Even with COVID diminishing as a health threat, the NFL is going to keep the flexible practice squad and IR rules it instituted in 2020.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

Official COVID-19 protocols for 2021 likely won’t come down until closer to the start of training camp, but two positive holdovers from last year seem likely to be part of the plan.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported Wednesday that all signs point to the NFL and NFLPA keeping in place several of last year’s COVID-related changes to roster rules, including unlimited/faster return from injured reserve and 16-man practice squads, per sources informed of the situation.

The expanded practice squads and the ability to move players to and from IR were popular byproducts of playing during the pandemic enjoyed by both players and clubs.

The new IR rules for last year were particularly beneficial. Instead of having only three IR-return designations to be used after a player missed eight weeks, clubs had an unlimited amount of IR-returns to use, and players had to sit out only three weeks. The adjustments were beneficial to players who could better rehab without taking up a roster spot or being shut down for half a season. The changes also provided clubs more flexibility in a season of uncertainty. The fear of clubs stashing players on IR never came into play in 2020.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if the IR rule and expanded practice squads ultimately become permanent fixtures after the pandemic, especially with the expansion to a 17-game season.

With the NFL and NFLPA continuing to negotiate on various issues ahead of the 2021 season, the final ruling on roster sizes, COVID-19 protocols, and other issues likely won’t be finalized for weeks. But hanging onto some of the adjustments from last year would be smart for both sides of the aisle.

NFC SOUTH

CAROLINA

The Panthers plan on making LB JEREMY CHINN into S JEREMY CHINN.  The AP:

The Panthers plan to move Jeremy Chinn to safety, one year after a stellar rookie season at linebacker.

It’s a move designed, in part, to help prolong Chinn’s NFL career — at 220 pounds, he’s considered undersized for a linebacker — as well as shore up the team’s vulnerable safety position.

Panthers coach Matt Rhule said the decision is contingent upon Chinn’s comfort level at the position when he gets to training camp. Chinn is currently returning from offseason cleanup surgery on his knee, so the Panthers are keeping him out of all contact work until the summer as a precautionary measure.

“Obviously he would be a big safety and he would be able to cover tight ends,” Rhule said of the impending move. “He can go fit the run too. It’s rare to have a guy that big, with that size and that intelligence level. He’s one of those guys that can fill a lot of different roles for us.”

Chinn finished second to Washington edge rusher Chase Young in the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2020 after leading all rookies with 116 tackles and becoming the first player in the Super Bowl era to return two fumbles for touchdowns on back-to-back plays. He also had two forced fumbles, one sack and an interception.

Chinn said he doesn’t have a preference on where he plays, adding that he never discussed the move with coaches.

But he knows size played a role.

“That’s definitely a factor, me being a smaller linebacker,” Chinn said. “It’s not typical you see 218- or 220-pound linebackers in the NFL so that definitely played a part. And as far as making plays, I feel like they can be made at either position. When you’re a linebacker you’re a little closer to the ball and a little closer to the line of scrimmage. When you’re a safety you can also make plays on the ball in the air.”

This isn’t completely new territory for the 23-year-old Chinn.

He played more than 30 snaps at safety last season as Panthers defensive coordinator Phil Snow disguised the rookie in certain situations because of his versatility. He also played safety at Southern Illinois.

That’s where Rhule initially saw him.

“We went to the Senior Bowl and we saw him and obviously we had a strong feeling for him,” Rhule said of Carolina’s decision to trade up to the second round to acquire Chinn with the 64th overall pick in the 2020 draft. “Obviously he has been everything we had expected.”

NFC WEST

SAN FRANCISCO

C WESTON RICHBURG is hanging them up.  Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com:

Almost three years ago, the San Francisco 49ers made Weston Richburg the highest-paid center in NFL history. On Wednesday, Richburg’s time with the Niners came to an end, as he announced his retirement from the NFL.

Richburg had an injury-plagued stint with the 49ers that culminated in his missing the entire 2020 season because of a lingering shoulder injury and his continued efforts to recover from a torn right patellar tendon suffered in Week 14 of the 2019 season.

“I consider myself extremely blessed to have played in this league and am so grateful for the experiences over the last seven years,” Richburg said in a statement released by the 49ers. “Injuries are an unfortunate part of this game and I’ve reached a point where my body won’t allow me to continue playing and competing at a high level. I was able to play some good football all over the country and was fortunate enough to finish my career with the greatest franchise in sports. From top to bottom, the 49ers organization is comprised of some of the best men, women and athletes I’ve ever been around. To be just a small part of an NFC Championship and Super Bowl run is something I will never forget.”

As it turned out, that Week 14 contest against the New Orleans Saints was the final game of Richburg’s 49ers tenure. Richburg, who turns 30 on July 9, also recently had hip surgery. In three seasons in San Francisco, Richburg started 28 games.

After four years with the New York Giants, who selected him in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft, Richburg signed a five-year, $47.5 million contract with the 49ers in the opening days of 2018 free agency. The Niners reworked that deal during the 2019 season to save some cap space, leaving Richburg with a scheduled cap charge of almost $11.5 million in 2021.

Since Richburg retired after June 1, the Niners can spread out the $7 million in remaining dead money evenly over the cap in 2021 and 2022. They will save $1.075 million in cap space for 2021 upon Richburg’s retirement.

“Weston was someone who made not only our offense, but our entire team better,” 49ers general manager John Lynch said in the statement. “He led by example through his detailed approach and the toughness in which he played the game. He was a tremendous player for our organization and will be missed both on the field and in the locker room.”

The 49ers signed Alex Mack in free agency to take over the starting center duties.

AFC NORTH

CLEVELAND

DE MYLES GARRETT reveals that in his case, coming back from COVID was not as simple as for others.  Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer:

Browns defensive end Myles Garrett acknowledged Wednesday that he was half the player he used to be last season after his asthma worsened his COVID-19 symptoms, and “it hurt” to lose a chance at NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

“As far as getting off the ball, I didn’t feel like I was getting off the ball,’’ Garrett said via Zoom after organized team activities on Wednesday. “Athletically, I felt like I had it. Conditioning-wise, I felt like I was like 50%. I don’t think I’ve ever had to use oxygen so frequently so early into a game. I think [it was against] Tennessee, and I don’t think I had like a huge amount of snaps, but I was like hanging on.

“Once you get tired, you start losing the play, so you’re trying to think of what you’re supposed to do here. If you’re thinking what you’re supposed to do here, you can’t think about the alternatives or the options off that, the pass-rush moves or the rip or release for run blocks.’’

Fortunately for Garrett, he’s fully recovered from COVID-19 and no longer suffering lingering effects. In fact, he’s confident he’ll be fine during games this season.

“To not feel like that, it’s great,’’ he said. “I feel great. I feel the best that I have since last year before COVID. It’s a wonderful feeling. I feel like it was kind of a long road and now that I’m back I’m feeling well-conditioned and feeling back at my peak. I’m glad I’ve recovered. I hope nothing like that happens to me or anyone else.”

AFC EAST

BUFFALO

While the rest of the NFL seems to have dutifully taken a COVID vaccine, there is a sense that the Bills have a significant cluster of players who have their doubts.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

It’s critical for everyone to get the COVID-19 vaccine, but it’s particularly important to NFL teams, as the league will likely relax some of the restrictions on teams once they have 85 percent of their rosters vaccinated. So it’s easy to understand why players are getting asked if they’re doing their part.

On the Bills, players are refusing to answer.

Quarterback Josh Allen and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds both declined to talk about vaccines, and safety Jordan Poyer opened his media call by stating that he won’t discuss the subject.

“Real quick, before we start, I’m not going to be answering questions about vaccines. So if you guys can direct your questions all to football, I would love to answer them. All respect. I appreciate it,” Poyer said, via the Buffalo News.

Asked if COVID-19 protocols will affect training camp, Poyer said, “I’m just not answering any questions that have anything to do with vaccines. And I understand. . . . I like camp at St. John Fisher. I like camp here. They’re two totally different places. Camp here, you get all the facility. Camp there, you obviously get the camaraderie with the guys staying. But at the end of the day, that’s not my decision to make.”

Bills coach Sean McDermott has previously said he’s concerned not enough players are getting vaccinated. General Manager Brandon Beane indicated that he might cut an unvaccinated player and replace him with a vaccinated player if it helped the Bills get back to normal, which drew harsh criticism from the NFL Players Association.

THIS AND THAT

UNDERAPPRECIATED PLAYERS

Cynthia Frelund has a secret sauce of analytics to generate her list of the most underappreciated players on each team:

First, I calculated and then ranked each player’s season-long contribution metric by team. To sum it up without getting overly technical, contribution metric measures each player’s production during the 2020 season. The metric encompasses a value for every snap by each player and reveals each player’s contribution to the team’s overall win total. After making those calculations, I ranked each player’s salary by position (contract data via the Over The Cap) to add some context around who was being “underappreciated.” I gave priority to players who did not switch teams this offseason (since it’s hard to be underappreciated by a team you haven’t played for yet). Then I weighted players drafted in Round 2 or later who have been to no more than two Pro Bowls. That said, the most critical component to this method is contribution metric.

AFC

Baltimore Ravens

J.K. Dobbins

RB · 22 years old

I am guessing I won’t be able to include Dobbins on this list after the coming season, so I am going for it now. Next Gen Stats credit Dobbins with the fourth-most rushing yards over expected last season (222), and his 7.0 yards per rush outside the tackles was not only the highest average but he was also the only running back to have an average over 6.0 yards on such runs (min. 50 attempts). His seven rushing touchdowns against stacked boxes were tied for fifth in the NFL. If that weren’t enough, when he wasn’t the subject of a play (ball-carrier or target), Dobbins was still extremely productive. To approximate a measurement for pass-protection impact, I counted all running backs making contact and at least holding their defender for one second. Dobbins ranked 10th-best at holding his defender for at least a second by percentage last season and got better in each game he played.

My models also love safety Chuck Clark, who had 10 QB pressures — third-most among defensive backs, per NGS. Jamal Adams (25) and Malcolm Jenkins (13) were the only other two to hit double-digits; this is some elite company to be in.

Buffalo Bills

Jordan Poyer

S · 30 years old

When your team has a quarterback like Josh Allen who leads an efficient offense and constantly threatens to stretch the field, the defense needs to be even better in coverage to secure wins (because teams will have to throw to keep and/or catch up). Since joining the Bills in 2017, Poyer has been one of the league’s top coverage safeties. Pro Football Focus ranks him seventh-best in coverage since 2017 with a 92.9 rating, while allowing opposing passers a 77.5 passer rating, the fourth-lowest at the position over that span. This past season, Poyer’s combined impact on both rushing and passing downs complemented the offense most efficiently since his best season in 2017. This means his individual win-share metric (which is a context-based value) as a percentage of the defense’s as a whole matched that of 2017 (despite his individual, uncontextualized stats being lower).

Cincinnati Bengals

Jessie Bates

S · 24 years old

The computer-vision data bears out that single-high safeties who are able to change direction and adjust their hips to the ball (each in under 0.8 seconds) create more pass disruptions (incomplete passes, interceptions, pass breakups) — and Bates checks both of those boxes. Don’t let his somewhat-moderate total of three interceptions in 2020 fool you. Of the 34 passes thrown his way in coverage, Bates allowed 19 receptions and had 12 pass breakups, which is impressive work. Furthermore, against the run, he traveled the most distance per snap at the safety position. Pro Football Focus had him as the only safety with an 80-plus run grade and 90-plus coverage grade in 2020.

Cleveland Browns

Wyatt Teller

OG · 26 years old

Last season, the Browns averaged 6.15 yards per play with Teller on the field versus 5.54 without him. Baker Mayfield was blitzed at a 35.7 percent rate with Teller on the field, but only felt pressure 17.8 percent of the time, per Next Gen Stats. Without Teller? Mayfield faced a 29.3 percent blitz rate and a 20.7 percent pressure rate. On rushing downs, according to defender-contact measurements that track how an offensive lineman maintains and creates space, Teller held space for his rusher at the second-best rate among all guards last season. Need more? Pro Football Focus gave him the best OL grade in run blocking (93.6) and overall play (92.9).

Denver Broncos

Courtland Sutton

WR · 25 years old

Yes, Sutton missed nearly the entire 2020 season with a torn ACL, so that factors into his placement here. But considering how effective he was in his last full season of action, Sutton still feels underappreciated. In 2019, Next Gen Stats show that the Broncos wideout earned the third-most yards on deep targets (20-plus yards) with 427, and his +17.1 catch rate above expected on deep targets was fourth-best. He also forced 16 missed tackles on receptions, which was tied for fourth-most among WRs, per Pro Football Focus. I believe Sutton deserves to be on this list because his forecasted win share for 2021 ranks ninth-best among receivers (remember it’s a combined on- and off-ball rate). But if you’re still not buying Sutton due to the injury last season …

It seems only right to also spotlight a CB here, especially since this defense forecasts to be nasty in 2021, so mark this name down: Bryce Callahan. Last season, Callahan was one of just three defenders to take at least 150 snaps at each of the left, right and slot corner positions — and he ranked no worse than seventh-best in any position. In the coming season, he figures to primarily play nickel, where his win share projects to rank in the top three at the position.

Houston Texans

Jordan Akins

TE · 29 years old

Per Next Gen Stats, Akins averaged 3.7 yards of separation per target in 2020 (sixth-most among tight ends) and his +6.2 percent catch rate over expected ranked fourth (both min. 40 targets). With a lot of changes to this offense for 2021, Akins’ ability to create space could be a potential source of reliability and strength.

Indianapolis Colts

Mo Alie-Cox

TE · 27 years old

While he hauled in 31 of his 39 targets (for 394 yards and two touchdowns) and averaged 1.9 yards per route run in 2020 (highest on the Colts, per PFF), Alie-Cox was actually even more productive when he wasn’t the subject of a pass. His productivity in pass blocking (based on percentage of snaps) was only surpassed on the team by three-time All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Brandon Linder

C · 29 years old

On 341 pass blocking snaps in 2020, Pro Football Focus had Linder allowing zero QB hits, only one sack and just three hurries for a total of four pressures. He also earned the highest pass-blocking grade among centers (87.6), which matches my computer-vision results showing that he prevented defenders from entering a 3-foot halo around his QB at the best rate amongst centers on passing downs. It seems Urban Meyer is giving us some major clues about his desire to run the ball (drafting running back Travis Etienne in the first round) and protect No. 1 overall selection Trevor Lawrence as he adjusts to the NFL game, which makes Linder’s role even more impactful.

Kansas City Chiefs

Derrick Nnadi

DT · 25 years old

As measured by how many yards an opposing rusher gained when running within 3 yards of a defensive player, Nnadi was king last season, shutting down ball carriers at the highest rate among all interior defenders. PFF gave him a 81.7 grade in run defense, one of the best marks among interior defenders. The fit between Nnadi and Chris Jones is pretty masterful, which lends credence to the thought that Chiefs GM Brett Veach is underrated. Jones earned PFF’s second-highest pass-rush grade among interior defenders (93.1 — only Aaron Donald posted a higher figure at 93.6). This DT duo is even more productive than the sum of the parts because Nnadi and Jones complement each other so well.

Las Vegas Raiders

Johnathan Hankins

NT · 29 years old

In each of the last three seasons, Hankins played the most snaps among Raiders interior defensive linemen. In each of the past two seasons, Hankins is one of just seven interior D-linemen in the league to have a tackle rate of at least 7.0 percent with 600-plus snaps. His impact in the run game, as measured by how many yards an opposing ball carrier earns when running within 3 yards of a defensive player, ranked third-best (by percentage) among interior defenders in 2020.

Los Angeles Chargers

Uchenna Nwosu

OLB · 24 years old

I don’t always love small sample sizes, but this one is intriguing because of the potential for a breakout in 2021 following Melvin Ingram’s departure. Three years into his NFL career, Nwosu has finished each season with a pressure rate over 12 percent and at least 20 QB pressures, but he’s never logged more than 169 pass-rush snaps in a season (NGS). His career pressure rate is 13.4 percent, which is the sixth-highest in the NFL since 2018 (min. 400 pass rushes). While this rate will likely dip a bit with an uptick in snaps, it does project to be in the top third in the league because of Nwosu’s top-10 burst (speed over first 3 yards traveled).

Miami Dolphins

Myles Gaskin

RB · 24 years old

Use in the passing game — both as a target and pass blocker — drives Gaskin’s productivity results. Next Gen Stats show he averaged 2.0 receiving yards per route run last season (third-most among RBs who ran at least 150 routes). It sounds weird to say, but there are only about 15 running backs who add consistent (and high) production in the passing game as a target and as a blocker, and Gaskin rates eighth in passing production at the position. Furthermore, his +35 rush yards over expected were the most on the Dolphins in 2020.

Another player who shows up strongly in my model is OLB Andrew Van Ginkel, who amassed 5.5 sacks in fewer than 500 snaps. In the first 3 yards traveled, Van Ginkel had a top-seven speed on the pass rush. And his per-snap win share on rushing downs ranked eighth-highest at his position.

New England Patriots

Jonathan Jones

CB · 27 years old

Jones’ best year to date in coverage was 2020, as he earned a career-best PFF grade of 80.8. He played 730 snaps, the fourth-most on the Patriots’ defense, with 451 of those coming in the slot (most on the team). Jones’ ability to turn to, and run toward, the ball (measured by his hips facing the ball/pass catcher) ranked ninth-best among all corners and sixth among slot corners.

New York Jets

John Franklin-Myers

DE · 24 years old

NGS shows that Franklin-Myers racked up 27 quarterback pressures in 2020, which was tied with Terrell Basham for the second-most on the team (only Quinnen Williams had more with 32). My computer vision measures that his recover rate (measured by when he’s contacted by an offensive player, then maneuvers around them, continuing his path to the quarterback) at 11th-best in the NFL in 2020. I’m thinking this is a player Robert Saleh will be able to make good use of this season, especially with the rest of the additions along the front.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Alex Highsmith

OLB · 23 years old

In his rookie season, the third-rounder made a tackle on nearly 10 percent of his snaps (9.9 percent tackle rate). This was the second-highest rate among edge defenders last season (min. 400 snaps). While I don’t expect his rate to stay that high — with the departure of Bud Dupree, he’ll play a higher volume of snaps and have a more visible role that will command more attention — but I do expect big things to continue. The two main reasons for that: 1) In terms of his speed in the first 3 yards traveled, Highsmith ranked in the top 10 percent in 2020; and 2) his hips stayed facing the quarterback even after contact at a rate in the top 15 percent (this helps predict recovery and pursuit of pressure).

Tennessee Titans

Anthony Firkser

TE · 26 years old

Apparently, AFC South tight ends were quite underappreciated in 2020. Only one other TE had a higher catch rate over expected in 2020 than Firkser’s +9.1. His 39 receptions for 387 yards and a touchdown may not seem like crazy-high numbers, but they came on just 348 offensive snaps. Interestingly, Firkser wasn’t asked to contribute much in pass pro (just three snaps), but his blocking on rushes improved as he took more reps. With Jonnu Smith now a Patriot and a new offensive architect in Tennessee, Firkser’s role could expand significantly in 2021.

NFC

Arizona Cardinals

Byron Murphy

CB · 23 years old

Here’s something you probably didn’t know: Arizona’s defense posted the lowest completion percentage (41.5) and yards-per-attempt allowed (8.2) on downfield passes (20-plus air yards). In fairness, I wouldn’t have guessed that if I weren’t aggressively tracking this stuff, which helps explain why Murphy’s underappreciated. His five passes defensed as the nearest defender on an attempt of 20-plus air yards ranked as the sixth-highest figure in the NFL last year. Murphy has improved his ball tracking (measured by his hips facing the ball) at the second-highest rate of improvement over the past two seasons. His body control (measured by recovery once contacted, avoiding penalties) also increased dramatically in Year 2. And he’s still just 23 years old. Furthermore, Pro Football Focus data does a great job of displaying Murphy’s improvement in run support, with his run-D grade jumping from 43.6 in 2019 (fifth-lowest among CBs) to 74.7 in 2020.

Atlanta Falcons

Deion Jones

LB · 26 years old

Jones has been extremely valuable in coverage since entering the league as a second-round pick five years ago. Pro Football Focus rates him as the third-best coverage linebacker since 2016, behind only Lavonte David and Luke Kuechly. Jones was only sparingly used as a pass rusher before the 2020 campaign; according to Next Gen Stats, he had just a 9.4 percent career pass-rush rate (the lowest among linebackers in the NFL who had played at least 3,000 snaps), having logged a career-high 51 pass rushes in 2019. However, in 2020, that last figure nearly doubled to 95. Prior to 2020, his career pressure rate was just 12.8 percent, with six pressures being his single-season high. But his 13 pressures in 2020 led to a 13.7 percent pressure rate, which was 10th-highest among LBs (min. 50 pass rushes). It would be understandable to see the rate decrease a bit with more snaps taken, but Jones’ results show his adoption of an expanded role as a pass rusher created quite a bit more value. And with Dean Pees now drawing up the defensive strategy, you have to believe Jones’ impact as a blitzer will continue.

Carolina Panthers

Taylor Moton

RT · 26 years old

The fact that he was franchise-tagged means I am kind of skirting my own arbitrary rules. Still, in 2020, Moton was not a top-paid guy. He was also the only Panther who played 100 percent of last season’s snaps on either side of the ball, and he’s started all 16 games in each of the past three seasons. Carolina runners averaged 4.6 yards per carry on rushes to the right in 2020, compared with just 4.0 on runs to the left. My tracking shows that Moton’s fatigue level (a measure of his lateral quickness, foot speed and snap-to-contact speed from the first quarter to the fourth quarter) diminished the least among all right tackles last season. And on on rushing downs, he held off opposing defenders for about 0.42 seconds more than the average of all starting right tackles.

Chicago Bears

Allen Robinson

WR · 27 years old

On the Next Gen Stats front, Robinson is one of just five players with a catch rate over expected of at least +5.0 in each of the last two seasons (min. 100 targets in each season), posting a +5.3 in 2020 and +6.2 in 2019. He was one of just six receivers with 20-plus targets on four different routes in 2020, and managed to haul in 22 of his 30 slant targets (both tops in the NFL). It will be interesting to see if Chicago’s offseason additions to the quarterback position and the O-line help Robinson turn an exceptional catch rate over expected into supreme production on such a wide range of routes.

Dallas Cowboys

Dalton Schultz

TE · 24 years old

Schultz played the third-most snaps (942) and had the third-highest playtime rate (87.2 percent) among tight ends in 2020. This was a huge boost in action for the 2018 fourth-round pick. In his first two seasons combined, Schultz caught zero passes when aligned in the slot or out wide, compared with 39 grabs for 407 yards and two touchdowns from those alignments in 2020, per Next Gen Stats. He also added 24 receptions for 208 yards and two touchdowns when aligned tight. Prior to 2020, he had just 13 total receptions in two seasons. According to my models, his improvement in the off-ball game (pass- and run-blocking or as a receiver who’s not targeted) improved by the biggest margin at the tight end position last season.

Detroit Lions

Romeo Okwara

DE · 25 years old

Okwara stands out on third down, where his 30 pressures and 23.8 percent pressure rate both led the league in 2020, according to NGS. His 51 overall pressures were more than twice as many as the next-closest Lions (Everson Griffen had 23). Prior to last season’s 13.4 pressure rate overall, Okwara had never finished a year in double digits. Measuring Okwara’s burst, he improved by about 0.7 seconds in 2020 from any of the four seasons prior. That is a massive increase, likely reflecting both better usage and performance in different alignments, as well as the players around him being more consistent than in prior years.

Green Bay Packers

Adrian Amos

S · 28 years old

Amos just led the Packers in snaps played for the second straight season. In coverage, measuring his pursuit (how often his hips were facing the ball/speed to the ball), he ranked fourth-best in the NFL. Pro Football Focus agrees with that computer-vision intel, counting nine forced incompletions on 42 targets in coverage for a 21.4 percent rate, the fifth-highest mark in the NFL (min. 25 targets). This helped give him a lofty 91.5 PFF grade in coverage this past season. Add in his 90.1 grade in run defense from 2017, and Amos is one of just six defensive backs to post a 90-plus in PFF’s grading in coverage and against the run since the Penn State product entered the league as a fifth-round pick back in 2015. I will note that Amos’ run-stopping production was not the same level of efficiency this past season as it had been in years prior, but part of that was strategic in terms of pre-snap alignment.

Los Angeles Rams

Sebastian Joseph-Day

NT · 26 years old

Joseph-Day made 55 tackles on 400 defensive snaps, good for a 13.8 percent rate — the highest among interior defensive linemen, per NGS (min. 300 snaps). On rushing downs, he significantly limited yards gained (ranking sixth-best among interior DLs) and first downs/touchdowns (ninth-best). PFF awarded him a 80.6 overall grade during the 2020 regular season, the third-best mark on the Rams’ defense (behind only Aaron Donald and John Johnson).

Minnesota Vikings

Brian O’Neill

RT · 25 years old

Rushing efficiency is very strongly tied to this Vikings offense’s overall success, and O’Neill played a big role in the ground game last season. Next Gen Stats show that Minnesota earned 4.37 expected yards per rush on runs to the right, compared to 3.93 on runs to the left to the left. Since 2018, when O’Neill was a rookie starter, Dalvin Cook has logged 2,335 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns on runs outside the tackles — both of those figures rank fourth among NFL running backs, per NGS. Pro Football Focus grades show that O’Neill has significantly improved in run-blocking during his NFL tenure, going from a 58.3 grade in 2018 (ranking 59th) to 83.7 in 2020 (eighth).

New Orleans Saints

David Onyemata

DT · 28 years old

In each of the past two seasons, Onyemata played the most snaps among Saints interior defensive linemen (565 in 2020, 527 in 2019). According to Next Gen Stats, he is also New Orleans’ only interior DL with at least 20 pressures in each of the past four seasons. (He and Cameron Jordan are the only Saints to achieve that feat, while only 10 others across the league have followed suit.) Measuring his burst velocity (time it takes to travel 2 yards, with or without contact), Onyemata was the seventh-best player at his position on any down last season, and fourth-best in the fourth quarter.

New York Giants

James Bradberry

CB · 27 years old

With 474 snaps on the left and 396 on the right in 2020, per NGS, Bradberry traveled more than most CBs. In fact, he was one of just two corners to play 350-plus snaps on each side last season. Measuring his computer vision-derived coverage ability (passes defensed, targets resulting in no catch, interceptions and allowing fewer than 1 yard of YAC per catch), Bradberry had his best season to date. PFF agrees with my data, showing that Bradberry allowed just a career-low 70.1 passer rating last season.

Philadelphia Eagles

Dallas Goedert

TE · 26 years old

No team used 12 personnel (1 RB, 2 TE, 2 WR) more than the Eagles last season (33.2 percent), so Goedert got plenty of burn alongside Zach Ertz. Next Gen Stats show that Goedert had a +6.3 catch rate over expected with Carson Wentz at QB, compared with just a +3.8 once Jalen Hurts took over. However, Philadelphia’s O-line and receiving corps were more depleted by injuries as the season progressed, and Goedert’s usage changed with Hurts under center. With Goedert on the field, Hurts averaged 7.7 yards per attempt with a 4:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. With Goedert off the field, Hurts averaged 6.5 yards per attempt with a 2:3 TD-to-INT ratio. Per NGS, Goedert averaged 8.8 air yards per target in 2020 (up 3 full yards from 2019) and caught three passes of 20-plus air yards. Computer vision shows his run blocking was second-best in the NFL at the tight end position. In other words, the transition to Hurts created a lot more use cases for Goedert both as a target and when he was creating for others, especially in the run game.

San Francisco 49ers

Deebo Samuel

WR · 25 years old

Here’s an awesome Next Gen Stat: In his injury-abbreviated 2020 campaign, Samuel was the only receiver to earn more YAC (406) than actual receiving yards (391). Pro Football Focus shows that he cut down on the drops, going from 10 (on 77 targets) as a rookie to three (on 44 targets) last season. Per NGS, Samuel logged 13 receptions, 197 yards and a touchdown on 15 crossing-route targets for a 141.0 passer rating when targeted on such passes. I love pre-snap motion for this offense — it’s a catalyst for efficiency, given the types of run and play-action concepts that define Kyle Shanahan’s attack. I think this will be important for whoever is playing QB in 2021, with Samuel on the move on 26.1 percent of snaps last season (the fourth-highest rate among WRs). Samuel’s route tree was really interesting in 2020, with 22.7 percent crossing routes, 20.3 go routes and 10.5 hitches — no other route reached 10 percent. In other words, I’m really excited to see how Samuel evolves with a new passing coordinator — and quite possibly a new quarterback, depending on Trey Lance’s readiness.

Seattle Seahawks

Poona Ford

NT · 25 years old

The 2020 campaign was a big step forward for Ford, who had 12 pressures in the last six games of the season and 23 total, his career-best. Measuring his burst over his three NFL campaigns, 2020 was his fastest season yet by about 0.2 seconds. His run-game win share increased by 0.08 wins last season, which was the fourth-biggest improvement at the position.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Mike Edwards

S · 25 years old

Edwards made quite a splash at just the right time. Before the NFC Championship Game against Green Bay, the safety had played a grand total of 202 defesnive snaps. But he performed when it mattered most — logging 69 snaps against Green Bay and 32 against Kansas City in the Super Bowl — so he’s the pick here. In the final two games of Tampa’s season, Edwards’ off-ball metric (how he covered his assignments when they weren’t targeted) was at a level that’d typically rank among the top five percent of defensive backs. And according to Pro Football Focus, Edwards allowed just 56 total yards on 256 coverage snaps in 2020, including the playoffs — tied for the second-fewest among players with at least 200 snaps. I also like this pick because Edwards forecasts to continue improving in Year 3.

Washington Football Team

Terry McLaurin

WR · 25 years old

Not going to lie: This selection is a super-fortunate function of the parameters I laid out in the intro. McLaurin isn’t likely to be eligible for this list going forward, so I will take the low-hanging fruit right now, because not only do my metrics think he’s the most underrated player on the team, but he’s one of the most valuable players at his position across the league. McLaurin’s 638 receiving yards on in-breaking routes were the second-most in the NFL. His +154 yards after the catch over expected ranked fourth in the NFL. One more juicy NGS tidbit on McLaurin: He generated 2.5 yards of separation per target against press coverage (fourth-most, min. 25 targets).