Reader, yet neither made an impact last season due to injury. 2022 NFL season's top 10 shutdown cornerbacks: Eagles duo leads group; Sauce Gardner cracks list. Butler had arguably his best season in coverage since his New England days last year with Tennessee. Eric Kendricks 639 # . Butler has been one of the best in the league at getting his hands on the football throughout his career. ** - denotes 2023 prospect. His addition, along with the signing of Joe Haden, helped stabilize a turbulent cornerback position in Pittsburgh over these last two seasons. Green allowed only six receptions for 70 yards on 22 targets while breaking up five and picking off one. The seven touchdowns allowed into his coverage this past season were tied for second-most of any cornerback in the league. The 2021 second-round pick is a valuable piece to this secondary moving forward, but the other cornerback spots need some work. With modern NFL rules, its a disadvantage not to have the type of foot speed Ward possesses. Las Vegas Raiders . Free-agent signing William Jackson III was an up-and-down performer. No cornerback in the league has been more productive on passes 20 or more yards downfield over that span. According to PFF WAR, the veteran corner was the sixth-most valuable cornerback in the league over the 2015, 2017 and 2018 seasons. Christian D'Andrea. He finished with the lowest slot coverage grade in the NFL. In all, 17.1% of the targets into his coverage have resulted in either a pass breakup or interception over his career, a top-five mark among qualifiers at the position. 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. 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. Outside corner D.J. 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. 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 In the News: Patrick Mahomes, Derek Carr, Aaron Rodgers, Jalen Hurts, Tom Brady, Brock Purdy. Last season, he allowed 46 slot catches on 72 targets for 392 yards, 167 yards after the catch, one touchdown, no . Mar 1, 2021 at 11:51 am ET 34 min read NFL Draft season is in full swing, so a Top 50 Big Board is in order. who passed away in February 2021 at age 81, played cornerback for the Eagles from 1961 to 1965, earning two Pro Bowl nods, and . (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. Minnesotas defensive backs rank 10th in aggregate coverage rating, performing 5% better than average. 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. Having an elite cornerback who is capable of traveling with an opposing team's top receiving threat, such as Jalen Ramsey, can take pressure off other players in the secondary. 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. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. Reed and Tre . Terrell was actually the second-highest graded cornerback in coverage in the 2021 regular season, behind only Jalen Ramsey. 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. TreDavious White has been one of the top cornerbacks in the league since the minute he stepped on an NFL field. In the last six years, Darius Slay Jr. has made it to the Pro Bowl five times, a remarkable stretch of dominance. Age: 28 (29 on 8/4/23) Playing time: 16 games, 316 special teams snaps (77.07% of team total), 63 defensive snaps (5.99% of team total) Key statistics: 19 tackles, 1 quarterback hit, 4 pass . Top Nine Defenses. So this is one of the worst cornerback trios in the NFL, not just the NFC West. Published: Oct 20, 2022 at 03:19 PM . 15. Xavien Howard picked an opportune time to hold out for a new contract.. Minnesota put forth some of the worst cornerback play in the NFL. So, which secondaries were a boon and which were a hindrance this season? 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. Greg Newsome, Cleveland Browns, 26. Taron Johnson, Buffalo Bills No problem. Rhodes will look to continue to build on that success on another one-year deal with the team in 2021. Contract: three years, $18.6 million. There is a massive amount of talent currently at the position. NAME SEASON TM GP TKL AST COMB SCK SCKY INT INT YDS INT TD FF FR FR TD; Jahleel Addae: 2021: IND. Teams are afraid to throw at Surtain, and he has one of the lowest target totals among . None of their cornerbacks had a quality campaign, but Bashaud Breeland who was waived in mid-December was the main reason for the outside struggles. And Peters ranks tied for fifth at the position in pass breakups (52) over that same time frame. 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. For the most part, the Buffalo Bills invest wisely in the right people and positions. And he only got better as the season progressed. Ranking the top NFL Cornerback contracts and salaries in the NFL With the help of. Only three Power 5 defenders gave up fewer. He also had 81 tackles, three sacks and seven tackles for loss. With that said, here are my cornerback rankings for the 2022 NFL draft: 1. 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. Slay came in at No. 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. All Rights Reserved. Arnettes average of 11.69 suggests he has further to go, and he may face competition with Hayward for the starting role across from Mullen. 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. Houston Texans: Whitney Mercilus, OLB. His -37.2 EPA when targeted is twice as productive as any other defender in the league. White is right there with Howard as one of the best playmaking cornerbacks in the league. He does the razzle dazzle better than any quarterback, but he . Terrell has flashed the ability to become one of the truly . a 2016 second-round pick has been the worst safety in the NFL this year. Design by Matt Sisneros. Over the past few weeks, PFF has unveiled its positional rankings and unit rankings for the 2021 NFL season. He and Darrelle Revis are the only two cornerbacks with at least 250 targets since 2010 who have allowed fewer than 50% of those passes to be completed. 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. 29. If Ramsey is the freak, Alexander is the new mold. He remains among the league leaders in targets, and with that comes the yards. The lack of talent and experience was apparent, especially without safety Marcus Maye, who ruptured his Achilles midway through the season. 4-overall prospect). 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. He gets to passes that most receivers cannot get to, making his multiple near-INTs in 2021 as impressive as his 7 actual interceptions. 19. It shouldnt be a surprise that the group finished with one of the three-lowest unit coverage grades of the year. The Lions have done a disappointing job of drafting and developing talent under previous regimes. In his first two seasons, A.J. 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. But it's easy to know who the favorite is. The ability to limit production like Ramsey did against top-flight talent is invaluable for the Los Angeles Rams defense. Its unfortunate hes not more widely regarded as a ballhawk, but many cant look past the paltry INT numbers to his. Top 32 cornerbacks in the NFL for the 2021 season | 1-10, Top 32 cornerbacks in the NFL for the 2021 season | 11-32, Jaire Alexander is responsible for my favorite troll of all time on a football field. Instead, hes heading in the wrong direction. The Raiders defensive backs rank seventh for aggregate coverage, rating 10% better than the average. Jackson has been one of the stingiest cornerbacks in the league on deep targets since entering the league. Adoree Jackson, New York Giants Bradberry's 2021 season, though, was abysmal. When hes been asked to man up against some of the best receivers in the NFL, hes delivered. They were forced to play Robert Alford who hadnt played a down since Week 17 of 2018 2021 fourth-round pick Marco Wilson, slot corner Byron Murphy Jr. and NFL journeyman Antonio Hamilton at outside corner this season. In a pass-heavy league, the cornerback position has grown into one of the most important positions on the football field. . Darius Big Play Slay played a big part in the Eagles cracking a spot in the top half of the league. 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. The tandem tormented AFC quarterbacks for years. 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. His 84.6 PFF grade finished as the third-best at the position. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph did a good job of adjusting his defense and playing less man coverage to take stress off that unit, but the Cardinals still finished 26th in outside coverage grade for the year. 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. No group of cornerbacks played more man coverage than the Miami Dolphins. James Bradberry, New York Giants, 21. Ranking top 10 cornerbacks in NFL for 2021: Jalen Ramsey leads pack that includes talented newcomers . Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. In the worst case scenario, Surtain could be a good safety in the NFL, but he looks like a safe pick . Bradberry was the fourth-most valuable cornerback in the league in 2020 per PFF WAR, with career-best coverage numbers across the board. Receivers started getting smaller and more shifty. This season, the division is up for grabs yet again. The Bills defensive backs rank 15 points above the average in aggregate coverage grading. None of their cornerbacks had a quality campaign, but. But from the slot, the Seahawks' coverage unit was a bit of a nightmare. Outside of safety Derwin James, the Chargers' secondary left a lot to be desired in 2021. 5. Henderson. 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. 1 cornerbacks in the NFC South are tasked with. As I said in last week's Schein Nine, NFL offenses are more creative and dynamic than ever before. The Tuscaloosa News via AP) Height: 6'2" (95th percentile) Weight: 208 (94th) 40-Yard Dash: 4.42 seconds (85th) Bench Press: 18 reps (33rd) Vertical Jump: 39 inches (84th) Broad Jump: 131 inches (91st) 3-Cone Drill: N/A 20-Yard Shuttle: N/A Bio: In what will be a theme for this list of players . Who will be back: Jackson, despite a $19-million cap hit, will likely be back for one more season. 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. Donte Jackson, Carolina Panthers 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 should give the Broncos some playmaking ability at cornerback if he can stay healthy. 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. Things got off to a rough start when the Lions lost 2020 No. If Lattimores career was flipped in reverse order, theres a reasonable chance that he would be inside the top five on this list. Only one defensive back nickel cornerback, Galina: The shortcomings of the Kellen Moore-Dak Prescott connection for the Dallas Cowboys. 27. 1. That is how much top-end cornerback play there is in the NFL. David Carr constructs his own ranking of the top 10 cornerbacks, but All-Pro . The Rams' pass-defense unit regressed some from 2020, but make no mistake: This is still an above-average group. Those struggles wouldnt last, though. These rankings are solely analyzing the performance and impact of every secondary in the NFL from the 2021 regular season. This is the worst front seven in the NFL. Strong safety Kareem Jackson was ninth among all players at the position in burn yards per target allowed with 7.76. However, he was overly aggressive at times and susceptible to giving up the big play. Yet, despite his All-Pro name, Mercilus has not been great the last couple of years. Using advanced data, weve ranked every secondary in the NFL by their performance in pass coverage. Williams is Denver's long-term answer at running back . From Week 7 on, Ward allowed more than 50 yards in coverage just once. The yards on Diggs ledger are largely hollow. Ward was one of the first to fit the new modern mold of NFL cornerback. Gilmore was comfortably the No. He was 10th in the NFL at his position in adjusted open percentage (21.58). So, which secondaries were a boon and which were a hindrance this season? Free safety Tracy Walker (12.85), though, offered little to suggest he can help Detroit turn the ship around quickly on defense. He returns to the field in 2022, a huge boost . Its part of what makes identifying the leagues best at the position so challenging. Since entering the league in 2016, 18.7% of his targets in coverage have resulted in a pass breakup or interception, leadingall cornerbacks who have been targeted at least 150 times over those five years. Safeties Kevin Byard and Amani Hooker both finished the regular season as top-five-graded players at the position. The 2021 first-round pick was the lone Falcons defensive back to play 200 snaps and earn a PFF grade north of 60.0. The results are very favorable for one NFC West team, though two franchises from that division are at the wrong end of the rankings. In 2020, Howard led the league in interceptions (10) and pass breakups (20) for his first All-Pro nod. Seattle Seahawks: Ahkello Witherspoon, D.J. 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. Cleveland also received some sneaky high-quality play from 2020 undrafted free agent A.J. They made a league-leading 23 plays on the ball from the slot en route to allowing the lowest passer rating (71.1). 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. Kenny Moore II, Indianapolis Colts13. 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. 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. 1. In 2021, the two 25-year-olds each missed several games but allowed under 700 yards in coverage combined. Bears. Henderson. 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. . And even he had a volatile season with a 60.5 coverage grade. A cause for concern may come across from White after a mediocre year for Levi Wallace, whose adjusted open percentage (30.85) was close to double that of White, but the Bills have to be impressed by the progress of nickel Taron Johnson, who allowed a big play on only 14 of his 74 targets at inside corner last year. 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. Patrick Surtain II, Alabama. I simply wont acknowledge any Jalen Ramsey disrespect in this dojo. Waynes three-year, $42 million contract was likely an overpay, but he does profile as a quality starting option. 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. We started to see signs of the Louisville product's playmaking ability in 2019, as his 16 forced incompletions ranked second at the position. 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. When Diggs is targeted, the opponents quarterback rating is 45. It was only natural that the prototype for cornerback shifted as well. Terrell. Holland was the highest-graded safety since Week 9 by over four grading points. Rookie Patrick Surtain II also showed a lot of promise and looks like a star in the making. Cincinnatis passing offense wasnt the team's only unit to take a major leap in 2021. 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. Its challenging to rank these guys with the multitude of schematic differences and responsibilities. The league's inaugural 17-game season . Rookie Eric Stokes stepped up and grew into his role as the season wore on. There is no shortage of defensive weapons on Clevelands roster. 22. Injuries held him to just over 300 snaps for San Francisco last season, but Sherman was the highest-graded cornerback in the league (90.3 overall) back in 2019. The Bengals', pass coverage finished the regular season as the seventh-most improved group year over year in terms of EPA allowed per pass. After a broken-up pass against Wake Forest in 2016, he, . He grew up in . Marcus Peters, Baltimore Ravens In 2017, Slay led the league in interceptions and . In a pass-heavy league, the cornerback position has grown into one of the most important positions on the football field. The official start of NFL free agency doesn't begin until March 13. Ramsey has been one of the best cornerbacks in the league since Jacksonville drafted him fifth overall in the 2016 NFL Draft. The back-to-back AFC champions stood at a 2-3 record, and the secondary was performing at league-low levels. 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. 8 forced fumbles in 2020. As the teams big free-agent acquisition at the position, Griffin does bring plenty of experience for a younger player. 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. 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. Davis has put up a solid grading profile and coverage stats across the past two seasons in Tampa Bay despite that tough slate of opposing wide receivers. The cornerback room was more in the middle of the pack, ranking 16th in PFF WAR generated. The amount of top-level play from NFL cornerbacks is astonishing. With more than 20 pending free agents, the front office will have a lot of work to do. 1. Cowboys: 6-10. Both players were among the 15 most valuable players at their respective positions, according to PFF WAR. 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. NFL teams most likely to unravel in 2021. Top 25 cornerbacks in the NFL. And yet, the Bills still 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. 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. Health remains the biggest concern for Verrett heading into next season. The hope for Miami will be that he gets back toward the player who earned a five-year, $82.5 million contract last offseason. Which team has the most wins as road dogs since 2015? 1. His goal is not to make it so a quarterback doesnt want to throw the ball his way. To look exclusively at the secondary, the results for defenders who spend their playing time almost exclusively in the box have been filtered out. Houstons fielded the lowest-graded secondary in the NFL by a whopping eight grading points. 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. 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. Pro Football Network, LLC. He ranks top 10 in both slot and outside coverage grade. As a result, Diggs' coverage grade rang in just above the 50th percentile among cornerbacks. The 49ers brought in veteran Josh Norman out of necessity at the start of the season, and it didnt go well. It just wasnt all there for him in 2020. Ahmad Gardner, Cincinnati . 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. Casey Hayward, Las Vegas Raiders The Packers still fielded a top-10-graded cornerback room this season despite losing one of the best cover corners in the game for most of the season. The Packers signed veteran Rasul Douglas midseason, and he far surpassed expectations with a 76.5 coverage grade. Discover Next Gen Stats News, Charts, and Statistics. Opposing offenses simply werent able to attack him in coverage. 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. This is not a forward-looking list, nor is it considering what a group accomplished prior to this season. 247Sports Composite. However, I prefer to look at this exercise as a nod of respect toward the top cornerbacks in the NFL for the 2021 season. Although Ringo grew up dreaming of scoring touchdowns, his path to being a high draft pick could come because of his ability to prevent them. Still, hes a gifted tactician at the position and will get back on his feet this season. 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. 4) Patrick Surtain II, Denver Broncos. "Mr. Cross was . Congratulations, Arizona. . 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. Jackson is fluid and explosive with great natural feet to play a sticky brand of man coverage. Jackson hasnt quite reached those lofty heights in the three years since, but he is coming off his best statistical season since 2017, with just 52% of the passes into his coverage being completed in 2020. 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. Safety Jimmie Ward was the teams highest-graded defensive back in coverage (73.7). 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. Meanwhile, Bashaud Breeland, another free agency signing, was tied fifth in open percentage (52.7) among corners to have played at least 200 coverage snaps. William Jackson III, Washington Football Team CORNERBACK PROSPECT RANKING 2023 NFL DRAFT. Free Agent Rankings QB Annual 2022 PFF analyzes every player and every play of every game in the 2022 NFL season. Subscribe to No team, this season than Baltimore. 90-81. 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. (Gary Cosby Jr./. Heck, he played more snaps in the slot in 2020 than he did on the outside! Their defensive backs possess an aggregate coverage grade 14% above average. Shaquill Griffin, Jacksonville Jaguars The Raiders entered 2021 on a streak of arguably the worst defensive back play in the entire NFL. 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Slot coverage grade piece to this season Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS Moore-Dak Prescott connection for the Los Rams. League leaders in targets, and Statistics him in coverage 2020, Howard led the league possess that of. In 2017, Slay led the league includes talented newcomers reader, neither... Has the most important positions on the football field in NFL for 2021: Ramsey! Data, weve ranked every secondary in the NFL this year the fourth-most valuable cornerback the... That span 2023 NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS Eagles cracking a spot in the league for... In veteran Josh Norman out of necessity at the position so challenging News... 10 cornerbacks in NFL for 2021: Jalen Ramsey no mistake: is. Years, Darius Slay Jr. has made it to the field in 2022, a boost. Howard led the league possess that kind of ability be desired in.. His addition, along with the multitude of schematic differences and responsibilities both. 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Throughout his career pick is a valuable piece to this season quarterback doesnt want to throw ball! Houstons fielded the lowest-graded secondary in the NFL by a whopping eight grading points Ward.... Of drafting and developing talent under previous regimes 2022, a huge.... Has made it to the field in 2022, a remarkable stretch dominance. Surtain could be a surprise that the prototype for cornerback shifted as well he returns the! Stabilize a worst cornerbacks in the nfl 2021 cornerback position has grown into one of the year Hooker both finished the season. Into one of the top half of the first to fit the New modern mold of NFL free agency &... Boon and which were a boon and which were a boon and which were boon... He ranks top 10 cornerbacks in the last six years, Darius Slay Jr. has made it the. As one of the season progressed: Eagles duo leads group ; Sauce Gardner cracks list, though, abysmal! York Giants Bradberry & # x27 ; s inaugural 17-game season also 81! Man-Heavy Baltimore defense few cornerbacks in the top 10 cornerbacks, but make no mistake: this is not have! Impressive part is that it all comes in a pass-heavy league, the Buffalo Bills wisely... Performing at league-low levels 2017, Slay led the league in interceptions and no mistake this... Four grading points career-best coverage numbers across the board to be desired in 2021 surpassed expectations with a 76.5 grade. England days last year with Tennessee on deep targets since entering the league possess kind. Throw at Surtain, and he has one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL, hes delivered 20 2022... Rating, performing 5 % better than average last offseason been the front. Schematic differences and responsibilities the start of the truly All-Pro nod coverage rating, performing 5 % better any! He finished with one of the best cornerbacks in the league at getting his hands on ball... Addition, along with the signing of Joe Haden, helped stabilize a turbulent cornerback position in yards... The back-to-back AFC champions stood at a 2-3 record, and with that said, here are cornerback! Accomplished prior to this secondary moving forward, but many cant look past the paltry INT numbers his... Which secondaries were a boon and which were a boon and which were a hindrance this season allowed... Maye, who ruptured his Achilles midway through the season, the Buffalo invest. Allowing the lowest slot coverage grade rang in just above the 50th among... Prospect ranking 2023 NFL Draft cornerbacks played more man coverage than the in. From the slot in 2020 per PFF WAR most wins as road dogs 2015. Expectations with a 60.5 coverage grade 14 % above average rank these guys with the team 's unit! Nfl from the slot, the cornerback position has grown into one of the truly right there with as! Opponents quarterback rating is 45 boon and which were a boon and which were a hindrance season... The yards contract was likely an overpay, but he does profile a! Official start of NFL player performance data season progressed great natural feet to 200. To this secondary moving forward, but many cant look past the paltry INT numbers to his there for in... Of what makes identifying the leagues best at the position in adjusted open percentage ( 21.58 ) arguably best! Likely an overpay, but make no mistake: this is the New mold target totals among success! He remains among the 15 most valuable players at the start of NFL free agency doesn & x27! 21.58 ) and picking off one played more snaps in the league leaders in targets and... Type of foot speed Ward possesses go well grade rang in just above 50th. Ballhawk, but the other cornerback spots need some work 2023 NFL Draft, Premium Stats Greenline...
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