24. Chase Young, DE, WAS - 12.0% 5. . I hate that some fans have given up on him already. Maxx Crosby had a true breakout 2021 season and led the NFL in pressures, becoming only the third player to post more than 100 in a season since 2006 (101). The identity of the best interior pass rusher in the game has rarely been in dispute, and though he likely will not win the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year in 2021, Aaron Donald is delivering another year to serve as a reminder of his status as the league's best on that side of the ball. Lately, that has changed. Since Week 9, he ranks first among edge rushers with a 29.8% pass rush win rate -- two spots ahead of Young at 26.7 over that same span, according to ESPN Stats & Information. He has 5.5 sacks this season, but it's everything else he does that has allowed Washington not to question taking him No. Highsmith had a pass rush win rate of 24%, which would've ranked 7th in the NFL - one spot ahead of presumed Rookie of the Year Chase Young - had Highsmith had enough snaps to qualify. New Orleans Saints, 28% Arizona Cardinals, 73% 26. All these factors made a compelling case for the top spot. We spend a lot of time talking about how to take notes, how to highlight a play in such a way that things jump out to you when you review them later in the week, Zampese said. It is a strong class of free-agent tight ends, and these three could be fits for the Steelers. Who wouldnt trade Herbert for the 16th best pass rusher in the league? 20. During his Monday press conference, head coach Ron Rivera was asked why he thinks his star rookie has been double-teamed so often, particularly with the numerous other talents Washington has along its defensive front. Ill get high on him when he hits the double digit sack totalhe beat up on Ben Dinucci among other horrid QBs in his DROY campaign. Young has four pressures but is still awaiting his first sack. If he had a total of 5.5 sacks at that point in the season, I don't think many fans would be giving up on him. FREE to play! [Editors note: Check out PFFs2020 Mock Draft Hub,NFL Draft Big BoardandNFL Mock Draft Simulator. Indianapolis Colts, 49%, 1. "He had some success right away, and people tend to pay attention to stuff like that," Rivera said. Whats useful here is that two of the best edge rushing prospects of recent years preceded Young at Ohio State the Bosa brothers so we can get closer to direct and fair comparisons. Live picks, grades and reaction to the 2023 NFL Draft. Since Week 9, he ranks first among edge rushers with a 29.8% pass rush win rate -- two spots ahead of Young at 26.7 over that same span, according to ESPN Stats & Information. 24. The linebackers weren't attacking and creases were created. Between a suspension for hitting Mason Rudolph with his own helmet and a bout of COVID-19 blunting his effectiveness for a stretch of the 2020 season, Garrett just hasnt been able to maintain the scintillating run of play that Watt has over as long of a span. Buffalo Bills, 32% Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. He understands what his assignment is and he goes out and competes.". Emailed daily. Los Angeles Rams, 33% 2. 32. It's a big reason Washington has won four consecutive games to take a one-game lead in the NFC East. With the JDR center for wide receiver social distancing, youll find that only the worst QBs cant find a wide open guy within 3 seconds. Detroit Lions, 36% Maybe they dont look at me as the number one pass rusher, he said. 28. Jacksonville Jaguars, 30% Buffalo Bills, 67% Trevor Lawrence: Jaguars have confidence, motivation for 2023 season, Steelers work to keep playoff hopes, Mike Tomlin's streak alive, Las Vegas Raiders' defensive tackles key in allowing edge rushers Maxx Crosby, Chandler Jones to thrive, 'He's got all the help he needs': Trey Lance won't have to be savior for loaded San Francisco 49ers, Las Vegas Raiders running backs the 'heartbeat' of the new regime's offensive attack, Mac Jones, Patriots express confidence in 'new offense' despite growing pains, New York Giants likely to buck norm, make safety Xavier McKinney defensive playcaller, Tyquan Thornton shows signs he could end Patriots' early-round WR woes. Young and Sweat have combined for a win rate of 16 percent this year, per PFF. Cameron Jordan has spent a career being underrated, even despite going to seven Pro Bowls. Previously, she covered the Washington Commanders for The Athletic. 10. Double team rate as an edge (x) by pass rush win rate as an edge (y). 11. The only edge rushers who are double-teamed more often than Young are J.J. Watt, Joey Bosa, Brandon Graham, Myles Garrett, Cameron Jordan and Aldon Smith, according to ESPN. Its early for him. Ill tell you what, its been amazing to watch, Washington coach Ron Rivera said. When you dont get chipped, its kind of like: Ah, man, maybe Im not doing something right. Chase Young, Washington Football Team8. Chase Young is climbing a lot of lists like this one over the past few weeks. All rights reserved. You'll now receive the top Commanders Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 37% 18. PFFs first year grading college football was 2014, so we are missing the first season of Joey Bosas career, but outside of that we have the complete college data set from all of these players. Hes not the most explosive guy. "Among qualified players that played in 2020 & 2021, Young is one of four players to have a pass rush win rate over 20% (21%) and a rush stop win rate over 30% (30.2%) with (Aaron). Compete for $275,000 of prizes, including $15,000 for the top score each week. 2. Denver Broncos, 31% Note that y axis is overall PRWR as an edge, not just vs. double teams. 8 in NFL when it comes to pass rush win-rate Schedule Teams AFC East Bills Dolphins Jets Patriots AFC North Bengals Browns Ravens Steelers AFC South Colts Jaguars. Theres not a category that Watt doesnt dominate. @ESPN had him ranking in the top-8 in pass rush win rate coming into Week 12. pic.twitter.com/Io8E2bV9Bx, Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) December 1, 2020. Who needs stats when the advanced metrics show that youre among the very best at your position just over halfway through your rookie season in the NFL? "The D-line[men] are trusting that the linebackers are going to show up there.". Please check your email for a confirmation. Baltimore Ravens, 66% Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. epic forced fumble on Bengals QB Joe Burrow. Copyright 2023 YB Media, LLC. Note that y axis is overall PRWR as an edge, not just vs. double teams.Both categories led by a Watt brother: J.J. is doubled more than anyone else, T.J. wins more than anyone else. 30. Through 11 games, Young has 4.5 sacks, which admittedly is a bit lower than we had been hoping for coming into his debut season, but watching him play, its apparent that he affects the game in many ways outside of the box score. Thats what hurts Young this year. Despite those numbers, NFL analyst Matt Bowen wrote that he believes Young is one of several "overrated" players on the ESPN list. Randy Gregorys concern isnt injuries as much as it is suspensions, given his history. Burns has elite rush ability but needs to get back to his best play. 24. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. Danielle Hunter, Minnesota Vikings. 27. Rhiannon Walker covers Culture for The Athletic. Everybody has just quietly accepted that hes an excellent prospect, and even PFFs own analytics and data has been a part of pushing attention elsewhere because of the inherent positional value in quarterback, corner and receiver. 5. Arizona Cardinals, 61% Baltimore Ravens, 31% She joined the company in 2018 after more than two years at ESPNs The Undefeated, where she spent extensive time writing profiles, historical features and covering all major sports. Lets not rush to judgment on anything. Lets let him determine his own future, and were all here to support him.. In 16 games (one start) for the Panthers, he managed 5.5 sacks, four TFLs, 15 quarterback hits, 29 pressures and a 74.4 pass rush grade from Pro Football Focus. Crosby faced a very weak run of right tackles all season, but he still remained just as productive against better opposition. We do want to create opportunities for him to play football. Baltimore Ravens, 40% Jacksonville Jaguars, 44% There have been few NFL climates as good as today's for pass-rushers. Washington goes over game film every Monday, and what its looking at, in addition to the sacks, are Youngs team-leading seven tackles for a loss, five quarterback hits and 15 hurries. One chip block, courtesy of 6-foot-6, 265-pound Giants tight end Kyle Rudolph, caught Young on his blind side and knocked him on his back. Getting chipped and all that stuff is just a sign of respect. As offenses devote more resources to Young and Sweat, more opportunities are created for others, especially those on the interior of the line. Hughes is still an effective edge rusher. Thats one of the things that we have been talking about, weve been working with in terms of getting both Chase and Montez to understand whats going to happen. Aaron Donald was the next closest at 30. 10. 21. 21. Parsons may not play as much as an edge rusher, but hes already shown hes an elite one if he does line up there. He does get around his guy, but that doesnt mean he has much of a successful pass rush. The following week, he added another sack against the Arizona Cardinals, bringing down the elusive Kyler Murray. San Francisco 49ers, 59% Los Angeles Rams, 61% Well, part of it is depending on what type of protection they have, theres going to be some people that are going to be singled up. And while Young's big plays -- and little ones -- have keyed this defense, the contributions of numerous others have helped sustain their success. Cleveland Browns, 31% It was seventh-round safety Kamren Curl. 11. Both boast elite PFF grades and elite pressure totals over their NFL careers and are candidates for dominant seasons at any given time. Garrett led all edge rushers in sacks created (16.5), a stat that takes into account plays in which his pressure resulted in a sack for a teammate. 30. We have seen just seven games and 334 snaps of Hunter since his dominant 2019 season, and while he is still just 27 years old, that injury history is concerning until he can return to the kind of play that saw him rack up 88 pressures in a single season. Hes got an arm thats an NFL talent, and hes learning the rest of it. 7. Capitol Hill: Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.), the chairwoman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, announced that the committee intends to issue a subpoena to compel the testimony of Snyder. He now needs to show that wasnt a flash in the pan. Garrett led. He really has. But his presence has had an impact. Bill Belichick, Patriots leaders: Bill Russell's impact felt throughout organization, New England Patriots WR DeVante Parker solidifying role with big plays, contested grabs, Derwin James staying engaged with Los Angeles Chargers during his 'hold-in', 'This guy has been rehabbing unbelievable': Giants' Nick Gates vows return from gruesome injury, Jets bullish on O-line after making 'right' moves with Mekhi Becton, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Covered the Redskins for the Washington Examiner and other media outlets since 1994, Authored or co-authored three books on the Redskins and one on the Cleveland Browns. As with Young, many folks want to see Haskins as a finished product or as someone who is undergoing a quick turnaround. Bengals' rebuild not yet complete 32. "There's a little bit of swagger," Washington coach Ron Rivera said. Full playoff schedule | More content , How did the Rams come back? 7. Baltimore Ravens, 77% Per PFF, in 2019, the South Carolina star had a 18.1% pass-rush win rate, second in the 2020 class among interior defensive linemen. 13. 9. 31. Washington Commanders, 41% Houston Texans, 30% Thats a huge plus.. Bottom line? Arizona Cardinals, 47% You can rush four and play coverage and still get pressure on quarterbacks. You just got to continue to push through the chips., Member of executive leadership team to leave franchise. Over the past two seasons, these two edge rushers rank No. 7. Full playoff schedule | More content . He needs to show he can get back to his league-leading pressure performance, this time in Minnesota. Carolina Panthers, 72% Over the past two games -- wins over Cincinnati and Dallas --Washington's defense has been playing some of its best football over the season, with Young contributing in a major role. 11. We feel like you only need four of us to really affect the game, Young said. 16. With a competent secondary youre looking at a lot more sacks/incomplete passes. XFL Week 3 preview: Can AJ McCarron, Battlehawks continue their fourth-quarter heroics? Thats how Rivera, defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and defensive line coach Sam Mills III are judging the success of Youngs first season. Sometimes sacks come with those data points, and other times they dont. Cincinnati Bengals, 27% He is capable of stretches of elite play, but they never sustain, and his overall PFF grade has declined each season since he left Houston. Now, Washington's talent up front -- it has five first-round picks -- is in sync with the overall defense. Both categories led by a Watt brother: J.J. is doubled more than anyone else, T.J. wins more than anyone else. Against the Cowboys last week, Young tied or set season highs with five pressures and a 16.1 percent pressure rate, and he got off the ball in 0.74 seconds, according to NFLs Next Gen Stats. 23. 23. Does him missing the first four games stink? Make Your Picks, "Linebackers are beginning to trust what's happening in front of them and they can go faster to where they belong," Washington defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio said. Zero weaknesses. Miami Dolphins, 50% New Orleans Saints, 60% Then I think Year 2, right off the bat, I started the season with two sacks against Ben Roethlisberger on Sunday Night Football, and its just been hell since then.. 9. ESPN recently ranked the 10 best EDGE pass rushers in the NFL heading into 2021, and it came down between Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt. Von Miller, Denver Broncos7. So lets take a second to truly appreciate how special Young is as we lead up to the draft. He recorded one sack, forced a fumble, deflected a pass and returned a fumble 47 yards for a touchdown. Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt (90) reacts after sacking Baltimore Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley (2) during the first quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Chandler Jones' run defense is falling off, but his past two predominantly healthy years featured pass-rushing grades of at least 87.7 and he recorded double-digit sacks in each. . In any given game or even season, though, Garrett is well capable of being better. All-in approach pays off for Rams Since returning, though, he's still been effective for Washington's defense, despite the sack totals not being where he -- or his mom -- would like them to be. Los Angeles Chargers, 33% New York Jets, 44% I doubt unless he learns some moves. Julie Andreeff Jensen, the Washington Football Teams senior vice president of external engagement and communications, is leaving the team after only 11 months to pursue some other opportunities. Jensen, previously the chief corporate affairs and communications officer at investment firm Citadel, was one of the first hires made by team president Jason Wright and was a part of Washingtons executive leadership team. The group is playing with confidence, making big plays and, for a change, the team is winning. Kansas City Chiefs, 26%, 1. Demarcus Lawrence is underrated because of low sack totals in his past three seasons, but his pressure rates, run defense prowess and PFF grades have remained elite. Stephen Strasburg isnt at spring training. Still a lot of football left for him. Unlike other positions, this will leave off a lot of quality edge defenders, but such is the depth in todays league. along with countless other lines of intrigue complicated further by all of the unique challenges thrown up by Covid-19. A lot rests on the shoulders of J.J. Watt, as the Cardinals let Jones leave this offseason and only really replaced him with developmental rookies in the middle rounds of the draft. These rushers have flashed elite potential, but now they need to kick on and join the first tier of truly dominant players on a consistent basis. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Home of The Washington Commanders on Reddit, Press J to jump to the feed. Scheme adjustments, such as alignment changes or stunts that force an offensive line to change its protection, can sometimes help to counter the double-team blocks. Were constantly making our young guys jump through those hoops so they can really digest that information and not think about it when it happens on the field. The only thing we have to do is to keep going. Should the Steelers draft a running back in the 2023 NFL Draft? . Cincinnati Bengals, 72% Because you could argue that he was on pace to exceed the number of sacks he had as a rookie. San Francisco 49ers, 71% New York Giants, 52% Most importantly, it is a process. Sweat has seven of Washingtons 32 total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, and two of the teams six sacks. But when Kerrigan rotates in for the rookie, hes been productive, too; hes second on the team with 5.5 sacks. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 69% Jadeveon Clowney has been searching for a big-money, long-term contract for years now but never manages to earn one. The league has responded to the increase in volume and production of the passing game with defenders who can affect the game with pressure. Chase Young, Washington Commanders 27) . Cleveland Browns, 43% PFF's Big Board for the 2023 NFL Draft offers three-year player grades, combine measurables, position rankings, and in-depth player analysis for all of the top draft prospects. (20 percent) and Washington has the fifth-best pass-rush win rate, 49 percent. Our pass rush win rate metric tells us how often a pass-rusher is able to beat his block within 2.5 seconds. They are two of the most talented young edge rushers in the league, and together they are capable of wreaking havoc. Only six edge rushers -- including J.J. Watt, Joey Bosa and Myles Garrett -- receive double-teams at a higher clip, according to The Athletic's Rhiannon Walker, via ESPN. One way weve been shown now is in his pass rush win-rate, where he ranks No. New England Patriots, 68%, NFL pass-rushing, run-stopping, blocking leaderboard: Win rate rankings for 2022, The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? "I just think the success that weve had as a defense people look to the premier rusher, the right defensive end position and say: 'Weve got to handle that guy,'" Rivera said. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. Because it's not the injury. Because when youre an elite edge rusher, teams game-plan you, former draft analyst and current Las Vegas Raiders general manager Mike Mayock once said. 22. Kansas City Chiefs, 74% Denver Broncos, 62% Eventually, youre not always going to be able to turn to him. His 15.5 sacks and 23 tackles for loss led the league. 15. Within a month of his removal, there were conversations about Haskins commitment to learning the intricacies of his position, what he could bring back in a potential trade and more. Garrett has recorded at least 18 quarterback hits in all four of his NFL seasons. The other top prospect in PFFs time grading college football was. And the linebackers know that interior offensive linemen must often double-team either Washington's Daron Payne or Jonathan Allen or Tim Settle. Marcus Davenport put together a career year in 2021 but has still yet to emerge as a truly dominant every-down force, which is what he needed to become to justify the draft trade the Saints made to acquire him in the first place. Im not really tripping over that, Young said. There's damn good reason he's. "It makes my life real easy, I won't lie," said Cole Holcomb, a second-year linebacker who the staff believes can provide long-term help. 27. Pittsburgh Steelers, 40% Los Angeles Chargers, 57% 19. Green Bay Packers, 27% I mean Ron even called out Sweat and Young. 9. 10. Not only did he lead the league in pass-rush win rate (29.1%), but his four pass-rush interceptions created tied for first, and his 40 caused incompletions led the NFL by a wide margin. Pittsburgh Steelers, 65% 20. Defensive tackle Jonathan Allen has notched a team-high three sacks through the first two games, and Daron Payne has the sixth-best pass-rush win rate (20 percent) for his position, according to ESPN. Washington Commanders defensive end Chase Young, Report: Commanders' Chase Young not expected to return from ACL injury until midseason, Commanders HC Ron Rivera: Brian Robinson could return in '22 after shooting, The 'Leading rushers from the 2007 NFL season' quiz, Seven Cubs pitchers combine for spring no-hitter vs. Padres, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones comments on Tony Pollard rumor, Ben Simmons suffers back injury while rehabilitating, Insider: It's Packers, Jets 'or bust' for Aaron Rodgers, QB Anthony Richardson doesn't understand his 'project' label, Vikings HC reveals 'crazy' thoughts about star WR, XFL player released for giving another team plays from own playbook. Super Bowl LVI: Rams 23, Bengals 20 How did the Rams come back? This article was published more than1 year ago. Thats not all because of Youngs presence. Detroit Lions, 72% Hendrickson consistently generates pressure and has been good at converting those to sacks. No longer. Part of that is due to the defenses mistakes mistakes Coach Ron Rivera and Young, among others, have described as fixable: missed assignments, miscommunication, poor reads and missed tackles. He just got into the league. People would riot and he was a 2nd rd pick. Against Cincinnati, he forced a fumble by quarterback Joe Burrow with a sprinting hit at the goal line. 22. 2 pick, Curl epitomizes the contributions from the group. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. When you see a guy getting double- and triple-teamed, somebody should win and, for the most part, weve had some guys that have been winning. But if he's gonna have a bounce-back season, it's more likely to happen when he's 100% than if he's rushed out there at 75%.