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Defensive Player of the Year
1. Patrick Peterson
2. Everson Griffen
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3. Von Miller
This award was definitely the toughest for me to pick. I believe Aaron Donald is the best overall player in the entire league, but he has yet to put on a Rams jersey and with the pieces they have added defensively, I don’t think he will quite get the credit he deserves. When I look at this award, I’m looking for players, who are in a situation where they could put up some big numbers and be key pieces of dominant defenses.
With that being said, I think it is time for Patrick Peterson to take home this trophy for the first time in his career. Ever since he jumped onto the scene as a rookie in 2011 P2 has been one of the premiere cover-guys in the game. In Todd Bowles’ and James Bettcher’s schemes he has been a true shutdown corner, who followed the opposing’s number one receiver throughout games and basically has taken away one side of the field for the Cardinals.
With Steve Wilks bringing in his 4-3 base scheme with a lot of zone-coverage behind it, Peterson will be allowed to mostly play with his eyes on the quarterback for the first time as a pro and that spells trouble for the signal-callers, who decide to test him.
The next guy in line is the steadily producing Everson Griffen. The Vikings’ D-end has recorded 43.5 sacks over the course of the last four seasons and had his best one yet in 2017. Yet, with Danielle Hunter extended for the next few years and the addition of Sheldon Richardson along the front, Griffen will be presented with more one-on-one opportunities than he’s ever had.
He is not the type of guy, who will jump around and try anything fancy, but rather he trusts in his arm technique on the rip and power to go through tackles, plus he can mix in the occasional spin-move.
In the third spot, I have a guy, who has been up for the award ever since he was named Super Bowl MVP three years ago. Von Miller to me is the still at the top of the class in terms of edge rushers and he has been incredibly consistent. He has recorded double-digit sacks in each of his first seven seasons, outside of the one he had in 2013 which he saw it cut short by injury. However, he hasn’t gone over 15 sacks since his sophomore campaign and I think he will this year with Bradley Chubb and the other guys they line up on the opposite end of him.
Darkhorse candidate: Deion Jones
