And while Tom Brady rightfully got all of the publicity in Tampa Bay about his fight with Father Time, David is sparring with the old man himself.ĭespite being 32 last year, David posted the fourth best year of his career from a grading standpoint, while registering his second-best year in coverage. Lavonte David continues to rank as one of the best linebackers in football year-in and year-out. Should we start with a potential future Hall of Famer or the most polarizing player in Tampa Bay currently? Let’s start with the legend. 1 spot due to the consistency in pass coverage their starters provide over the No. It is close for the top spot in the NFC South for linebackers, but the Saints pull out the No. Since entering the league in 2019 he has only played 22 snaps on defense (with all of them coming in the past two years with the Saints). As a matter of fact, many think he may be better suited as a situational pass rusher than as an off-ball linebacker. And with five pressures in 34 pass rush snaps he has shown an adeptness for getting after the passer. Baun has amassed 361 snaps, 58 tackles, four quarterback hits and two tackles for loss over the past three seasons. 4th in EPA/play /YPyYYADWOTīehind those two, Zack Baun looks to be the primary backup. The Saints defense in the 2nd half of last season: The starting duo is a part of an overall underrated defense that may not get all of the credit it is due. If he can remain healthy, he could be the next in a long line of stellar NFC South linebackers. Werner is a good athlete who seems to have a knack for understanding his assignments, reading his keys and covering receivers who enter his zone in coverage without falling out of his area. He followed that up with a solid sophomore campaign where he got off to a hot start but struggled down the stretch in part due to injury. The former second-round pick had an impressive rookie campaign in 2021, albeit in limited action. Next to Davis is Pete Werner who has risen to a solid linebacker in his own right. Traditionally Davis has been a solid tackler, although he struggled in 2023, missing 14.4% of his tackle attempts per PFF.īucs RB Rachaad White and Saints LB Pete Werner – Photo by: USA Today Davis combines rare size and speed with an ability to drop into coverage, freeing up the rest of the defense to be utilized in unique ways. Davis has also ascended as a coverage player, averaging over six passes defensed per year since arriving in New Orleans in 2018. Davis has six straight seasons of Pro Football Focus grades north of 70.0, including a season above 90.0 and last season’s 82.7. And given who the best is, there is no shame in that game. The Saints boast the second-best linebacker in the division. Now, it’s on to the NFC South’s linebackers.įor linebackers we will focus on off-ball linebackers. So far, we’ve chronicled and ranked the NFC South quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, offensive lines and defensive lines. In an ongoing summer series, Pewter Report looks at and ranks each position group in the NFC South.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |