Vikings Rookie LB Barr Making Big Impression

Defensive Rookie of the Year

Week 4: Kyle Fuller, CB, Bears
Week 9: Chris Borland Anthony Barr, LB, Vikings

Fuller quickly emerged as an obvious candidate after forcing five takeaways across his first three games, but he’s been struggling with multiple injuries ever since and hasn’t intercepted a pass since the Monday Night Football win over the Jets. Chicago’s pass defense has been brutal for most of the five-game stretch after that win, so while Fuller is playing an important role and is still in the running, he’s no longer the leader in the clubhouse.

There is no shortage of candidates coming up in Fuller’s stead. I wouldn’t be offended if you wanted to pick Washington cornerback Bashaud Breeland, who shut down Dez Bryant on the national stage during Monday Night Football two weeks ago. There’s a case to be made for Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who consistently makes devastating trips into the backfield. Ravens inside linebacker C.J. Mosley is a natural and the guy I would pick to still be playing for his team in 10 years if I had to choose somebody. Khalil Mack has delivered on the hype despite playing in the obscurity of Oakland. And Cardinals hybrid defender Deone Bucannon is playing a big part in Arizona’s three- and four-safety alignments.

Beyond all of them, I think Anthony Barr both has the best chance of winning and the best case to do so. He leads all rookies with four sacks, had a game-winning strip-and-score in overtime, and appears to be learning new skills at a terrifying rate. Barr was supposed to be a raw prospect who relied on his speed to break down tackles, but he has been far more versatile and effective than those projections would suggest. He can do just about everything Mike Zimmer asks a 4-3 outside linebacker to do and get after the quarterback, which leaves him as some hybrid of Vontaze Burfict and Von Miller.

My favorite Barr play is this tackle on a swing pass to Theo Riddick:




Maybe 10 linebackers in football make that play. Barr doesn’t get caught up in the trash (the tight end who is supposed to cut Barr’s path off, Eric Ebron, is actually called for pass interference), uses his athleticism to get a viable tackling angle, doesn’t overrun the play, and makes a clean tackle for a gain of 3. That’s a first down 95 percent of the time and likely more. And Barr just makes it look like a routine play. He’s a monster.