05-06-2023, 07:56 PM
(05-06-2023, 09:07 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: There were 4 interior defenders that had "elite" overall grades in 2022: In order: Chris Jones, Dexter Lawrence, Aaron Donald, and Quinnen Williams. DJ Reader was rated #6 overall, with an overall grade of 85. DJ also had a pass rush rating of 84.1, the same as Quinnen Williams. It isn't that he doesn't offer a pass rush, but he prevents the QB from stepping up and that helps the outside rush get home. He may not have gaudy sack stats but he is a very highly rated interior defensive lineman.
Dexter was also rated just a 68.6 in the NFL in 2021, while Reader was still in the high 70s. Dexter is a beast, no doubt, but it does feel a bit like he turned it on for his contract year, while DJ has been the model of consistency.
I don't like the Hubbard vs. Parsons analogy because they don't play the same position. Parsons has incredible versatility and is one of the best defensive players overall while I see Hubbard as mid-tier. DJ is far from mid-tier, and Lawrence isn't head and shoulders above the likes of Jones, Donald, and Williams.
DJ doesn't have the pressures or the sacks and those get the big money.
I used Sam (great und defender) and Micah (great pass defender) to simply make a point that the value in run defense is far behind that of pass rush. I love DJ and hope we can keep him.
