Tag: Pass Rushers

Ranking the AFC West edge rush duos

AFC West’s top pass rush duo possibly tops in the league.

While overall, the AFC West is a very competitive division this year, it is especially true when looking at the pass rush. Namely at the top with the Raiders and Chargers boasting of possibly the league’s top pass rush duos.

1. Raiders – Maxx Crosby, Chandler Jones

It’s no small thing that the Raiders top the division at this position considering how strong the position is overall. How do the Raiders rule the roost? Well, his name is Maxx Crosby. He was already considered among the league’s top pass rushers and he is just entering his prime.

Crosy isn’t alone, however. He has Chandler Jones who even at the age of 32 has shown no signs of slowing down. He’s had double digit sacks in each of his last seven full seasons and is coming off his fourth Pro Bowl season. The duo may just be the top in the league, not just the division.

2. Chargers – Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack

Any other division in the NFL and Bosa and Mack would be the best. They are so closely matched with the Raiders, it’s almost pointless to rank them. In that regard, being second behind the Raiders isn’t too bad. Bosa is one of the most feared edge rushers in the league and still very much in his prime. While Mack at 31 may be entering the downslope of his Hall of Fame career, but is still among the best in the league as well.

3. Broncos – Randy Gregory, Bradley Chubb

After a Pro Bowl season in 2020, Chubb had a rough 2021 campaign. He appeared in just seven games and had no sacks. While Gregory comes over from the Cowboys, coming off his best season with six sacks and 17 QB hits.

4. Chiefs – Frank Clark, George Karlaftis

Clark was named to this third Pro Bowl last season despite just 4.5 sacks. Clark has seen his numbers come down each season since joining the Chiefs in 2019. With pass rush a major need, the Chiefs used a first round pick on George Karlaftis.

Top 25 Pass Rushers ranked by “Godfather of Recruiting”

A Husker made the list but where?

In 2021 the Nebraska Cornhuskers were one of the worst pass-rushing teams in the entire country. In 12 games, the team ranked 98th overall and only had 20 total sacks on the season for an average of 1.67 sacks a game. They were tied with those other elite pass-rushing units along with Boston College, Georgia Tech, Louisiana Tech, Texas, and Washington.

A new list by the “Godfather of Recruiting” Mike Farrell of MikeFerrellSports.com recently ranked the Top 50 pass rushers in college football. One Husker has made the list and is placed in the Top 25, so we here at Cornhuskerwire have listed the Top 25 pass rushers in college football headed into 2021.

Nebraska used the transfer portal and “Name, Image, and Likeness” to improve their pass rush heading into the 2022 season. We’ll find out on August 27th if those offseason moves have made the difference or if the struggles from 2021 will continue into this season. Only time will tell.

Scroll below to look at the Top 25 and find out where the one Husker (you’ve probably figured out which one) is ranked.

One edge rusher the Rams could target in each round of the 2022 NFL draft

Here are five pass rushers the Rams could target in the draft, one in each round from the 3rd to the 7th.

It would be a huge surprise if the Los Angeles Rams didn’t add pass-rush help at some point in the draft this weekend. Leonard Floyd is their only reliable edge rusher after Von Miller’s departure, and Aaron Donald can only do so much to carry the pass rush from the interior.

Starting on Day 1 as an edge rusher is difficult in the NFL, especially if you’re drafted outside the first round. That makes the idea of the Rams landing an immediate starter in the third round or later a precarious one.

Here’s one edge rusher the Rams could target in each round of the draft, from the third to the seventh.

Could lack of free agent pass rushers entice trade for Chiefs DT Chris Jones?

Chiefs DT Chris Jones could become a coveted trade target for teams with pass rush needs given a lack of options in free agency.

Chiefs DT Chris Jones hasn’t yet officially received the franchise tag from Kansas City. The expectation is that he will receive the tag before the window closes on March 12.

Brett Veach has made his intentions known, stating that he wants to keep Jones as a member of the Chiefs. Veach is also a realist about the situation. He recognizes it will be difficult to get Jones under contract with the other contracts they already have and the salary cap restraints.

Jones has made it abundantly clear how he feels about the team using the franchise tag. He sees himself as deserving of a long-term contract extension and feels he’ll either receive that or be traded by the Chiefs. There’s no situation, right now at least, where Jones plays out 2020 on the tag.

If a trade becomes the best option for both parties, Kansas City could find themselves with one of the most coveted players available via trade. No player slated to become a free agent has more sacks than Jones over the past two seasons (24.5). Then consider that the upcoming free-agent class of pass rushers is lacking, especially if you’re looking to receive help on the defensive interior. The draft class has some promise, but if you want a sure thing, you best pay for it in the NFL.

So what would a trade look like were it to happen? Following the 2018 season, the Chiefs franchise-tagged outside linebacker Dee Ford and sent him to San Francisco 49ers for a second-round pick in 2020. The 49ers then signed Ford to a 5-year contract extension worth $85.5 million. The Chiefs won’t just be looking to find suitable compensation for Jones, but they need to find a team with the money to pay him. Jones knows his worth and will be looking for a contract with anywhere between $20 – $23 million average salary annually.

As far as an asking price for Jones, the return Kansas City received for Ford would not be adequate compensation for a player of Jones’ stature. Unless a premium first-round pick is offered, the starting point in negotiations should be a deal involving a second-round pick in 2020 and a future pick top-100 draft choice. Maybe they’d look to add a draft pick as far out as the 2023 draft when Kansas City will host the event. Keep in mind, the more teams that are interested in Jones, the more his potential return increases. At the same time, thinking Jones could net a Khalil Mack-type haul of draft picks is unrealistic.

Signing Jones to a long-term extension should remain a priority for Kansas City. After all, trading Jones away would create a significant absence for the defense. Jones is the type of player that elevates the play of everyone, from his teammates on the defensive line all the way to the secondary. However, if an offer the Chiefs couldn’t refuse came across their laps, they’d be unwise to not at least consider it.