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 | According to Stathead's AV tool, Leonard was tied in having the second-best season of any linebacker last year. Lloyd, who earned a 90.0-plus grade at Utah in 2021, does look set to start. 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. 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. The 49ers applied the second-round restricted free agent tender at a price tag of $3.986 million to Al-Shaair for the 2022 season, perhaps illustrating that they feared he would get signed to an offer sheet elsewhere if they went with the right of first refusal tender. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports. His 94.1 run defense grade wasn't too far behindMicah Parsons (94.8) PFF college record. You don't do what he did in his rookie season if you aren't a star. 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. Login or Register Projections: QB | RB | WR | TE | K | DEF | DL | LB | DB Consequently, the list of consistently elite players is far shorter than for other positions, and there is much more volatility in this position group. By Marc. Although Parsons didn't walk away from the 2022 season with hardware to show off for his accomplishments in 2022 the way he did in his rookie season in 2021, Parsons continues to . PFFs Fantasy Strength of Schedule (SoS) metric provides a league-wide, season-long view of opponent matchups for each fantasy position. The redshirt junior is a dominant run-stuffer, as his 49 run-defense stops in 2022 ranked second among all linebackers in the country while his 20 tackles for loss/no-gain were tied for third. Then there's the added bonus of playing behind Aaron Donald, who draws all the attention at the offensive line, opening up room for the linebackers for clean tackle opportunities. 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. It's good news, then,. But in a vacuum, Much of this unit's potential lies with third-round rookie. He was. He was everything for the Green Bay defense, and while he might be the next linebacker to rejuvenate his career with a new team ( la Demario Davis), he very well could also be a one-hit wonder. Jerome Baker, MIA: I love Baker this season as a Top 15-20 sleeper. No linebacker recorded more coverage snaps than Warner in all of 2021. It's also noteworthy that David is good in coverage, something other linebackers can struggle with. 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. Andersen is a converted running back and quarterback who, in his lone full season at linebacker, racked up an absurd 67 stops. Wagner is no longer with the Seattle Seahawks, signing with the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Ramsthis offseason. Those tools caused Edwards to go undrafted despite an excellent college career, and he had to fight his way into a starting job by excelling in the preseason and on special teams. This ranking may be a surprise after the Seahawks lost future Hall of Famer. 2021 Snaps: 82 3 min read. ECR VS. ADP. 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?. 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. Singleton has had quite the career path to this point, finally reaching unrestricted free agency ahead of the 2023 season after entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent of the Seattle Seahawks in 2015. 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. The rest of 1A should surprise no one, with this group almost filling out the consensus top-five linebackers in ADP terms,. Anthony Brown is an okay slot and Kelvin Joseph was actually the highest rated CB. 2021 Snaps: 1,148 . PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. 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 . Bolton, then a rookie, produced one of the highest individual grades for a linebacker. A new defensive coordinator and scheme will help him, though. His 913 snaps for the Raiders last season was a career-high mark and more than doubled his previous best. With all that said, let's jump in. No linebacker corps gets its collective noses dirtier than the Patriots' unit. 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. 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 have a great defense, and the 32-year-old Wagner could find himself rejuvenated in 2022. Age: 28. 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. In his recent post on linebackers, PFF's Sam Monson ranked Nick Bolton No. For all the young players' struggles, there are a lot of promising linebackers who have the talent to become elite players at this level. 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. In this article, I list my top 20 rookie linebacker rankings for your IDP dynasty leagues. He finished as the highest-graded linebacker in football, recording 140 tackles, two interceptions and a career-high six sacks. 2021 PFF grade: 43.7 (71st of 89). Las Vegas brings in Jayon Brown from the Titans to play alongside Denzel Perryman. After looking like he might be the next great linebacker earlier in his career. Lavonte David is still one of the best linebackers in the game . His elite run-stopping ability was on display against the Packers in the divisional round, too. Recently, Seth Galina from PFF ranked all 32 linebacker units in the league. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. With that said, an elite linebacker does make a defense better there just arent that many of them in the league at this moment. He at least improved upon his 29.7 grade as a rookie with a 43.5 mark in Year 2. The main contributors to a linebackers IDP success are the volume of defensive snaps combined with playing in zone-heavy defenses, which rack up tackles more efficiently. Better luck with his health led to a respectable 63.8 overall grade and 72.6 pass-rush grade in 2021. A position of concern and potential weakness heading into last season has become a real strength for Kansas City. Here are the top off-ball linebackers slated to hit free agency in 2022. 11 among linebackers,) his AV of 8 was tied for No. Gay hasnt graded as well but possesses the characteristics to become a top linebacker. Now its just a matter of how nice itll be. They spent a lot of money on Roquan Smith at the linebacker spot, [so] why not bring in another Georgia guy?" . Harris is one of the most physical linebackers in the class who relishes the ability to hit anyone on the other side of the ball. 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. Across the three years prior to joining Green Bay, Campbell hadnt earned a grade higher than 56.6 in any season. Projected contract: Two years, $14.5 million ($7.25M per year), $8.5 million total guaranteed, PFF Free Agency Rank: 99 A couple of former Clemson stars made this ranking of the NFL's top wide receivers from the 2022 regular season. I also gave a target round for your rookie drafts, these are just suggestions as all drafts are different. JaWhaun Bentley is a hard-nosed player like his counterpart Mack Wilson. That flexibility is tremendously valuable to the Dallas defense, but Parsons could take his game to another level if he shows development off the ball in Year 2. Just 25, he's on his way. Patrick Surtain II has been quite literally living up to his name as an elite cornerback and has helped the Denver Broncos maintain their position as a top-tier defense even after trading away their star edge rusher. Their tackle efficiency and every-down roles make them the most coveted players at the position. The 2022 season was Longs first as a full-time starter at middle linebacker, but hes made the most of opportunities in the past. According to training camp reports, that is paying off big time for the Eagles. Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers middle linebacker Fred Warner (54) lines up over Green Bay Packers center Josh Myers (71) during the first quarter at Levi's Stadium. The 12th. Final Season Stats. Leighton Vander Esch has not lived up to the hype he created for himself after a monstrous rookie season, and so we may see another linebacker eventually fill in for him. 70 & No.71 on PFF's Top-101 players for the 2022 NFL season. In 10 seasons, he has been named an All-Pro eight times, made the Pro Bowl eight times and led the NFL in tackles twice. Typically, David is the ideal linebacker for IDP. With the new league year just around the corner, it's time for all 32 NFL teams to turn their attention to NFL free agency in a bid to improve their rosters for a new campaign. 5 overall pick recorded 128 combined tackles, a career-high 18 QB hits in 2021 and earned his first Pro Bowl selection this past season. Seahawks LB Jordyn Brooks ranked No. Subscribe to Sign Up 1. Here are the top free agents at linebacker, taken from PFF's free agency rankings. He missed just two tackles in coverage and allowed only four explosive receptions. Here are the best available players remaining heading into Day 2 of the 2022 NFL draft. 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. Although Wagner might be on the downswing of a great career, this unit could push for a top-five spot by the season's end if he rebounds after a poor 2021. 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. 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. 16 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft as the second-youngest player in the overall class. One of the five highest-graded linebackers last season in his first year with Carolina, Luvu is another Demario Davis trajectory candidate. These power rankings are adjusted based on coach, quarterback and the market each season. 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. Parsons actually finished No. Okereke was particularly stout against the run, with his 13 defensive stops against the run tied for the 13th most. 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. AVG. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. Bobby Wagner may surprise some based on his age. White has had four straight seasons with coverage grades above 60.0, which is not an easy feat for an off-ball linebacker in todays NFL against so many hi-lo concepts and the increase in run-pass options putting a ton of stress on the position. Its a rebuilt Jaguars linebacking corps after losing. Projected contract: Two years, $14 million ($7M per year, $9 million total guaranteed), PFF Free Agency Rank: 61 Getting outside the . 1 as Bobby Wagner finally dethroned Ranking the top 10 linebackers for the upcoming NFL season By Jordan Dajani Jun 28, 2022 at. Why drafting Dallas Cowboys LB Micah Parsons among the top-12 may not be the best decision. In 2019 and 2021 with the Ravens, he graded out to 80.0 and 74.8, respectively. New: Draft Mode! White landed with the Philadelphia Eagles on a one-year, $3 million flier last offseason after his market didnt pan out too well. Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. 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. Turn on this feature to cross off players during your draft. He started in 16 games after starting in only 11 total in his previous three NFL seasons. 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. 2021 Snaps: 679 Honorable mentions: Tremaine Edmunds, Matt Milano, Logan Wilson, Shaq Thompson, Alexander Johnson, Deion JonesJeremiah Owusu-Koramoah,Zach Cunningham, Anthony Walker, C.J. The transition from college football to the NFL used to be smooth for linebackers, but even elite prospects can now struggle in Year 1. 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. for the folks who say Micah Parsons is an edgethere were four games where he played basically edge only because of injuries, and the rest of the games he was predominantly an off-ball linebackerMicah Parsons is a linebacker who can play edge defender pic.twitter.com/rcjJlM00MS. 7 ranking in Pro Football Focus' list of the top 25 safeties of the 2022 . 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. Milano was a fifth-round draft pick back in 2017 but has dramatically outperformed his first-round teammate, Tremaine Edmunds, within the Buffalo defense. 2021 Snaps: 712 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 . The Penn State product ranked No. That hypothetical AAV of $17.6 million would make Smith the third highest-paid linebacker in the NFL. 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. Something to note is that 3-4 pass-rushers will not appear on this list. 14 overall linebacker with a 72.3 PFF grade, and the No. 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. It had been three full seasons since his best play, and that best play was nowhere near elite. Jewell missed almost all of 2021 due to injury but is a run-stuffing force when on the field. The Saints had been looking for someone to play the linebacker position opposite him for years and seem to have found one in Pete Werner, who was outstanding as a rookie in 2021. 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. 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. Click here for PFF's full list of top 100 free agents. The Rank value requires a minimum number of snaps played. Gary Cosby Jr./USA TODAY Sports (Dean); Jasen Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports (Ojabo) 1. The grades for the Detroit Lions in their 9-8 campaign offer up an analytically-based glimpse of how the Lions performed. Teams are afraid to throw at Surtain, and he has one of the lowest target totals among . He had a career year, helping turn around the Eagles' defense with the second-best grade among off-ball linebackers (84.4). 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. Rookie Devin Lloydand sophomore Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah both project to be every-down linebackers on ideal defenses for expected production. s departure, and his 105 tackles were more than his first three seasons combined. San Francisco 49ers Projected Starters: Dee Ford, Javon Kinlaw, Arik Armstead, Nick Bosa The 49ers breed defensive linemen. Hes great at every aspect of linebacker play. Zach Cunningham, if nothing else, stops the run. NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler. PFF themselves had the Cowboys 2021 secondary in the top 10. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. He put forth a monster rookie season in 2019 but hasnt quite attained the same highs in subsequent seasons. Give him the freedom to play fast, and he'll excel. While Warner recorded a career-high 137 combined tackles (T-No. Campbells ranking could justifiably be at the very top of this list or somewhere in the 30s, based on his career so far. Therefore, they are included in our defensive line rankings despite dropping into coverage at times. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. A position of concern and potential weakness heading into last season has become a real strength for Kansas City. 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. He subsequently graded out to 76.5 in his first 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. The first week of March will see the NFL Combine which will be followed by College Pro Days. 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. 1 on our list. The top 10 linebackers in NFL currently are dynamic weapons and reliable leaders. heading into 2022, here's how each team's linebacking corps stacks up. He is a truly freakish athlete and will be 25 years old throughout his entire sixth NFL season in 2023 after being selected No. 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. Nick Bolton and Willie Gay are two young linebackers who came on strong last season. After Warner's monster 2020 campaign, we thought he could be the No. He told us last week that 15 sacks are the "minimum" in 2022. 9 linebacker in coverage with a 73.9. With that in mind, some of these units have fewer members than others. You are not logged in. He allowed 81.0% of passes thrown his way to be caught and missed 17 tackles in all. He was All-Pro just one year ago, and has been a leader for this Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense since the days when the franchise was going 2-14. Here's why that is important: PFF's Fantasy Football Expected Points tool is primarily used for identifying potential over and undervalued players. The 1B tier has just as much going for them, with zone-heavy defenses, expected positive tackle efficiency and an every-down roles. The Jaguars replaced Jack with Oluokun, who also has outstanding physical traits. His 18 quarterback pressures ranked fourth among off-ball linebackers, as Patriots head coach Bill Belichick continued to deploy the 6-foot-3, 260-pounder all over the place in his constantly evolving defense. 3 Rams make PFF's top 101 players of 2022 Teams AFC East Bills Dolphins Jets Patriots AFC North Bengals Browns Ravens Steelers AFC South Colts Jaguars Texans Titans AFC West Broncos Chargers. A pair of Seahawks came in at No. 10. Projected contract: Two years, $10 million ($5M per year), $5.5 million total guaranteed, PFF Free Agency Rank: 163 Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. PFF's top linebackers in the 2023 NFL Draft 1. 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. Rashaan Evans and Mykal Walker are solid players, though, and the team will hope that rookie Troy Andersen can make an early impact. Since 2020, the Colts linebacker has twice the number of forced fumbles of any other off-ball linebacker, and he has four interceptions and eight pass breakups over that time. He has yet to post a sub-70.0 grade, with three out of his four years coming in above 78.0. Hes not only straight-line fast, but he also processes and reacts with elite quickness. 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. Cody Barton is another interesting player who will finally get a chance to start this season. 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. Roquan Smith has had an up-and-down NFL career so far, and the team will be hoping he can bounce back from a 47.1 grade last season. Hes a high-upside player now playing with a future Hall of Famer. 6 in the NFL in sacks and No. Projected contract: One year, $6 million, $4.5 million guaranteed, PFF Free Agency Rank: 75 4. Jayron Kearse was a top 10 strong safety by their own metric. Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers The 49ers struck gold when they drafted Warner in the third round in 2018. 3) Demario Davis, New Orleans Saints. 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. The Vikings also brought in the underrated Jordan Hicks from the Cardinals in free agency. 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. Oluokun is coming off a PFF run-defense grade of 44.0 and a coverage grade of 54.4. 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. Projected contract: Two years, $18 million ($9M per year, $11.5 million total guaranteed), PFF Free Agency Rank: 55 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). PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. Drafting Quay Walker out of Georgia in the first round also helps the Packers' cause. 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 Jordyn Brooks is an ascending star who will get more snaps this year. NFL NFL Home Tools NFL Scores NFL Premium Stats NFL Player Grades Free Agent Rankings QB Annual 2022 In 2022, he boasted a pass . He tallied a career-high six pass breakups in 2022. However, Georgia wide receiver Kearis Jackson is not ranked in Pro Football Focus' NFL draft big board rankings. The Ravens are still looking for that breakout year from Patrick Queen after two subpar seasons. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports. He even hit 107 combined tackles in 2020 despite playing in just 11 games! 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. 6-keys: media/spln/nfl/reg/free/stories, By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the. Then, he was named All-Pro again in 2020 with an AV of 14 for the second straight season. The following tiers reflect which players are in the best situations to produce they're ranked based on the likelihood of doing so every single week. Its hard to overstate Fred Warners effect on the 49ers' defense in their run to the NFC championship in 2021. Tae Crowder and Micah McFadden will look to compete for the spot opposite Martinez. His 2021 campaign wasn't his best, but he seems like a player that's just going to get better, and someone who could end up becoming the next Lavonte David for the Bucs. 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. 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. Despite what PFF says, I don't think there are that many more linebackers who are better in coverage than Kendricks. Its a rebuilt Jaguars linebacking corps after losing Myles Jack to the Steelers. 15 overall among NFL linebackers.Bolton was in his sixth tier, which was reserved for "young ascending" players at the linebacker position. There's no way he was going to get better, right? Perryman was looking for a new contract heading into 2022 but ultimately played out the year, earning a strong 80.5 run-defense grade. The transition from college football to the NFL used to be smooth for linebackers, but even elite prospects can now struggle in Year 1. And Davis has been outstanding in all areas since moving to the New Orleans defense. Leonard was a beast in stopping the run, as his 91.1 PFF run defense grade was second among all defenders in 2021 -- not just linebackers. Only Micah Parsons graded out higher than Werner among first-year linebackers last season.