Awards season is well and truly upon us! The NFL’s First-Team All-Pro list has just been announced and with it sparks the usual discourse about deserving and undeserving players, snubs and everything in-between. One award that’s never on the NFL’s radar is a Most Improved Player award. Now that could be a result of the size of NFL rosters and the vast number of positions, compared to, let’s say the NBA as the pool of players to choose from in basketball is significantly smaller.
However, that doesn’t mean any potential for the award should be scrapped. There’s still a way for the NFL to make it work: an NFL’s Most Improved Team, or the All-Improved Team. Whichever one has a better ring to it. It would give a chance for a whole host of under the radar players to receive some well deserved recognition on a national level for their on field efforts.
There’s no set formula for player improvement and why player X may have improved more than player Z, but players making the jump from good to elite is the hardest jump to make, and that deserves some form of recognition.
So without further ado, let’s get right into it, your 2021 NFL First-Team Most Improved List:
Quarterback: Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals)
Look, Burrow wasn’t a slouch in his rookie season. He was firmly in the running for Rookie of the Year until his season was cut short due to a horrific knee injury in Week 10. Burrow completed 65 percent of his passes for 2688 yards and 13 touchdowns, throwing 5 interceptions in the process.
As good as he was in his rookie year, Burrow made the jump from a good NFL starter in his first year, to an elite starting quarterback in his second year. That’s a difficult jump to make. The jump from good to elite, like we’ve established, is probably the hardest jump to make in the NFL and Burrow made it look effortless. Burrow has completed a league-best 70 percent of his passes for 4611 yards, 34 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions and finished second in an Expected Points Added/Completion Over Expected composite, behind only Aaron Rodgers – the likely MVP.
Burrow’s dominance helped the Bengals to their first playoff appearance since 2016, and a division title in the process. He’ll be one of the faces of the league for the next decade, without fail.
Honorable mention: Jalen Hurts (Philadelphia Eagles)
Running Back: Jonathan Taylor (Indianapolis Colts)
Like Burrow, it would feel wrong picking any other player here. Sure, Taylor was already a top 10 running back heading into this season, but he led the league with 1811 rushing yards in 2021, over 600 more than he managed in the 2020 season. On top of that, he upped his yards per carry from 5 yards to 5.5 yards – a huge upturn, especially on an increased workload – and added 8 more total touchdowns.
Taylor proved to be an inevitable outcome. No team was safe from him breaking through the line of scrimmage and taking one to the house – he had the most runs over 15 yards in the NFL (23) and the most yards after contact by a huge margin (1272). His ability to generate yards on every type of run was nothing short of incredible.
Taylor received a big help from one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, but his talent is undeniable. He even got some MVP buzz towards the end of the season and, had the Colts made the playoffs, it wasn’t too far fetched in a down year for quarterbacks.
Honorable mention: A.J. Dillon (Green Bay Packers)
Wide Receiver – Hunter Renfrow (Las Vegas Raiders)
This proved to be the toughest choice. Naturally, Los Angeles Rams receiver Cooper Kupp had a season for the ages. He elevated himself to elite receiver status this season, winning the triple crown for receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns – finishing just 18 yards short of the single-season receiving record.
There was a case to be made for Deebo Samuel too as he solidified himself as one of the best all-around weapons in the NFL, but Hunter Renfrow is the one getting the nod here. Renfrow’s crisp route-running became a focal point of the Raiders offense this season and the former fifth-round pick had a career year, surpassing his previous highs in catches, yards, and touchdowns.
With Darren Waller banged up for a large portion of the season, Renfrow became the number one option for Derek Carr. His safe hands, shiftiness, and variety of different routes made him a great safety net on third down, in the red zone, and as a general chain mover – he was tied 17th in the NFL for catches turned into first downs.
The old saying applies to Renfrow, he can definitely get open in a telephone booth.
Honorable mention: Deebo Samuel (San Francisco 49ers)
Tight End: Dalton Schultz (Dallas Cowboys)
This one was a bit of a toss-up between Schultz and Dawson Knox of the Buffalo Bills. Knox has had a great season, catching 49 passes for 587 yards and nine touchdowns. He was an effective part of the Bills offense, but Schultz had a real breakout campaign for the Cowboys.
In his fourth season with Dallas, Schultz had career-highs across the board, catching 78 passes for 808 yards and nine touchdowns. His expanded skillset meant he proved to be a valuable and intriguing weapon for an already stacked Dallas team. An effective zone-beater and matchup nightmare, Schultz was used in a variety of different ways from the slot to occasionally split out wide to work against undersized defenders.
With the Cowboys battling injuries at the wide receiver position, offensive coordinator Kellen Moore often looked upon Schultz to carry a larger load with the former fourth-round pick seeing over eight targets in six separate games in 2021. A free agent in 2022, Schultz is likely due for a hefty pay raise this season.
Honorable mention: Dawson Knox (Buffalo Bills)
Offensive Tackle: Andrew Thomas (New York Giants)
An obvious choice at one of the most important, but understated, positions in the NFL. Andrew Thomas had a nightmare rookie season in the NFL, allowing the second-most pressures (56) among all linemen and the most sacks among tackles (10). Even on a very bad offensive line, Thomas routinely looked to be out of his comfort zone.
It would be natural to assume that Thomas would magically improve in his second season, but progression isn’t always linear and it’s hard to stand out on an offensive line as poor as the Giants. Thomas would obviously begin to grow and understand the nuances of the position at a pro-level, but no one expected this.
Thomas gave up just 19 total pressures this season, the eighth-fewest in the NFL, and allowed just two sacks. His get off out of his set has improved, almost as if he’s added more power and burst in the lower half of his body and his handwork now looks just as impressive. Thomas will likely go unnoticed in the league due to the Giants’ disastrous 2021, but he’s well and truly on the upswing at his position.
Honorable mention: Jordan Mailata (Philadelphia Eagles)
Interior Offensive Linemen: Connor Williams (Dallas Cowboys)
The Dallas Cowboys have been expecting big things from Connor Williams since they drafted him with the 50th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. It’s been a fairly average return from Williams in his first three years in the league but 2021 has been the breakout campaign the Cowboys have been waiting on.
Unlike Thomas, Williams has been a part of one of the best offensive lines in the NFL over the last five years and that certainly played a role in his development, but he’s turned into one of the best guards in the NFL this season. Williams has allowed just 13 total pressures in 2021, the third-fewest among all guards, and has solidified his spot on the left side of the offensive line next to stalwart left tackle Tyron Smith.
Honorable mention: Laken Tomlinson (San Francisco 49ers)
Defensive Tackle: Christian Wilkins (Miami Dolphins)
If you’ve seen him on the NFL’s Mic’d Up, you might know Christian Wilkins as one of the weirdest and most wonderful human beings in the NFL. If you’ve seen him on the field, you’ll know that’s all a ruse and that he spends his Sundays blowing holes in opposing offensive lines.
Wilkins has been a fine pass rusher for the Miami Dolphins this season, registering five sacks and 31 total pressures from inside, but it’s his work as a run-stopper that deserves the accolades. Only Aaron Donald and Cameron Heyward have a better PFF run-defense grade than Wilkins this season, but the Miami powerhouse leads the NFL in run stops – a tackle that constitutes a failure for the offense.
The former first-round pick was a solid starter in his second year with the Dolphins, but the jump to an elite interior defender looks to have been made. If Wilkins can become a consistent pass rusher to mesh with his run-stopping skills, he’ll be the ultimate weapon for the Dolphins in year 4.
Honorable mention: Jeffery Simmons (Tennessee Titans)
Edge: Maxx Crosby (Las Vegas Raiders)
Maxx Crosby might have just made the biggest jump of any player this season, and that’s not hyperbole. The Raiders’ defensive end has had solid sack numbers his entire career, registering 17 across the first two seasons of his career. But, total pressures represent the signs of a more well rounded, and consistent pass rusher. Sacks can be flukey and sometimes gifted on a silver platter, but a composition of hurries, sacks, and quarterback hits gives a much deeper evaluation.
That’s good news for Crosby, who led the NFL with 101 total pressures this season according to PFF – 20 more than the closest player on the list, Myles Garrett. On top of that, Crosby kept up his strong sack totals with another 10 in 2021. Mad Maxx, as he’s affectionately known, provided solid value as a run defender too – something he’s struggled with up to this point in his career – adding 43 run stops to his incredible season, the third-most among all edge defenders.
If the NFL had a Most Improved Player award, Crosby would likely be in poll position.
Honorable mention: Harold Landry III (Tennessee Titans)
Linebacker: DeVondre Campbell (Green Bay Packers)
Hang on, maybe Crosby isn’t the unanimous Most Improved. He’d still win the award, but DeVondre Campbell would give him a hell of a run for the honours. Campbell was picked up off the scrap heap after a disappointing stint with the Arizona Cardinals in 2020. Campbell made his name as a solid coverage linebacker in his rookie season with the Atlanta Falcons, but like a large number of defenders on the roster, his play fell off, and didn’t earn a second contract.
Since signing with the Packers in the offseason, Campbell leads the team in tackles and stops, has been a force as a run defender and a decent detractor against passing offenses – with defensive coordinator Joe Barry feeling confident enough to slide Campbell into the slot position over 100 times this season, per PFF. In fact, no other linebacker in the NFL saw more time in the slot position this season. That’s a pretty good indication of how comfortable Barry felt about moving Campbell around the defense.
No matter how banged up the Packers were this season, Campbell was an ever-present force. If they want to keep him around beyond this season, they’ll probably need to fork out a fair bit of cash.
Honorable mention: Kyzir White (Los Angeles Chargers)
Cornerback: A.J. Terrell (Atlanta Falcons)
Despite the Atlanta Falcons finishing with a 7-10 record, all signs pointed towards them being a much worse team than the record suggested. They had the second-worst points differential (-146) in the NFC and finished 30th in Football Outsiders’ DVOA. The record definitely did them some favours. However, it didn’t stop A.J. Terrell from having a monster second year in the NFL.
The former first-round pick allowed just 200 yards on 29 catches in 2021, despite being targeted 66 times. That reception percentage is the best among all qualified cornerbacks (43.9%) in the NFL by a long shot. Terrell has improved in just about every way possible for a second-year corner. He’s become one of the most dependable corners in single coverage and adept at deciphering offenses when the Falcons are in zone coverage.
The Falcons have one of the worst defenses in the league, but their defensive renaissance will one day start with Terrell in the secondary. He’s staked his name as one to watch.
Honorable mention: Chidobe Awuzie (Cincinnati Bengals)
Safety: Adrian Phillips (New England Patriots)
Color me shocked! The New England Patriots acquiring another peripheral player and turning them into a very good one? No chance. Actually, well, yes. They’ve done it again. Adrian Phillips spent the first six seasons of his career with the Los Angeles Chargers and was mostly a special teams player with the Bolts but his second season in New England was a massive success.
Phillips was an integral part of the Patriots defense being number two in scoring defense and fifth in defensive drive success rate. He had the sixth-best coverage grade among all safeties, per PFF, allowing just 209 yards on 27 receptions and snagging four interceptions along with five pass breakups in the process.
The Patriots rewarded Phillips’ excellent play with a nice, but team-friendly, three-year extension that’ll keep him with the team until 2024 – pointing towards their insistence on keeping him around long-term.
Honorable mention: Damontae Kazee (Dallas Cowboys)
-Thomas Valentine
Twitter: @thomasvalenfine