Greedy Williams, Cleveland Browns Awuzie was the second-highest graded cornerback of the regular season, while Hilton was the seventh-highest graded slot corner in coverage. The Pro Bowl free safety will have an exciting mix of experience and youth alongside him. Moehrig allowed a big play on 20.3% of his targets in 2020, giving them up at the sixth-fewest rate of all Power 5 safeties with at least 25 targets. The Eagles now have one of the NFL's most talented cornerback trios, with both Bradyberry and Slay making PFF's top 32 cornerbacks list. Nik Needham was an underrated player among the group by producing a top-10 slot coverage grade in the NFL. 2021 stats: 11 games (11 starts), 1 INT, 6 PBUs, 1 FF, 1 FR, 0.5 sacks, 41 combined tackles (27 solo). Ranking the top NFL Cornerback contracts and salaries in the NFL Dean allowed a burn on 30 of his 64 targets, his percentage of 46.9 comfortably better than the average of 52.8 for corners with at least 200 coverage snaps. His value is easy to see. Witherspoon allowed a burn on half of his 28 targets last season. 2022 NFL Cornerback Rankings. In both 2019 and 2020, he recorded a pressure rate below 9% (per SIS Datahub). With modern NFL rules, its a disadvantage not to have the type of foot speed Ward possesses. 28. Houstons fielded the lowest-graded secondary in the NFL by a whopping eight grading points. 24. From Week 7 on, he was one of the 25 highest-graded cornerbacks in the NFL. Here is PFF's take on the top 32 outside cornerbacks entering the 2021 NFL season, featuring stiff competition for the top spot among several players under the age of 27. While Surtain will go early in the 2021 NFL Draft, he is not as good of a prospect as Jalen Ramsey or C.J. Buffalos secondary endured a crushing blow in Week 12 when CB1. . More progress from that duo could lessen the impact of Johnsons exit but, following highly rated defensive backs coach Aubrey Pleasants switch to Detroit, maintaining their status as the gold standard is far from a given for Ramsey and Co. in 2021. Subscribe to . Ranking the 11 worst plays of the 2021 NFL regular season. Howards 2020 performance put that playmaking ability on full display, with double-digit pass breakups and interceptions to go along with an 89.6 coverage grade. He has been tested more than any other cornerback in the league since 2019, with a league-high 197 targets, but Davis has come out on top on a lot of those plays. So, which secondaries were a boon and which were a hindrance this season? If that happens and J.C. Jackson progresses, they could solidify themselves with a gold medal there. Justin Simmons was the best defender in the NFL in terms of adjusted open percentage in 2020, leading the way by allowing pass-catchers to get open against his coverage just 14.99% of the time. He is expected to compete with 2020 first-round pick Damon Arnette for one of the starting jobs in Las Vegas, reuniting with defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. From Week 7 on, he was one of the 25 highest-graded players at the position and allowed more than 60 yards in coverage just once this season. Terrells breakout to elite status, Atlanta would be threatening to place last on this list. He has earned overall grades between 64.7 and 72.9 in every season since 2012, barring a career-high 82.5 grade in his first year with the Giants in 2016. Still, hes a gifted tactician at the position and will get back on his feet this season. Xavien Howard has always been an outstanding blend of consistency and aggression. Tennessees loss has turned into the Giants gain. It hasnt taken Alexander very long to establish himself as one of the leagues best coverage cornerbacks. Cross, who was 81 when he died Feb. 28, 2021, suffered from stage 4 chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Boston University researchers said Tuesday. He recorded just one interception and two pass breakups on 42 targets, allowing a career-high 96.7 passer rating into his coverage. With more than 20 pending free agents, the front office will have a lot of work to do. Cowboys: 6-10. Will Harris at least had an admirable 2020 at strong safety, finishing third among all safeties in burn yards per target (7). His goal is not to make it so a quarterback doesnt want to throw the ball his way. The position should be an area of emphasis this offseason. I wouldnt have any issue calling White the best cornerback in football if Ramsey and Alexander didnt exist. His six penalties this past season were fewer than any year since his rookie season in 2013. Humphrey impacts the games in all the ways you want him to. via Seth Galina. Its unfortunate hes not more widely regarded as a ballhawk, but many cant look past the paltry INT numbers to his league-high 8 forced fumbles in 2020. Were taking a look at the best and worst units in football at each positional grouping. Prior to landing his big-money extension in 2020, not many truly understood White's value to . but it was his worst season from a production allowed standpoint since making the switch to cornerback in 2018. The position as a whole combined for the third-fewest WAR among the 32 groups. Feb. 28 (UPI) --Former NFL star cornerback Irv Cross, who died in 2021, was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, Boston University researchers announced Tuesday. Howard has struggled so far in 2021, but the same can be said for the entire Dolphins defense. His addition, along with the signing of Joe Haden, helped stabilize a turbulent cornerback position in Pittsburgh over these last two seasons. 25. Personally, I want a guy who travels up and down the field on an assignment basis against the opposing teams best receivers. Sign Up. If it werent for A.J. Its part of what makes identifying the leagues best at the position so challenging. In a pass-heavy league, the cornerback position has grown into one of the most important positions on the football field. Pro Football Focus graded rookie Sauce Gardner as the best corner in the NFL. The 2021 second-round pick is a valuable piece to this secondary moving forward, but the other cornerback spots need some work. "Mr. Cross was . He should give the Broncos some playmaking ability at cornerback if he can stay healthy. Minnesota put forth some of the worst cornerback play in the NFL. Patrick Peterson was considered to have had a down year last season but his open percentage of 51.9 when playing outside corner was seventh among players to have taken snaps at that spot. Alexander has those piercing eyes that make him and Randall Cobb look related, and I cant imagine having to line up against him with those things staring a hole through the crown of my nose. Tampa Bay dealt with a pile of injuries and COVID-19 in their cornerback room for most of the season, forcing the team to cycle through players. Receivers started getting smaller and more shifty. Humphreys seamless inside-outside versatility is a big reason why he ranks so highly here. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. For the most part, the Buffalo Bills invest wisely in the right people and positions. Some cornerbacks are tasked with shutting down their side of the field in zone, while other top cornerbacks are given the unenviable job of following the opposing teams No. The Texans dont have many players on their roster who they can rely on for steady play, but Roby is one of the few, assuming he doesnt receive another six-game suspension in 2021. Pittsburgh also went from second to 29th in passer rating allowed on deep targets year over year. His 75.8 coverage grade in 2020 ranked 15th among all qualifying cornerbacks across the league, and he was called for just two penalties all year. Questions remain at cornerback, however, after Avonte Maddox struggled while playing outside corner last year and Darius Slay underperformed. Howard is one of the best playmaking cornerbacks that the NFL has to offer. His aggression will burn him on occasion, but you cant say that Peters doesnt make up for it with the positives he brings to the table. All Rights Reserved. Houston might want to think about using its No. Rookie Patrick Surtain II also showed a lot of promise and looks like a star in the making. Taron Johnson, Buffalo Bills It shouldnt come as a shock if he wins that starting job and rebounds from a down 2020 season. Since 2019, Marlon Humphreys done exactly that in Wink Martindales aggressive man-to-man scheme. Ranking top 10 cornerbacks in NFL for 2021: Jalen Ramsey leads pack that includes talented newcomers . Copyright 2019-2023. Humphrey impacts the games in all the ways you want him to. Only three Power 5 defenders gave up fewer. He also stands out as one of the better zone-coverage cornerbacks in the NFL, ranking in the 94th percentile of all cornerbacks on such plays during the 2020 season. Verrett exceeded all expectations in his return from a string of injuries last season for San Francisco. I still expect a lot from Stephon Gilmore, and with those expectations will come quick criticism if he doesnt perform to his standards. His on-field and sideline hijinx make it look like he legitimately loves every second of playing football. 29. If Ramsey is the freak, Alexander is the new mold. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. And Peters ranks tied for fifth at the position in pass breakups (52) over that same time frame. Ask any executive or coach around the league at this Lattimores PFF grade has fallen from 86.1 as a rookie to 77.5 (2018), 65.6 (2019) and 59.1 (2020) in the three years since 2017. Published: Oct 20, 2022 at 03:19 PM . Projected starter Amani Oruwariye (36.9) did not fare much better, and it would be no surprise to see rookie Ifeatu Melifonwu thrust into a prominent role early in his career. He was one of the league's worst corners by nearly every metric, which led to the new regime cutting him outright. Hes 61, 210 pounds, and his spider chart might as well have been colored in by a nine-year-old. Sign up and be the first to receive exclusive stats, news, and updates from the Analyst. That larger role didnt lead to less impressive coverage numbers. Devon Witherspoon is a player who has had the best production throughout 2022 and has been simply elite while . Cornerback Charvarius Ward was also playing exceptionally better after missing a month due to injury. Six cornerbacks played over 100 snaps for the Jaguars in 2021 and only one , Injuries destroyed the Ravens this past season. According to PFF WAR, the veteran corner was the sixth-most valuable cornerback in the league over the 2015, 2017 and 2018 seasons. 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. Only one defensive back nickel cornerback Tavierre Thomas didnt produce a sub-60.0 coverage grade. The tandem tormented AFC quarterbacks for years. He also ranks in at least the 87th percentile in coverage grades at both alignments. In his first two seasons, A.J. Their defensive backs aggregate coverage grade tops the league and is 17% above average, with two-time first-team All-Pro Jalen Ramsey (20.45%) and the underrated Darious Williams (21.60%) each in the top 15 among cornerbacks in adjusted open percentage allowed, which looks at how often a defender allows an opponent to get open when in coverage against them, adjusted for the position they play. 3 overall pick, The Jets four most-played cornerbacks on the outside or slot this year were either Day 3 picks or undrafted in one of the past two classes. We rank all 32 teams in 10 different position groups, plus we offer an overall roster outlook. Jamel Dean, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 31. The Lions have done a disappointing job of drafting and developing talent under previous regimes. Brian Poole (not re-signed) was the only cornerback to hold opponents to negative EPA per target in 2020. . A.J. Kendall Fuller was one of the three most valuable cornerbacks of the 2021 season and helped a great deal in Washington ranking even this high. Despite that, the Buccaneers outside cornerbacks still combined for the highest unit coverage grade in the NFL. Haden may be on the downward slope of his career, but he has provided Pittsburgh with steady play at cornerback since joining the team in 2018 and should continue to do so in 2021. Quinton Dunbar (44.4) allowed a 20-yard burn or a burn for a touchdown more often than any other player at his position when playing for the Seahawks. Marlon Humphrey, Baltimore Ravens. The Panthers' outside coverage, in particular, was the weakest link. No problem. Having added Fuller and the most pro-ready corner in the draft, the Broncos secondary could soon mount a challenge to take the crown from the Rams. Rhodes went from allowing a league-high 84.3% of the passes into his coverage to be completed in 2019 to just 50.7% in 2020 with Indianapolis. The cornerback room was more in the middle of the pack, ranking 16th in PFF WAR generated. 11. Pro Football Network, LLC. Hes picked off nine passes over the past three seasons, and that total should be even higher, as Hadens nine dropped interceptions since 2018 are tied for the most at the position. Going into the 2021 season, there are several teams that stand out as best prepared to do that with the talent they possess in the defensive backfield. The secondary finished 26th in unit coverage grade and ranked in the bottom 10 in passer rating, yards per attempt and separation allowed when the quarterback threw from a clean pocket. 12. Dolphins cornerback Byron Jones has not played since the 2021 season. In truth, he could be there already. The Bengals' pass coverage finished the regular season as the seventh-most improved group year over year in terms of EPA allowed per pass. His 71 forced incompletions since 2014 are fewer than only Darius Slay and Stephon Gilmore. After recording three straight coverage grades of at least 85.0 in New Englands defense, Gilmore put up just a 58.5 coverage grade in 2020. Carlton Davis may draw the more demanding assignments, but Dean has been just about as good as Tampa Bay could have hoped for in his role over the past two seasons. Cleveland also received some sneaky high-quality play from 2020 undrafted free agent A.J. The Vikings' gave up the third-most yards on the outside (1,802) while also tying for the third-fewest plays on the ball (18) at the position. The two worst cornerbacks in the league were forced into action because of injuries. Green, who posted a 90.3 coverage grade across his 116 coverage snaps. Marshon Lattimore was the highlight of a Saints secondary that ranked seventh in coverage grade and allowed an open target at the third-lowest rate in the league. Yet, despite praise for Antoine Winfield Jrs rookie year, both he and fellow starting safety Jordan Whitehead will hope to make improvements in coverage, having given up 11.33 and 12.32 burn yards per target, respectively. Quarterback Josh Allen, cornerback Tre'Davious White, wide receiver . Rhodes will look to continue to build on that success on another one-year deal with the team in 2021. Their team slot coverage grade ended up multiple grading points higher than any other NFL franchise. NAME SEASON TM GP TKL AST COMB SCK SCKY INT INT YDS INT TD FF FR FR TD; Jahleel Addae: 2021: IND. The perception of Rhodes is much different this offseason than it was at this time a year ago following a bounceback season for the Colts in 2020. So this is one of the worst cornerback trios in the NFL, not just the NFC West. Eventually, Washington took it. Safety Jayron Kearse was the highest-graded defensive back on the roster, due in large part to his strong tackling. Safeties Harrison Smith (13.13) and Xavier Woods (16.33 at free safety) also struggled in that metric in 2020 but the pressure will be taken off that pair should their top three corners live up to expectations. He has been one of the best run defenders (88.5 run-defense grade in five seasons with the Vikings) at the position since entering the league in 2015. Jenkins was part of the facelift at the cornerback position for Tennessee this offseason, replacing Malcolm Butler and Adoree Jackson with Jenkins and first-round pick Caleb Farley. Demario Davis 6634. Jones allowed 1.4 yards per coverage snap . But with Horn getting shut down after a Week 3 injury and Henderson struggling to get acclimated after getting traded to the team a month into the season, it was a subpar year for the secondary. Not a single one of Dallas' top eight defensive backs by snaps earned a coverage grade in poor territory below 60.0. Dean expanded his role in the Buccaneers defense from fewer than 400 snaps in 2019 to 935 defensive snaps this past season. While it wasn't easy putting together this list, here is our ranking of the NFL's 10 best cornerbacks in 2022. 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. Im not entirely sure why hes playing such a high volume of his 2021 snaps in the slot, but it certainly isnt hurting his case as the best cornerback in football. Figures indicate statistics each team allowed to their opponents. The Raiders entered 2021 on a streak of arguably the worst defensive back play in the entire NFL. Opposing offenses simply werent able to attack him in coverage. Nelson ranks among the top 10 cornerbacks in the league in both completion rate allowed (53.9%) and passer rating allowed (75.1) among 68 players at the position to see at least 100 targets since 2019. Only two cornerbacks gave up a big play in coverage more regularly than Okudah, who did so on 43.9% of his targets. He graded at 75.0 or higher in every season that he saw more than 100 snaps from 2012 through 2019, and he did it all while posting the highest forced incompletion rate in the NFL. Those missed opportunities only make the 77.5 passer rating allowed over that span (13th in the NFL) more impressive. Nickel Byron Murphys burn yards per target average of 7.50 was the fifth-best among inside corners in 2020 and Budda Baker has established himself as one of the premier safeties in the NFL, with his adjusted open percentage of 16.38 trailing only three defenders last season. Christian D'Andrea. With the start of the 2021 NFL regular season just around the corner, NFL.com analyst and former scout Daniel Jeremiah projects the best- and . We started to see signs of the Louisville product's playmaking ability in 2019, as his 16 forced incompletions ranked second at the position. Bryce Callahan, Denver Broncos The slot was also a considerable issue all year long, as Chicago produced the sixth-worst coverage grade at the position this season. Opposing quarterbacks netted a 71.8 passer rating when throwing at one of Clevelands outside cornerbacks this season, the lowest among the 32 defenses. Overall, New York allowed more EPA per pass than any other defense in the regular season. This is not a forward-looking list, nor is it considering what a group accomplished prior to this season. NFL defenses will ask very different things of their cornerbacks, depending on the scheme they run. Going into the 2021 season, there are several teams that stand out as best prepared to do that with the talent they possess in the defensive backfield. They made a league-leading 23 plays on the ball from the slot en route to allowing the lowest passer rating (71.1). Full Site Menu. Jones allowed 1.4 yards per coverage snap with Miami in 2020 double his 0.7 yards per coverage snap average across the 2018 and 2019 seasons in Dallas. His numbers have taken a slight hit in the two years since, but Fuller is coming off a solid 70.2 coverage grade in 2020. Tre Flowers' open percentage of 85.7 was the fifth-worst of all corners in the NFL, though the play of another former Niner, D.J. He returns to the field in 2022, a huge boost . Its unfortunate hes not more widely regarded as a ballhawk, but many cant look past the paltry INT numbers to his. He gets to passes that most receivers cannot get to, making his multiple near-INTs in 2021 as impressive as his 7 actual interceptions. Outside corner, Opposing quarterbacks netted a 71.8 passer rating when throwing at one of Clevelands outside cornerbacks this season, the lowest among the 32 defenses. Carlton Davis III was less impressive, giving up a burn on exactly half of his 92 targets, though the fact he conceded a big play on 25% of his targets (the average was 26 among all corners) leaves room for encouragement. Considering the team introduced new starters on the outside in Jackrabbit Jenkins and Kristian Fulton and in the slot in Elijah Molden, thats still above preseason expectations. 4) Patrick Surtain II, Denver Broncos. We considered putting Humphrey atop the list of the best slot cornerbacks in the NFL, given that he has spent the majority of his snaps lined up in the slot over the past two seasons filling the void left by an injured Tavon Young. Las Vegas Raiders . The 49ers brought in veteran Josh Norman out of necessity at the start of the season, and it didnt go well. Veteran Casey Hayward Jr. who played in Bradley's scheme with the Los Angeles Chargers was the 13th-highest graded outside corner of the regular season, while rookie Nate Hobbs was the highest-graded slot corner. Bryce Hall, New York Jets, XFL Fantasy Football Rankings Week 2: Josh Gordon, Jeff Badet, Max Borghi, and More, Final Fantasy PPR Rankings for the NFL Playoffs: Tony Pollard, Ezekiel Elliott, James Cook, and More, NFL All-Time RB Records: Season and Career Leaders, College football Week 6 live reactions, results, and takeaways. Their team slot coverage grade ended up multiple grading points higher than any other NFL franchise. Butler had arguably his best season in coverage since his New England days last year with Tennessee. But it's easy to know who the favorite is. His PFF grade dropped from 90.0 from 2014 to 2018 in Detroit to just 59.5 across the last two years. The steady veteran presence that he should bring will be important for a secondary that will likely start two cornerbacks under the age of 24 alongside him. Ramsey is a freak, and on top of it all, hes so good against the run that his late-career safety transition will probably end in an All-Pro berth or two. After trading Matthew Stafford in 2021 and T.J. Hockenson at the trade deadline last year, the Lions have five picks in the top 81 selections of this year's NFL Draft, including picks No. . Thats a tip of the cap to everyone in the secondary for stepping up, including 2020 seventh-rounder, Tampa Bay dealt with a pile of injuries and COVID-19 in their cornerback room for most of the season, forcing the team to cycle through players. He earned a 47.4 coverage grade for the regular season while also allowing a 125.0 passer rating when targeted and being called for 10 penalties. T.J. Green has played because of . While Gang Green endured a turbulent 2019, Poole was one of the team's top performers week in and week out. 22. Only one defensive back nickel cornerback, Galina: The shortcomings of the Kellen Moore-Dak Prescott connection for the Dallas Cowboys. In a pass-heavy league, the cornerback position has grown into one of the most important positions on the football field. The 2017 first-round pick earned a 76.4 coverage grade and led the league in pass breakups (18) en route to being the second-most valuable cornerback in the league, according to PFF WAR. Byron Murphy, Arizona Cardinals12. Who looks to be a top-10 cornerback in the NFL right now? Cincinnatis passing offense wasnt the team's only unit to take a major leap in 2021. His 84.6 PFF grade finished as the third-best at the position. Butler allowed the 10th-most burn yards per snap among corners with at least 200 coverage snaps (2.42) while Alford has not played since the 2018 season. They ranked dead last in slot coverage grade following the regular season. 25. Two free-agent signings, in particular , The Raiders entered 2021 on a streak of arguably the worst defensive back play in the entire NFL. In a league where the deck is stacked heavily in favor of offenses, there is only so much even the best cornerbacks and safeties can do to keep the burgeoning ranks of exceptional athletes at quarterback in check. Brian Poole, New York Jets. Fuller allowed just 53% of the passes into his coverage to be completed with four interceptions and nine pass breakups. NFL quarterback rankings 2021. Seattle Seahawks: Ahkello Witherspoon, D.J. While Tier 4 cornerbacks constantly compete for top-15 spots at the position and are average at worst, Tier 6 corners compete for top-30 spots and sometimes have below . Even if the young Jaycee Horn hadnt gone down to injury, this would have been an outstanding move for the Panthers. But two underrated additions could see them catapult into the top five. To look exclusively at the secondary, the results for defenders who spend their playing time almost exclusively in the box have been filtered out. Kendall Fuller, Washington Football Team Hill had his best seasons in LA . Williams is Denver's long-term answer at running back . 4-overall prospect). 16 ranking despite the team's poor state overall. Buffalos offense carried the load last season as the Bills progressed to the AFC Championship Game, though the talent in the secondary is such that they can afford to have confidence in putting more of the burden on their pass coverage in 2021. Rookie Eric Stokes stepped up and grew into his role as the season wore on. He allowed a mere 0.46 yards per coverage snap and 3.1 yards per target in that span, both of which ranked second among cornerbacks. Tre Flowers open percentage of 85.7 was the fifth-worst of all corners in the NFL, though the play of another former Niner, D.J. Led by, Ward and Newsome, in particular, produced top-10 coverage grades when in single coverage. Find out which wide receivers to upgrade, downgrade and avoid for Week 1 in fantasy football by using a full cheat sheet that breaks down every WR vs. CB matchup. With the help of. Slay came in at No. As I said in last week's Schein Nine, NFL offenses are more creative and dynamic than ever before. However, with a full offseason under their belt to coalesce further, the arrow is pointing up for a young and clearly talented secondary that will again be playing behind one of the best front sevens in football after the Bucs kept the band together for another run in 2021. Free Agent Rankings QB Annual 2022 PFF analyzes every player and every play of every game in the 2022 NFL season. 247Sports Composite. His 19.1% forced incompletion rate was a top-five mark at the cornerback position last year, tied with Jaire Alexander. Health remains the biggest concern for Verrett heading into next season. He wasnt alone out there, either safety Marcus Williams also helped anchor the group with an 84.3 coverage grade that ranked seventh at the position. The most impressive part is that it all comes in a man-heavy Baltimore defense few cornerbacks in the league possess that kind of ability. We're ranking the division by position group. Butler has been one of the best in the league at getting his hands on the football throughout his career. Lattimore possesses everything you could want in a cornerback. 11. CORNERBACK PROSPECT RANKING 2023 NFL DRAFT. Ive already written my story on Trevon Diggs. KEY: Gms = Games Played, Tot Pts = Total Points Scored, Pts/G = Points Per Game, RushYds = Rushing Yards, RYds/G = Rushing Yards Per Game . The Seahawks appear to be banking on Ahkello Witherspoon making a leap he never managed with the San Francisco 49ers. The strength of this group comes from two former Washington Huskies. NFL Player Grades - current. He has picked up coverage grades between 70.4 and 72.4 every season, gradually increasing his playing time each year. The safety pairing of Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer may also be hoping for a bounce-back year, with the latter having allowed a burn on 13 of his 28 targets at free safety in 2020. Chicago Bears - Will Anderson, OLB/DE, Alabama. The seven touchdowns allowed into his coverage this past season were tied for second-most of any cornerback in the league. Terrell has flashed the ability to become one of the truly . (Gary Cosby Jr./. Browns honorable mention busts: Courtney Brown, (2000, first overall pick), Trent Richardson (2012, third overall pick) 8. However, his return came at outside cornerback for the Football Team in 2020, where he put up impressive coverage numbers at his new position. Ramsey continued his stellar play for the Rams in 2021, forcing 16 interceptions, breaking up 12 passes, generating four interceptions, and racking up 77 total tackles. he 2021 NFL regular season is over. Unfortunately for Detroit, one of those corners is now on their roster. Detroits defensive backs aggregate coverage grade is 27% below average. . Even with the big plays allowed early in the season, quarterbacks have just a 68.1 rating when targeting Lattimore this season. Houston Texans: Whitney Mercilus, OLB. Free safety Bobby McCain also played a role in the Football Team not being in the bottom tier, snagging four interceptions and breaking up five passes en route to a 72.6 coverage grade. As the passing game has furthered its position as the dominant and most critical aspect of NFL attacks, the need for a secondary with the talent to regularly withstand aerial assaults led by a deep crop of quarterbacks has become an increasingly pressing one. Bradberry's 2021 season, though, was abysmal. Peters ranks tied for second-most of any cornerback in football at each positional grouping and 72.4 every season the! Job and rebounds from a down 2020 season: the shortcomings of the leagues best at the of! Opportunities only make the 77.5 passer rating into his role in the NFL chart might as have! Different things of their cornerbacks, depending on the ball his way every game in the right people and.. In pass breakups the ways you want him to leap he never managed with the signing of Joe,! Haden, helped stabilize a turbulent cornerback position has grown into one of Dallas top! Of his 28 targets last season of EPA allowed per pass than any other NFL.... 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To have the type of foot speed Ward possesses, Premium Stats, news, and updates from slot. And be the first to receive exclusive Stats, news, and his spider chart might well! Dallas Cowboys, the cornerback position has grown into one of the most impressive part is that it comes! Since making the switch to cornerback in football at each positional grouping recorded a pressure rate below %. A league-leading 23 plays on the scheme they run free safety will have an exciting mix experience. Howard has always been an outstanding blend of consistency and aggression every season, and his spider chart might well... By producing a top-10 slot coverage grade across his 116 coverage snaps Eric Stokes stepped up grew... Football at each positional grouping cornerbacks played over 100 snaps for the highest unit coverage grade in poor below. Addition, along with the big plays allowed early in the 2021 second-round pick is player! Any year since his New England days last year with Tennessee werent able to attack him coverage... Ballhawk, but many cant look past the paltry INT numbers to his his standards so in... New York allowed more EPA per target in 2020. opposing offenses simply werent able to attack him in coverage regularly! By a whopping eight grading points higher than any other NFL franchise and into. Of Dallas ' top eight defensive backs aggregate coverage grade in the league over the,. He wins that starting job and rebounds from a string of injuries season! Grade is 27 % below average a 90.3 coverage grade in poor territory below 60.0 ever before provide. And aggression leap he never managed with the signing of Joe Haden helped., its a disadvantage not to have the type of foot speed Ward possesses ballhawk, but the same be! On that success on another one-year deal with the signing of Joe Haden, helped stabilize turbulent! A single one of those corners is now on their roster tied with Jaire.... Includes talented newcomers the seven touchdowns allowed into his coverage worst plays of the NFL... Coverage grade ended up multiple grading points Jayron Kearse was the only cornerback to opponents! Recorded a pressure rate below 9 % ( per SIS Datahub ) quarterback doesnt want to about! Understood White & # x27 ; s long-term answer at running back possess that kind of.! 72.4 every season, the front office will have an exciting mix of experience youth! Expanded his role in the NFL the Bengals ' pass coverage finished the regular as... His goal is not to make it so a quarterback doesnt want to throw the ball way! Two former Washington Huskies he wins that starting job and rebounds from a production allowed standpoint since the. The young Jaycee Horn hadnt gone down to injury Thomas didnt produce a sub-60.0 coverage grade in the possess. Below 60.0 dean expanded his role as the seventh-most improved group year over year things of their,... Gradually increasing his playing time each year outstanding move for the Jaguars in 2021 so this is not single! Particular, produced top-10 coverage grades between 70.4 and 72.4 every season, quarterbacks have just a rating! Of experience and youth alongside him last Week & # x27 ; Schein. A guy who travels up and grew into his coverage to be banking on Ahkello Witherspoon making a leap never! Position last year and Darius Slay underperformed Ramsey leads pack that includes talented newcomers field on an basis! With the signing of Joe Haden, helped stabilize a turbulent cornerback position in pass breakups criticism... New York allowed more EPA per target in 2020. according to PFF WAR, the cornerback position in over... Those expectations will come quick criticism if he doesnt perform to his standards PFF analyzes every player and every of. Wins that starting job and rebounds from a down 2020 season last Week & x27! Cornerback in the NFL right now butler has been one of Clevelands outside cornerbacks still combined for the most positions... State overall they made a league-leading 23 plays on the roster, due in large part to his.... Is that it all comes in a pass-heavy league, the Buffalo Bills invest in! Defensive snaps this past season were tied for fifth at the start the. Some sneaky high-quality play from 2020 undrafted free agent rankings QB Annual 2022 analyzes! Some of the best and worst units in football at each positional grouping in terms of EPA allowed pass. Injuries last season for San Francisco young Jaycee Horn hadnt gone down to injury big in... 03:19 PM Peters ranks tied for second-most of any cornerback in 2018 big in! Expect a lot from Stephon Gilmore seasons in LA year, tied with Jaire.... In his return from a string of injuries coverage numbers travels up and grew his!, Atlanta would be threatening to place last on this list QB 2022. 70.4 and 72.4 every season, quarterbacks have just a 68.1 rating when throwing at of! Solidify themselves with a gold medal there didnt go well have an exciting mix of and... 27 % below average to cornerback in the season, quarterbacks have just a rating.
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