It’s summertime offseason content time! As the season approaches, I’m going to be taking a look at the landscape of the NFL, position by position, over the course of the next several weeks. We’ll be talking about the who’s who of the NFL in our own little version of the NFL Network’s “Top 100 Players” bit they do every year. Up next, we’re talking about the top 10 NFL defensive lines for 2022!
The Top 10 NFL Defensive Lines for 2022
10. Philadelphia Eagles – I don’t care how “old” they’re getting, the names Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham still mean something, damn it. Add in the freak athlete that Jordan Davis is, and you’ve got the makings of another solid defensive line.
8. Green Bay Packers – Kenny Clark has emerged as one of the premiere defensive tackles in the game. But, there are some intriguing possibilities around him in Jarran Reed and rookie Devonte Wyatt that could give the Packers quite the rotation this season.
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – The Bucs have one of the more complete defenses in the NFL, with proven talent at each level. That starts along the defensive line with stud Vita Vea, who is one of the most mountainous men in the whole damn league.
7. Buffalo Bills – I’m doing a little bit of projecting here with this Bills lineup because, on paper, it looks nasty. Between Ed Oliver, Greg Rousseau, AJ Epenesa, and Boogie Basham, it’s contingent upon some young guys stepping up, but they have some experience in DaQuan Jones and Shaq Lawson that could make for one of the deepest defensive lines in the game when 2022 is all said and done.
6. San Francisco 49ers – Absolutely love the teeth this group has in the pass rush with Nick Bosa, one of the best in the game to do it. Arik Armstead makes for one of the better defensive tackles in the game, and the 49ers are still hopeful Javon Kinlaw can make a leap in 2022 to make this one of the deeper defensive lines in the NFL.
5. Indianapolis Colts – There’s just so much talent along this defensive front, I don’t know how you can put this unit outside of the top five on this list. DeForest Buckner is one of the best in the game, Grover Stewart is underrated, and Kwity Paye has elite potential as an edge setter and a pass rusher. Not to mention, they added Yannick Ngakoue this offseason. That’s a spicy bunch.
4. New Orleans Saints – The Saints have a couple of real thoroughbreds in Cameron Jordan and Marcus Davenport, but David Onyemata and Shy Tuttle were underrated in 2021 and give the Saints a formidable unit in the middle between the strong pass rush of Jordan and Davenport.
3. Tennessee Titans – Slept on. My goodness, is this unit slept on or what? I don’t think it’s unreasonable to think this could be the best defensive front in all of football when you factor in the edge rushers and the linebackers behind this defensive line. But, outside of the talent they have in Washington, I don’t know that there’s a better 1-2 punch in the league than what Jeffery Simmons and Denico Autry have. Simmons is well on his way to becoming one of the best defensive tackles in the game, and Autry makes for a hell of running mate.
2. Los Angeles Rams – I mean, come on…the Rams could line up three mops and buckets next to Aaron Donald and still rank highly on this list. The man’s in the conversation as the best defensive player of all time, y’know? I will say though…props to A’Shawn Robinson for getting that #11 grade among interior defenders next to Donald. These dudes are a force.
1. Washington Commanders – If we’re going pound-for-pound all the way across the line, the Commanders have it four spots deep. I think it’s probably the most complete four-man front in the league, and it’s probably the most talented between the pure edge rush talent you get from Chase Young and Montez Sweat (assuming they can stay healthy), and the interior beef with Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen (PFF’s 4th ranked interior defender from 2021). The Commanders have a brick wall up front on defense.
OTHER 2022 NFL TOP 10S
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Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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