2022 PFF Grades and Discussion

So much of that is scheme. 

Zimmer’s safeties graded better than his corners year after year, even when his safeties were UDFAs like Sendejo and Harris or mediocre UFAs like Woods, while his CBs were highly drafted guys like Rhodes and Waynes who were highly respected around the league despite usually mediocre grades. His system made life hard for his corners — often leaving them on an island — and easy for his safeties. 

Donatell’s setup has been the reverse this year. He’s protecting his CBs but at a cost of keeping safeties deep and asking the ILBs and slot CB to cover huge zones in the middle of the field. 

To my eye, Kendricks and Smith are still playing well, but Kendricks is stretched in all directions and Smith is mostly babysitting Dantzler instead of coming down into the box as a playmaker. They’ve made some mistakes and taken some L’s but they’re still good.

I’m less impressed with Hicks (too slow, missed a couple assignments including Gesicki’s second TD) and Bynum (too tentative, not a good tackler at a position where stopping power is important). You didn’t mention Sullivan but he’s also not impressed me — not enough aggression and anticipation in coverage, or tackling in the box. 

Hopefully Asamoah will gradually take more snaps away from Hicks especially in passing situations. It would’ve been nice to have Cine as an option instead of Bynum but so be it. I still wish they’d try Booth in the slot — he’s such a live wire, I think he could be a Jaire Alexander style playmaker for us.