, and his 105 tackles were more than his first three seasons combined. Projected contract: Two years, $18 million ($9M per year, $11.5 million total guaranteed), PFF Free Agency Rank: 55 Research past fantasy performance with sortable player stats including PFF-exclusives like aDOT and fantasy points per opportunity. NFL Draft 2022: Best Available Players For Day 2 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. 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. After looking like he might be the next great linebacker earlier in his career. Still, the. 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. Cole Holcomb could yet turn into a solid linebacker, while 2021 first-round pick Jamin Davis could also improve after a poor first season. He didn't end the 2021 campaign in the best fashion, but did rebound to record 13 combined tackles, two tackles for loss, four QB hits and two passes defensed in Tampa Bay's two postseason games. Christian Kirksey has not had a season of note since 2016 with the Browns, yet he projects as a starter in this defense once again. Chicago signed Nicholas Morrow from Las Vegas to fill the spot next to Smith for 2022. Pittsburgh Steelers (94/100) Cameron Heyward was second behind only Aaron Donald in PFF's grades of interior defensive linemen last season. It's like your very own digital cheat sheet. Seahawks LB Jordyn Brooks ranked No. 16 at his position by PFF Dynasty Rookie Draft Primer: Tight Ends (2023 Fantasy Football) 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. His 75.9 grade two years marked a career high. [PFF] 2022 Linebacker Rankings and Tiers : nfl - reddit.com A position of concern and potential weakness heading into last season has become a real strength for Kansas City. Tindall is a true sideline-to-sideline linebacker. 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. 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. 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). Chenal is going to thrive in man-blitz-heavy schemes. 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. Still one of the more underrated players in the league, Demario Davis has been the heartbeat of one of the league's best defenses over the past five seasons. 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. David missed five games in 2021 due to injury, but he still had a solid season, recording 97 combined tackles. His processing skills took massive steps forward in 2021, causing his grade to jump from 57.1 to 76.3. His struggles come in coverage, where he's allowed nearly 1,000 yards over the past two seasons. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. Now, it remains to be seen if Campbell can replicate his 2021 campaign, but based off of how he played last year, Campbell deserves a place on this list. Ranking Best Fits for Top Defensive Players in 2023 NFL Free Agency PFF themselves had the Cowboys 2021 secondary in the top 10. He is set to play next to Anthony Walker, who is a solid if unspectacular player. 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. Both players posted the highest grades of their career, helping the Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance. 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. 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. Honorable mentions: Tremaine Edmunds, Matt Milano, Logan Wilson, Shaq Thompson, Alexander Johnson, Deion JonesJeremiah Owusu-Koramoah,Zach Cunningham, Anthony Walker, C.J. He tallied a career-high six pass breakups in 2022. 1 linebacker on this list entering 2022. Oluokun leads the way for a very underwhelming free-agent class at off-ball linebacker, though his timing of reaching unrestricted free agency could work out nicely in his favor. Potentially losing a step or two with age can be negated by elite play recognition and instincts, both of which David has in spades. Here's why that is important: PFF's Fantasy Football Expected Points tool is primarily used for identifying potential over and undervalued players. 3 Rams make PFF's top 101 players of 2022 - autos.yahoo.com 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. Hes earned himself a nice raise. Bentley improved considerably in his second season as a full-time player, as his 68.1 overall grade was almost 15 points better than his 2020 overall grade. 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. He set career highs across the board, notching 146 combined tackles, six QB hits and two interceptions. Hes not great in other facets, but stopping the run is still an important aspect of the position. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports. Jewell is the other Denver off-ball linebacker who missed the majority of the 2021 season with a torn pectoral muscle, but hes three years younger than Johnson. No linebacker corps gets its collective noses dirtier than the Patriots' unit. Galina ranked the Colts at No. Milano was a fifth-round draft pick back in 2017 but has dramatically outperformed his first-round teammate, Tremaine Edmunds, within the Buffalo defense. NFL's top 10 linebackers in 2022 - sportskeeda.com No. 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. Mosley, Foye Oluokun. 1 on our list. Kansas City Chiefs linebacker group ranked as 9th-best in NFL by PFF No linebacker recorded more coverage snaps than Warner in all of 2021. 2021 Snaps: 323 This group could rank much higher by the end of next season. 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. These athletes are called upon to be run-stuffing defensive linemen on some downs, and hybrid cornerbacks on others. 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. Here are the top free agents at linebacker, taken from PFF's free agency rankings. The transition from college football to the NFL used to be smooth for linebackers, but even elite prospects can now struggle in Year 1. A position of weakness for the Eagles in 2021 might turn into a position of strength in 2022 with the additions of rookie Nakobe Dean and veteran Kyzir White to pair alongside T.J. Edwards, who had a breakout 2021 season. While Parsons proved to be a stud pass-rusher, some had questions about his coverage ability coming into the league. Some of it is because he's been a little bit dependent on good play from the defensive line in front of him, but a good deal of it has been his ability to more . 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. Subscribe to PFF+ to unlock An error occured while loading Position Grades. Parsons took the NFL by storm in his rookie season, recording 84 combined tackles and a Dallas Cowboys rookie record 13 sacks. Monson ranked Long, who has been an absolute steal since being drafted in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL draft, as the No. Like the Chiefs, the Bengals also went into last season with a lot of unknowns surrounding the linebacker position but found a really good pair in Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt. 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. Devin Lloyd, Utah BIG BOARD RANK: 15 PFF ranks 49ers Fred Warner as the top linebacker in the NFL Rookie Devin Lloydand sophomore Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah both project to be every-down linebackers on ideal defenses for expected production. This is likely a polarizing selection. 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. PFF ranks Ravens linebackers No. 17 - Baltimore Beatdown Warner had a transformative effect on the 49ers defense when he became the starter. He went from having a one-year contract worth $2 million to signing a five-year deal that carries an AAV of $10 million! Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. 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. The Seahawks selected Cody Barton out of Utah with the No. Better luck with his health led to a respectable 63.8 overall grade and 72.6 pass-rush grade in 2021. He has yet to post a sub-70.0 grade, with three out of his four years coming in above 78.0. This was the last season that the conference used divisions in its football scheduling. He ended up making the Pro Bowl by logging a career-high 863 snaps and racking up 121 tackles and 61 defensive stops. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports. He was. Jack had hovered near 70.0 overall grades before a down 2021 season, and the Steelers will hope that those good years arent behind him. Lloyd, who earned a 90.0-plus grade at Utah in 2021, does look set to start. His elite run-stopping ability was on display against the Packers in the divisional round, too. He may be coming off one of his worst statistical seasons in recent memory, but he also missed five games with injury. 2021 PFF grade: 43.7 (71st of 89). Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Gay hasnt graded as well but possesses the characteristics to become a top 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. The ACC consisted of 14 members in two divisions. 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. 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. Let's have a look at them. Recently, Seth Galina from PFF ranked all 32 linebacker units in the league. 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. 23 in 2021. Jaguars linebacker corps doesn't fare well in PFF ranking - Black and Teal Projected contract: Two years, $14.5 million ($7.25M per year), $8.5 million total guaranteed, PFF Free Agency Rank: 99 He had a career year, helping turn around the Eagles' defense with the second-best grade among off-ball linebackers (84.4). He can chase down the fastest of running backs. 3 linebackers Seahawks should . 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. Aug 9, 2022. Projected contract: One year, $6 million, $4.5 million guaranteed, PFF Free Agency Rank: 75 Chicago Bears Roquan Smith and Indianapolis Colts Shaquille (Darius) Leonard stock is falling due to availability concerns, making E.J. It had been three full seasons since his best play, and that best play was nowhere near elite. Denver let Alexander Johnson walk in free agency, which depleted this unit. I laid out some of my thoughts on their situations, rambling on longer for some more than others. Edmunds is just 24 years old and entering his fifth NFL season. Fred Warner (San Francisco 49ers) earned the top spot and Darius Leonard (Indianapolis Colts). may surprise some based on his age. White landed with the Philadelphia Eagles on a one-year, $3 million flier last offseason after his market didnt pan out too well. AVG. He subsequently graded out to 76.5 in his first season. Here are PFF's top 32 linebackers ahead of the 2021 NFL season. He is a fantastic story of earning a job the hard way. Jordyn Brooks is an ascending star who will get more snaps this year. 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. That's still a very good grade, but there should be concerns about his age and a potential decline going forward. The Georgia product was named second-team All-Pro in 2020 and 2021, and recorded a career-high 163 combined tackles last year -- which ranked fifth among all linebackers. 3) Demario Davis, New Orleans Saints. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. Johnson got off to an unusually late start to his NFL career and has battled injuries, but he has been an excellent linebacker when he has been on the field. He finished as the highest-graded linebacker in football, recording 140 tackles, two interceptions and a career-high six sacks. Therefore, they are included in our. Edmunds made huge strides in coverage in 2022, a major weakness in his game through his first four seasons. David also graded out as the No. This ranking may be a surprise after the Seahawks lost future Hall of Famer. The Rams have a great defense, and the 32-year-old Wagner could find himself rejuvenated in 2022. Zach Cunningham, if nothing else, stops the run. 12 among linebackers in 2021 with a PFF coverage grade of 70 in 295 coverage snaps. Here are the top off-ball linebackers slated to hit free agency in 2022. Like the Chiefs, the Bengals also went into last season with a lot of unknowns surrounding the linebacker position but found a really good pair in, A position of weakness for the Eagles in 2021 might turn into a position of strength in 2022 with the additions of rookie, The Ravens are still looking for that breakout year from. This is a precarious spot for the Packers to be in, even with 2021 All-Pro DeVondre Campbell back for another season in the same defense he broke out with. He allowed 81.0% of passes thrown his way to be caught and missed 17 tackles in all. The Super Bowl has come and gone in 2022 and we have started to turn our attention to the next football season. 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. He at least improved upon his 29.7 grade as a rookie with a 43.5 mark in Year 2. His first year with the Packers resulted in a whopping 85.0 mark. When healthy, Johnson is among the best sideline-to-sideline run-defenders at off-ball linebacker in the league. 2021 PFF grade: 83.5 (N/A). The entire schedule was released on January 31, 2022. 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. 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. Give him the freedom to play fast, and he'll excel. 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. 7 ranking in Pro Football Focus' list of the top 25 safeties of the 2022 . Smith has recorded at least 101 combined tackles in each of his four NFL seasons, and his last two campaigns have been impressive. He also registered a fourth-best 79.4 PFF coverage grade among linebackers despite playing a whopping 680 coverage snaps. The linebacker position in the game of football is one of the most important. Typically, David is the ideal linebacker for IDP. 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.