Ranking the top 40 NFL edge rushers for 2022
The NFL is loaded with terrific veteran and developing edge defenders
Edge rusher and cornerback are the two most valuable positions on defense in the modern NFL. Fortunately, the league is loaded with terrific veteran and developing edge defenders. Today, we’ll look at the top 40 edge rushers heading into the 2022 season by ranking them and breaking them into six general tiers.
I organized this list by factoring in recent production, injuries, age, situations, and skill sets. The tiers are more important than the individual number ranking since most players are interchangeable in their tiers. While it’s fun to order players one through 40, placing each defender in the right tier is the more important part of this exercise.
There are two 2021 rankings below each defender. The first shows where I ranked the defender among players at their position during the 2021 offseason. The second rank shows where each defender landed on my top 200 players project last summer.
I understand these rankings will be controversial. Please remember that they are just my opinion and don’t really hold any greater meaning. You can reach me in the comments or on Twitter @Sam_Teets33 to tell me what I got wrong and what you would change.
Information on sacks and tackle for loss comes from Pro Football Reference. Pressure data comes from Pro Football Focus.
*Indicates rookie player
NFL 2022: Top 40 EDGE Rushers
Tier 1: Hall of Fame Peaks
1. T.J. Watt, EDGE Pittsburgh Steelers
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: 1
2021 Top 200 Rank: 6
2. Myles Garrett, EDGE Cleveland Browns
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: 3
2021 Top 200 Rank: 13
The debate over the NFL’s best pass rusher starts and ends with the AFC North’s superstars. Garrett (26 years old) and Watt (27 years old) are on a collision course with the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The two first round picks from the 2017 NFL Draft each have four consecutive years of ten sacks or more and three total All-Pro selections, and they’re still improving.
Watt tops Garrett in this discussion for several reasons. The Wisconsin product has finished in the top three in Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) voting in each of the past three seasons. He’s led the league in sacks and tackles for loss in back-to-back years and recently tied Michael Strahan’s single-season sack record despite missing two games. Winning the 2021 Defensive Player of the Year award also helped Watt’s case.
Garrett, who has never finished in the top three in DPOY voting, produced 78 pressures to Watt’s 62 this past season, but the former first overall pick also logged 130 more pass rushing snaps. At Watt’s pace, it would’ve taken him 107 more pass rushing snaps to tie Garrett in total pressures, giving him 23 snaps to spare. Watt has also shown a higher proficiency at swatting passes and forcing fumbles throughout his career.
I bring up none of this to minimize Garrett’s accomplishments. He’s second on this list and included in the Hall of Fame category for a reason, but Watt’s current accomplishments and production make him the NFL’s top edge rusher.
Tier 2: Potential All-Pros
3. Nick Bosa, EDGE San Francisco 49ers
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: 5
2021 Top 200 Rank: 37
4. Joey Bosa, EDGE Los Angeles Chargers
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: 4
2021 Top 200 Rank: 18
5. Maxx Crosby, EDGE Las Vegas Raiders
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: NR
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
6. Khalil Mack, EDGE Los Angeles Chargers
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: 2
2021 Top 200 Rank: 9
7. Cameron Jordan, EDGE New Orleans Saints
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: 8
2021 Top 200 Rank: 75
8. Von Miller, EDGE Buffalo Bills
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: 14
2021 Top 200 Rank: 94
9. Robert Quinn, EDGE Chicago Bears
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: NR
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
10. Rashan Gary, EDGE Green Bay Packers
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: NR
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
Tier 2 is loaded with a nice mix of proven veterans and up-and-coming stars. The players in this tier could earn All-Pro honors in any given season because they possess the talent and production to outperform most of their colleagues. If I had to bet, I’d say three of the players listed in Tier 2 could retire tomorrow and eventually be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The Bosa brothers kick off Tier 2. In my initial draft of the tier system, I actually included Joey (27 years old) and Nick (24 years old) in Tier 1 behind Garrett and Watt. The brothers haven’t accomplished enough to earn looks from the Hall of Fame yet. The former Defensive Rookie of the Year winners haven’t received All-Pro selections yet, but they’ve consistently ranked among the top five edge rushers annually.
Crosby and Gary (both 24 years old) entered the league with very different expectations. Crosby was a fourth round selection, while Gary was the 12th overall pick. Despite their different paths, both members of the 2019 draft class experienced breakout seasons in 2021. Crosby only recorded eight sacks, but he led the league with 101 pressures. For comparison, Aaron Donald finished in second place with 86 pressures.
Gary also put together an excellent season as a pass rusher. He amassed 9.5 sacks and 81 pressures despite rushing the passer more than 100 fewer times than Crosby and nearly 200 fewer times than Donald. Gary isn’t higher on the list because he played a fairly low snap count and didn’t contribute as much against the run as the other players in Tier 2.
Miller didn’t play in 2020 because of an injury, and Quinn might as well have not played, considering it was arguably the worst year of his career. Both former superstars rebounded in 2021. Miller totaled 60 pressures and 9.5 sacks while applying pressure on about 13.95% of his rushes. He finished the year with 19 tackles for loss, his most since 2012. The 33-year-old found another gear in the playoffs, totaling 22 pressures and four sacks in four games. Miller applied pressure on 19.82% of his rushes during the postseason.
Quinn earned Second-Team All-Pro honors after tallying 47 pressures and 18.5 sacks, second-most in the league. The 32-year-old’s sack, tackle, and tackle for loss totals were all his best since his First-Team All-Pro campaign in 2013.
Jordan and Mack trended in opposite directions last year. Mack underwent season-ending foot surgery after a slow start to the season, but there’s hope the former DPOY will rebound alongside Bosa in Los Angeles. The 31-year-old tallied 22 pressures and six sacks in his seven appearances last year.
Meanwhile, Jordan bounced back from a down year (by his standards). After producing 7.5 sacks in 2020, the 33-year-old netted 51 pressures and 12.5 sacks this past season. Jordan has been one of the most consistent sack artists over the past decade. In the past nine years, he has had three seasons with 7.5 sacks, five years with 12 sacks or more, and one campaign with ten sacks. He’s only missed one game during his entire career.
Tier 3: Pro Bowl Watchlist
11. Shaquil Barrett, EDGE Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: 12
2021 Top 200 Rank: 91
12. Danielle Hunter, EDGE Minnesota Vikings
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: 7
2021 Top 200 Rank: 63
13. DeMarcus Lawrence, EDGE Dallas Cowboys
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: 10
2021 Top 200 Rank: 85
14. Chandler Jones, EDGE Las Vegas Raiders
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: 6
2021 Top 200 Rank: 58
15. Brian Burns, EDGE Carolina Panthers
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: 15
2021 Top 200 Rank: 97
16. Za'Darius Smith, EDGE Minnesota Vikings
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: 11
2021 Top 200 Rank: 86
17. Chase Young, EDGE Washington Commanders
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: 9
2021 Top 200 Rank: 83
Tier 3 consists of many high-end pass rushers who are either experiencing decline, rebounding from injuries or haven’t shown the consistency to rank in Tier 2. Any of these players could climb up a tier during a healthy year. Only one player in Tier 3 (Burns) hasn’t put together a season in the past worthy of a spot in Tier 2.
Barrett hasn’t matched the 19.5-sack season he produced in 2019, but the former undrafted free agent’s pressure numbers have remained high over the past two years. Barrett recorded 75 pressures and ten sacks in 2021. In comparison, Burns had 51 pressures and nine sacks on roughly the same number of pass rushing snaps.
Hunter, Lawrence, and Smith are in the same boat. The former Second-Team All-Pros played a combined 15 games last season because of injuries. Hunter previously missed all of 2020. At their peaks, these are Tier 2 players.
Lawrence doesn’t get many sacks, but he’s an elite run defender. Hunter, who still totaled 31 pressures and six sacks last year, is a freaky athlete. Smith was a late bloomer, but he produced 144 pressures and 26 sacks during his 33 games as a Packer. Now, he’ll benefit from playing alongside Hunter in Minnesota.
The injury bug also bit Young last year. The 2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year tore his ACL after struggling to find his rhythm during Washington’s first nine games. Young’s drop was steeper than other injured players’ because he wasn’t producing at a high level even when healthy.
Jones has a unique reason for falling eight spots. The 32-year-old had a rocky 2020 season end in injury after five games. He looked ready to tear the NFL apart after a seven-pressure, five-sack performance in Week 1 of 2021. However, Jones only finished the year with 47 pressures and 10.5 sacks, meaning he totaled 40 pressures and 5.5 sacks in his final 14 appearances.
Jones could experience a resurgence alongside Crosby in Las Vegas, but he enters 2022 trending downward.
Tier 4: High-End Starters
18. Trey Hendrickson, EDGE Cincinnati Bengals
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: NR
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
19. Josh Allen, EDGE Jacksonville Jaguars
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: 22
2021 Top 200 Rank: 197
20. Montez Sweat, EDGE Washington Commanders
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: 17
2021 Top 200 Rank: 112
21. J.J. Watt, EDGE Arizona Cardinals
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: 13
2021 Top 200 Rank: 92
22. Harold Landry, EDGE Tennessee Titans
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: NR
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
23. Denico Autry, EDGE Tennessee Titans
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: NR
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
24. Haason Reddick, EDGE Philadelphia Eagles
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: NR
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
25. Jadeveon Clowney, EDGE Cleveland Browns
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: 23
2021 Top 200 Rank: 200
26. Matt Judon, EDGE New England Patriots
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: NR
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
Tier 4 consists of players who are well above average for their positions and could compete for Pro Bowls in career years but lack the profiles to enter the All-Pro discussion. These are still high-end players capable of serving as defensive cornerstones for some franchises.
Autry, Hendrickson, Judon, and Landry had career years in 2021. Hendrickson stood out in particular as he topped 13 sacks for the second straight year and was the only player on the AFC Champion Bengals with over eight sacks. The former third round pick tied Nick Bosa with 75 pressures and added 12 more along with 3.5 sacks in the playoffs. Hendrickson ranks in Tier 4 instead of Tier 3 because of his shortcomings as a run defender.
Autry and Landry combined for 125 pressures and 21 sacks, tying or setting new personal bests in both categories. Judon also set career-highs with 63 pressures and 12.5 sacks. He was the only Patriots defender with more than five sacks in 2021.
Clowney and Watt aren’t nearly the forces they were during the primes of their careers. However, Clowney still has a high floor as a run defender and produced his most pressures, sacks, and tackles for loss in 2021 since his days in Houston.
Watt began playing a higher percentage of his snaps over the tackle or along the defensive interior, but I’m still classifying him as an edge rusher. While he only had one sack, Watt totaled 28 pressures through his seven appearances. That put him well on pace to smash his 2020 total.
Reddick seems like a scheme or role-specific player, but he’s turned his skill set into a valuable one for two different teams over the past two years. He totaled 56 pressures and 12.5 sacks with Arizona in 2020 before amassing 44 pressures and 11 sacks with Carolina. It’s hard to argue with production.
Allen and Sweat are first round picks from the 2019 NFL Draft who have struggled to get over the hump. Allen has been the more productive member of the duo so far, netting 49 pressures and 10.5 sacks as a rookie and 50 pressures and 7.5 sacks in 2021. Sweat missed seven games in 2021, finishing his year with 27 pressures and five sacks. His best year (47 pressures and nine sacks) came in 2020.
Tier 5: Impact Starters
27. Arik Armstead, EDGE San Francisco 49ers
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: NR
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
28. Yannick Ngakoue, EDGE Indianapolis Colts
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: 21
2021 Top 200 Rank: 192
29. Leonard Floyd, EDGE Los Angeles Rams
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: NR
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
30. Preston Smith, EDGE Green Bay Packers
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: NR
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
31. Marcus Davenport, EDGE New Orleans Saints
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: NR
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
32. Emmanuel Ogbah, EDGE Miami Dolphins
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: NR
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
33. Brandon Graham, EDGE Philadelphia Eagles
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: 16
2021 Top 200 Rank: 102
Tier 5 edge rushers usually have multiple games each season where they perform at Tier 4 levels but lack the high-end consistency or well-rounded skill sets to rank among the NFL’s top 25 players at the position. These players are preferably not your team’s top pass rushers. Instead, they’re excellent complementary pieces.
I probably could’ve classified Armstead as an interior defensive lineman since that’s where he spent most of his time last year, but I forgot until the final draft was almost finished. I’ll fix it next year. Armstead and Ogbah are versatile linemen capable of reducing inside. After rocky starts to their careers, the former top-32 picks have found stability.
Armstead produced 52 pressures and six sacks in 2021, while Ogbah recorded 61 pressures and nine sacks. Armstead maintains an advantage despite his lower sack production because of his involvement as a run defender.
Floyd, Ngakoue, and Smith are all seasoned sack artists. Floyd flamed out in Chicago before joining a talented Rams defense that has helped him amass 103 pressures and 20 sacks over the past two years. Ngakoue flashed elite potential early in his career, but he’s plateaued in recent years. He’s always struggled in run defense but has a high floor as a pass rusher. The former third round pick has averaged 56 pressures and nine sacks per season during his career.
Smith looked like a cut candidate after an underwhelming campaign in 2020, but the 29-year-old bounced back with a career-high 62 pressures in 2021. He also tallied nine sacks.
Davenport and Graham are on opposite sides of the mountain. Graham entered 2021 as a Tier 3/Tier 4 player before an Achilles injury cut his season short. At 34 years old, it could be a struggle for the very underrated and well-rounded defensive end to capture his former glory.
Davenport struggled to win snaps early in his career, but he totaled 42 pressures and nine sacks in only 11 games last season. The 25-year-old could develop into a Tier 3 player with more consistency and snaps.
Tier 6: Hit or Miss EDGE Defenders
34. Randy Gregory, EDGE Denver Broncos
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: NR
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
35. Jonathan Greenard, EDGE Houston Texans
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: NR
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
36. Bradley Chubb, EDGE Denver Broncos
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: 18
2021 Top 200 Rank: 166
37. Melvin Ingram, EDGE Miami Dolphins
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: NR
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
38. Odafe Oweh, EDGE Baltimore Ravens
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: NR
2021 Top 200 Rank: NR
39. Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE Detroit Lions*
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: College
2021 Top 200 Rank: College
40. Jerry Hughes, EDGE Houston Texans
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: 20
2021 Top 200 Rank: 184
Tier 6 includes players who show flashes of Tier 5 and Tier 4 play but either struggle with injuries or haven’t consistently met expectations.
Chubb and Gregory have the talent to move up a tier or two, but they’ve battled consistent injuries and availability issues. Chubb has missed 24 games over the past three years, while Gregory has missed 13. Pairing the two could have tremendous results, or everything could blow up in Denver’s face.
Greenard impressed during his 12 appearances in 2021. The former third round pick tallied 27 pressures and eight sacks. That’s a significant accomplishment considering Houston’s lack of a supporting cast. Adding Hughes, who had 45 pressures and two sacks last year, should speed up Greenard’s development.
Ingram is in the journeyman stage of his career. The 33-year-old is on his fourth team in three seasons, but he’s still a productive player. Ingram only had two sacks last season but still tallied 42 pressures. Meanwhile, Oweh was the most impressive true edge rusher in last year’s rookie class. He sacked the quarterback five times and applied pressure 49 times.
I wanted to put Hutchinson higher up the list since I think he has a high floor and polished skill set, but it’s hard to rank a rookie over proven NFL talent. At best, I would’ve ranked Hutchinson at 35.
Honorable Mentions
Frank Clark, EDGE Kansas City Chiefs
Arnold Ebiketie, EDGE Atlanta Falcons*
Trey Flowers, EDGE Free Agent
2021 EDGE Rusher Rank: 19
2021 Top 200 Rank: 177
Trevis Gipson, EDGE Chicago Bears
Markus Golden, EDGE Arizona Cardinals
Alex Highsmith, EDGE Pittsburgh Steelers
Justin Houston, EDGE Baltimore Ravens
Jermaine Johnson II, EDGE New York Jets*
George Karlaftis, EDGE Kansas City Chiefs*
Carl Lawson, EDGE New York Jets
Azeez Ojulari, EDGE New York Giants
Jaelan Phillips, EDGE Miami Dolphins
Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE New York Giants*
Travon Walker, EDGE Jacksonville Jaguars*
Sam Williams, EDGE Dallas Cowboys*