Modern NFL philosophy holds that the most important positions in football deal with fueling and stopping the passing game.
On offense, the most important player, by that standard, is obviously the quarterback. The next most important after that? The offensive line. And the receivers. And then the running back, and the tight end.
On defense, the pecking order of relevance is more subjective, and driven by player ability, but the edge rusher is universally regarded as one of the most important positions on defense, when attempting to stop a high-powered passing game.
The Washington Redskins have long taken pride in their ability to crush the edge. For almost a decade now, Ryan Kerrigan has been one of the most consistent starters in the NFL, amassing a reputation as one of the best edge rushers ever to don the burgundy and gold.
With Kerrigan aging, however, an emphasis has been placed on finding his running mate and eventual replacement. Did anyone live up to that title in 2018? Let’s take a look at the grades for the Redskins edge rushers in 2018.
Incomplete Grades
Only four outside linebackers produced resumes worthy of a grade in 2018, while three were not able to do so. Of the three who were not graded, two did not play a single snap for the burgundy and gold.
Marcus Smith and Marquis Flowers were both signed late into the season to supplement the Redskins depth on the defensive line, although such an act was not necessarily needed, as the Redskins four top edge defenders were fairly solid, and McPhee was back to full health.
Neither Smith nor Flowers played a snap for the Redskins, but Cassanova McKinzy did. In fact, he played in three games as a reserve, tallying up one tackle for loss, and a sack that was cancelled out by a Josh Norman holding call.
McKinzy didn’t quite do enough to be graded in 2018, and in 2019, returning will be no easy task with a torn pectoral. But the Auburn product showed enough on his cancelled-out sack to be retained, perhaps stashed on injured reserve, while he recovers.
Ryan Anderson
With snap information, Ryan Anderson’s second year statistics appear fairly modest. The team’s 2017 second-round pick finished the year with just two sacks, four quarterbacks hits, and eighteen total tackles.
Without more specific metrics, it would appear that Anderson’s “bust” narrative is picking up steam. But that’s where Pro Football Focus comes in.
Per Pro Football Focus, Anderson logged 11 total hurries (sacks, quarterback hits, and hurries combined) on just 91 total pass rush snaps over the course of the season. That equates to a pass rush productivity rating of 12.1 percent, which is better than Preston Smith’s rating, and on par with Ryan Kerrigan’s.
For perspective, Von Miller, per Pro Football Focus, logged a pass rush productivity rating of 12.6 percent. None of the Redskins outside linebackers are in Miller’s league, as a pass rusher, but the fact that Anderson was so productive in limited snaps bodes well for his future.
On top of his opportunistic play, Anderson also logged seven run stops on 62 run defense snaps, and didn’t allow a completion in eleven coverage snaps over the year. It’s a small sample size, so it can be taken with a grain of salt, but in 2018, Anderson received less snaps than he did in his rookie season, and he produced far more efficiently. That is a sure mark for improvement. And for the Alabama product, who was labeled a bust after his very first year in D.C., this was a chance to prove he belongs in the NFL. So far, he’s putting up a good case. Hopefully, it’ll get even more compelling in 2019.
Ryan Anderson’s 2018 Grade: B
Pernell McPhee
The Washington Redskins signed Pernell McPhee to be solid depth for their edge rushing unit, and the former Chicago Bear didn’t disappoint.
According to data gathered from Pro Football Focus, McPhee, in 117 pass rushing snaps, logged 15 total hurries, good for a 12.8 pass rush productivity rating. None of McPhee’s hurries amounted to sacks, but the veteran was disruptive, hitting the quarterback eight times and batting the ball at the line twice.
McPhee, over the course of his career, has never been the type of rusher who churns out sacks. Like another rather polarizing player on the team, McPhee’s value comes in his disruptive consistency, his well-rounded skill set which allows him to defend the run just as well, and, in addition to the similar traits, his leadership, which helped the locker room at times in 2018.
McPhee might not return in 2019; the Redskins still have to re-sign him, as he is an unrestricted free agent. But McPhee gave them good reason to do so in 2018. He was productive as a reserve, and valuable as an experienced mind.
Pernell McPhee’s 2018 Grade: B-
Preston Smith
For whatever reason, Redskins outside linebackers are big fans of the stat sheet. McPhee logged consistent pressure, but didn’t earn a single sack on the year. Ryan Anderson nearly matched McPhee’s pressure rate, and yet, he only grabbed two sacks on the season.
Preston Smith is the same kind of player. His style simply doesn’t equate to as much sack production as other outside linebackers. Brandon Graham is a solid example of this type of edge rusher; a workmanlike, all-around proficient edge defender who makes his mark on the play, even if the stats don’t show it.
Smith had no trouble making his mark on the play in 2018. Per Pro Football Focus, Smith logged a pass rush productivity rating of 11.3, a solid number, even though it’s lowest among Redskins edge rushers. It represents the most productive year, from a pure pressure perspective, for Smith to date, however. In 2017, Smith had a rating of 10.6. In 2016? 11.0. His rookie season? 10.5.
Washington Commanders
That said, while this year’s pass rush productivity rating was the best of Smith’s career, it wasn’t outside the realm of his other numbers. Thus, when taking in natural fluctuations, the difference doesn’t mean all that much. What does mean more, however, is Smith’s run defense production.
Smith logged his best run defense grade yet in 2018 (73.2), accounting for 27 run stops on 315 run defense snaps. Smith is solid at setting the edge and cutting off running lanes, and he showed that in 2018. Add in his athletic interception versus the Texans, and Smith has a diverse skill set that proves moderately beneficial no matter what the other team is doing.
But moderately beneficial might not be what the Redskins were looking for from the former second-round pick in 2018. Thus, it’s unclear whether or not he’s re-signed. Smith was adequate in 2018. But in the draft, there are countless options in Rounds 1 and 2; players who could combine pressure and productivity, something Smith was never quite able to do in his first four years. Smith grades out decently, but from Kerrigan’s running mate, the Redskins might want more.
Preston Smith’s 2018 Grade: B-
Ryan Kerrigan
For the third year in a row, former first-round pick Ryan Kerrigan accrued double-digit sacks for the Redskins, picking up 13.0 en route to his fourth Pro Bowl berth.
Don’t look now, but Kerrigan’s career sack numbers add up to 84.5 over eight seasons. One or two more productive years, like the ones he’s been having, and Kerrigan can eclipse the 100-sack mark. It’s within reach. But for Kerrigan, it’s just icing on the cake for a truly stellar NFL career.
In 2018, Kerrigan only added to his resume. Per Pro Football Focus, he logged a pass rush productivity rating of 13.0, a number that’s down from last year, but still very solid. Kerrigan also forced three fumbles (up to 25 total in his career) and logged 28 stops in run defense.
At a position that demands production, Kerrigan is the very definition of the word for the Redskins. Through adverse circumstances, no matter the level of team success, Kerrigan finds a way to put his best product on the field. It’s a good thing he’s getting national recognition. He deserves it.