We’re deep into the offseason lull now, so it’s only right that we take some time to hand out some flowers across the league. We talk about NFL players a lot – obviously – and use terms like “best in the league” or “elite” frequently, but rarely do we actually quantify who the best players on each team are. Until now.
The criteria is pretty simple. We’re not projecting ahead and thinking long-term. This is strictly: who is the best player on each team right now? Today, we’re moving onto the NFC South: starting with the Atlanta Falcons.
Atlanta Falcons: Grady Jarrett, Defensive Tackle
This was a tough one. The Falcons are trending in the right direction after a couple of rudderless years, but they still aren’t stacked with premium talent. There are a few nice up-and-coming players on the roster like Drake London and A.J. Terrell – who both are in contention. There’s Chris Lindstrom on the offensive line as well, another ascending player for the Falcons.
We’re going with Grady Jarrett, though, even if there’s not a lot of conviction in the choice. Jarrett has been one of the most consistent interior pass rushers in the NFL for the last six or seven years, racking up 319 total pressures since he was drafted in 2015. He’s been incredibly durable throughout his career, missing only three games since entering the league. He’s carried the load as the Falcons’ best pass rusher throughout that time as well, something that’s difficult for an interior rusher to do. His sack numbers aren’t gaudy, but Jarrett is still excellent.
Carolina Panthers: Brian Burns, EDGE
Like the Falcons, the Carolina Panthers are a team on the upswing after a tough few years. They’ve hopefully got their quarterback of the future in Bryce Young. There’s a strong offensive line in front of him and an excellent defense on the other side of the ball. Let’s not beat aroundt the bush when it comes to picking someone: it’s Brian Burns.
There’s talent all across the board, with the likes of Jaycee Horn, Jeremy Chinn, and Derrick Brown all featuring for what should be an improved defensive unit. Burns is the headline act, though. He had a career-high 12.5 sacks in 2022 and was tied for the ninth-most pressures in the NFL (68), per PFF. The Panthers did extremely well to keep Burns this offseason, as he’s a true building block moving forward.
New Orleans Saints: Demario Davis, Linebacker
This is truly a tough one. The New Orleans Saints roster has consistently been a strong unit that plays hard, in spite of who’s under centre. They always want to compete and, in the eyes of Mickey Loomis and the front office, they’re always contending. Maybe because of that, and the hope to keep most of their core together, the Saints roster – or at least the best players on it – is quite old.
Chris Olave is a young receiver on his way to stardom, but the likes of Cameron Jordan, Ryan Ramczyk, and Tyrann Mathieu are all over 30 or close to it. So is our top choice, Demario Davis. Davis has been one of the top off-ball linebackers in the NFL for the last half a decade. He’s registered over 100 tackles for all five seasons he’s spent with the Saints and has turned into a blitzing machine with 22.5 sacks in five years. Not only that, but he’s still athletic enough to be a problem in coverage with six passes defended in 2022. Not bad for a 34-year-old. He’s timeless.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tristan Wirfs, Offensive Tackle
It’s no longer Tom Brady. The best of all time retired after 23 incredible years in the NFL and the league – especiall the 2023 Bucs – won’t be the same without him. But this is still a talented football team, even if they’re not projected to make much noise this season. They’re still in the NFC South where anything can happen, so who knows? There’s far from a “lock” in this division, and crazier things have happened.
One of their bright spots is Tristan Wirfs. Playing right tackle isn’t the flashiest position in the NFL, but players like Wirfs and Lane Johnson have made it en vogue over the last few years. And as the NFL shifts further and further into higher early-down pass rates, right tackles are becoming more than just traditional run blockers. Wirfs has demonstrated that he has the chops to do just about everything. He gave up just 5 pressures in 13 games last season, per PFF. An extraordinary number. His side of the offensive line is where pass rushers go to die. However, he is making the shift to left tackle in 2023. Can he be as effective?
-Thomas Valentine
Twitter: @tvalentinesport
Photo: All-Pro Reels. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.