Executives, coaches view New York Giants' Dexter Lawrence as NFL's best
Lawrence has been consistently dominant, posting historic pass rush numbers that dwarf those of his peers, and this has been recognized by NFL executives, coaches, and scouts.
While we await Lawrence's placement on the NFL's Top 100 of 2025 list, his elite skill and production have been cemented by those around the league who are paid to assemble rosters and lead 53 men. They view him as the single best interior defensive lineman in football, up from No. 3 a season ago.
Lawrence's game reached a new stratosphere in 2024, when he expanded his arsenal and added a nine-sack season to an already stellar résumé.
Dominating the run was always on the agenda for Lawrence. He has the balance, power, flexibility, footwork and acumen to post big sack numbers. In the past, the knock on Lawrence was that he missed too many near-sacks.
No longer.
Lawrence racked up quarterback takedowns while facing a 74.5% double-team rate, higher than any other interior lineman. The Giants saw him improve his ability to transition off blocks, be great on the move and finish takedowns.
"I thought he should have been [Defensive Player of the Year] with the season he had," an NFL personnel director said. "He's a true zero-technique nose who can occupy doubles and neutralize the run game. I think he took his pass rush to a different level, and I think he would have had double-digit sacks if (Brian) Burns and (Kayvon) Thibodeaux stayed healthy. A true three-down game wrecker who needs attention every single snap."
The Giants will need to scheme Lawrence to keep four hands off him. Adding Abdul Carter to an already good defensive line will help.
Lawrence's greatness is on display every single time he touches the field. But perhaps more importantly, his presence is felt most when he's off the field, as we've seen over the past two years.
The words "generational talent" get thrown around a lot, but Sexy Dexy is truly a "generational talent," and he's fast becoming one of the best nose tackles of all time.
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Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Commanders QB Jayden Daniels 'striving to be a perfect player'
A popular topic in a boring offseason for some was to predict that Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels would have a sophomore slump in 2025. Washington coaches and teammates disagree with that assessment because they see Daniels every day. Teammates and coaches see Daniels arrive first at the facility. They see Daniels never placing himself above the team, always rooting his teammates on, from long snapper Tyler Ott to star wide receiver Terry McLaurin. They also see how hard he works, not just in the weight room and on the practice field, but in the meeting rooms, too. Daniels is always looking for ways to improve and gain an edge over that week's opponent. ESPN SportsCenter visited Washington's training camp on Sunday, and Daniels joined the set where he discussed everything from staying grounded to his expectations for himself. "I think it's the humility part, being grounded and never letting your ego, especially in the quarterback room, we always say, 'Check your egos at the door,' and that's the main thing they harp on," Daniels said. "Because everybody has egos. Everybody is selfish in their own ways. As human beings, that's just human nature. But for us, it's like, 'How can I just go out there and take that away from me?' Push the ego out of the way, and how can I be able to grow and get better because I still got so much to learn. I'm striving to be a perfect player." How many other young quarterbacks talk like that? Daniels is different. After coming off a record-breaking rookie year in which he led Washington to its best season in 33 years, Daniels is looking for ways to get better. He's looking for ways to get past the Eagles. While no human being is perfect, on and off the field, there's nothing wrong with striving to be perfect. Good luck to those who predicted a sophomore slump. This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders QB Jayden Daniels 'striving to be a perfect player'
USA Today
16 minutes ago
- USA Today
Fantasy football QB rankings: Does Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson top position?
Quarterbacks may not carry the same value in fantasy football as they do in real life, but it's still important for owners to find the right fit at the position. Increasingly, quarterbacks are moving up fantasy draft boards. Top signal-callers in 2025 are seeing their average draft position (ADP) climb into the low-20s, putting a handful in the second- and third-round range of draft boards. The age-old question for fantasy owners is whether to take a top-tier quarterback early or wait until the middle rounds to address the position. Is it better to pay the piper for Josh Allen, or can you load up on running backs and receivers while targeting a high-upside mid-rounder like Dak Prescott or Justin Fields? Each owner will decide on their draft strategy, but their respective goals will be identical: to land either a high-volume passer or a dual-threat quarterback who can be a lineup anchor for a championship fantasy team. Who are the best fantasy football quarterbacks in 2025? Here's a look at USA TODAY's preseason fantasy QB rankings. Fantasy football rankings: QB 1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills. The Bills generated 6,105 total yards and 62 offensive touchdowns during the 2024 NFL season. Allen was responsible for 4,262 of those yards (69.8%) and 40 of those touchdowns (64.5%). He should continue to be the driving force behind Buffalo's offense in 2025 and could end up leading quarterbacks in rushing touchdowns. 2. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens. Jackson outproduced Allen in terms of total yardage (5,087) and touchdowns (45) last season. He could do so again in 2025, but he finds himself just behind the Bills signal-caller because of Derrick Henry's presence. Jackson had just four rushing scores last season because of the bruising back's presence. 3. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals. Burrow led the NFL in pass attempts, completions, passing yards and passing touchdowns in 2024, a season during which Cincinnati often played from behind thanks to a leaky defense. The Bengals didn't markedly improve that side of the ball during the offseason, so Burrow should once again be asked to serve as a high-volume passer in an offense featuring one of the best one-two receiver punches (Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins) in the NFL. 4. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles. As long as the "Tush Push" remains legal, Hurts will have a clear path to leading quarterbacks in rushing touchdowns. That gives him as high a floor as any signal-caller, even playing for a Philadelphia offense that ranked dead-last in pass attempts per game last season (25.7). 5. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders. Daniels was electric as a rookie, throwing for 3,568 yards, 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions while adding an impressive 891 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. His combination of mobility and arm talent could eventually make him the No. 1 fantasy quarterback, but fantasy owners will want to see the second-year pro avoid a sophomore slump before tiering him with the likes of Allen and Jackson. 6. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs. Mahomes is becoming a bit Tom Brady-like in that he might be a better real-life quarterback than a fantasy asset. Still, Mahomes has logged multiple seasons of 5,000-plus passing yards and 40-plus passing touchdowns, giving him a great ceiling. His averages of 4,403 yards and 27.5 total touchdowns over the last two seasons haven't been bad either. 7. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys. Is this a little high for Prescott? Maybe, but Dallas had the third-worst rushing offense in the league last season in terms of EPA per play (-0.12) and didn't discernibly upgrade its talent at the running back position. Prescott could end up being a high-volume passer as a result and will now work with George Pickens at receiver in addition to CeeDee Lamb. So long as his hamstring is back to full strength, Prescott should have a big year. 8. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mayfield is set to work with yet another new offensive coordinator in 2025. He handled the transition from Dave Canales to Liam Coen with ease and hopes to enjoy the same success with Josh Grizzard. Mayfield once again gets to work with a loaded receiving corps, highlighted by Mike Evans, and will look to log a third consecutive 4,000-yard season for the Buccaneers. 9. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals. Murray started all 17 of Arizona's games last season and posted his best numbers since 2020, the last season during which he didn't miss time due to injury. If he continues to increase his rushing attempts as he gets further removed from his 2022 ACL injury, he should be able to cement himself as a top-10 fantasy quarterback. 10. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos. Nix averaged 258.1 passing yards, 2.7 passing touchdowns, 0.9 interceptions and 20 rushing yards across the final seven games of his rookie regular season. If the second-year pro can continue producing at that clip as he continues to acclimate to the NFL, he should end up being a solid, do-it-all fantasy starter akin to Brock Purdy. 11. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers. Speaking of Purdy, he and Nix should be neck-and-neck in any fantasy rankings. The 49ers signal-caller may not be overly exciting for fantasy owners, but after averaging 29 total touchdowns across the last two seasons, he is a steady starting option. The only question is whether he can continue to thrive with Brandon Aiyuk injured and Deebo Samuel gone. 12. Justin Fields, New York Jets. Fields racked up five touchdowns across his six starts with the Steelers last season and is one of just three quarterbacks in NFL history, along with Lamar Jackson and Michael Vick, to rush for 1,000-plus yards in a season. Fields has never thrown for more than 17 touchdowns in a single season, but his rushing upside should make him a strong streamer as long as he's starting. 13. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions. Goff has posted three consecutive seasons with at least 4,438 yards and had a career-best 37 passing touchdowns last season. However, the Lions lost offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to the Bears during the offseason, which has cast some doubt about whether Goff can continue his success. 14. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers. Love didn't take the big leap forward many fantasy owners had hoped for during the 2025 season. He ranked just 17th in fantasy points per game (FPPG) while struggling through an early-season MCL sprain. The big-armed quarterback is still just 26 and could jump into the starter ranks with a healthy season. 15. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers. Herbert was efficient for the Chargers last season, racking up 3,870 yards, 23 touchdowns and just three interceptions in his first year under Jim Harbaugh's tutelage. That said, Herbert isn't likely to be a high-volume passer since Los Angeles wants to utilize a run-heavy approach under Greg Roman. The team had the 10th-highest run play percentage last season and may see that rise again after it added Najee Harris and Omarion Hampton during the offseason. 16. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears. Williams is emerging as a sleeper darling as he prepares for his first season in Ben Johnson's offense. Johnson led Jared Goff to three consecutive seasons as a top-10 fantasy quarterback. He could do the same with Williams, especially if the second-year pro can improve behind an upgraded offensive line. 17. Drake Maye, New England Patriots. Maye completed 66.6% of his passes for 2,276 yards, 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions as a rookie despite having one of the league's worst receiver rooms. The presence of Stefon Diggs and new offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels should give Maye significant upside, especially after he ran for 421 yards on a 7.8 yards per carry average last season. 18. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans. Stroud did not take the step forward many were hoping for in his second season, totaling just 20 touchdowns across 17 starts. He remains a quality matchup-based streamer with low-end QB1 upside for the whole season, but it could take him time to hit his stride behind Houston's remodeled offensive line and receiving corps. 19. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins. Tagovailoa is a hyper-efficient passer who led the NFL with a 72.9% completion rate last season, but he has a lengthy injury history. Miami's explosive playmakers will make him a viable starter most weeks he is healthy, but he has started more than 13 games just once during his career. 20. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars. Lawrence made just 10 starts last season and threw a career-low 11 touchdown passes. He posted consecutive 4,000-yard seasons in the previous two campaigns and could bounce back in Liam Coen's offense. 21. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams. Stafford made 16 starts for the Rams last season. He recorded multiple touchdowns in just six of those games. Perhaps that will change with Davante Adams in tow, but Stafford looks more like a solid QB2 than a true fantasy starter at this stage in his career. 22. Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers. Since the start of the 2022 NFL season, Rodgers has thrown for more than 300 yards in a game just once. That will limit the 41-year-old's fantasy upside in a Pittsburgh offense that had the fifth-highest run-play percentage (48.31%) in the NFL last season. 23. Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders. Smith ranked fourth in the league last season in passing attempts (578), yet ranked just 17th in FPPG. That was largely thanks to his 3.6% touchdown percentage, which ranked 30th among 36 qualifiers for the stat. Playing in what figures to be a run-heavy offense under Pete Carroll in Las Vegas may further limit Smith's upside. 24. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts. Richardson's rushing upside makes him a potential boom pick, as he has averaged 42.3 rushing yards over 15 career starts with 10 rushing touchdowns. But Richardson could bust just as easily after completing a league-worst 47.7% of his passes last season and struggling with injury. He should probably be left to the waiver wire outside of SuperFlex leagues. 25. J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings. Kevin O'Connell just extracted a career-best season out of Sam Darnold, who proved to be a strong fantasy quarterback. Could he do the same with McCarthy? The 2024 first-round pick looked good in limited preseason action last year but is coming off multiple knee surgeries. Minnesota may begin the year as a more ground-dominant offense to ease McCarthy into NFL action. 26. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers. The main draw for Young is his solid mobility, as he had six rushing touchdowns in 12 starts last season. That said, he only averaged 20.1 rushing yards per start. That, plus his modest passing numbers, won't give him enough of a ceiling to start in fantasy most weeks. 27. Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans. Ward figures to win the Titans job out of the chute with Will Levis out for the season. The 2025 NFL Draft's No. 1 pick will have Calvin Ridley at his disposal, but that may not be enough to make him fantasy-relevant in the early stages of his career. 28. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks. Darnold's average time to throw last season was 3.08 seconds, good for the third-longest in the NFL behind only Lamar Jackson (3.14) and Jalen Hurts (3.13). That won't play as well behind a Seattle line that only gave Geno Smith an average of 2.4 seconds of pocket time last season. 29. Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons. Penix improved across each of his three starts last season and plays in an offense with plenty of weapons. But with Kirk Cousins lurking on the sidelines, Penix will have little room for error as a starter. The Falcons may also lean on Bijan Robinson in the red-zone, which could limit Penix's touchdown upside. 30. Russell Wilson, New York Giants. Wilson was a viable streamer at times with the Steelers but also had his share of fantasy clunkers. It's hard to imagine him finding a lot of consistent success in New York, even with a top target like Malik Nabers at his disposal. 31. Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns. Flacco has made 11 starts over the last two seasons, totaling 3,377 yards, 25 touchdowns and 15 interceptions across those contests. His gunslinger mentality could make him a decent stream on occasion, but the 40-year-old may not win Cleveland's wide-open quarterback competition. 32. Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints. Shough, a second-round rookie, is in line to start for the Saints. The 25-year-old rookie has seven years of college experience but will have a tough task posting strong results in an aging New Orleans offense. 33. Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons. Cousins' track record as a solid NFL quarterback gives him the best chance among backup quarterbacks to get on the field. He struggled at times last season, his first in Atlanta, but had a couple of four-touchdown games when healthy. 34. Jameis Winston, New York Giants. Winston throws a lot of interceptions, but he also makes a lot of explosive plays. He could end up being a matchup-based streamer if he supplants Wilson as the Giants' starter. 35. Kenny Pickett, Cleveland Browns. Pickett could end up starting over Flacco if he beats the 40-year-old in Cleveland's wide-open quarterback competition. Either way, this is a situation fantasy owners will want to avoid.
CNN
17 minutes ago
- CNN
Loneliness, resiliency and using Madden: the life of the NFL's most prolific journeyman
FootballFacebookTweetLink Follow In 2008, the NFL was a vastly different league than it is now. Tom Brady was still in his first decade of his 23-season-long career, games were still available to watch on analog television and Aaron Rodgers – currently the league's oldest active player – had only just been announced as the starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. This was the NFL Josh Johnson was stepping into as a rookie. Since then, Johnson has been a member of 14 different teams – including the San Francisco 49ers four times, the Baltimore Ravens three times and three other teams twice – meaning he holds the record for the most teams a player has been on. It is a journey that has sent the 39-year-old to every corner of the US – with stints in other professional football leagues included. It is an odyssey which has had its ups and downs for Johnson, battling loneliness, doubt and finding his place in the game he loves. And it's a trek which has taught Johnson lessons not only about football, but also about life, family and himself. 'It means resiliency to me now,' Johnson told CNN Sports when asked what his record means to him. 'It means faith. It means determination. It means always being able to find a way. 'And that comes from my family. That's my family trait. That's a lot of faith, that's a lot of belief. Because I'm in a lot of situations where it didn't look like it was going to be in my favor, things worked out in my favor.' Having played his college football at San Diego, Johnson was selected in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After serving as the team's backup on his rookie contract – in the five starts he made for the Bucs, he had an 0-5 record – Johnson moved to new pastures. He chose to sign for the 49ers, the team he grew up supporting as a California native which was led by his coach at San Diego, Jim Harbaugh. But what seemed like the perfect opportunity for Johnson quickly turned into devastating blow and a moment of learning for the young, aspiring quarterback. Johnson was let go as part of the Niners' roster cuts ahead of the 2012 season, missing out on the third quarterback spot to Scott Tolzien, with Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick on the team already. It was the first time in his career that Johnson had been cut from a team and, for it happen through his college coach and with his hometown team, it had a big impact on Johnson. 'I remember that day like it happened yesterday. I felt like my world ended the first time,' he remembered. In the face of the blow to his confidence – he described being cut as not 'part of my initial plan' – Johnson focused on remaining true to who he was. 'I had to make sure that, firstly: 'Don't forget who you are.' And then secondly, it was: 'Ok, why are you still doing this?'' he said. 'It's like: 'You love football. You love getting out on the grass. You love going through the process of getting better. You love going out there being able to compete and you love going out there and doing your thing on the field. So get up, get off your ass and go get back to it.'' From there, Johnson's nomadic journey began in earnest. After a brief stint in the United Football League with the Sacramento Mountain Lions before the league folded, Johnson bounced around the NFL with numerous teams over the next years, including four franchises in 2015 alone. This process of moving around the league, having to keep stopping and starting brought about a range of emotions for Johnson, especially doubt and loneliness. 'Doubt was more so like not understanding when your next opportunity is going to come from,' he told CNN Sports. 'You got to listen to other people's advice to hope that: 'OK, this is going to work itself out.'' As for loneliness, he explains that it was an emotion he dealt with primarily at the start of the epic journey, particularly as he was in the early stages of a relationship with his now-wife. 'The loneliness was for the first few days because it was more so like I felt like I let myself down. I felt like I didn't put myself in position to be successful in the way that I wanted to be,' he said. The constant churn of teams was also a stark reminder that while football is a sport, it is also a business – and sometimes business decisions have to be made. 'The NFL is kind of a tricky thing on how people view you. Somebody may love you, somebody may hate you, and it depends on who that person is,' Johnson said. He highlights learning from the plethora of stellar head coaches he's played under, soaking up the wisdom they have imparted and the personal bonds he's formed with teammates and coaching staff as the reasons why he believes he's stuck around and 'created a little niche' in the league. Throughout this long, winding path around the NFL, Johnson – who is now with the Washington Commanders – had to reconsider what he could offer and bring to a franchise. He isn't able to contribute on the field as much as he'd like, but through his 'knowledge for the game' and personal relationships, he believes he's still a valuable asset to have around. Outside of the team facilities, Johnson says he does his own research – whether through conversations, on social media or on the EA Sports video game franchise 'Madden' – to ensure he's as clued in as he can possibly be. The hard work Johnson puts in helps endear himself to his teammates and therefore, he says, 'gain their respect.' Johnson has been in football for 18 years and has met plenty of different faces. And he crosses paths with those coaches who he encountered during his early years, something he says also helps his reputation. 'When I was in my earlier days in the league, I showed them the respect, talk football with them and got to know them and they're like: 'This guy knows ball,'' he said. 'In our game, people respect doing that. 'And when they start getting opportunities and our paths cross again, I've come to find out there's another level of trust that I've gained organically. All those things to me have compiled into creating opportunity for someone. Because most guys don't play this long as backups. I don't have a lot of starts, but I've been in professional football, specifically, for 18 years.' Switching teams so regularly means he's constantly having to meet and form bonds with new people, despite running into familiar faces occasionally. Forming a personal relationship with someone in an organization will help both you and them, Johnson explains. 'We just value someone's name and just having that natural bond and getting to know them,' he said. 'That can spread you thin a little bit. 'Because knowing people in the organization is very important because they're resources and they do a lot of things that can make your life a little easier. But also getting to know them helps them serve you a lot better.' Over the years, Johnson has learned some tricks to help acquaint himself with new colleagues, from researching the background of management or coaches or looking up teammates on Madden to know a bit about their game. He describes it as the kind of research you were taught to do at college and means he's 'not learning playbooks and people all from scratch at the same time.' Johnson has picked up a haul of memorabilia over his NFL career and someday hopes to deck out his permanent home with it all to remember every stop he's been along the way. A longer content idea has also been bubbling round his head – like a feature film or a documentary about his life – for when he does eventually hang up his cleats, due to the unique nature of his career. 'We all want to have a Hall of Fame career, but somebody's going to get the high side of things, somebody will get the low side of things,' he said. But this movement around the league has brought its own logistical challenges, as well as personal ones. Logistically, Johnson's permanent home has always remained in Oakland. And on his journey around the country – he describes having 'a lot of zip codes under my belt' – he's tried all sorts of moving techniques. Johnson's had a consistent home in a city, lived in a hotel or in short-term housing. He's 'done it all,' he says, also noting that he changes what he brings to each new location. 'I used to go from moving everything with me to not bringing anything but some clothes and toothbrush to sometimes – because I've only on the team for a week – to just buying some clothes when I've been out there and just wearing the gear that they gave me,' he said. One bit of advice from Johnson: make friends with a moving company. 'The more moving companies in my phone, the better,' he said. While his wife used to stay at their permanent residence while he moved around, their perspective changed over recent years and now she – and their son – joins him often on his travels. 'She's a big part of who I am, a big part of my journey, there's a different level of comfort when she's around, just to endure the things that I normally have to go through,' he said. 'Because every time you switch teams, it's like you've got to reprove yourself. You got to reprove yourself to a locker room, to an organization, to a coaching staff. And my wife matters in part of that process.'
