Pass rushers are massive game-changers in the NFL, especially as passing has become more common. Among the top 10 defenses in sacks, five of those units are also top 10 in scoring. Super Bowls have been won on the strength of a dominant pass rush.
So, Pro Football Focus (PFF), as they do with every area of football, grades players based on their pass-rushing abilities. Before Thanksgiving kicks off Week 12, they posted the top four pass rushers of the season thus far. Take a look at the best of the best below.
The best pass rushers this season 💪 pic.twitter.com/BdevZ4V3uu
— PFF (@PFF) November 22, 2023
MVP Pass Rusher Myles Garrett?
In a year where no quarterbacks are shining, it would be the perfect opportunity to award a player at another position. Enter Myles Garrett, who PFF has graded as the best pass rusher of 2023 right now. Garrett has a league-leading 13.0 sacks and is threatening to break the single-season record. He could also be the best player on a 7-3 Browns team missing its starting quarterback. If Cleveland makes the playoffs, will Myles Garrett, the NFL’s best pass rusher, become the first defensive player to win MVP since Lawrence Taylor in 1986?
The Big Ten’s Dynamic Pass-Rushing Pair
Both first-round draft picks, Micah Parsons (Penn State) and Nick Bosa (Ohio State) were expected to be stars for their respective franchises. As the second and third-best pass rushers of 2023, respectively, it’s safe to say that they’re holding up their end of the bargain. Parsons has 10.0 sacks (7th) for a 7-3 Cowboys team that’s headed to the postseason. Ditto Bosa’s NFC West-leading 49ers (7-3), even if he only has 5.5 sacks. There’s a lot more to pass rushing than finishing the job, and he gets consistent pressure that wrecks opposing offenses. These men have delivered everything that their franchises expect from them.
One of These Players is Not Like the Others
Unlike the top three players, Dexter Lawrence does not play on the edge. He is a true interior defensive lineman. Other things that set him apart from the rest of the list are only 4.0 sacks and playing for a losing team (the Giants are 3-8). However, that just illustrates how dominant Lawrence is at getting pressure straight up the middle. Despite consistently drawing multiple blockers, Lawrence has one of the best pass rush win rates and total pressure counters in the league. Quietly, one of the NFL’s best defenders is toiling away on an awful New York team.
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