Parsons is versatile, smart and instinctive. 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?. This is likely a polarizing selection. 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. Monson ranked Long, who has been an absolute steal since being drafted in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL draft, as the No. Hes the complete package for a modern off-ball linebacker. In Eric Kendricks, the Vikings have had a superb all-around linebacker for years. Offensive Line | Quarterback | Backfield | Pass-Catcher | Secondary | Linebackers | Special Teams) 2022 NFL Defensive Line Rankings Below is every team ranked 1-32 by how their defensive line shapes up for 2022. San Francisco 49ers in PFF top 101 players of 2022 His PFF run-defense grade over the last two seasons has been in the 30s, and last seasons 47.1 overall grade was the worst of his NFL career. Teams are afraid to throw at Surtain, and he has one of the lowest target totals among . 2021 PFF grade: 80.1 (3rd of 89). on Pro Football Focus' Top-100 players of 2022 rankings. 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. 2022 NFL linebacker unit rankings: Giants come in at 24 (PFF . In today's NFL, few positions have become as difficult to play as off-ball linebacker. I also gave a target round for your rookie drafts, these are just suggestions as all drafts are different. NFL NFL Home Tools NFL Scores NFL Premium Stats NFL Player Grades Free Agent Rankings QB Annual 2022 Al-Shaair missed a lot of time in 2022 but earned a career-best 67.8 overall grade and 79.7 run-defense grade. 1. He set career highs across the board, notching 146 combined tackles, six QB hits and two interceptions. 2021 PFF grade: 60.4 (30th of 89). 1 linebacker according to PFF, with a grade of 89.7. is likely another surprise player based on where he tends to go in drafts, but dont let the age fool you. After sitting out in 2020, C.J. NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler. Tremaine Edmunds has not quite lived up to expectations, but hes still young and can grow into a good player. However, Dean played his role at an elite level, ranking 10th among all corners graded by PFF. 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. Al-Shaair is in line to get paid as a free agent after teammatesFred Warner and Dre Greenlawfind themselves among the 16 highest-paid off-ball linebackers in the NFL. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. Linebacker Rankings: The 32 best LBs entering the 2021 NFL season - PFF the star of the Colts' defense has been rock solid since exploding onto the scene as a rookie. Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers The 49ers struck gold when they drafted Warner in the third round in 2018. 2021 PFF grade: 65.1 (T-23rd of 89). Best Bets Tool, PFF Free Agency Rank: 27 Mosley endured the worst-graded season of his NFL career. Though he's 32 years old, David hasn't taken a major step backwards just yet. If you go back and watch him play throughout his rookie season, you'll not only see a talented pass-rusher, but a good linebacker that can read and react quickly. 2021 Snaps: 1,148 The Rams have a great defense, and the 32-year-old Wagner could find himself rejuvenated in 2022. Chicago signed Nicholas Morrow from Las Vegas to fill the spot next to Smith for 2022. 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. 2022 NFL Free Agency Rankings: Linebackers - PFF Smith is a complete athletic projection. 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). Thompson was back to his best in coverage this past season, posting a 74.5 PFF grade in that area, his best mark since his sophomore season. But in a vacuum, Drue Tranquill and Kenneth Murray are just not good enough players. despite dropping into coverage at times. There's no telling what he could be with more reps at the position. Parsons actually finished No. Edmunds also missed just 6.5% of potential tackles, the lowest rate of his career and another huge sign of continued growth from a football intelligence and play recognition standpoint. In 2021, Davis was given a career-high AV of 15 while again being named an All-Pro after he recorded 105 combined tackles, 13 tackles for loss and three sacks. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports By Sam Monson May 24, 2022 Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Here's why that is important: PFF's Fantasy Football Expected Points tool is primarily used for identifying potential over and undervalued players. This was the last season that the conference used divisions in its football scheduling. 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. Bentley improved considerably in his second season as a full-time player, as his 68.1 overall grade was almost 15 points better than his 2020 overall grade. Tranquill is coming off a career year in L.A. The scheme plays a part in them making some plays. On Tuesday, PFF's Seth Galina released his linebacker rankings for all 32 teams in the NFL. Warner had a transformative effect on the 49ers defense when he became the starter. It's good news, then,. 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. Some of the players in this group have been All-Pro caliber linebackers in the past, but Jones is coming off a PFF grade in the 30s after once looking like the next great young linebacker in the league. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. 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. That's still a very good grade, but there should be concerns about his age and a potential decline going forward. 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. 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. Its a rebuilt Jaguars linebacking corps after losing. PFF's top 101 NFL players has top five ranking for former Nittany Lion 2022 NFL Linebacker Rankings and Tiers 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. 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 started in 16 games after starting in only 11 total in his previous three NFL seasons. 2021 Snaps: 679 Zach Cunningham, if nothing else, stops the run. Cunningham is one of the most run-focused linebackers in the game, but his PFF coverage grade has declined throughout his career, dripping from average at best to outright poor over the last two seasons. Perhaps no player better sums up the volatility of linebacker play than the newly minted All-Pro, De'Vondre Campbell. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports. 2022 stats (Chargers): 5 sacks, 146 tackles, 1 forced fumble. Wilson showed in the playoffs that he could finally have answered a real problem area for the Cincinnati Bengals, showing up with multiple excellent PFF game grades and making plays in coverage. Seahawks LB Jordyn Brooks ranked No. 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! Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. The grades for the Detroit Lions in their 9-8 campaign offer up an analytically-based glimpse of how the Lions performed. He had been one of the more consistent players at the position in the NFL, and so theres a chance he regains his form. Next to him is the underrated Josh Bynes, who returned to Baltimore in 2021 after one season in Cincinnati. Jack is now trying to reboot his career in Pittsburgh after suffering similar ill-fortune in Jacksonville. Here's the top 10 entering the 2022 season: 1. But in a vacuum, Much of this unit's potential lies with third-round rookie. Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David (54) reacts after a play against the Carolina Panthers in the fourth quarter at Raymond James Stadium. That could be a problem for folks expecting the same numbers. at As stated in the article, Galina only included true off-ball . The best linebackers in todays league are elite coverage players, but they can also affect the game in other ways. The Rams attacked the linebacker position this offseason, adding. Typically, David is the ideal linebacker for IDP. He had a career year, helping turn around the Eagles' defense with the second-best grade among off-ball linebackers (84.4). 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. According to training camp reports, that is paying off big time for the Eagles. He might not even start this season. Alex Anzalone and Chris Board are two depth players who start for the Lions. 2021 Snaps: 987 All of this culminates with the 2022 NFL Draft from Las Vegas, Nevada on Thursday, April 28th. Dynasty Rookie Draft Primer: Tight Ends (2023 Fantasy Football) Bobby Wagner may surprise some based on his age. 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. 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. 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. 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). Typically, David is the ideal linebacker for IDP. Kansas City Chiefs linebacker group ranked as 9th-best in NFL by PFF The six players in the 1A tier figure to be the favorites to post the highest tackle numbers in the league based on their expected role in their defenses. NFL Linebacker Rankings for 2022 - AthlonSports.com From Week 9 of 2020 through Jewells injury in Week 2 of this season, his 79.8 overall grade ranked fourth among off-ball linebackers and his 79.5 coverage grade ranked fifth. 2023 NFL Free Agent Rankings: Linebacker - pff.com Losing Kyle Van Noy, the highest-graded coverage linebacker in 2021, will hurt. Expect both young studs to push for 140-plus combined tackles, if healthy. 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. After looking like he might be the next great linebacker earlier in his career. 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. 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. Okereke is a solid stand-in next to Leonard. Linebacker Rankings: 2022 Regular Season - FF Today With Oluokun one of the few young players available, a market could develop for him that exceeds expectations. Edmunds is just 24 years old and entering his fifth NFL season. However, Georgia wide receiver Kearis Jackson is not ranked in Pro Football Focus' NFL draft big board rankings. There are also linebackers who are at their best in coverage, which is useful for todays NFL. Brown has seen his play taper off after a really nice sophomore campaign in 2018 in which he posted an 81.2 grade. With that said, an elite linebacker does make a defense better there just arent that many of them in the league at this moment. Still, its an interesting group because of Ernest Jones, especially after his very good Super Bowl performance as he came back from an injury-plagued season. Unfortunately, he took a bit of a step back from his All-Pro and Pro Bowls ways. 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. Projected contract: Two years, $14.5 million ($7.25M per year), $8.5 million total guaranteed, PFF Free Agency Rank: 99 For all the young players' struggles, there are a lot of promising linebackers who have the talent to become elite players at this level. Over the past three seasons, his 19.8% pass-rush win rate and 23.8% pressure rate are both the second-best marks among off-ball linebackers with at least 100 pass-rush snaps over the span. He has not graded above 70.0 since. 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. In 2022, he boasted a pass . 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 The ACC consisted of 14 members in two divisions. Plenty of well-known 'backers had coverage grades in the 30s this past season. Kendricks' grade did falter in 2021 a 59.9 mark that was down from 82.6 and 90.1 the past two years, respectively. 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 | The Penn State product ranked No. NFL's top 10 linebackers in 2022 - sportskeeda.com That hypothetical AAV of $17.6 million would make Smith the third highest-paid linebacker in the NFL. 8 in total pressures. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports. 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. 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. 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. 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. Linebacker Rankings: 2022 Regular Season, Updated: 9/1/2022 Want Custom Fantasy Scoring? The league may be trending ever more toward the passing game, but there is still a place in the NFL for linebackers who are excellent run defenders first and foremost. He told us last week that 15 sacks are the "minimum" in 2022. 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. Campbell is a one-year wonder at the moment, but that year was All-Pro caliber and the most recent thing we have seen from him. 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. His All-Pro season in 2019 was special, but some might have thought it was just a one-year thing. Drue Tranquill. 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. Research past fantasy performance with sortable player stats including PFF-exclusives like aDOT and fantasy points per opportunity. Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) runs the ball against Green Bay Packers inside linebacker De'Vondre Campbell (59) during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. 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. His 75.9 grade two years marked a career high. PFF ranks 49ers Fred Warner as the top linebacker in the NFL According to PFF's Sam Monson, the 49ers have the best linebacker in the NFL and another top-20 player at the position. Chiefs' Nick Bolton ranked in PFF's 'young ascending' linebacker tier March 2, 2023 3:21 pm ET. One of the five highest-graded linebackers last season in his first year with Carolina, Luvu is another Demario Davis trajectory candidate. PFF ranked him as one of the 30 best players in the NFL last season, which he certainly was. 14 overall linebacker with a 72.3 PFF grade, and the No. 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. Parsons was the No. Sam Monson of PFF recently ranked the top linebackers in the NFL and organized them in tiers. Muma was one of the most productive defenders in all of college football in 2021, generating 68 total defensive stops, three picks and 21 pressures for the Cowboys. 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. Linebacker Rankings 2022 NFL Draft Home Positions LB ALL QUARTERBACK RUNNING BACK WIDE RECEIVER TIGHT END OFFENSIVE LINE DEFENSIVE LINE EDGE LINEBACKER DEFENSIVE BACK #1 RANKED - SCOUTING REPORT 17 Nakobe Dean POSITION RANK #1 OUR RATING 90.4 ILB All Scouts Average Overall Rank 20.8 All Scouts Average Position Rank 2 Height Feet 6-0 Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia . 1 on our list. The linebacker position in the game of football is one of the most important. 2022 NFL Draft prospects: Ranking top inside linebackers in this year's Galina ranked the Colts at No. ECR VS. ADP. 2021 PFF grade: 53.0 (50th of 89). The 12th. NFL Defensive Line Rankings 2022 - ftnfantasy.com Here are the best available players remaining heading into Day 2 of the 2022 NFL draft. Here are the top off-ball linebackers slated to hit free agency in 2022. AVG. Okereke is a solid stand-in next to Leonard. This group could rank much higher by the end of next season. 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. Kendricks is another well-rounded linebacker that can cover, as his 73.8 PFF coverage grade ranked No. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. 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. However, he earned an additional $500,000 in incentives along with a trip to the Super Bowl, so it couldve been worse, all things considered. Only Micah Parsons graded out higher than Werner among first-year linebackers last season. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah put together a great rookie season transitioning from more of an out-of-the-box linebacker at Notre Dame to an in-box linebacker. Edwards has posted 75.0 grades or better in two of his three NFL seasons and is one of the more underrated players in the league. 2021 Snaps: 712 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. His 94.1 run defense grade wasn't too far behindMicah Parsons (94.8) PFF college record. The Seahawks selected Cody Barton out of Utah with the No. Anthony Brown is an okay slot and Kelvin Joseph was actually the highest rated CB. 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. 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. Dean's range at the linebacker position is unparalleled in this draft class. NFL Linebacker Rankings 2022 - ftnfantasy.com Its a rebuilt Jaguars linebacking corps after losing Myles Jack to the Steelers. 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. 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. Still, the Rams ranked fourth in the NFL last season in zone coverages (82.60%). Speed and Matthew Adams late-round dart throws. Seven 49ers listed on PFF Top 101 Players of 2022 ranking Best Linebackers in the NFL 2022: Fred Warner, Bobby Wagner and Demario While Warner recorded a career-high 137 combined tackles (T-No. The 2022 Atlantic Coast Conference football season, part of the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season, was the 70th season of college football played for the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). He packs a punch as a downhill player, as he can light up offensive linemen with ease. 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 . Projected contract: Two years, $9.5 million ($4.75M per year), $5.25 million total guaranteed. 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. 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 may be coming off one of his worst statistical seasons in recent memory, but he also missed five games with injury. He ended up making the Pro Bowl by logging a career-high 863 snaps and racking up 121 tackles and 61 defensive stops. 2022 NFL linebacker unit rankings: San Francisco 49ers claim the top spot, Seattle Seahawks crack the top 10 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. PFF names 7 Ohio State players as top 10 returning at their position 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. Rounding out the top-tier of linebackers, Lavonte David is likely another surprise player based on where he tends to go in drafts, but dont let the age fool you. Login or Register Projections: QB | RB | WR | TE | K | DEF | DL | LB | DB 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. 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. The Jaguars replaced Jack with Oluokun, who also has outstanding physical traits. 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. At age 30, Kendricks should again be one of the best middle linebackers in the NFL in 2022. Lloyd can take on blocks, blitz and cover tight ends at a high level, which is why he earned a 90.2 grade this year with above-average grades in every facet. Seahawks only have one player in PFF's top-40 graded edge defenders Teams AFC East Bills Dolphins Jets Patriots AFC North Bengals Browns Ravens Steelers AFC South Colts Jaguars Texans Titans AFC. 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. PFF predicts Bears will sign three top-50 free agents originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago. The only season in which he did not record at least 100 tackles was his rookie campaign, when he missed two games. . NFL Draft 2022: Best Available Players For Day 2 Its hard to overstate Fred Warners effect on the 49ers' defense in their run to the NFC championship in 2021. Both players posted the highest grades of their career, helping the Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance. PFF says the Eagles may have gotten the biggest steal of the 2022 NFL Oluokun leads the way for a very underwhelming free-agent class at off-ball linebacker, though his timing of reaching unrestricted free agency could work out nicely in his favor. In May, Sam Monson of PFF ranked as the league's No.16 linebacker coming into the 2022 NFL season. 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. 1 as Bobby Wagner finally dethroned Ranking the top 10 linebackers for the upcoming NFL season By Jordan Dajani Jun 28, 2022 at. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS.