The Rundown: All-22 Price Checks After One Week of Free Agency (Defense)
Flipping over to the defensive side of the ball, which players gained and lost the most?
If you’re looking to upgrade your defense in 2023, here are some names to bookmark as potential adds and some other names that might help you create some roster space.
Edge
Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (ED) ➡ Cleveland
STOCK UP: Go get this guy. There may not be a single player in this series who gained more value this week than the Rams’ 2018 5th-round pick, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo. Ahead of the 2022 season, Okoronkwo signed a one-year “prove it” deal with Houston and he certainly proved himself worthy of the three-year contract he signed with Cleveland. In one season with Houston, Okoronkwo earned an 81.9 PFF pass rush grade - over 10-grade points higher than the next best edge rusher on the roster. Things are a little different in Cleveland. Okoronkwo will now line up opposite Myles Garrett, PFF’s highest-graded overall edge player (92.5) and PFF’s highest-graded pass rusher (93.5). Ogbonnia Okoronkwo might just become a household name in 2023, so you’ll want to learn how it’s pronounced.
Charles Omenihu (ED) ➡ Kansas City
STOCK DOWN: Charles Omenihu has flashed as a pass rusher but really nowhere else. Omenihu’s PFF pass rush grades of 81.8 in 2021 and 75.3 in 2022 have helped to float his overall grade in the high 60s over those two seasons. It would have been ideal for the 25-year-old edge player to end up in a situation similar to Ogbonnia Okoronkwo. Instead, Omenihu will line up opposite George Karlaftis, whose 58.1 PFF pass rush grade ranked 85th among 115 qualifying edge players. Neither Omenihu nor Karlaftis can be relied upon to set the edge in the run game either; Omenihu’s PFF run defense grade of 51.5 was more than 10 grade points higher than Karlaftis’ 41.2. Outside of Chris Jones, this defensive line isn’t great and it’s not a great spot for Charles Omenihu.
Linebacker
Kaden Elliss (LB/Edge) ➡ Atlanta
STOCK DOWN: Kaden Elliss is one of my favorite players, so it pains me to have to label him as a “stock down” player. It’s really not his fault; the Falcons’ front seven is just not a great unit. In 2022, New Orleans lined up Kaden Elliss at just about every linebacker position. Elliss started three games as the Saints middle linebacker; in those three games, Elliss posted PFF grades of 90.1, 91.3, and 79.5. The Falcons would be wise not to play Elliss on the outside but that may very well be the case. Even if he’s kicked inside, Atlanta’s defensive interior may not offer much help - aging veteran DIs Grady Jarrett and David Onyemata have seen their PFF grades steadily decline over the past few seasons.
Azeez Al-Shaair (LB) ➡ Tennessee
STOCK UP: The FAU alum (my man pots and pans) did well for himself. Azeez Al-Shaair, 25, will no longer play in the shadows of Dre Greenlaw and Fred Warner. Although he had to play through some injuries, Al-Shaair is coming off his best season as a pro. His 2022 PFF season grade of 74.4 ranked 18th among 81 qualifying LBs, while his 82.1 run defense grade ranked 9th. The Titans found themselves a great replacement for David Long to come in and shut down the run game. Azeez will play behind a stellar defensive line that consists of Denico Autry (82.8), Teair Tart (73.1), and, one of the best DIs in the game, Jeffery Simmons (81.1). Be sure to add Azeez Al-Shaair to your queue in startup drafts and see if he’s available as a free agent in existing leagues.
David Long (LB) ➡ Miami
STOCK UP: The previously mentioned Azeez Al-Shaair may have put himself in a very good situation but David Long just upgraded himself into a great situation. The former Mountaineer has shown drastic improvement since he was drafted in the 6th round of the 2019 draft. Miami’s front seven is a scary, yet underrated, unit. David Long (76.2) will line up alongside LB Jerome Baker (74.6) and together they’ll play behind DIs Christian Wilkins (82.2) and Zach Sieler (73.4). To make things even better, the unit is bookended by Bradley Chubb (65.5) and Jaelan Phillips (88.8). Look for David Long to pick up right where he left off.
Defensive Interior
Zach Allen (DI) ➡ Denver
STOCK UP: No one knows how to use Zach Allen better than Vance Joseph. The pair making the trip to Denver together was the absolute best-case scenario for Zach Allen managers. In Joseph’s system, Allen is an immediate upgrade over his predecessor, Dre’Mont Jones. As Jones was asked to line up less in B-gap alignment and more outside and over the tackle, his PFF grades slipped to career lows as both a run defender and as a pass rusher. In a Vance Joseph’s defense, the ideal DI can handle a similar ask and that’s where Zach Allen thrives. In fact, in Allen and Joseph’s last season in Arizona, Allen recorded career high grades as a run defender (67.4) and as a pass rusher (71.6). You may have Zach Allen buried on your depth chart right now but he may very well force you into a 3-4 personnel package this season.
Dre’Mont Jones ➡ Seattle
STOCK DOWN: The Seattle Seahawks and Dre’Mont Jones managers are hoping Jones can return to his 2020 form, when he earned a career-high 74.7 overall PFF grade. Since 2020, Jones has been asked to do much more but has returned much less. The 26-year-old DI has failed to surpass a PFF grade over 60 in his last two seasons. If Jones became part of a defensive line rotation composed of solid, versatile players, that would’ve been his best opportunity to rebound. Seattle’s defensive line is simply not that; 35-year-old Al Woods is the only DI on the roster with a run defense grade north of 60. If you see any of your offensive linemen matching up with Seattle this season, you may want to start them.
Cornerback
JAlen Ramsey (CB) ➡ Miami
STOCK UP: Credit where it’s due, my partner, Ray, predicted this trade back in early February. Ray also noted that Ramsey, who turns 29 this season, would gain the most value possible if he were to become a Dolphin. I couldn’t agree more. After Los Angeles traded him away, Ramsey signed a 3-year deal with the Dolphins. All-22 managers can expect Ramsey to fulfill the length of his contract with elite or, at least, very good play. The former number 5 overall pick joins the Dolphins after averaging an 85.4 overall PFF grade in his last two seasons. Although the Dolphins can certainly use another corner, their secondary has some good pieces. Ramsey will have help over the top from one of the best young safeties in the league, Jevon Holland, and newly added safety DeShon Elliot. Maybe even more importantly, Miami quietly boasts one of the best front sevens in the league. Your league-mates may be down on a CB who’s pushing 30, so it’s worth getting a price check.
Safety
Jessie Bates III (S) ➡ Atlanta
STOCK DOWN: You’d like your safeties to be part of a defense with a respectable pass rush and good corners. Right now, Atlanta hasn’t checked either of those boxes. In 2022, PFF ranked Atlanta 31st in team pass rush. Outside of adding Kaden Elliss, the Falcons haven’t done much to address the problem. The absence of a pass rush places overwhelming stress on secondary players and is almost certainly detrimental to their PFF grades. A.J. Terrell graded in the low 60s for two of his first three seasons in Atlanta. Casey Hayward Jr. also graded in the low 60s last season - the second-lowest grade of his career. The rest of the secondary is young and the linebackers don’t cover well. This is a pass defense that will look to Jessie Bates for leadership. The task may be too tall for a safety who graded below a 62 in 9 games in 2022, just one season after he earned a 56.1 overall season grade.
Marcus Epps (S) ➡ Las Vegas
STOCK DOWN: Marcus Epps followed up two good seasons in Philadelphia with a complete stinker. After playing well in 2021, the Eagles rewarded Marcus Epps by doubling his playing time. Epps was torched in coverage for 5 TDs, good for a 44.7 PFF coverage grade and a 56.3 season grade in 2022. The 27-year-old safety finds himself in a very similar situation compared to Jessie Bates III; the team has limited pass rush outside of Maxx Crosby, a weak front seven, and a very young secondary. You may not want to roster Marcus Epps but you may want to get your hands on a couple of the receivers within the division.
Want to hear about someone in specific? Don’t agree with my analysis? Let me know in the comments.
