Another of those factors was health, as Darby played over 600 defensive snaps in 2020 for the first time in four seasons. The yards on Diggs ledger are largely hollow. Best Bets Tool. Tampas secondary arguably already took a step forward as the Buccaneers claimed their second Super Bowl title last season. The Lions have done a disappointing job of drafting and developing talent under previous regimes. New York Jets 1 cornerbacks in the NFC South are tasked with. He was one of the league's worst corners by nearly every metric, which led to the new regime cutting him outright. His on-field and sideline hijinx make it look like he legitimately loves every second of playing football. He was 10th in the NFL at his position in adjusted open percentage (21.58). After a broken-up pass against Wake Forest in 2016, he pranced behind the unsuspecting receiver in a manner Ive never witnessed. Its part of what makes identifying the leagues best at the position so challenging. The Bills defensive backs rank 15 points above the average in aggregate coverage grading. His 17.3% forced incompletion rate ranks second among cornerbacks who have seen at least 100 targets over those two years. Blake Martinez 6575. This is not a forward-looking list, nor is it considering what a group accomplished prior to this season. > 2021 NFL > Advanced Stats. Contract: three years, $18.6 million. Episode 2 of the "Top 100 Players of 2022" aired on Sunday, with three cornerbacks making the list between Nos. That is how much top-end cornerback play there is in the NFL. Their team slot coverage grade ended up multiple grading points higher than any other NFL franchise. T. Washington: 7-9. Steven Nelson, Philadelphia Eagles He had one of the highest forced incompletion rates in the league this past year with Washington one of several contributing factors to the multi-year deal that Denver offered him. As the teams big free-agent acquisition at the position, Griffin does bring plenty of experience for a younger player. 1 wide receiver in man coverage. The Packers signed veteran Rasul Douglas midseason, and he far surpassed expectations with a 76.5 coverage grade. he 2021 NFL regular season is over. 17. The secondary is the last unit remaining. Two free-agent signings, in particular Chidobe Awuzie and Mike Hilton have helped them get there. Congratulations, Arizona. Jun 5, 2021 5:19 PM EDT. Fuller is set to be reunited with Vic Fangio in Denver. To look exclusively at the secondary, the results for defenders who spend their playing time almost exclusively in the box have been filtered out. Subscribe to . Nelson was another surprise release by a team strapped for salary cap space. Jones was the NFL's highest-paid cornerback when he signed a five-year, $82.5 . Minnesota put forth some of the worst cornerback play in the NFL. As I said in last week's Schein Nine, NFL offenses are more creative and dynamic than ever before. Hes never recorded a PFF grade lower than 70.0 impressive consistency for a cornerback often tasked with tough assignments and is coming off the best PFF grade since his second year in the league. Bears. Here is PFFs 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. NAME SEASON TM GP TKL AST COMB SCK SCKY INT INT YDS INT TD FF FR FR TD; Jahleel Addae: 2021: IND. He recorded coverage grades of at least 72.0 in each of his first three seasons in the league and has allowed just 51.4% of the passes thrown into his coverage to be completed. Despite that, the Buccaneers outside cornerbacks still combined for the highest unit coverage grade in the NFL. 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. No, he was targeted often because of who was on the opposite side, and his ball skills shined in the process, recording 10 INTs in 2020. In 2021, the two 25-year-olds each missed several games but allowed under 700 yards in coverage combined. Jan 10, 2022. The amount of top-level play from NFL cornerbacks is astonishing. Terrell has flashed the ability to become one of the truly . Ex-NFL cornerback Irv Cross, who died in 2021 years after being diagnosed with dementia, had Stage 4 CTE after nearly a decade of playing in the NFL, researchers said Tuesday 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. Jones allowed 1.4 yards per coverage snap . 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. He has graded considerably better in zone coverage than man coverage throughout his career, which could lead to an interesting fit if first-year defensive coordinator Joe Cullen brings over the man-heavy system that Baltimore employed. He should give the Broncos some playmaking ability at cornerback if he can stay healthy. After being charged with eight receptions allowed in Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys, Ramsey proceeded to allow just 24 receptions over the remainder of the regular season, giving upfewer than 25 receiving yards in 11 games. Terrell was actually the second-highest graded cornerback in coverage in the 2021 regular season, behind only Jalen Ramsey. 1. The veteran had a career year, earning the highest coverage grade (83.9) of his nine years in the NFL ranks. 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. 1. Obviously, this is a subjective endeavor, and we could argue for days about the names that are too high or too low. That's when deals are officially negotiated and reported signings fly across . 19. 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. Its impossible to discuss what Peters brings to the table and not start with his knack for getting his hands on the football, as his 31 interceptions since entering the league in 2015 are nine more than any other cornerback. Will Harris at least had an admirable 2020 at strong safety, finishing third among all safeties in burn yards per target (7). But from the slot, the Seahawks' coverage unit was a bit of a nightmare. If it werent for A.J. Davis and Dean form one of the best cornerback pairings in the NFL. He finished with four picks, made the PFWA All-Rookie Team and was PFF's 41st-graded corner in 2021, just behind Colts Pro Bowler Kenny Moore. Veteran. Lavonte David 6943. It doesnt hurt that Washington can feel comfortable playing him at multiple positions in their secondary, either. We often bring up the difficult coverage assignments that No. 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. Shaquill Griffin, Jacksonville Jaguars The three highest PFF grades of Fuller's career came with Fangio as the defensive coordinator in Chicago from 2015 to 2018. Ranking the 11 worst plays of the 2021 NFL regular season. William Jackson III, Washington Football Team Nov 15, 2020; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston (2) celebrates after a touchdown by running back Alvin Kamara . Using advanced data, weve ranked every secondary in the NFL by their performance in pass coverage. 16 ranking despite the team's poor state overall. 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. Terrells breakout to elite status, Atlanta would be threatening to place last on this list. His 71.5 overall grade in 2020 was his highest single-season mark since back in 2017 with the Broncos. 24. These rankings are solely analyzing the performance and impact of every secondary in the NFL from the 2021 regular season. Two free-agent signings, in particular , The Raiders entered 2021 on a streak of arguably the worst defensive back play in the entire NFL. Jackson burst onto the scene with a 90.4 coverage grade in his first season of action back in 2017. 15. Pro Football Network, LLC. He also ranks in at least the 87th percentile in coverage grades at both alignments. Check out the 2021 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics including AFC and NFC results and standings on Pro-football-reference.com Xavien Howard picked an opportune time to hold out for a new contract.. While it wasn't easy putting together this list, here is our ranking of the NFL's 10 best cornerbacks in 2022. By continuing and using the site, including by remaining on the landing . 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. sustained a top-five pass defense in terms of expected points added (EPA) allowed per pass down the final stretch of the 2021 regular season. With some personnel tweaks, the Chiefs secondary revived itself. Things got off to a rough start when the Lions lost 2020 No. As you can probably expect, the quarterbacks are at the top and there are plenty of wide receivers. 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. Hill had his best seasons in LA . The hope for Miami will be that he gets back toward the player who earned a five-year, $82.5 million contract last offseason. After a few poorly graded games in the first quarter of the season, the first-round pick stepped up and was a legitimate CB1 for Denver. Terrell locked up his opponents on a weekly basis, allowing no more than 32 yards in a single game this year. He recorded just one interception and two pass breakups on 42 targets, allowing a career-high 96.7 passer rating into his coverage. The two worst cornerbacks in the league were forced into action because of injuries. Opposing offenses simply werent able to attack him in coverage. Jackson has been one of the stingiest cornerbacks in the league on deep targets since entering the league. Greg Newsome, Cleveland Browns, 26. TreDavious Whites continuing success is a reason for that, as the two-time Pro Bowler first among all cornerbacks in adjusted open percentage allowed (16.20%) in 2020. Personally, I want a guy who travels up and down the field on an assignment basis against the opposing teams best receivers. Still, they held up well, ranking sixth in coverage grade and second in EPA per pass play allowed on such plays. 12. The Pro Bowl free safety will have an exciting mix of experience and youth alongside him. Hes one of the few thatll travel anywhere on the defense to cover an offenses best weapon. 11. Cincinnatis passing offense wasnt the team's only unit to take a major leap in 2021. What Diggs is doing through six games is absurd. When Diggs is targeted, the opponents quarterback rating is 45. Hes going up against each teams best receiver, shadowing them around the field. He also had 81 tackles, three sacks and seven tackles for loss. The league's inaugural 17-game season . The Seahawks appear to be banking on Ahkello Witherspoon making a leap he never managed with the San Francisco 49ers. The Patriots will look for that bounce-back season in 2021. Butler has been one of the best in the league at getting his hands on the football throughout his career. He plays so he is targeted, which leads to his interceptions. Similar to the receiver spot, college is pumping out NFL-ready cornerbacks every draft season, although last year's group failed to meet the hype, particularly the first rounders. Nickel corner Sean Murphy-Bunting also did a decent job at preventing big plays, conceding eight on 44 targets on the inside. Cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon . His technical inconsistencies are the only thing keeping him from being among that next tier up. 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. To further my point, Matthew Staffords EPA is 39, and hes an MVP candidate at quarterback. 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. Darius Slay, Philadelphia Eagles 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. Building a high-powered offense is a sustainable way to win in the NFL, but ensuring the defensive secondary isnt a liability is what separates the contenders from the rest. In a pass-heavy league, the cornerback position has grown into one of the most important positions on the football field. Bradberry was the fourth-most valuable cornerback in the league in 2020 per PFF WAR, with career-best coverage numbers across the board. With that being said, here are four bold predictions for the New Orleans Saints in the 2023 NFL offseason. Pittsburgh also went from second to 29th in passer rating allowed on deep targets year over year. Rhodes will look to continue to build on that success on another one-year deal with the team in 2021. 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. In 2020, Howard led the league in interceptions (10) and pass breakups (20) for his first All-Pro nod. 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 only member of the Detroit Lions on our initial 2022 NFL top 100 players list, Frank Ragnow missed a majority of the 2021 season with a turf toe. Jaire Alexander is responsible for my favorite troll of all time on a football field. name season tm gp tkl ast comb sck scky int int yds int td ff fr fr td; jahleel addae: 2021 Lattimore possesses everything you could want in a cornerback. While Pittsburgh ranked in the top 10 in EPA allowed per pass play for the season, they struggled quite a bit when not producing pressure on the quarterback. 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. Ward and Newsome, in particular, produced top-10 coverage grades when in single coverage. Rankings&Projections |WR/CB Matchup Chart |NFL & NCAA Betting Dashboards | NFL Player Props Tool | NFL & NCAA Power Rankings Two of Indianapolis' outside cornerbacks earned top-20 coverage grades this season: The Broncos' secondary underwhelmed to a certain extent in 2021, with veteran safety, Cornerback was a major area of concern for the Cardinals. We use our own and third-party cookies to improve your experience and our services. Subscribe to PFF+ to unlock . Heck, he played more snaps in the slot in 2020 than he did on the outside. 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. Okudah allowed the offense to gain +1.0 EPA on 43.2 percent of his targets in coverage, the worst rate in the league . In both 2019 and 2020, he recorded a pressure rate below 9% (per SIS Datahub). . Nickel Ronald Darby (37.8) and free-agent signing Kyle Fuller (40.3), inexplicably released by the Chicago Bears, each ranked in the top seven in burn percentage allowed for corners with at least 200 coverage snaps. Cowboys: 6-10. Cornerback was a clear need for the Jaguars entering this offseason. So this is one of the worst cornerback trios in the NFL, not just the NFC West. If Ramsey is the freak, Alexander is the new mold. Buffalos secondary endured a crushing blow in Week 12 when CB1. Two of Indianapolis' outside cornerbacks earned top-20 coverage grades this season: Rock Ya-Sin and Isaiah Rodgers. 14. Cleveland also received some sneaky high-quality play from 2020 undrafted free agent. Christian D'Andrea. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. Butler had arguably his best season in coverage since his New England days last year with Tennessee. Melifonwu was tied for ninth in the fewest burn yards per snap (1.23) allowed among Power 5 corners in his final season with Syracuse. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. Strong safety Kareem Jackson was ninth among all players at the position in burn yards per target allowed with 7.76. All Rights Reserved. The Buccaneers game in Week 5 was the culmination of bad luck early in the season, and it resulted in Howard allowing a season-high 89 yards in coverage. The official start of NFL free agency doesn't begin until March 13. 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. And Peters ranks tied for fifth at the position in pass breakups (52) over that same time frame. No Jaire Alexander? 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. Its worth pointing out that Slay frequently draws the opposing teams top receiving option in single coverage, and his 97 single coverage targets over the past two seasons is a top-five mark at the position. a 2016 second-round pick has been the worst safety in the NFL this year. They consistently ranked near the bottom of the league in every metric imaginable, including defensive back, Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley brought his patented Seahawk Cover 3 defense and got the right players in place to carry it out at a quality level. Safeties Kevin Byard and Amani Hooker both finished the regular season as top-five-graded players at the position. Griffin has earned overall grades of 50.7, 78.0 and 64.6 in the past three seasons. Cross, the former NFL defensive back who became the first Black man to work full-time as a sports analyst on national television, is the latest football player diagnosed with the brain disease CTE. 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. Much of the Raiders presence in the top 10 is tied to the astute acquisition of veteran corner Casey Hayward, whose adjusted open percentage of 17.3 was the fifth-best in the NFL among players at all defensive positions, though a less impressive burn yards per target average of 11.20 reflects how often he was left on an island for the Los Angeles Chargers last year. As the teams big free-agent acquisition at the top and there are of! Broken-Up pass against Wake Forest in 2016, he pranced behind the unsuspecting receiver in a manner never! 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