Vote up the best NFL linebackers in 2022, and help decide who is the best LB of 2022! Teams can sign free agents at 4 p.m. March 15. With Smith entering the final year of his rookie deal, Spotrac believes he's in line to sign a five-year, $88.18 million extension. Ham, who played 12 NFL seasons all with the Steelers recorded 32 career interceptions to go along with two defensive touchdowns while helping the Steelers to win four Super Bowls over his career. 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. Thomas would go on to play 11 NFL seasons before his career and life was cut short after an automobile accident. Position: Outside Linebacker Height: 6-foot-3 Weight: 190 pounds College: Undecided 13 Wesley Bissainthe [jwplayer lpqhoLGb-BmKM743H] Photo: Andrew Ivins, 247Sports High School: Miami Central. He seems to be always around the football and will benefit from the defensive line that lays in front of him. Eileen is the mother one of the #Packers equipment staff members. It is possible, I am sure. 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. At age 30, Kendricks should again be one of the best middle linebackers in the NFL in 2022. Here's a look at the top linebackers hitting the market, both edge rushers and traditional, inside linebackers. 6 defense in the league last year, and Smith was a big reason why. The list of available free agents and snap count percentages are via. He should be able to continue to get 100+ tackles per season if he is able to stay healthy. Ware, who was a key member of the Broncos team that won Super Bowl 50, was nearly unstoppable by just one offensive blocker. Davis is proof that age does not matter. The No. 12 pick in 2021, Parsons was the unanimous rookie of the year last season. 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. The Ramsrecently releasedWagner just one season into a five-year, $50 million contract due to salary cap issues. 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. He's thoughtful in his rushing schemes, and he has the capability to make impact. On 50 attempts here are the results for each archetype: 1. He led the Dallas Cowboys in tackles for 6 consecutive seasons. In the new world of the NFL, several of the normal top outside linebacker prospects have morphed into true edge rushers in a hybrid way. 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. Swipe right for Outside Linebacker Fan Rankings. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. After relaying the play call to his teammates, off-ball linebackers can be responsible for defending the run, covering receivers or rushing the quarterback. HONORABLE MENTION: Bob Breunig, Greg Ellis. And Davis has been outstanding in all areas since moving to the New Orleans defense. View Ranking History 2/18/23: In 2022, Anderson totaled 51 tackles, 10 sacks and an interception returned for a touchdown. Where T.J. Watt, Khalil Mack, Von Miller, and more of the best Outside Linebackers rank going into the 2021-2022 NFL Season. Brice Sensabaugh. The lone holdover from the "Sacksonville" Era of the Jaguars defense, his play has been forgotten during the team's downturn and it has been a shame that Jack has never made a Pro Bowl in his career due to lack of team success. 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. By Brandon Walker | August 27, 2021 - 11:49 AM. Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys The first-ever unanimous Defensive Rookie of the Year has quickly become the standard for linebacker play in the NFL. Isaiah Simmons, rJR, Clemson Isaiah Simmons is a freakish athlete who excelled at linebacker, safety, and even some defensive end with Clemson. For all the young players' struggles, there are a lot of promising linebackers who have the talent to become elite players at this level. Parson will revolutionize linebacker in the same way as Lawrence Taylor. 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 | Top 13 Cincinnati Reds Starting Pitchers of all time. TGT Tips! Join the contest by ranking below. 20. Ken Harvey 6. Wilber Marshall 7. Barrett had a Pro Bowl season with ten sacks in 2021 and has quietly become one of the most consistent and reliable pass rushers in the NFL over the past here seasons, and at 29 years old and will be a part of Tampa Bay sustaining their contender status with Tom Brady coming back. The 12th pick overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. Campbells ranking could justifiably be at the very top of this list or somewhere in the 30s, based on his career so far. 25. They fell short of the playoffs but dont be surprised if the Saints make it back to the playoffs in 2022 and Davis will be a significant reason why. Fan Rankings is a registered trademark of Fan Rankings LLC. Top247 247Sports Composite. He also. He also registered a fourth-best 79.4 PFF coverage grade among linebackers despite playing a whopping 680 coverage snaps. Warner had a transformative effect on the 49ers defense when he became the starter. Milano was a fifth-round draft pick back in 2017 but has dramatically outperformed his first-round teammate, Tremaine Edmunds, within the Buffalo defense. 5. In today's NFL, few positions have become as difficult to play as off-ball linebacker. Billy Napier and his coaching staff have been in the process of offering prospects in the Class of 2024 and beyond during the dead period as they look to set their recruiting . He managed to surpass his rookie season, notching 13.5 sacks despite defenses running plays to the opposite side of the field.. He has prototype size for the position at 6-foot-5, 246 pounds in addition to extensive experience taking on blocks. At 6'4" 238 pounds, he certainly has enough size for linebacker, while being one of the most athletic players in the class regardless of position. David missed five games in 2021 due to injury, but he still had a solid season, recording 97 combined tackles. at February 28, 2023. Now with the, , Wagner has the chance to compete for a second Super Bowl. 8:44 am ET. The Georgia product was named second-team All-Pro in 2020 and 2021, and recorded a career-high 163 combined tackles last year -- which ranked fifth among all linebackers. Follow. 8 in total pressures. We adapted Google's Privacy Guidelines to keep your data safe at all times. Wagner is no longer with the Seattle Seahawks, signing with the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Ramsthis offseason. The Penn State product ranked No. His play on the field showcased his talents including his ability to find the end zone on the defensive side of the ball. Get the latest NFL Draft prospect rankings from CBS Sports. Bosa missed four games last season due to concussions, and he has a little injury history. Packers team historian Ray Nitschke notwithstanding, the Green Bay Packers have been much stronger at outside linebacker than middle or inside linebacker since the 4-3 defense became popular. With that being said, Warner is still an elite linebacker and has recorded at least 118 combined tackles in each of his four NFL seasons. Ryan Kerrigan 3. 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. 1. The 32-year-old David will stick with the Bucs for 2022 after a slight regression last year. Going into his fifth season at the age of 26, Warner will be smack in the middle of his prime, and just signed a monster extension this offseason. LAVONTE DAVID, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS 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. Ham, who played 12 NFL seasons all with the Steelers recorded 32 career interceptions to go along with two defensive touchdowns while helping the Steelers to win four Super Bowls over his career. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, JR, Notre Dame. However, he will have to get better in coverage. Injuries are the only thing that could stop Watt from achieving his single-season record for sacks. Over his career Suggs was a two time Super Bowl Champion, NFL Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Rookie of the Year. Who is the best linebacker of 2022? There's no way he was going to get better, right? Barrett was Tampa's best defensive player during their 2020 Super Bowl run and he got rewarded with a nice long-term extension this offseason. Though he's 32 years old, David hasn't taken a major step backwards just yet. He also had three fumble recoveryies. This tool includes all signings that happen during the Free Agency window only. With a good performance at the Georgia Tech pro day and the NFL combine, Thomas could move up the draft boards . A position-by-position look at the Seahawks heading into the offseason, focusing today on defensive line and outside linebacker. Going back to our introductory paragraph, versatility is needed at the linebacker position, and his versatility is the reason why Parsons comes in at No. Advertisement. The best outside linebackers for this . Brooks was the 2002 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, 11 time Pro Bowler and a five time First Team All-Pro during his playing days with the Bucs. Watt not only led the league in sacks, but also QB hits (39) and fumble recoveries (three). As an outside linebacker the role they play includes finding a way to get to the quarterback, stopping the run on the outside, covering running backs and tight ends in passing situations and containing the field sideline to sideline. Just 25, he's on his way. Tier 2: The Aging Elite 5. Chuck Drazenovich 10. The 31 teams that didn't win the Super Bowl will spend the coming months bolstering their rosters in order to compete with Patrick Mahomes and the championKansas City Chiefsduring the 2023 season. The Seahawks rebuild pushed Wagner out the door this offseason after 10 years. 6-2.5 . He was unanimously awarded the NFL Rookie-of-the Year award this past season. A defender who can blow up screen plays and make takedowns in the open field. Nevertheless, you also have to consider great linebackers like Shaq Barrett, Von Miller, Eric Kendricks, and Demario Davis, among plenty of other talented and fearsome outside and middle linebackers. The biggest question about Leonard is his health, as hes missed time in each of his four seasons and, The No. Nick Bolton (Chiefs); Jordyn Brooks (Seahawks); Shaq Thompson (Panthers); Denzel Perryman (Raiders); Foye Oluokun (Jaguars). Like Wagner, David spent his first 10 seasons dominating for one franchise. Bet with your head, not over it. One of our representatives will be in touch shortly. Wills are often a bit lighter and faster than strong-side outside linebackers and middle linebackers. Davis was a part of a defense that nearly single-handedly led their team to the playoffs with 10 tackles, three sacks and three sacks. Here's a look at the top linebackers hitting the market, both edge rushers and traditional, inside linebackers. What we know is that as a linebacker you need to be strong as hell, fast as hell, and mean as hell. Davids 72.3 overall PFF grade is the lowest mark he has posted in a single season since 2016, and Wagners 71.8 was his lowest since 2015. Tracking the status and signings of all 2023 NFL free agents. In the first round, the team tabbed Fred McNeill of USC, who became a fixture at the outside linebacker spot for many . Players with 8+ sacks in each of first seven seasons of career (since individual sacks have been recorded in 1982): Lorenzo Carter could be a high-upside add on a one-year, prove-it deal at 27 years old. The veteran has proven that he can thrive whether in Bill Belichick's system or beyond the system with 101 tackles and three forced fumbles last season for Detroit and will be a leader for new coach Dan Campbell. Terrell Suggs = ageless wonder.pic.twitter.com/XuSH2fbv6I. Here are the rankings on who I think will be the best in 2021. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,100],'fanrankings_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_5',119,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fanrankings_com-medrectangle-3-0'); The Cowboys' prized rookie out of Penn State is looking to change the shape of the defense that has the most points (473) and the second-most points allowed in team history. Gildon saw limited action during the Steelers' Super. The defensive side of the football is built with a surrounding cast with the goal of slowing down opposing offenses. Jack recorded 118 combined tackles in 2020if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'fanrankings_com-box-4','ezslot_2',125,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fanrankings_com-box-4-0'); Miliano had a few injuries last season, but in 2019 he recorded 101 tackles. Mosley, Foye Oluokun. Thomas was a three time Defensive Player of the Year and is one of only two players to ever win the league MVP during the 1986 season. Top 10 Outside Linebackers Myles Jack Team: Jacksonville Jaguars 2020 Stats: 72 Solo, 1 Sacks, 1 FF, 1 INT The lone holdover from the "Sacksonville" Era of the Jaguars defense, his play has been forgotten during the team's downturn and it has been a shame that Jack has never made a Pro Bowl in his career due to lack of team success. The transition from college football to the NFL used to be smooth for linebackers, but even elite prospects can now struggle in Year 1. Watt . The longtime New Orleans Saints star put together a brilliant NFL career after being selected in the second round of the 1981 NFL Draft. He even hit 107 combined tackles in 2020 despite playing in just 11 games! And Davis has been outstanding in all areas since moving to the New Orleans defense. 1. Clayton White, South Carolina -- $900,000 7. 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. We and our partners share information on your use of this website to help improve your experience. Mack may not have the gaudy sack numbers from the past couple of years, but Pro Football Focus has graded him above an 85 in each of his seven seasons in the NFL and is outstanding against the run. But he still had a transformative effect on the defensive side of the Year and defensive rookie of the..... As hes missed time in each of his four seasons and, the no front of him ;.! 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