The misleading sack numbers of the 2020 free agents
Quote:
UNDERVALUED
DI Leonard Williams, New York Giants
No player had a bigger deference between his pressure rate rank and sack rate rank than Williams, who split the year between the Giants and the New York Jets prior to his trade. Among 87 interior defenders with 200 or more pass-rushing snaps, Williams ranked 13th in pressure rate at 11.3% but his one sack in 424 pass-rushing snaps put him near the bottom of the list in sack rate. On the other hand, Williams led the position with 19 quarterback hits. A few fractions of a second faster on several of those plays and that sack total looks a whole lot more respectable.
Considering the draft capital that the Giants gave up acquiring Williams, it seems likely that they’ll retain him moving forward. He’s always been a better run defender than a pass-rusher, but he’s certainly better in the passing game than the one sack he was able to produce in 2019. Now the Giants just need to figure out how to balance all the young talent they have at interior defensive line if they re-sign Williams.
If that means we lose out on the Leonard Williams sweepstakes, so be it...
Lawrence - mid first round
Tomlinson - mid/late 2nd round
Jay Bromley (just kidding)
Hankins - Mid 2nd round
Linval - Mid 2nd round
Jay Alford - Mid/late 3rd round
DI Leonard Williams, New York Giants
No player had a bigger deference between his pressure rate rank and sack rate rank than Williams, who split the year between the Giants and the New York Jets prior to his trade. Among 87 interior defenders with 200 or more pass-rushing snaps, Williams ranked 13th in pressure rate at 11.3% but his one sack in 424 pass-rushing snaps put him near the bottom of the list in sack rate. On the other hand, Williams led the position with 19 quarterback hits. A few fractions of a second faster on several of those plays and that sack total looks a whole lot more respectable.
Considering the draft capital that the Giants gave up acquiring Williams, it seems likely that they’ll retain him moving forward. He’s always been a better run defender than a pass-rusher, but he’s certainly better in the passing game than the one sack he was able to produce in 2019. Now the Giants just need to figure out how to balance all the young talent they have at interior defensive line if they re-sign Williams.
Link - ( New Window )
Lawrence - mid first round
Tomlinson - mid/late 2nd round
Jay Bromley (just kidding)
Hankins - Mid 2nd round
Linval - Mid 2nd round
Jay Alford - Mid/late 3rd round
Exactly. There are even more examples from other teams:
Jurrell Casey, 3rd round; Chris Jones, 2nd round; Grady Jarrett, 5th round; DJ Reader, 5th round; Michael Pierce, UDFA; Brandon Williams, 3rd round, Shelby Harris, 7th round...
It's become a commoditized position. Lots of big guys available to eat up space...