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. Defensively, the attrition was less significant; however, one of the unit's leaders did leave in free agency Foye Oluokun. 2021 Snaps: 987 A position of concern and potential weakness heading into last season has become a real strength for Kansas City. Within 2021 and 2022's class, Detroit made use of the later rounds to nab names such as wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown, linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez and edge James Houston. There are a lot of unknowns in this group due to inexperience. He tallied a career-high six pass breakups in 2022. 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. They're both veteran defenders, and they happened to lead the team in snaps played last season. . Divine Deablo had some interesting moments as a rookie in 2021 and is worth keeping an eye on. Falcons linebacker core ranked dead last by PFF This is bizarrely true even when he moves to a defense run by a former New England defensive coach. Nevertheless, he is clearly an ascending young player contributing immensely to Tennessees defense that finished first in expected points added per rush allowed on the season. Parsons actually finished No. Lavonte David is still one of the best linebackers in the game . 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. Here are PFF's top 32 linebackers ahead of the 2021 NFL season. Overall, Georgia has 11 players in PFF's big board including six players ranked in the top 80 NFL draft prospects. Mosley endured the worst-graded season of his NFL career. 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. 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. Ranking NFL's top 10 linebackers entering 2022: New No. 2022 NFL Draft Position Rankings: Linebackers - PFF 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. Bobby Wagner, Seattle Seahawks Seattle's defense may have deteriorated around him, but Bobby Wagner remains the class of the linebacker position, especially since Luke Kuechly 's retirement. Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts outside linebacker Darius Leonard (53) reacts to a play in the first half against the Las Vegas Raiders at Lucas Oil Stadium. Chiefs' Nick Bolton ranked in PFF's 'young ascending' linebacker tier Teams are afraid to throw at Surtain, and he has one of the lowest target totals among . The soon-to-be 30-year-old is a solid all-around off-ball linebacker who has three straight seasons logging at least 750 snaps, and he took a major leap in 2022 with the Denver Broncos. The Rank value requires a minimum number of snaps played. The best linebackers in todays league are elite coverage players, but they can also affect the game in other ways. The Vikings also brought in the underrated Jordan Hicks from the Cardinals in free agency. 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. Click here to view PFFs full IDP rankings for the 2022 season and tiers for the defensive linemen and defensive backs. They happily scooped up the extremely talented Georgia linebacker. Better luck with his health led to a respectable 63.8 overall grade and 72.6 pass-rush grade in 2021. 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. 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. He is a truly freakish athlete and will be 25 years old throughout his entire sixth NFL season in 2023 after being selected No. No linebacker corps gets its collective noses dirtier than the Patriots' unit. Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Chicago Bears inside linebacker Roquan Smith (58) stares into the backfield during pre-game at Nissan Stadium. NFL Draft 2022: Best Available Players For Day 2 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. These power rankings are adjusted based on coach, quarterback and the market each season. 2 in the NFL, only trailing Fred Warner and the San Francisco 49ers. Ranking Best NFL Defensive Linemen and Linebackers 2022 Pratt didnt miss many tackles as a run defender, either, whiffing on just 5.9% of opportunities after three straight seasons above 10% to start his career. March 2, 2023 3:21 pm ET. 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. 16 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft as the second-youngest player in the overall class. This past offseason,San Francisco 49erslinebackerFred Warnerand subsequentlyIndianapolis ColtslinebackerDarius Leonardreset the market at the position just under $20 million per year after years of stagnation. 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. 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?. Bobby Wagner may surprise some based on his age. 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 At age 30, Kendricks should again be one of the best middle linebackers in the NFL in 2022. With Smith entering the final year of his rookie deal, Spotrac believes he's in line to sign a five-year, $88.18 million extension. The linebacker position in the game of football is one of the most important. 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. 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. Hes not great in other facets, but stopping the run is still an important aspect of the position. David missed five games in 2021 due to injury, but he still had a solid season, recording 97 combined tackles. Plenty of well-known 'backers had coverage grades in the 30s this past season. 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. Projected contract: Two years, $9.5 million ($4.75M per year), $5.25 million total guaranteed. 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. 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). Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers The 49ers struck gold when they drafted Warner in the third round in 2018. 2021 PFF grade: 80.1 (3rd of 89). Hes great at every aspect of linebacker play. 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. After Warner's monster 2020 campaign, we thought he could be the No. Since entering the league, Warner has 118 or more total tackles in every season and was named First-Team All-Pro in 2020. He packs a punch as a downhill player, as he can light up offensive linemen with ease. 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. 6-keys: media/spln/nfl/reg/free/stories, By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the. The first week of March will see the NFL Combine which will be followed by College Pro Days. 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 . The former No. White was a reliable presence at linebacker following the loss of 2020 first-rounderKenneth Murrayduring Weeks 4-9 and when Murray was battling injuries over Weeks 11-15. Even, Parsons is already one of the best defensive playmakers in the NFL as he enters just his second season in the league, but its difficult to rank him purely as an off-the-ball linebacker. 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. Why drafting Dallas Cowboys LB Micah Parsons among the top-12 may not be the best decision. Ranking the best linebackers before the 2022 NFL season 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. NFL Defensive Line Rankings 2022 - ftnfantasy.com January 18, 2023 8:22 pm ET. 9 linebacker in coverage with a 73.9. Okereke is now coming off back-to-back seasons with at least 100 tackles and 50 defensive stops. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. He may be coming off one of his worst statistical seasons in recent memory, but he also missed five games with injury. 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. 88 selection in the 2019 NFL Draft. 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. Galina ranked the Colts at No. Elandon Roberts and Jerome Baker are average linebackers who have just one 70.0-plus season grade among their 10 combined years in the NFL. With that being said, Warner is still an elite linebacker and has recorded at least 118 combined tackles in each of his four NFL seasons. However, Georgia wide receiver Kearis Jackson is not ranked in Pro Football Focus' NFL draft big board rankings. Better luck with his health led to a respectable 63.8 overall grade and 72.6 pass-rush grade in 2021. The Packers long searching for a reliable off-ball linebacker brought Campbell aboard on a one-year, $2 million contract, and his 86.7 overall grade was second among linebackers through Week 8 while his 90.7 run-defense grade ranked first, leading to a Pro Bowl nod. PFF's top linebackers in the 2023 NFL Draft 1. Rankings&Projections |WR/CB Matchup Chart |NFL & NCAA Betting Dashboards | NFL Player Props Tool | NFL & NCAA Power Rankings 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. Tindall is a true sideline-to-sideline linebacker. Walker had a career year for the Browns in 2021, and his 78.2 PFF coverage grade was the highest of his career. Nakobe Dean is a dark horse with this group. Edwards was one of just four linebackers to earn grades above 75.0 in run defense and coverage, generating 11 quarterback pressures on just 26 pass-rush snaps, as well. 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. According to Stathead's AV tool, Leonard was tied in having the second-best season of any linebacker last year. Expect both young studs to push for 140-plus combined tackles, if healthy. The former third-round pick still has room to grow as a coverage player, but at 6-foot-1 and 235 pounds, he moves well enough in space to not be a liability in coverage. NFL Linebacker Rankings 2022 - ftnfantasy.com Overall, White has had an incredible start to his career, as he's picked up All-Pro honors, a Pro Bowl bid and a Super Bowl ring in just three years. 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. There's no telling what he could be with more reps at the position. 2021 Snaps: 783 It had been three full seasons since his best play, and that best play was nowhere near elite. 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. Chiefs' young linebacker unit breaks into top 10 in PFF rankings Adam Holt. Kendricks is another well-rounded linebacker that can cover, as his 73.8 PFF coverage grade ranked No. 14 overall linebacker with a 72.3 PFF grade, and the No. Davis is a player people keep expecting to regress, but he just hasn't. Alex Anzalone and Chris Board are two depth players who start for the Lions. You don't do what he did in his rookie season if you aren't a star. 2021 PFF grade: 50.6 (51st of 89). Jordyn Brooks is an ascending star who will get more snaps this year. 2021 PFF grade: 84.3 (2nd of 89). Linebacker Rankings: 2022 Regular Season - FF Today 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. 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. 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. 2021 PFF grade: 65.1 (22nd of 89). By Marc. Milano was a fifth-round draft pick back in 2017 but has dramatically outperformed his first-round teammate, Tremaine Edmunds, within the Buffalo defense. This is a case of one elite linebacker pulling along another whose narrative hasnt really matched his production. The Jaguars replaced Jack with Oluokun, who also has outstanding physical traits. 10. San Francisco 49ers Projected Starters: Dee Ford, Javon Kinlaw, Arik Armstead, Nick Bosa The 49ers breed defensive linemen. Minnesota Vikings players on both sides of the ball, including Kendricks, have already opened up about the culture change they have felt early on this offseason with Kevin O'Connell. PFF ranked him as one of the 30 best players in the NFL last season, which he certainly was. There are also linebackers who are at their best in coverage, which is useful for todays NFL. 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. Friday Round-Up: Seahawks' Ryan Neal, Geno Smith Named To PFF Top-101 He is a fantastic story of earning a job the hard way. 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. Where are Georgia Bulldogs ranked on PFF's 2023 NFL draft big board? 2022 Atlantic Coast Conference football season - Wikipedia Kendricks' grade did falter in 2021 a 59.9 mark that was down from 82.6 and 90.1 the past two years, respectively. San Francisco 49ers . NFL 2022 Draft Positional Rankings: Linebackers - Sports Articles Something to note is that 3-4 pass-rushers will not appear on this list. Alabama linebacker Christian Harris is the last player in PFF's top 100, with a plus 60 overall, pass rush, and run defense grade but just above 50 for his coverage grade. 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. 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. Hes the complete package for a modern off-ball linebacker. However, Dean played his role at an elite level, ranking 10th among all corners graded by PFF. PFF predicts Bears will sign three top-50 free agents originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago. There is hope that Channing Tindall, Miami's rookie linebacker out of Georgia, can find his way on the field. NFL NFL Home Tools NFL Scores NFL Premium Stats NFL Player Grades Free Agent Rankings QB Annual 2022 His elite run-stopping ability was on display against the Packers in the divisional round, too. 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. 8:44 am ET. 2022 NFL Free Agency Rankings: Linebackers - PFF This is a case of one elite linebacker pulling along another whose narrative hasnt really matched his production. He told us last week that 15 sacks are the "minimum" in 2022. Best Cornerbacks in the NFL 2022: Rookie Sauce - Pro Football Network 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. 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. 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. David also graded out as the No. . He is set to play next to Anthony Walker, who is a solid if unspectacular player. Both players posted the highest grades of their career, helping the Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance. With all that said, let's jump in. 3 linebackers Seahawks should . Kansas City Chiefs linebacker group ranked as 9th-best in NFL by PFF Pundit Says Ravens Are 'Perfect Spot' for Yesterday's Combine Standout Projected contract: Two years, $14.5 million ($7.25M per year), $8.5 million total guaranteed, PFF Free Agency Rank: 99 Losing Kyle Van Noy, the highest-graded coverage linebacker in 2021, will hurt. In this article, I list my top 20 rookie linebacker rankings for your IDP dynasty leagues. 2021 PFF grade: 60.4 (30th of 89). Linebacker Rankings: 2022 Regular Season, Updated: 9/1/2022 Want Custom Fantasy Scoring? NFL free agency is a year-round process, as teams scout opposing players in an effort to defeat them during the year and perhaps sign them in the offseason. Jayron Kearse was a top 10 strong safety by their own metric. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. However, he's still a work in progress in coverage and didn't tally a single interception or pass breakup in his college career. 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. He can chase down the fastest of running backs. In May, Sam Monson of PFF ranked as the league's No.16 linebacker coming into the 2022 NFL season. He ended up making the Pro Bowl by logging a career-high 863 snaps and racking up 121 tackles and 61 defensive stops. Milano was a fifth-round draft pick back in 2017 but has dramatically outperformed his first-round teammate. While Warner recorded a career-high 137 combined tackles (T-No. Sam Monson of PFF recently ranked the top linebackers in the NFL and organized them in tiers. He set career highs across the board, notching 146 combined tackles, six QB hits and two interceptions. His processing skills took massive steps forward in 2021, causing his grade to jump from 57.1 to 76.3. 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. It's also noteworthy that David is good in coverage, something other linebackers can struggle with. JaWhaun Bentley is a hard-nosed player like his counterpart Mack Wilson. As stated in the article, Galina only included true off-ball . 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. Pro Football Focus has finalized the regular season grades for the 2022 NFL season. Brown has seen his play taper off after a really nice sophomore campaign in 2018 in which he posted an 81.2 grade. Ranking NFL's top 10 linebackers entering 2022: New No. 1 as Bobby This group could rank much higher by the end of next season. Wagner is no longer with the Seattle Seahawks, signing with the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Ramsthis offseason. 7 ranking in Pro Football Focus' list of the top 25 safeties of the 2022 . 15 overall among NFL linebackers.Bolton was in his sixth tier, which was reserved for "young ascending" players at the linebacker position. It's like your very own digital cheat sheet. The folks over at PFF are going through the process of creating rankings and tiers for every position ahead of the 2022 NFL season. Tae Crowder and Micah McFadden will look to compete for the spot opposite Martinez. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NCAA player performance data. at 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. 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. It was his first season missing fewer than 10% of his tackle opportunities, and he put up an 86.8 overall grade with seven tackles and two defensive stops during a strong playoff run. Just 25, he's on his way. Foyesade Oluokun was brought in from Atlanta, but there is certainly hope that the team's two rookie picks at the position, Devin Lloyd and Chad Muma, can play early. 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. Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Diggs had a high EPA and was an all pro who bad habits come from gambling. We have seen elite play from the seventh-year pro, but we've not nearly seen enough of it, given his physical talents. This ranking may be a surprise after the Seahawks lost future Hall of Famer. PFF names 7 Ohio State players as top 10 returning at their position He subsequently graded out to 76.5 in his first season. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. Linebacker Rankings 2022 NFL Draft