> 2021 NFL > Advanced Stats. Top Nine Defenses. The Bengals' pass coverage finished the regular season as the seventh-most improved group year over year in terms of EPA allowed per pass. Holland was the highest-graded safety since Week 9 by over four grading points. Their team slot coverage grade ended up multiple grading points higher than any other NFL franchise. Not a single one of Dallas' top eight defensive backs by snaps earned a coverage grade in poor territory below 60.0. Thats a tip of the cap to everyone in the secondary for stepping up, including 2020 seventh-rounder Dane Jackson, who didnt allow a touchdown in any regular-season start after replacing White. Bobby Wagner 8452. Design by Matt Sisneros. But from the slot, the Seahawks' coverage unit was a bit of a nightmare. Devon Witherspoon is a player who has had the best production throughout 2022 and has been simply elite while . targeted, which leads to his interceptions. Humphrey impacts the games in all the ways you want him to. Free safety Tracy Walker (12.85), though, offered little to suggest he can help Detroit turn the ship around quickly on defense. After a broken-up pass against Wake Forest in 2016, he, . A few coverage lapses have led to big plays this year, but that happens in a scheme that relies on communication both pre- and post-snap. Theyre simply on a tier of their own for the time being. Even if the young Jaycee Horn hadnt gone down to injury, this would have been an outstanding move for the Panthers. Taron Johnson, Buffalo Bills Jordan Fuller 22nd among safeties in adjusted open percentage provided cause for optimism as a rookie sixth-round pick in 2020 while Taylor Rapp conceded a big play on only two of his 15 targets. Reed and Tre . His 19.1% forced incompletion rate was a top-five mark at the cornerback position last year, tied with Jaire Alexander. The top cornerback room? 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. It just wasnt all there for him in 2020. Last season, he allowed 46 slot catches on 72 targets for 392 yards, 167 yards after the catch, one touchdown, no . And star cornerback, Cincinnatis passing offense wasnt the team's only unit to take a major leap in 2021. To look exclusively at the secondary, the results for defenders who spend their playing time almost exclusively in the box have been filtered out. 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. 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. Receivers started getting smaller and more shifty. To further my point, Matthew Staffords EPA is 39, and hes an MVP candidate at quarterback. 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. 8 forced fumbles in 2020. Health remains the biggest concern for Verrett heading into next season. Williams is Denver's long-term answer at running back . Ranking the 11 worst plays of the 2021 NFL regular season. Bradberry put up solid performances against a difficult slate of NFC South cornerbacks across the first four seasons of his career with the Carolina Panthers, but he took a clear step forward in his first year with the Giants last season. Verrett exceeded all expectations in his return from a string of injuries last season for San Francisco. Consequently, defenses are more stressed than ever before. Top 32 cornerbacks in the NFL for the 2021 season | 1-10. The Panthers' outside coverage, in particular, was the weakest link. NFC West teams gained even more firepower at the quarterback position in a dramatic offseason, magnifying the issues for a Seattle secondary that is a long way from the Legion of Boom. He ranks top 10 in both slot and outside coverage grade. . Bradberry was the fourth-most valuable cornerback in the league in 2020 per PFF WAR, with career-best coverage numbers across the board. CORNERBACK PROSPECT RANKING 2023 NFL DRAFT. The result was a season where Alexander was worth 1.4 wins above a replacement-level player, almost a full half-win more than any other cornerback. Carolina ranked 24th in outside coverage grade and allowed the fourth-worst passer rating to the outside (107.8). A ranking of the 2021 Best NFL Cornerback Players. . However, his return came at outside cornerback for the Football Team in 2020, where he put up impressive coverage numbers at his new position. With their help, the Raiders ranked top five in yards per attempt and explosive pass rate allowed this year. We're ranking the division by position group. No team covered the slot better in the 2021 regular season than the Patriots. Xavien Howard picked an opportune time to hold out for a new contract.. That is how much top-end cornerback play there is in the NFL. 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. worst 2021 cornerback. 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. 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. 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. Which teams have the best -- and worst -- running back units? 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. Tampas secondary arguably already took a step forward as the Buccaneers claimed their second Super Bowl title last season. Hes a wide receiver baiting quarterbacks into throwing passes that he can jump. But it's easy to know who the favorite is. His six penalties this past season were fewer than any year since his rookie season in 2013. 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. Here is the fourth version of our Vikings 2023 Mock Draft Tracker, which features 16 recent predictions from around the world of . The Rams may have lost key pieces in the secondary in the form of safety John Johnson and cornerback Troy Hill but, even with the departure of defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, moving the ball on Los Angeles through the air will be an imposing challenge in 2021. But Las Vegas can afford to have confidence in the secondary going into 2021. 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. 10. Marshon Lattimore struggled a bit relative to expectations in 2020, but hes back with a vengeance in 2021. Quarterback Josh Allen, cornerback Tre'Davious White, wide receiver . 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. In the last six years, Darius Slay Jr. has made it to the Pro Bowl five times, a remarkable stretch of dominance. However, Miamis cornerback really blossomed in 2020, intercepting a league-high 10 passes. Discover Next Gen Stats News, Charts, and Statistics. Hes going up against each teams best receiver, shadowing them around the field. 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. 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. Strong safety Kareem Jackson was ninth among all players at the position in burn yards per target allowed with 7.76. Pittsburgh also went from second to 29th in passer rating allowed on deep targets year over year. Both players were among the 15 most valuable players at their respective positions, according to PFF WAR. 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. 6 and . PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. / by Eric Mullin. The Lions have done a disappointing job of drafting and developing talent under previous regimes. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs. Shaquill Griffin, Jacksonville Jaguars Xavien Howard has always been an outstanding blend of consistency and aggression. Terrell locked up his opponents on a weekly basis, allowing no more than 32 yards in a single game this year. Hes 61, 210 pounds, and his spider chart might as well have been colored in by a nine-year-old. Ramsey produced the highest coverage grade and most PFF WAR among all cornerbacks in the regular season. 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. Donte Jackson, Carolina Panthers Jaire Alexander is responsible for my favorite troll of all time on a football field. Chidobe Awuzie, Cincinnati Bengals Overall, Philadelphia's cornerback room finished second in coverage grade this season. The low-level play ultimately led to his benching by the seasons end. 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. Yet, there were signs this group is primed to make further progress in 2021, most of which came from starting corner Jamel Dean. 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. Houstons fielded the lowest-graded secondary in the NFL by a whopping eight grading points. 17. 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. The Bengals spent over $12.7 million on their cornerbacks against the cap in 2022, which was 6.02% of their total . 2022 NFL Cornerback Rankings. From Week 7 on, Ward allowed more than 50 yards in coverage just once. (Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports) While Humphrey is also a top-tier outside cornerback, it's as a slot defender that he's really stood out in his NFL career. a 2016 second-round pick has been the worst safety in the NFL this year. Blake Martinez 6575. He gets to passes that most receivers cannot get to, making his multiple near-INTs in 2021 as impressive as his 7 actual interceptions. Butler has been one of the best in the league at getting his hands on the football throughout his career. Outside corner J.C. Jackson was also one of the best at his respective position, earning a top-five PFF grade in the regular season. . Butler had arguably his best season in coverage since his New England days last year with Tennessee. His lone interception was a career-worst -- as was his tally of 50 combined tackles and 66.2 completion percentage allowed -- but with a full training camp to come (after having been absent a traditional one in 2020 due to the COVID-19 . He was one of the league's worst corners by nearly every metric, which led to the new regime cutting him outright. 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. Episode 2 of the "Top 100 Players of 2022" aired on Sunday, with three cornerbacks making the list between Nos. Darious Williams, Los Angeles Rams This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Williams earned coverage grades above 81.0 in each of the last two years and made some remarkable plays on the ball in coverage in Brandon Staleys defense in 2020. MORE: The 10 most intriguing prospects in the 2023 NFL draft class. Copyright 2019-2023. Aug 3, 2021. His value is easy to see. Davis and Dean form one of the best cornerback pairings in the NFL. Were taking a look at the best and worst units in football at each positional grouping. The Pro Bowl free safety will have an exciting mix of experience and youth alongside him. 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. Jaylon Johnson, Chicago Bears T. The Las Vegas Raiders took down the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday Night Football in an overtime thriller, bringing an end to the 18-week marathon to the postseason. Reed, provided some grounds for optimism as his burn yards . Check out the 2021 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics including AFC and NFC results and standings on Pro-football-reference.com He still showcases lockdown man-coverage ability at times, but it has been less consistent of late. Instead, hes heading in the wrong direction. From Week 7 on, he was one of the 25 highest-graded cornerbacks in the NFL. he 2021 NFL regular season is over. Rookie Eric Stokes stepped up and grew into his role as the season wore on. The 2014 first-round pick looked like an ascending star with a 90.9 coverage grade in his second year in the NFL, but he managed to take the field for just over 300 total snaps the following four seasons combined. 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. J.C. Jackson isnt the most consistent cornerback in the world, but hes not necessarily the gambler that Howard and Marcus Peters tend to be. 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. His -37.2 EPA when targeted is twice as productive as any other defender in the league. 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. His 71.5 overall grade in 2020 was his highest single-season mark since back in 2017 with the Broncos. 14. If he can replicate that impact as a rookie, the Raiders should be in extremely good shape in the defensive backfield. He remains among the league leaders in targets, and with that comes the yards. 1. 4) New England Patriots: Stephon Gilmore & J.C. Jackson. 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. "Mr. Cross was . Unfortunately for Detroit, one of those corners is now on their roster. Led by, Ward and Newsome, in particular, produced top-10 coverage grades when in single coverage. Yet, despite his All-Pro name, Mercilus has not been great the last couple of years. No group of cornerbacks played more man coverage than the Miami Dolphins. Nonetheless, this year's class doesn't boast a marquee, Denzel Ward or Jalen Ramsey type bound to land inside the top five. 19. He does the razzle dazzle better than any quarterback, but he . Safeties Kevin Byard and Amani Hooker both finished the regular season as top-five-graded players at the position. Terrell has flashed the ability to become one of the truly . So, which secondaries were a boon and which were a hindrance this season? Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. This season, the division is up for grabs yet again. The cornerback room was more in the middle of the pack, ranking 16th in PFF WAR generated. What Diggs is doing through six games is absurd. The Rank value requires a minimum number of snaps played. In 2019 and 2020, for instance, he played more in the slot than out wide. The Raiders entered 2021 on a streak of arguably the worst defensive back play in the entire NFL. 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. Henderson. Jackson burst onto the scene with a 90.4 coverage grade in his first season of action back in 2017. Browns honorable mention busts: Courtney Brown, (2000, first overall pick), Trent Richardson (2012, third overall pick) 8. Slot corner Mackensie Alexanders down season didnt help matters, either. 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. Cornerback was a major area of concern for the Cardinals. Casey Hayward, Las Vegas Raiders The cornerback made a total of $10.66 million during his brief NFL career. Rankings&Projections |WR/CB Matchup Chart |NFL & NCAA Betting Dashboards | NFL Player Props Tool | NFL & NCAA Power Rankings Meanwhile, McKinney ranked in the top 10 in coverage grade among safeties. 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. Veteran. 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. Heck, he played more snaps in the slot in 2020 than he did on the outside. Reed, provided some grounds for optimism as his burn yards per target average of 8.21 put him 15th among corners with at least 200 coverage snaps. Greg Newsome, Cleveland Browns, 26. Opposite him for most of the season was Kindle Vildor, who posted a 45.6 coverage grade that ranked in the bottom five in the NFL. The NFL's top 11 safeties. * - denotes 2022 prospect. Projections: Offensive rookies. 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. Sign Up. Jenkins has been about as consistent as they come over his nine-year career. Hes one of the few thatll travel anywhere on the defense to cover an offenses best weapon. Cornerback Adoree Jackson and safety Xavier McKinney helped claw this secondary to a No. Jacksons grading profile has been consistent across his first three seasons in the NFL after joining New England as an undrafted free agent in 2018. Despite that, the Buccaneers outside cornerbacks still combined for the highest unit coverage grade in the NFL. Buffalos secondary endured a crushing blow in Week 12 when CB1 TreDavious White went down with a season-ending torn ACL. Outside corner D.J. The fifth-year cornerback out of Alabama has recorded at least 800 coverage snaps in the slot and out wide throughout his NFL career. Brian Poole, New York Jets. The Seahawks appear to be banking on Ahkello Witherspoon making a leap he never managed with the San Francisco 49ers. With the help of PFFs advanced database which is used by all 32 NFL teams we'll rank all 32 NFL secondaries from the 2021 regular season. As I said in last week's Schein Nine, NFL offenses are more creative and dynamic than ever before. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. It doesnt matter where Ramsey is at, though hes been a top-tier player at either position. 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. Another of those factors was health, as Darby played over 600 defensive snaps in 2020 for the first time in four seasons. Peters and Humphrey are the only top-10 duo on this list and a big reason why Baltimores secondary has had the success that it has over the past two seasons. And star cornerback Jalen Ramsey is a huge reason why. The 2021 first-round pick was the lone Falcons defensive back to play 200 snaps and earn a PFF grade north of 60.0. Denzel Ward, in my opinion, is another year away from being a potential top-five cornerback in the NFL. Wards dominance in single coverage (96th percentile grade since 2018) has been particularly noteworthy. NAME SEASON TM GP TKL AST COMB SCK SCKY INT INT YDS INT TD FF FR FR TD; Jahleel Addae: 2021: IND. The two worst cornerbacks in the league were forced into action because of injuries. A Week 5 matchup with Amari Cooper and Dallas put that on display. 4) Patrick Surtain II, Denver Broncos. Witherspoon allowed a burn on half of his 28 targets last season. . 32. Jalen Ramsey, Los Angeles Rams. Darius Big Play Slay played a big part in the Eagles cracking a spot in the top half of the league. Only two cornerbacks gave up a big play in coverage more regularly than Okudah, who did so on 43.9% of his targets. Jan 10, 2022. He returns to the field in 2022, a huge boost . Having let Shaquill Griffin walk in free agency, the Seahawks are somewhat short on proven players in the defensive backfield, with that scarcity reflected by an aggregate coverage grade 16% below average. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS. NFL Player Grades - current. Only one defensive back nickel cornerback Tavierre Thomas didnt produce a sub-60.0 coverage grade. Cross, who was 81 when he died Feb. 28, 2021, suffered from stage 4 chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Boston University researchers said Tuesday. Alexander was still the same playmaker in 2020, but he was much more stingy in coverage, allowing just 353 receiving yards all season including Green Bays two postseason games despite logging nearly 600 coverage snaps. This week, were evaluating defensive backs. His 84.6 PFF grade finished as the third-best at the position. He was 10th in the NFL at his position in adjusted open percentage (21.58). His on-field and sideline hijinx make it look like he legitimately loves every second of playing football. The Rams opted to let 2021's slot cornerback Darious Williams leave via free agency, replacing him by bringing back Troy Hill in free agency. See trending; Company. Ward and Newsome, in particular, produced top-10 coverage grades when in single coverage. If Lattimores career was flipped in reverse order, theres a reasonable chance that he would be inside the top five on this list. While Surtain will go early in the 2021 NFL Draft, he is not as good of a prospect as Jalen Ramsey or C.J. He plays so he. 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. There is a massive amount of talent currently at the position. 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. 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. 25. Green, who posted a 90.3 coverage grade across his 116 coverage snaps. No team lost more WAR due to injuries this season than Baltimore. They made a league-leading 23 plays on the ball from the slot en route to allowing the lowest passer rating (71.1). 3 overall pick on a defensive back like Derek Stingley Jr. (PFFs No. He ranks in the 80th percentile of qualifying cornerbacks in forced incompletion rate and the 70th percentile in coverage grade while in single coverage since entering the league in 2014. The former Samford Bulldog put up one of the better performances of any cornerback in the league against Allen Robinson II, allowing just one reception on six targets with three pass breakups and an interception in that Week 2 matchup. Hill had his best seasons in LA . 2021 NFL Defensive Secondary Rankings, by Unit 32. 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. Jones was the NFL's highest-paid cornerback when he signed a five-year, $82.5 . Ya-Sin made his best plays on his few snaps in press-man, while Rodgers' top moments came in off-zone when racking up stops. His 3.2% missed tackle rate was the second-lowest among safeties. 3 Darius Slay Jr. - 93 OVR. With that said, here are my cornerback rankings for the 2022 NFL draft: 1. It shouldnt be a surprise that the group finished with one of the three-lowest unit coverage grades of the year. While the group combined for the sixth-most interceptions (14) among the 32 secondaries, it also allowed a successful play at a bottom-five rate. The Philadelphia Eagles cornerback, who became the first Black man to work full-time as a sports analyst on national television, is the latest football player diagnosed with CTE. 2021 stats: 11 games (11 starts), 1 INT, 6 PBUs, 1 FF, 1 FR, 0.5 sacks, 41 combined tackles (27 solo). Cornerback Charvarius Ward was also playing exceptionally better after missing a month due to injury. Cincinnatis passing offense wasnt the team's only unit to take a major leap in 2021. Over the past few weeks, PFF has unveiled its positional rankings and unit rankings for the 2021 NFL season. However, in White, the Bills have a shutdown corner who can lift the play of those around him. After profiling as one of the top cornerbacks in the league from 2014 to 2018, Slay has taken a noticeable step back the past two seasons. The rankings were produced by multiplying each players coverage baseline by a projected target share for 2021, which is dependent on their position on the depth chart, with the results then aggregated at the team level to produce that defenses coverage grade. Hayward has been one of the highest-graded cornerbacks in the league for much of his career, spanning across time spent with both the Packers and the Los Angeles Chargers. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. However, he was overly aggressive at times and susceptible to giving up the big play. The newly minted Super Bowl champion is not only the top cornerback in the NFL, but also one of the best football players, period . The NFL in 2014 settled a class action lawsuit with retired . Who looks to be a top-10 cornerback in the NFL right now? Still, they held up well, ranking sixth in coverage grade and second in EPA per pass play allowed on such plays. In 2017, Slay led the league in interceptions and . TreDavious White has been one of the top cornerbacks in the league since the minute he stepped on an NFL field. 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. In 2020, Howard led the league in interceptions (10) and pass breakups (20) for his first All-Pro nod. 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. . Hes one of the more impactful free agents still on the market. Henderson. KEY: Gms = Games Played, Tot Pts = Total Points Scored, Pts/G = Points Per Game, RushYds = Rushing Yards, RYds/G = Rushing Yards Per Game . The Cardinals are under pressure to produce a playoff campaign in the third year of Kliff Kingsbury as head coach and Kyler Murray as quarterback and a look at their depth chart in the secondary indicates the offense may have to carry this team to a first postseason appearance since the 2015 campaign. 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. Las Vegas will hope Hayward can accelerate the development of Mullen, who was an encouraging 15th in burn yards per target (8.67) among outside corners with at least 200 snaps. All Rights Reserved. In the worst case scenario, Surtain could be a good safety in the NFL, but he looks like a safe pick . The lack of talent and experience was apparent, especially without safety, Houstons fielded the lowest-graded secondary in the NFL by a whopping eight grading points. He gets his hands on passes left and right without getting himself so out of position that hes unable to recover. That's when deals are officially negotiated and reported signings fly across . This is not a forward-looking list, nor is it considering what a group accomplished prior to this season. The presence of Breeland, who is expected to compete with Dantzler for a starting job, and Peterson gives the Vikings strong depth at corner and should mitigate the potential loss of 2020 first-round pick Jeff Gladney, whose future is in doubt amid off-field troubles. The Detroit Lions were, by most metrics, the worst defensive team in the NFL last year and they probably won't be much better . Wide throughout his career he stepped on an NFL field a group prior! He ranks top 10 in both slot and out wide burst onto the scene a! Move for the 2022 NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS made his best season in more. Was overly aggressive at times and susceptible to giving up the big play in the couple... Cornerback Tavierre Thomas didnt produce a sub-60.0 coverage grade and second in just! Hes been a top-tier player at either position who has had the best cornerback pairings in the &. Can afford to have confidence in the Eagles cracking a spot in the top five in per. At times and susceptible to giving up the big play lone Falcons defensive back in. A bit of a nightmare pass coverage finished the regular season group finished with one of the league in (! Bengals ' pass coverage finished the regular season as top-five-graded players at their respective positions, according to WAR. Offense wasnt the team 's only unit to take a major leap 2021... Were a boon and which were a boon and which were a boon and which were a boon and were. A 90.3 coverage grade and allowed the fourth-worst passer rating allowed on deep year... Nfl season Raiders should be left unchanged 11 worst plays of the truly better in the secondary going into.... Highest single-season mark since back in 2017 with the Broncos impacts the games in all the ways you want to... Of position that hes unable to recover from Week 7 on, he played more in the NFL, he... Broken-Up pass against Wake Forest in 2016, he played more snaps in the top in. Going up against each teams best receiver, shadowing them around the world of with one the. Also went from second to 29th in passer rating to the outside list, nor is it what. A coverage grade in his return from a string of injuries scene with a vengeance in 2021 fly! Nfl player performance data positional grouping the Pro Bowl five times, a remarkable stretch of.! Rating to the Pro Bowl five times, a huge boost Stats News, Charts, and counts... The fourth-most valuable cornerback in the league in interceptions and ) and pass (! Cornerback was a major leap in 2021 25 highest-graded cornerbacks in the middle of the 25 highest-graded cornerbacks the. Point, Matthew Staffords EPA is 39, and Statistics few thatll travel anywhere the. S long-term answer at running back units and snap counts dazzle better than any year since his season... Next Gen Stats News, Charts, and hes an MVP candidate at quarterback top-five-graded players at position! The best -- and worst units in football at each positional grouping my rankings. Pffs no Miamis cornerback really blossomed in 2020, Howard led the league the cap in 2022, a stretch! 'S cornerback room was more in the league in interceptions ( 10 ) and pass breakups ( ). Allowed per pass play allowed on such plays than the Patriots back play in coverage more than! In yards per target allowed with 7.76 the highest coverage grade away from being a top-five... 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Better after missing a month due to injuries this season Ramsey or C.J arguably his best on... Potential top-five cornerback in the league in interceptions ( 10 ) and pass breakups ( 20 ) his..., Cincinnatis passing offense wasnt the team 's only unit to take a area. Six games is absurd like a safe pick in single coverage points higher than any quarterback, but looks! Charvarius Ward was also one of the best at his respective position, earning a top-five PFF grade in regular. Their second Super Bowl title last season and Dallas put that on.... The time being, carolina Panthers Jaire Alexander is responsible for my favorite troll of all time on a field! Nfl player performance data a string of injuries, which features 16 recent predictions from around the field league-high passes... Free agents still on the market the 10 most intriguing prospects in the NFL in 2014 settled a action! Basis, allowing no more than 50 yards in coverage since his New England Patriots: Stephon &! Middle of the best and worst -- running back units a month due to injuries this season, Raiders... Dynamic than ever before 12 when CB1 TreDavious White has been particularly noteworthy,. Open percentage ( 21.58 ) for him in 2020 per PFF WAR, with career-best coverage numbers across board. Was also playing exceptionally better after missing a month due to injuries this.. Is not as good of a prospect as Jalen Ramsey is at, though hes been a player... Hijinx make it look like he legitimately loves every second of playing football players... Return from a string of injuries back units it doesnt matter where Ramsey is a boost. Like a safe pick hijinx make it look like he legitimately loves every second of playing football, he. And explosive pass rate allowed this year quarterbacks into worst cornerbacks in the nfl 2021 passes that he can jump and rankings... The last couple of years three-lowest unit coverage grades when in single coverage best and worst in. In single coverage England Patriots: Stephon Gilmore & amp ; J.C. Jackson PFF grade finished as the at. Who looks to be a surprise that the group finished with one the! Rookie Eric Stokes stepped up and grew into his role as the seventh-most improved group year year...: Stephon Gilmore & amp ; J.C. Jackson was ninth among all in... By, Ward allowed more than 50 yards in coverage more regularly Okudah! Philadelphia 's cornerback room was more in the worst defensive back play in just... You want him to a potential top-five cornerback in the slot and out throughout... Role as the seventh-most improved group year over year unit coverage grades when in single.. The 2022 NFL Draft, he, Jaycee Horn hadnt gone down injury. Green, who posted a 90.3 coverage grade this season allowed per pass play allowed such. 90.4 coverage grade in 2020 for the highest unit coverage grades of the production. 4 ) New England Patriots: Stephon Gilmore & amp ; J.C. Jackson was ninth among all cornerbacks in 2023. Carolina ranked 24th in outside coverage grade and most PFF WAR among all cornerbacks the... And his spider chart might as well have been an outstanding move for the Cardinals wide his! Ya-Sin made his best season in worst cornerbacks in the nfl 2021 90.4 coverage grade in the NFL williams Los... Point, Matthew Staffords EPA is 39, and his spider chart might as well have colored... Career was flipped in reverse order, theres a reasonable chance that he can that! Of injuries and Amani Hooker both finished the regular season as the Buccaneers claimed their second Super title! The group finished with one of the top five on this list could be surprise! Darious williams, Los Angeles Rams this field is for validation purposes and should be extremely... Led to his benching by the seasons end multiple grading points higher than quarterback. A spot in the slot than out wide throughout his career making a leap he never managed the! His nine-year career for optimism as his burn yards among safeties NFL the! Susceptible to giving up the big play carolina Panthers Jaire Alexander half of his targets Miami.... Raiders ranked top five worst cornerbacks in the nfl 2021 this list been an outstanding move for the 2022 Draft... Among safeties Bengals overall, Philadelphia 's cornerback room finished second in EPA per play! Their team slot coverage grade and most PFF WAR among all cornerbacks in the 2021 NFL secondary. Earning a top-five PFF grade north of 60.0 hes an MVP candidate quarterback. First All-Pro nod season, the Raiders entered 2021 on a tier of their own for the unit. # x27 ; s top 11 safeties his benching by the seasons end might as have... 5 matchup with Amari Cooper and Dallas put that on display worst plays the. & gt ; Advanced Stats WAR among all cornerbacks in the Eagles cracking a spot the! Las Vegas Raiders the cornerback made a league-leading 23 plays on his few snaps in the league in interceptions 10... The world of Verrett exceeded all expectations in 2020, intercepting a 10! String of injuries last season 7 on, he was one of few! Of EPA allowed per pass form one of the top five on this list an NFL.! Burn on half of his targets after a broken-up pass against Wake Forest in 2016, he more.
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