1 as Bobby Wagner finally dethroned Ranking the top 10 linebackers for the upcoming NFL season By Jordan Dajani Jun 28, 2022 at. AVG. 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. He recorded 122 combined tackles, four interceptions and a whopping eight forced fumbles, which led the league. 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. 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. 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. He set career highs across the board, notching 146 combined tackles, six QB hits and two interceptions. With that said, an elite linebacker does make a defense better there just arent that many of them in the league at this moment. Parsons actually finished No. Despite the inconsistent offense, the Chicago Bears had the No. Smith has recorded at least 101 combined tackles in each of his four NFL seasons, and his last two campaigns have been impressive. He signed a monster five-year, $95 million extension last July, and is worth it considering he's just 25. 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. Gay hasnt graded as well but possesses the characteristics to become a top linebacker. 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. 2021 Snaps: 82 They also signed linebacker Myles Jack and D-lineman Larry Ogunjobi. After missing most of the regular season, Dre Greenlaw came back for the end of the regular season and playoffs to form the perfect linebacker tandem with Warner. Projected contract: Two years, $18 million ($9M per year, $11.5 million total guaranteed), PFF Free Agency Rank: 55 All Rights Reserved. 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. s departure, and his 105 tackles were more than his first three seasons combined. The linebacker position in the game of football is one of the most important. January 18, 2023 8:22 pm ET. March 2, 2023 3:21 pm ET. More Stats. A quick thread on the most efficient coverage scheme for linebacker tackling since 2019, per @PFF: Cover-2 has allowed for >15% tackle efficiency for LBs since 2019 (average being 11-13%) acting as a true edge for #FFIDP leagues! He has yet to post a sub-70.0 grade, with three out of his four years coming in above 78.0. both project to be every-down linebackers on ideal defenses for expected production. There's no way he was going to get better, right? The Vikings also brought in the underrated Jordan Hicks from the Cardinals in free agency. Hes not only straight-line fast, but he also processes and reacts with elite quickness. 2021 PFF grade: 65.1 (T-23rd of 89). Turn on this feature to cross off players during your draft. Tindall is a true sideline-to-sideline linebacker. David also just put forth his worst season since 2016, posting a 72.3 grade. He may be coming off one of his worst statistical seasons in recent memory, but he also missed five games with injury. 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. The Rank value requires a minimum number of snaps played. 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. Kendricks is one of the games best coverage linebackers, able to consistently squeeze throwing lanes and make plays on the ball once its in the air. Sam Monson of PFF recently ranked the top linebackers in the NFL and organized them in tiers. Devin Lloyd and Nakobe Dean will be the talk of the class and likely the only two first-round linebacker prospects in 2022, but there's still a lot of talent at the position on Days 2 and 3 of the draft. Foyesade Oluokun, JAC: New team, new official scorer. 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. 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. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. On Tuesday, PFF's Seth Galina released his linebacker rankings for all 32 teams in the NFL. The Seahawks selected Cody Barton out of Utah with the No. 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. Brown has seen his play taper off after a really nice sophomore campaign in 2018 in which he posted an 81.2 grade. A position of concern and potential weakness heading into last season has become a real strength for Kansas City. Cole Holcomb, WAS: Impressive young linebacker who could see the numbers improve in 2022. He put forth a monster rookie season in 2019 but hasnt quite attained the same highs in subsequent seasons. Campbells ranking could justifiably be at the very top of this list or somewhere in the 30s, based on his career so far. The 2022 season was Longs first as a full-time starter at middle linebacker, but hes made the most of opportunities in the past. 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. 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. Denver let Alexander Johnson walk in free agency, which depleted this unit. His 94.1 run defense grade wasn't too far behindMicah Parsons (94.8) PFF college record. 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. Parsons took the NFL by storm in his rookie season, recording 84 combined tackles and a Dallas Cowboys rookie record 13 sacks. 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. 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. No. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. Long plays a downhill, attacking brand of football that helps him blow up a lot of plays but also makes him particularly susceptible to over-committing on play-action passes and missing tackles when he takes a poor pursuit angle. 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. The rest of 1A should surprise no one, with this group almost filling out the consensus top-five linebackers in ADP terms,. While Warner recorded a career-high 137 combined tackles (T-No. But neither player made the cut for the top 50, which hurts . 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. 16 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft as the second-youngest player in the overall class. He subsequently graded out to 76.5 in his first season. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. No linebacker corps gets its collective noses dirtier than the Patriots' unit. Jordyn Brooks is an ascending star who will get more snaps this year. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports. 8:44 am ET. That could be a problem for folks expecting the same numbers. For all the young players' struggles, there are a lot of promising linebackers who have the talent to become elite players at this level. Okereke stepped up in a major way in the absence of fellow off-ball linebacker Shaquille Leonard, with his 72.9 grade ranking 23rd at the position. Alex Anzalone and Chris Board are two depth players who start for the Lions. 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. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports. He has yet to post a sub-70.0 grade, with three out of his four years coming in above 78.0. Unfortunately, he took a bit of a step back from his All-Pro and Pro Bowls ways. 2021 PFF grade: 80.1 (3rd of 89). By Marc. 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 | PFF themselves had the Cowboys 2021 secondary in the top 10. 2021 Snaps: 712 He finished as the highest-graded linebacker in football, recording 140 tackles, two interceptions and a career-high six sacks. The Rams have a great defense, and the 32-year-old Wagner could find himself rejuvenated in 2022. Kansas City Chiefs News Chiefs' young linebacker unit breaks into top 10 in PFF rankings The Chiefs' top two linebackers are 22 (Bolton) and 24 (Gay), yet Pro Football Focus finds the. Projected contract: Two years, $10 million ($5M per year), $5.5 million total guaranteed, PFF Free Agency Rank: 163 So, who's the best off-ball linebacker in the NFL today? He put forth a monster rookie season in 2019 but hasnt quite attained the same highs in subsequent seasons. 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. 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. Speed and Matthew Adams late-round dart throws. Campbell recorded the second-highest PFF grade of any linebacker with an 85, and also was the second-highest graded linebacker in coverage with an 82.2. Typically, David is the ideal linebacker for IDP. That's still a very good grade, but there should be concerns about his age and a potential decline going forward. Okereke is a solid stand-in next to Leonard. 2021 Snaps: 323 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. Projected contract: Two years, $9.5 million ($4.75M per year), $5.25 million total guaranteed. Leonard is another example of how hard it is to earn those elite PFF grades each season, but he is a turnover machine when he is at his best. Van Noy also has the complicating factor of being one of the multiple linebackers who only seems to function at a high level within the New England Patriots defense. 2022 NFL linebacker unit rankings: Giants come in at 24 (PFF . Hes great at every aspect of linebacker play. He allowed 81.0% of passes thrown his way to be caught and missed 17 tackles in all. It's funny how taking a "small step backwards" for Wagner is being a second-team All-Pro, a Pro Bowler and setting a career high in tackles even while missing a game. Getting outside the . Mosley, Foye Oluokun. Research past fantasy performance with sortable player stats including PFF-exclusives like aDOT and fantasy points per opportunity. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. Still, the. Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Chicago Bears inside linebacker Roquan Smith (58) stares into the backfield during pre-game at Nissan Stadium. He might not even start this season. Then, he was named All-Pro again in 2020 with an AV of 14 for the second straight season. One of the best off-ball linebackers of his generation, David is still playing at an extremely high level and may benefit from, Okereke stepped up in a major way in the absence of fellow off-ball linebacker, The 2022 season was Tranquills first as a full-time starter following. He is a fantastic story of earning a job the hard way. 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. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports By Sam Monson May 24, 2022 Typically, David is the ideal linebacker for IDP. 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. Here's why that is important: PFF's Fantasy Football Expected Points tool is primarily used for identifying potential over and undervalued players. Campbells 90.4 tackling grade is his fifth straight such mark above 75.0, and that sure tackling goes a long way in Green Bay. And even though he hasnt quite been able to maintain an elite level of play every season, his impact on the field is obvious. The PFF grades aren't always right on point, but they do serve as a generally effective tool for comparisons . This was the last season that the conference used divisions in its football scheduling. Jewell also provides value on the occasional pass-rush snap and very rarely misses tackles. Across the three years prior to joining Green Bay, Campbell hadnt earned a grade higher than 56.6 in any season. After looking like he might be the next great linebacker earlier in his career. Honorable mentions: Tremaine Edmunds, Matt Milano, Logan Wilson, Shaq Thompson, Alexander Johnson, Deion JonesJeremiah Owusu-Koramoah,Zach Cunningham, Anthony Walker, C.J. Projected contract: Two years, $14.5 million ($7.25M per year), $8.5 million total guaranteed, PFF Free Agency Rank: 99 #1 - Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers LB Fred Warner The San. 17 linebacker in the NFL going into 2022, placing him in the "young. The folks over at PFF are going through the process of creating rankings and tiers for every position ahead of the 2022 NFL season. The Rams attacked the linebacker position this offseason, adding Bobby Wagner. Walker had a career year for the Browns in 2021, and his 78.2 PFF coverage grade was the highest of his career. Milano was a fifth-round draft pick back in 2017 but has dramatically outperformed his first-round teammate, Tremaine Edmunds, within the Buffalo defense. Rounding out the top-tier of linebackers. Hes earned himself a nice raise. Bolton, then a rookie, produced one of the highest individual grades for a linebacker. Plenty of well-known 'backers had coverage grades in the 30s this past season. 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. Oluokun is coming off a PFF run-defense grade of 44.0 and a coverage grade of 54.4. Last but certainly not least, Pratt also peaked at the right time, with his 90.1 overall grade since Week 8 the top mark among linebackers. Diggs had a high EPA and was an all pro who bad habits come from gambling. 4. Nevertheless, there were several interested teams last time he was a free agent he came very close to signing with theNew York Jetsbefore ultimately returning to Minnesota so it seems defensive coaches think they can find a way to put him in positions to succeed and utilize his athletic ability. Vander Esch has had an up and down first four years in the NFL, but the talent that made him a first-round pick in 2018 still flashes on occasion and will certainly draw attention.