In the world of NFL betting, teams that can stop the pass have a distinct advantage over their opponents. Because of that, bettors should make sure that they know everything there is to know about the secondary units of each team. Here, we have started that process for you, as you can continue scrolling to read our NFL defensive back rankings for the upcoming season.
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32. Indianapolis Colts
Key Players at this Position: Isaiah Rodgers, Kenny Moore
Last season, the Indianapolis Colts were a bad team, but they did have Stephon Gilmore in their defensive backfield. This year, Gilmore is gone, and the Colts have one of the worst secondaries in the NFL by the looks of it. This team had 10 interceptions last year, tied for the sixth-lowest total in football, and they should struggle to generate those turnovers again this year.
31. Los Angeles Rams
Key Players at this Position: Jordan Fuller
As it turns out, when you trade Jalen Ramsey, your secondary is not poised to be as good as it was a year ago. This season, the Los Angeles Rams are in the middle of a defensive rebuild, and this secondary could be the worst component of that rebuilding defense. That is, as long as Aaron Donald doesn’t learn to play defensive back.
30. Las Vegas Raiders
Key Players at this Position: David Long, Marcus Epps
Last year’s Las Vegas Raiders ranked 29th in passing yards allowed per game, and were tied for the fewest interceptions in the NFL last season (6). This year, things could be just as bad for the Raiders, as they lost Rock Ya-Sin from that secondary group. Set to take on several of the best passing offenses in the league just in AFC West competition, the Raiders corners and safeties could be in for another long year.
29. Arizona Cardinals
Key Players at this Position: Budda Baker
The Arizona Cardinals are not terrible at the safety spots, especially with Budda Baker out there. But their corners are among the worst in the NFL, and there is not much cause for optimism for that group heading into 2023. Even with a new head coach with more of a focus on playing defense than former coach Kliff Kingsbury, expect a rough year in the secondary for Arizona.
28. Atlanta Falcons
Key Players at this Position: AJ Terrell, Mike Hughes
Some bad news has already hit the Falcons in their secondary, as Jeff Okudah was injured in training camp. He is expected to return early this season after that ankle injury, but the Falcons already have a below average secondary. They are going to need their key players at this spot on the field to remain healthy, and Okudah being set to miss some time already does not bode well.
27. Minnesota Vikings
Key Players at this Position: Byron Murphy, Harrison Smith
It feels like the Minnesota Vikings have had some big names in the secondary in recent seasons, but have struggled to do anything with them. Last season, the Vikings ranked 30th in yards allowed per pass attempt and 31st in pass yards allowed per game. They could have another rough year against the pass this season.
26. Tennessee Titans
Key Players at this Position: Sean Murphy-Bunting, Kevin Byard
The team that allowed the most passing yards per game last season was the Tennessee Titans. However, the Titans have made an attempt to fix their woeful secondary, as they have acquired former Buccaneers corner Sean Murphy-Bunting. Combining Murphy-Bunting with an elite safety in Kevin Byard could help this secondary achieve respectability, but we will need to see some progress before moving Tennessee up too far in these rankings.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars
Key Players at this Position: Tyson Campbell
Starting the top-25 in our NFL defensive back rankings are the Jacksonville Jaguars. This team finished in the bottom-five in passing yards allowed per game last season, but were closer to the middle of the pack on a per play basis. This season, the Jags will hope for better from Tyson Campbell, who showed flashes of being someone who could lead this group in the future.
24. Chicago Bears
Key Players at this Position: Jaylon Johnson, Eddie Jackson
Last year’s Chicago Bears team finished dead last in the NFL in yards per pass attempt allowed. They will look to fix that in the season to come, and they certainly have the potential to do so. The question for this Bears secondary will be whether they can overcome the amount of defense they will have to play, given the issues the Bears have had moving the football.
23. Houston Texans
Key Players at this Position: Derek Stingley Jr., Desmond King, Jimmie Ward
Houston is going to be a terrible team across the board this season, but their defensive backs could be a component that make some progress in 2023. Derek Stingley Jr. did not have a great rookie season, but he has the talent to bounce back this year. Having an elite safety in Jimmie Ward also will not hurt the Texans in the year to come.
22. New York Giants
Key Players at this Position: Adoree Jackson, Xavier McKinney
Much like a lot of the New York Giants coming into this season, their secondary is not terrible, but it isn’t all that good either. Adoree Jackson is clearly the best player in this position group for New York’s NFC team. But this is not a team that you expect to win individual matchups between corners and the elite receiving groups in their division, which is a concern.
21. Carolina Panthers
Key Players at this Position: Jaycee Horn, Jeremy Chinn, Xavier Woods
There is some intriguing young talent on the roster for the Carolina Panthers in the secondary. The question is whether or not that young talent can turn itself into consistently impactful play at this position group. Jaycee Horn and Jeremy Chinn are both players capable of great things in this league, and surrounding them with players like Xavier Woods and Vonn Bell could mean a strong 2023 from the Panthers DBs.
20. Detroit Lions
Key Players at this Position: Emmanuel Moseley, CJ Gardner-Johnson
The 20th place team in our NFL defensive back rankings is the Detroit Lions. They have added CJ Gardner-Johnson to a group that held its own at times despite tons of injury woes a season ago. The Lions finished 31st in the league in passing yards per attempt allowed last year. But if they can improve that with additions like Gardner-Johnson, this Lions team could be special.
19. New Orleans Saints
Key Players at this Position: Marshon Lattimore, Bradley Roby, Tyrann Mathieu
It was death by a thousand paper cuts for the Saints secondary last season. They did not give up a ton of explosive plays, but they were beaten consistently on short routes, and they ranked 30th in interceptions as a team. Their secondary has to be better at making big plays that can change games in their favor, something you would think they would have done well with having Tyrann Mathieu in their secondary.
18. Pittsburgh Steelers
Key Players at this Position: Patrick Peterson, Joey Porter Jr., Minkah Fitzpatrick
There are names in the Pittsburgh Steelers secondary that would lead you to get excited about what they can do in their secondary. While the Steelers were tied for the fourth-worst yards per pass attempt allowed number last year, the additions of Patrick Peterson and Joey Porter Jr. could help them improve in that department.
17. Los Angeles Chargers
Key Players at this Position: Asante Samuel Jr., Derwin James
Finishing out the bottom-half of our secondary rankings will be the Los Angeles Chargers. This team was dealt a bad hand last season when J.C. Jackson was lost for the season. He will be back early this year, and will join a promising group featuring players like Asante Samuel Jr. and Derwin James. If this team can stay healthy in the defensive backfield, it could be a very different year for the Bolts.
16. Seattle Seahawks
Key Players at this Position: Tariq Woolen, Quandre Diggs, Jamal Adams
Seattle is another team whose secondary was impacted negatively by injuries last season, as Jamal Adams was lost for the season relatively early on. If Adams can come back early this year, he will join a promising secondary group that includes a player in Tariq Woolen who made some huge plays for the Seahawks in 2022.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Key Players at this Position: Jamel Dean, Antoine Winfield Jr.
Next up in our NFL defensive back rankings is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who sit in 15th position. Their secondary was one of their bright spots during a disappointing season in 2022. Losing Sean Murphy-Bunting is certainly going to be impactful for this group. But they do have some quality pieces still, especially Antoine Winfield Jr.
14. Cincinnati Bengals
Key Players at this Position: Chidobe Awuzie, Cam Taylor-Britt
Some new safeties having to replace last year’s group could hurt this Cincinnati secondary. But this team has some playmakers in its defensive backfield, most notably Chidobe Awuzie. The secondaries of the Bills, Bengals, and Chiefs will all be judged based on how they play in big games against each other. But Awuzie being back after missing much of last season will help Cincinnati compare favorably to their rivals at this spot on the field.
13. Green Bay Packers
Key Players at this Position: Jaire Alexander, Rasul Douglas
It would be hard to find a cornerback better than Green Bay’s Jaire Alexander in the league right now. He had five interceptions last season, and will be a threat to opposing quarterbacks again in the 2023 campaign. Getting more from their safeties would be great, but the Packers can certainly compete one-on-one against opposing receivers in most games.
12. New England Patriots
Key Players at this Position: Jonathan Jones, Kyle Dugger
Last year’s Patriots finished in a tie for eighth in the NFL in yards allowed per pass attempt. But New England could be even better against the pass this year, as the Patriots drafted cornerback Christian Gonzalez out of Oregon. Kyle Duggar is a potential star at safety for this team as well, as the Patriots will need their defensive backfield to play well given that they have six games against Josh Allen, Tua Tagovailoa, and Aaron Rodgers to look forward to in AFC East play.
11. Washington Commanders
Key Players at this Position: Kendall Fuller
The Washington Commanders were solid in the secondary last year, and could get even better there in 2023. They grabbed two defensive backs in the top-50 picks of the 2023 NFL Draft. That is a smart draft strategy when trying to compete with elite passing offenses in their division from the Eagles and Cowboys.
10. Cleveland Browns
Key Players at this Position: Denzel Ward, Juan Thornhill
Opening the top-10 in our NFL defensive back rankings is the Cleveland Browns, as they upgraded a secondary that did not live up to expectations in 2022. Juan Thornhill joins a promising group that includes Denzel Ward and Grant Delpit. That leaves very little room for excuses if the Browns struggle in the secondary again in 2023.
9. Kansas City Chiefs
Key Players at this Position: L’Jarius Sneed, Trent McDuffie
Last year’s Kansas City Chiefs gave up just 6.1 yards per pass attempt to their opponents, which was tied for the sixth-best mark in the NFL. While the Chiefs had just 11 interceptions last season, landing them in the bottom-half of the league, they made the plays they needed to in order to win a championship. They should be an above average group again this coming season.
8. Baltimore Ravens
Key Players at this Position: Marlon Humphrey, Rock Ya-Sin, Kyle Hamilton
Last year, the Baltimore Ravens secondary was torched early in the season, as they blew multiple leads in the fourth quarters of games. But they improved as the season went on, and that improvement is expected to translate into this year, as the chemistry of this unit continues to improve after their first full season as a unit in 2022.
7. Buffalo Bills
Key Players at this Position: Tre’Davious White, Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer
Health is going to be the biggest question mark for the Buffalo Bills’ secondary this season, as has been the case for the last couple of years. Tre’Davious White has been especially vulnerable to injury over the last couple of seasons, which has made it much more difficult for the Bills defense to lock in against the likes of the Bengals and Chiefs. That has to change, though this portion of the Buffalo defense is strong nonetheless.
6. San Francisco 49ers
Key Players at this Position: Charvarius Ward, Talanoa Hufanga
In terms of a group of pure playmakers, the San Francisco 49ers have arguably the best secondary in the NFL. Talanoa Hufanga has become capable of changing games in a single snap, and the rest of the Niners defense is rock solid around him. The Niners defense could be the best in the NFL as a whole this year, and this secondary is a huge reason for that.
5. Dallas Cowboys
Key Players at this Position: Trevon Diggs, Stephon Gilmore, Malik Hooker
Opening the top-five of our NFL defensive back rankings is the Dallas Cowboys. They have had one of the best playmaking corners in the NFL in Trevon Diggs, and have added Stephon Gilmore on top of that. Combined with their elite defensive line, the Cowboys secondary could have a hand in helping this team to make the playoff run they have so desperately wanted.
4. Philadelphia Eagles
Key Players at this Position: Darius Slay, James Bradberry
The Philadelphia Eagles do not have a lot of weaknesses, and their secondary is certainly not one of them. Darius Slay has earned the nickname “Big Play” Slay, as he has consistently been one of the best corners in the league over the last few seasons. But this team did lose a couple of key members of their secondary, including CJ Gardner-Johnson, and that is what has prevented this group from being at the top of this list.
3. Denver Broncos
Key Players at this Position: Patrick Surtain II, Kareem Jackson
Last year’s Denver Broncos stunk as a whole, but their defense did everything it could to prevent that. Patrick Surtain II led one of the best secondaries in football, as the Broncos were one of just five teams to allow under 6.0 yards per pass attempt. They should be just as good in the defensive backfield this year, though they will need to earn it with almost a quarter of their schedule coming against the Chiefs and Chargers.
2. Miami Dolphins
Key Players at this Position: Xavien Howard, Jalen Ramsey
The Miami Dolphins had a strong secondary, and they made a move to take it to the next level this offseason. They brought in Jalen Ramsey to pair with Xavien Howard, making both sides of the field incredibly difficult to throw on. This puts a ton of pressure on the Dolphins as a whole, as this group should be one that helps a team make a deep playoff run.
1. New York Jets
Key Players at this Position: Sauce Gardner, Michael Carter II, Jordan Whitehead
Number one in our NFL defensive back rankings is the New York Jets. Sauce Gardner walked into the NFL last season and became one of the best corners in the league, if not the very best. Combine Gardner with Michael Carter II and some other quality pieces, and this Jets secondary could steal the show from Aaron Rodgers and the offense in 2023 and beyond.
Other NFL Position Rankings
Bettors who want to flesh out their power rankings with rankings at other positions can do just that here at ATS. Just click the links below to get our rankings for each position group going into the 2023 season, to help make you a better football bettor.
