The Kansas City Chiefs are back among the very best teams in the NFL following an ugly start to the year, and their defense is driving that resurgence after ranking as low as 30th in Week 8. Other big moves include the Baltimore Ravens defense tumbling as injuries just continue to decimate the group, and the San Francisco 49ers are back on the rise thanks to some impressive displays from their defensive front in recent weeks. Despite his size, he graded out better as a pass-rusher than a run defender in college and won 9.4% of his pass-rushing snaps in 2022. In a year that makes no sense, few things will rival the madness of the Chicago Bears, while missing their entire starting secondary, holding. Hargrave ranks in the 91st percentile of qualifying interior defenders in pass-rushing grade since 2019. Passing Leader: Tom Brady, 5316 Yds. One would think that Pittsburgh's defensive line is slated to take a step back after replacing Bud Dupree with Alex Highsmith. The Seahawks inability to generate pressure with their defensive line last season, especially early in the year, became a national storyline. All three ranked in the 83rd percentile or better at the position in run-defense grade last season. Moss was voted the Big Ten's top defensive back and an All-American in 2021 and twice was a first-team All-Big Ten cornerback. But it does now after his 50-pressure, breakout season in 2020. All of a sudden, the Cardinals are struggling to stop the run, allowing 4.5 yards per carry on average and the worst yards, contact per carry figure in the NFL. . That was the case again last season, as the Eagles were one of just two teams with a pressure rate above 40% without the aid of the blitz. A lot of weight will fall on the shoulders of second-round pick, was everything Indianapolis hoped he would be last season. However, their 2021 contributions may be limited due to. despite playing as an off-the-ball linebacker most of the time. NFL Week 18 - The Dallas Cowboys finish the 2021 season on top of the Football Outsiders DVOA ratings, with a bit of an extra boost from a bunch of Philadelphia backups.The Cowboys had their best single game of the year on Sunday, putting up 96.0% DVOA with a 51-26 win over the Eagles. He finished with 11 career interceptions and three pick-sixes. A game against, The Rams boast the second-best pressure rate of any defense in the league, built largely on the back of, lead all interior players, and he is only six short of catching, is his best since he went to the AFC Championship game with. The group ranked 30th in expected points added allowed per run play and had the lowest pressure rate in the league both with and without blitzing. Detroit's offensive line came in 10th in PFF's ranking of all 32 offensive line groups heading into the season. He earned a career-high 89.6 overall grade in 2020 and was the sixth-most valuable interior defender in the league . Clearly, this is not where a team paying two defensive linemen north of $20 million would like to be ranked. Perhaps rookie safety Trevon Moehrig will buck the trend, but so far Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden are churning out busts. That should help replace J.J. Watt, whose pressure rate sunk to 8.9% in 2020. Parsons has 60 total pressures despite playing as an off-the-ball linebacker most of the time. His inability to play up to the level he performed at in Seattle has left Kansas City thin along the defensive line beyond Jones, even after the team signed Jarran Reed this offseason. Hargrave ranks in the 91st percentile of qualifying interior defenders in pass-rushing grade since 2019. all look to be impact starters through the early stages of their NFL careers. There was concern for this unit when Larry Ogunjobi went down with a season-ending injury during Super Wild Card Weekend, but these linemen haven't missed a beat. One would think that Pittsburghs defensive line is slated to take a step back after replacing Bud Dupree with Alex Highsmith. Mike Moraitis. The biggest issues have come in coverage, where the Lions have allowed a 17.3% explosive pass rate, 30th in the NFL. Mike Tannenbaum's QB rankings Rankings are updated through the end of the 2021 regular season. Part of that revival in fortune has been down to the defense, which has massively picked up its game over the season. The Los Angeles Rams are officially in a rebuild and it couldn't come at a better time. 5. Epenesa, Gregory Rousseau and Carlos Basham Jr. all represent added youth and depth to the Bills' edge defender rotation. Lawson should provide much-needed pass-rushing ability off the edge. He hasnt recorded double-digit sacks in a season since 2014, but he ranks in the 81st percentile of all players at the position in pass-rush win rate over the six years since. The Jacksonville Jaguars' defense showed a lot of flashes late in the regular season, holding its final five opponents to 197.8 pass ypg with an 81.2 QB rating and a 6-5 TD-INT line. They are going to be without, How good Kansas Citys offense is remains somewhat up in the air, but there's little doubt that their defense is cooking at this stage. Highsmith finished his rookie season with a higher pass-rush win rate (16.5%) than Dupree (13.7%) last year. Matt Ioannidis and Tim Settle provide the Football Team additionalinterior pass-rushing threats beyond the starters, as well. could begin to change that next season, coming off an 86.6 PFF grade last season at the University of Miami. Terrell who is playing at an All-Pro level. AP Defensive Player of the Year: T.J. Watt. Outside of Quinn, the next highest pressure total on the team is just 24, and the team ranks 27th in pressure rate overall. Pro Football Focus ranked all 32 defensive lines heading into the 2021 NFL season and Philadelphia dropped three spots from last summer, coming in at No. on the season, and even the better performers and those who have played the most snaps are giving up a. . This table explained. 5. Hes been the sixth-most valuable interior defensive lineman in the NFL over the past four years, per. He earned PFF grades of at least 85.0 in each of his final two college seasons and could earn a more prominent role on Clevelands defensive line in 2021. . INT - Interceptions. HUR - Hurries. Carlos Dunlap. The next highest were the Green Bay Packers (79.9) and the Washington Football Team (76.6). and his 80th-percentile pass-rushing grade since 2017 should help in that department. The Browns finished with the highest run blocking grade at 81.2 over the 49ers (81.0) and Colts (78.8). Bosa is responsible for 62 pressures, yet he and Derwin James are the only Chargers defenders with 70.0-plus overall PFF grades for the season. Only the Cowboys are forcing turnovers at a greater rate than the Colts this season, and that has been able to make up for some weaknesses in personnel on defense. In 2019, he earned a sub-90.0 PFF season grade (79.3) for the first time in his career, ending an absurd stretch of dominance. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports. Three cornerbacks hold sub-45.0 PFF coverage grades on the season, and even the better performers and those who have played the most snaps are giving up a 111.8 passer rating (Shaquill Griffin) and a 90.3 passer rating (Tyson Campbell). Arik Armstead, Samson Ebukam and even Arden Key have also been real factors in recent weeks in applying pressure on the quarterback. Collier, Darrell Taylor and Alton Robinson. Part of the reason Buffalo ranks merely in the middle of the pack here is that Ed Oliver hasn't produced to the level the Bills expected when they selected him in the top 10 of the 2019 NFL Draft. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, the PFF scores for the Lions overall performances in categories like receiving, run defense and . A platoon of underrated defensive linemen seven of whom have at least 20 pressures this season help make the entire structure work. Thats to be expected after the team traded away one of the NFL's best interior defenders (DeForest Buckner) and was without Nick Bosa and Dee Ford for all but 80 combined defensive snaps in 2020 because of injury. The team now has a pressure rate of just 20.2%, by far the lowest mark in the NFL. The Raiders have struggled to generate any kind of pass rush for years now. #Browns offensive line in 2020: Pass blocking grade - 86.5 (1st) Poona Ford could receive more time there in 2021. Bosa and Ford's return to play alongside Arik Armstead could give the 49ers one of the best edge rotations in the NFL. Previously: 27th in NFL power rankings. Quinton Spain has played some of his best football, and there were other positive contributors, but not one member of the line played all 17 games, and the play of the backups has . The good news for them, as they look to secure the No. There just isnt much around him on Atlanta's defensive line. EDGE 1: 19.1% of overall score. pff.com. Bosas rate was even higher last season (23.5%) than his career average. Brian Burns and Haason Reddick each have over 40 pressures on the edge, and three interior rushers have cleared 20 each. The Bears are banking on Quinn to replicate his success in 2022. The Buffalo Bills remain on top, but their division rival New England Patriots are right behind them, with the Miami Dolphins ' improvement . Dupree will be asked to pick up a lot of that slack, but his pass-rushing stats didnt always accurately reflect his level of play in Pittsburgh. graded over 10 points higher as a run defender than as a pass rusher in 2020. He earned just a 30.0 run-defense grade in 2020. wont be easily replaced in the middle of New Yorks defensive line. Miami did just that, blitzing at a top-five rate of 41.2%. With the 2020 regular season officially over, Pro Football Focus has released its final offensive line rankings. But they did have several promising seasons from young defensive linemen, namely. ranked only 14th in team pressure rate, in part because there arent many above-average pass rushers on their roster. He was the beneficiary of a favorable defensive environment where teammates drew much of the attention from opposing offensive lines. The only interior defensive linemen worth more wins above replacement than Jones last season were Aaron Donald and Cam Heyward. He jumps off the snap like a dog that . Baltimore enjoyed incredible depth in the secondary heading into the year and yet is still down to players who are being called up to the active roster during the same week to cover top NFL receivers. Even with Miller at a level or two below his peak, Denver has a lot of talent up front. 2022 Basic Defensive Line Stats. 2019-20. As the Eagles embark on a short-term rebuild, one unit that still has elite potential is Philadelphias defensive line. But that step might not be as large as many expect. They still held up against an elite offense when they effectively stopped Green Bay from scoring in the second half in Week 16, but its just been less consistent than it was earlier in the season. Here are PFFs top defensive lines heading into the 2021 NFL season, with 3-4 outside linebackers included since they fall under the edge defender label. San Francisco has rescued its season and looks headed for the playoffs, even as a late-season injury to quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo throws some doubt into the equation. There are not enough superlatives in the football language guide to bestow on Donald. The defensive line is at the center of both the pass-rushing unit and the run-defense unit. Titans land in top 10 of Pro Football Focus' defensive line rankings. PFF also released its NFL offensive line rankings, and once again, San Francisco comes in at ninth. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. He improved his pass-rushing grade from 68.7 in an injury-plagued rookie season to 86.9 in 2020. This time last year, they were leading the league in pressure rate and threatening all-time marks for how often they were putting opposing quarterbacks under duress. Brown and Gross-Matos still have plenty of room to grow heading into 2021, but Burns already began to show signs of becoming one of the NFLs elite pass rushers last year. Nate Hobbs and Casey Hayward are both playing well, but teams have just found other players to target, with the linebackers and Johnathan Abram, in particular,being liabilities in coverage. Mike Zimmer is still capable of dialing up plays to get his defense off the field, he just cant hide the problems on all of the other downs. The Rams will have the worst defense in 2023 . Aside from that one-man wrecking crew, this defensive line has clear concerns heading into 2021. has been the least valuable defensive lineman in the NFL over the past two seasons, worth -0.22 wins above a replacement-level player over that span. However, their 2021 contributions may be limited due to Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison still being in place as the starters at defensive end. 26 Apr 2023 15:03:13 Those three all finished among the top 35 interior defenders in the NFL in overall grade last season. The Falcons will be eager to see better seasons from both Fowler and a healthy. Bell averaged 2.57 yards per route run in his final season in college. He was the most valuable edge defender in the league last season by PFF's, heading into 2021 but returns nose tackle. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS. Seattle isnt quite catastrophic at anything but is below average at almost everything. The Buccaneers ranked fifth in the NFL in team pressure rate (37.1%) and first in rushing yards allowed before contact per attempt (1.0). 2020-21. The 2021 first-round pick has shown obvious physical ability but is not the pass-rusher yet that Barrett is. The Football Team are extremely vulnerable to the pass in general, but on third downs this season, they are giving up a 129.0 passer rating, by far the worst mark in the NFL. Outside of Quinn, the next highest pressure total on the team is just 24, and the team ranks 27th in pressure rate overall. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. Youth is the theme across Carolinas defense. It's time to mention Ward in the same breath as the best. Dante Fowler Jr.s first year with the team was nowhere near what the Falcons were expecting when they signed him to a multi-year deal last offseason. And due to the Colts' inexperience on the edge, he may need to carry the unit next season. It was a unit that played both the run and pass at an elite level in 2020. Allen has already proven to be an effective pass rusher across the first two years of his career, earning pass-rushing grades between 70.0 and 75.0 in both 2019 and 2020. The team still has major personnel problems both at pass-rusher without Danielle Hunterand at cornerback, where four out of the top five players have allowed a 100.0-plus passer ratingthis season. Davenport has impressed when at full strength over the past two seasons, though. This ranking doesnt feel fair to Grady Jarrett. The Titans as a whole have been significantly better against the pass, ranking 11th in EPA per play allowed on passing plays, thanks largely to the play of those safeties. Luckily for the Giants, the interior defensive line was their deepest position group last year. Those three all finished among the top 35 interior defenders in the NFL in overall grade last season. Jalen Ramseys role this season is leading to arguably his finest NFL season to date, and his 87.3 PFF coverage grade is his best since he went to the AFC Championship game with Jacksonville in 2017. Against the run, they rank 29th in yards per attempt and 31st in EPA per play allowed. 1) Nick Chubb / Cleveland Browns PFF O-line Ranking: No. The concerns begin to arise on the edge. He finished with 18.5 sacks and was one of the few bright spots for the Bears in 2021. But it does now after his 50-pressure, breakout season in 2020. Bosa and Ford's return to play alongside, could give the 49ers one of the best edge rotations in the NFL. . There isnt a member of the unit with an overall PFF grade this season over 77.0, and just one full-time starter is even above 70.0. Philadelphias defensive line has consistently been one of the NFLs best at generating pressure without blitzing. , and his stat line in coverage includes an interception and, The strength of the Titans' defense is at the safety position, with both, The Colts have been a turnover machine for much of the season, with linebacker. has matched his contract with elite production. Ngakoue. Bengals defensive line. In this article, I will rank the top rookie running backs for your dynasty fantasy football rookie drafts. (30.2), to take big steps forward if their defensive line is to be anything other than the NFL's worst such unit again next season. The Broncos could very well have the best edge duo in the NFL with Bradley Chubb and Miller if Miller does return to 100%. 1 seed won't be active again until the Divisional Round, but once the . Xavier Mckinney is showing the talent that made him a second-round pick in 2020, intercepting five passes and grading well across the board. Several offseason additions on the interior such as Michael Brockers, Levi Onwuzurike and Alim McNeill along with the return of a healthy Trey Flowers should improve matters in 2021, but the Lions still have a ways to go to get back to average. Over the past month, the entire Atlanta defense has two fewer pressures than Aaron Donald has by himself. Jordan Davis | Georgia | 6'-6", 340 lbs Andrew's Overall Ranking: 16 2021 Stats: GP 14,T 32,TFL 5, Sacks 2, PD 1. As a result, its difficult to field a great defense with a below-average defensive line. His 22.0% pass-rush win rate since entering the league in 2016 is second to only Donald (23.4%). has seemingly gone from being overrated to underrated in the span of a few seasons. Befitting a 3-13-1 team that earned the No. Chaisson came on stronger down the stretch last season but recorded just a 9.2% pressure rate overall. Minnesota ranks 18th in successful play allowed rate overall but fourth on third down. This groups success next season will largely depend on the impact of younger players such as. Los Angeles will have to replace Michael Brockers, whose 5,658 regular-season snaps since joining the Rams in 2012 rank ninth among all players at the position. Houston Texans. Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams. YDS - Sack Yards. Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox, Javon Hargrave, Derek Barnett, Josh Sweat, and Hassan Ridgeway all return, all with the addition of free agent Ryan Kerrigan, along with draft picks, Milton Williams and Tarron Jackson. However, his pressure numbers are skewed toward sacks, where he has one of the best rates relative to pass-rushing snaps in the game. It was a stark contrast for a team that entered the 2020 season with a revamped offensive line that landed a top-10 ranking. Joey Bosa may be the best non-Aaron Donald pass rusher in the NFL. The Football Team are extremely vulnerable to the pass in general, but on third downs this season, they are giving up a 129.0 passer rating, by far the worst mark in the NFL. D.J . at the 3-technique position, but they're without any candidates they should feel comfortable with as things stand. Despite what his sack totals in recent seasons may suggest, is still the NFL's most dominant edge defender on a snap-for-snap basis. It should be a much-improved unit heading into next season. And Baltimore lost two of its best individual pass rushers . Rushing Leader: Jonathan Taylor, 1811 Yds. Denver ranks third in the league in touchdown drive rate and seventh in successful play rate as a defense. The concerns begin to arise on the edge. New Yorks top four pressure producers in 2020 were all interior defenders. Pittsburgh Steelers. The Packers' defense has struggled in recent weeks against some impressive offenses and some not-so-impressive offenses. Minnesota also brought in Dalvin Tomlinson in free agency. I think the ranking is based on total PFF score and then factoring in schedule and conference so I don't think it cares your WR room is injured. New York currently ranks 27th in aFPA to both the tight end and wide receiver positions, making the trio must-starts in Week 5. They did not make any upgrades across the defensive line. Thirty-four of Donald's pressures are from the past four games, too. The Raiders no longer lead the league in pressure rate. Gaillard posted a 83.2 pass blocking grade in the remaining 46 snaps . and has multiple defensive scores to his name. Clearly, this is not where a team paying two defensive linemen north of $20 million would like to be ranked. The Falcons are allowing a 107.1 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks despite having a cornerback in A.J. Special Teams . While Dallas' edge group features some promise, the team needs several interior players to take big steps forward. Those two players were the team's best defenders in 2020 but have combined for just 237 snaps this season. Sometimes they look excellent and cause real problems for opposing offenses, and on other occasions they little more than a speed-bump for the opposition. Dec 29, 2021. Cleveland ranked No. Brown and Gross-Matos still have plenty of room to grow heading into 2021, but Burns already began to show signs of becoming one of the NFLs elite pass rushers last year. New England invested heavily in improving that group this offseason, adding. Favorable Defensive Matchups Ravens vs . Its hard to separate the run that Miamis defense is on from the quarterbacks they have faced over that stretch. The Packers will need continued improvement from him next season opposite Smith. This groups success next season will largely depend on the impact of younger players such as L.J. The quarterbacks during the Dolphins 7 game win streak???? https://theeagleswire.usatoday.com/2021/06/08/philadelphia-eagles-defensive-line-rankings-pff-nfl/, Bills TE Dawson Knox on Buffalo potentially acquiring Zach Ertz. We saw it this offseason in Cincinnati. Detroits defensive line unit finished the 2020 season ranked 30th in PFF grade, ahead of only the Vikings and Texans. It'll be a different story in Tennessee, putting more pressure on Dupree to elevate his play. He ranks in the 82nd percentile of players at the position in pass-rush grade and in the 88th percentile of edge defenders in run-defense grade since 2019. EDGE 2: 14.5%. He is arguably the front-runner for Defensive Player of the Year, and he is now more of a one-man band compared to earlier in the year. Simmons 57 pressures, two behind Harold Landry for the team lead. considering what he accomplished as a pass rusher last season. this season. Whether the unit misses a beat in 2021 relies on Marcus Davenports health, which has been the opposite of reliable for much of his NFL career. Cornerback, The Lions certainly play hard for head coach Dan Campbell, but they dont necessarily play well, especially on defense. ago. 1 . The 2021 version should look significantly different , are expected to return from injury and an opt-out, respectively. The only interior defensive linemen worth more wins above replacement than Jones last season were, , on the other hand, has not, earning PFF grades of 63.3 and 54.3 in his two seasons with the team. next season. 2022 NFL Defensive Linemen Rankings. 1. All three have recorded at least 250 pressures since 2015 despite significant stretches of missed time due to injuries. NFL On the final stop of the PFF training camp tour, analyst Jordan Plocher reports on the Rams' QB situation and D-line. The biggest issues have come in coverage, where the Lions have allowed a 17.3% explosive pass rate, 30th in the NFL. Young finished the 2021 season as PFF's fourth-highest-graded run defender among the defensive line. He joins a group that already features. Although the Eagles could lose right guard Isaac Seumalo to free agency, their front five should keep rolling thanks to offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland. Chris Jones aligned back inside is a wrecking ball, amassing 58 pressures this season. Clearly, this is not where a team paying two defensive linemen north of $20 million . still running around here beating everybodys ass when discussing his return to form from an ankle injury that kept him out of the 2020 season. Joey Bosa is one of the best defensive linemen in the game, but lately, this defense hasnt been giving him enough help. While we at PFF have made the argument that coverage is more valuable than pass rush, elite pass rushers are more reliable from year to year than elite coverage defenders. He was the most valuable edge defender in the league last season by PFF's Wins Above Replacement metric, and he holds the same title across his three seasons with the Bears. from an opt-out. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. If the NFL played only third downs, the Vikings would be one of the league's best defense. If Fletcher Cox can return to dominance and Kerrigan can bring that same production, Philadelphia could move up the list. His inability to play up to the level he performed at in Seattle has left Kansas City thin along the defensive line beyond Jones, even after the team signed, a combined $23.7 million per year to improve this unit heading into the 2021 season. Things arent getting any better with Watt no longer in town. 5 on the list. The defensive line is no exception, with the Panthers expected to start Brian Burns, Derrick Brown and Yetur Gross-Matos next season. Mason Cole - Out (Hamstring) - Cole played 36 snaps in Week 1 before going down with the injury and was replaced by Lamont Gaillard. Ranking all 32 NFL defensive line units ahead of the 2021 season | PFF. Seattle isnt quite catastrophic at anything but is below average at almost everything. The team now has a pressure rate of just 20.2%, by far the lowest mark in the NFL. The Cowboys allowed 2.3 rushing yards before contact per attempt in 2020 a half yard more than any other defense in the NFL. , coming off an 88.3 overall grade in 2020, is one of the more underrated interior defenders in the NFL. New York proceeded to add Sheldon Rankins, Vinny Curry and Carl Lawson to the group in free agency, placing an emphasis on improving the unit. He joins a group that already features T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, Stephon Tuitt and Tyson Alualu, all of whom made PFFs list of the top 32 players at their respective positions entering the 2021 NFL season. They have the two best overall PFF grades on the unit, but Jeffery Simmons being able to turn it on and dominate up front has certainly been a factor in the defense's favor, as well. Both Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb are top-15 options in our half-PPR rankings while Dalton Schultz is beginning to truly run away as Dak Prescott's number one tight end option.