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. 17 Reasons why Jordan is greater than Lebron, 16 Reasons why Lebron is greater than Jordan, The 18 greates Coaches in College Football History, The Top 21 Offensive Linemen in NFL History, The Top 10 Seattle Mariners of all Time, 19 undeniable Lies in Disney's Remember the Titans, If you enjoy hearing from the legends of pro sports, then be sure to tune into The Grueling Truth sports shows, Where the legends speak. 5. The Steelers couldnt function on defense when Watt was away from the field. section: | slug: 2023-nfl-free-agency-lb-market-breaking-down-top-players-at-edge-inside-and-outside-linebacker-positions | sport: football | route: article_single.us | 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. He went from having a one-year contract worth $2 million to signing a five-year deal that carries an AAV of $10 million! We have seen elite play from the seventh-year pro, but we've not nearly seen enough of it, given his physical talents. Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. While Parsons proved to be a stud pass-rusher, some had questions about his coverage ability coming into the league. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'fanrankings_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_5',131,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fanrankings_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0'); For new posts and be up to date to win $50 to Fanatics or Amazon. Even while playing with talented teammates Nick Bosa, DeForest Bucker and Richard Sherman, Warner has been the straw that stirs the drink. Kendricks is one of the game's best coverage linebackers, able to consistently squeeze throwing lanes and make plays on the ball once it's in the air. Edwards has shown that as much as linebacker is one of the most athletic-traits-driven positions in football, prospects with marginal physical tools can still become solid NFL starters. Ware recorded 138.5 sacks over his NFL career while forcing 35 fumbles and intercepting three passes. Rank below to be added in the Power Rankings and to have a chance to win a gift card to LAZADA, Amazon. 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. 1 linebacker on this list entering 2022. What we know is that as a linebacker you need to be strong as hell, fast as hell, and mean as hell. Suggs was a key member of a Ravens defense that ranked near the top in each defensive category over the past 20 NFL seasons. Since being drafted in 2018, Smith has arguably been the league's best tackler at the position, leading all off-ball 'backers in defensive stops (330) and run stuffs (64, tied for first with. He didn't end the 2021 campaign in the best fashion, but did rebound to record 13 combined tackles, two tackles for loss, four QB hits and two passes defensed in Tampa Bay's two postseason games. No linebacker recorded more coverage snaps than Warner in all of 2021. Like Wagner, David spent his first 10 seasons dominating for one franchise. 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. We adapted Google's Privacy Guidelines to keep your data safe at all times. Join the contest by ranking below. Tier 2: The Aging Elite 5. Brooks, Taylor, and Ham are the only outside linebackers of the Super Bowl era to be first ballot Hall of Famers. Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. He should be able to continue to get 100+ tackles per season if he is able to stay healthy. While those grades arent poor, by any stretch, they are a notable step down from these players' excellent career baselines and some way short of their elite best. He made the full-time switch to outside linebacker for the 2019 season, starting six games and recording 52 tackles that season. How would you rank these Outside Linebackers going into the 2021-2022 season? You don't do what he did in his rookie season if you aren't a star. 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. For outside linebackers ratings like Finesse Moves, Power Moves, Block Shed, and Zone Coverage are the most important. For an optimal experience please rotate your device to portrait mode. So, who's the best off-ball linebacker in the NFL today? TGT Play! Odds Deals Podcasts US USA Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Florida Georgia Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Louisiana Maryland Michigan New Jersey New York North Carolina This is bizarrely true even when he moves to a defense run by a former New England defensive coach. Jones was an . One of our representatives will be in touch shortly. Kendricks has long been one of the consistent middle linebackers in the league, and he stepped up his game in 2021 with a career-high 143 combined tackles, five sacks and two interceptions. Linebackers are some of the most intense players in football, and with all the new schemes today - athletes are coming in all different shapes and sizes. During his playing days Hendricks recorded 60.5 sacks to go along with 26 interceptions and forcing four safeties.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'fanrankings_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_2',124,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fanrankings_com-medrectangle-4-0'); A post shared by Lets Talk NFL (@talkfootball34). That hypothetical AAV of $17.6 million would make Smith the third highest-paid linebacker in the NFL. If not, you can open it also by clicking the following link: Top 10 Athletes past the age of 40: Where does Tom Brady rank? [10] 2 Prevent passes to running backs or fullbacks. The Ramsrecently releasedWagner just one season into a five-year, $50 million contract due to salary cap issues. The 247Sports Composite is a proprietary algorithm that compiles rankings and ratings listed in the public domain by the major media recruiting services, creating the industry's most comprehensive and unbiased prospect and team rankings. He also registered a fourth-best 79.4 PFF coverage grade among linebackers despite playing a whopping 680 coverage snaps. Active and causes havoc all around the field. Leighton Vander Esch isn't the same electrifying that he was during his lone Pro Bowl season as a rookie in 2018, but his ability to read and react against opposing offenses remains. Like Ted Hendricks, Biscuit Bennett is a hybrid, part outside linebacker and all that entails and part rushbacker, though Hendricks went from outside backer to more of a rushbacker and Bennett began as more of a rushbacker and ended as an outside backer, with some inside linebacker in the middle. The Rams have a great defense, and the 32-year-old Wagner could find himself rejuvenated in 2022. If a team needs at least eight sacks and more juice for its pass rush, Ngakoue should be the first call. Many are still waiting for Warner to fully show out and showcase the incredible potential he has shown at times on the field. Smith has recorded at least 101 combined tackles in each of his four NFL seasons, and his last two campaigns have been impressive. 6 in the NFL in sacks and No. 6-2.5 . Ware, who was a key member of the Broncos team that won Super Bowl 50, was nearly unstoppable by just one offensive blocker. He, perhaps critically, chose to stay in the defense that helped produce that phenomenal season, but we are all too aware of the folly of using just one season of play to determine everything we know about a player. 1. Will Anderson*, OLB/DE, Alabama Height: 6-4. Bennett didnt disappoint, helping to transition the Bills defense into one of the tops in the NFL. Miller however has proven that he is still a dominant pass rusher when healthy, and at only 32 he still has a few years left to add to his Hall of Fame resume. Now with the Rams, Wagner has the chance to compete for a second Super Bowl. Parsons took the NFL by storm in his rookie season, recording 84 combined tackles and a Dallas Cowboys rookie record 13 sacks. 247Sports Composite. Chuck Drazenovich 10. He was integral in the team's championship and led the NFL with 18 tackles for loss, after joining the Rams in Week 10. 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. 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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. Davis is a player people keep expecting to regress, but he just hasn't. Ham had the physical abilities to play the pass as well as any outside linebacker over the course of the history of the game and one player who was known for his hitting abilities.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'fanrankings_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_4',129,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fanrankings_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0'); Derrick Brooks was a true example of what any NFL team would look for in an OLB. 1. He can be solid complement to an already established pass rush unit as evidenced by his time in the NFC West with both the Rams and 49ers. Even, Parsons is already one of the best defensive playmakers in the NFL as he enters just his second season in the league, but its difficult to rank him purely as an off-the-ball linebacker. The transition from college football to the NFL used to be smooth for linebackers, but even elite prospects can now struggle in Year 1. We and our partners share information on your use of this website to help improve your experience. Steelers defense against the run was far worse than in years past. or someone else, Smith is sure to get paid next offseason when his rookie deal expires. 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. That responsibility often falls on middle linebackers. Smith had recorded 26 sacks over the last two seasons. He finished with 22.5 sacks in 14 games last season -- tying Michael Strahan for the single-season sack record. 10. People Who Should Be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Find out where your favorite Linebackers stacks up against the 2023 class and view expert mock drafts. Advertisement. All Rights Reserved. Milano, 28, had the lowest competition percentage in coverage among linebackers in 2021, according to PFF. Thomas was a force to be stopped by any opposing offense and one player who forced opposing teams to change their game plans for how they rushed and passed the ball. Using a combination of power, strength, and brute force, the best NFL linebackers punish elite offenses so the NFL's best defenses can get turnovers and claim glory. Trent Williams LT | 49ers | Power. Ware recorded 138.5 sacks over his NFL career while forcing 35 fumbles and intercepting three passes. Chris Hanburger 2. Parsons is already one of the best defensive playmakers in the NFL as he enters just his second season in the league, but its difficult to rank him purely as an off-the-ball linebacker. 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. Yes, that means Bobby Bell was not a first-ballot choice. Something to note is that 3-4 pass-rushers will not appear on this list. Top 10 Outside Linebackers in the 2022 NFL Draft: Kayvon Thibodeaux remains our top prospect Kayvon Thibodeaux and David Ojabo lead the way as the top outside linebackers in the 2022 NFL Draft, but don't sleep on Sam Williams. Stability is one of the most decisive factors for this inside linebacker to lead this ranking. He got lucky being coached by Mike Vrabel who is one of the finest defensive coaches in the NFL. ZaDarius Smith got a sack and flashed this We Eileen undershirt. Terrell Suggs = ageless wonder.pic.twitter.com/XuSH2fbv6I. Projected Round (2023): Top-5. 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. 2021 NFL Draft - Outside Linebackers Most Recent Update: 4/28/2021 7:00 PM EST Position/Conference Rankings QB CENTER TE RB RB-C WR-S FB EDGE DL 1-TECH DL 3-TECH DL 5-TECH OLB ILB CB KICKER PUNTER SEC ACC BIG-12 AAC M-WEST MAC C-USA SUN BELT 2020 RANKINGS 2019 RANKINGS Rank O/A Chng Player/School Ht/Wt Elig. Squat: 445 lbs. Bradie James was one of the more productive defensive players of the Bill Parcells/Wade Phillips era. Pass Coverage. This list isnt based solely on performances from the 2020 NFL season. So, whos the best off-ball linebacker in the NFL today? Milano, 28, had the lowest competition percentage in coverage among linebackers in 2021. . The strongest players are experts at open-field takedowns and make it hard for quarterbacks to feel comfortable throwing toward the middle of the field. He even hit 107 combined tackles in 2020 despite playing in just 11 games! Watts feat of tying the sack records is remarkable because he missed two games through injuries and was absent in two other games. Here are some tips for players who want to be a good linebacker: 1. We have the edge rushers that play in a 3-4 scheme like a T.J Watt and Khalil Mack who specializes in rushing the passer. 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. The inside linebacking group is headlined by the NFL's top two leaders in tackles across the last 11 seasons in Bobby Wagner and Lavonte David. For new posts and be up to date to win $50 to Fanatics or Amazon. Many of the bestlinebackers of all time are currently playing in the NFL. Parsons is versatile, smart and instinctive. Now that the 2022 NFL season is over, it's time to look ahead to an . Team Spending. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn said Parsons will see time as both an off-ball linebacker and EDGE rusher in 2022. BOBBY WAGNER, LOS ANGELES RAMS 6. Past 20 NFL seasons players are experts at open-field takedowns and make it hard for quarterbacks feel... Expert mock drafts make it hard for quarterbacks to feel comfortable throwing toward the middle the. Up to date to win $ 50 to Fanatics or Amazon but he just n't! Something to note is that as a linebacker you need to be a good linebacker:.. Incredible potential he has shown at times on the field you would like to subscribe rushers that in! And Ham are the only outside linebackers ratings like Finesse Moves, Power Moves, Shed. That season show out and showcase the incredible potential he has shown at times on the field 14 games season... 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