ESPN - Top 10 Defensive Tackles

[Primus Porcus]

Who are the NFL's best defensive tackles? Execs, coaches and scouts help rank 2023's top 10

Execs, coaches, scouts and players from around the NFL ranked their top 10 interior defensive linemen in our annual summer series.

www.espn.com

Personally I think Allen is more 'impactful' as he sets the interior, and I think the two of them allow each other to be better because of their abilities.

 

[MikefromOH]

Payne over Allen? I don't think any fan would agree.

Allen at 10? Just as bad.

 

[Fat Bastard]

Switch them and be about right.

 

[MikefromOH]

Can anyone post the list? I refuse to pay for anything nowadays 😂

 

[Fat Bastard]

MikefromOH

1-Aaron Donald-Rams
2-Chris Jones-KC
3-Jeffery Simmons-Titans
4-Quinnen Williams-Jets
5-Javon Hargrave-Niners
6-Dexter Lawrence-NYG
7-DeForest Buckner-Colts
8-Payne
9-Cam Heyward-Steelers
10-Allen

Honorable Mentions: Vea,Brown,Clark,L Williams

 

[Kel Varnsen]

I know rankings are subjective and you never know the reason behind them. But I agree that if you switch them, it would be right. Fans generally don’t know the name of a DT on another team unless they are very impactful. I recognized every name on this list, so I have no problem with it. I think Payne over Allen is a reaction to last year when Payne played really well. I still think Allen is the better player, but they are the only pair of teammates on that list. That’s quite an honor.

 

[Neophyte]

Allen - second highest double team rate in the league last year (67%)

That was the stat I was looking for this last winter.

 

[Bulldog]

The important thing the NFC exec noted was Payne’s maturity.

He finally put it all together and consistently for the entire season.

In past years you would get this Payne for 8 or 9 games but would be invisible for several of the others.

 

[Neophyte]

He was still invisible for several games last year, BD.

Most notably the last 6 quarters of the season when Allen went out and we really needed him to step up.

 

[Boone]

I think we don’t pay enough attention to synergy. Both Allen and Payne are great players, but would either guy be as impactful without the other? Not to mention others on that DL.

 

[burgold]

Synergy is the reason it annoys me when Chase and others forgo team activities. It’s not just about getting better, but gettin to know what the guy next of you is likely to do, how they think, how the moves work in team context.

 

[Bulldog]

Chase is in his last season in DC, I think everyone knows that. The money that went to Payne (after paying Allen) was no doubt originally targeted toward Chase's second contract, before he missed a year and a half. I don't think the team expected Payne to post 11.5 sacks and become an all-pro type player.

The truth is the team doesn't really need Chase Young to be successful, at least the post-injury Chase Young that has probably lost some speed and explosiveness. The concerning point with Chase is instead of coming back after all that time on the sidelines humble, he has come back as if he is Aaron Donald, expecting to be treated like NFL royalty.

He posted 7.5 sacks in 2020. Great. It's a good start. However, its far from putting you on the pedestal of being irreplaceable.

 

[burgold]

I had hoped that Chase would be our Reggie White. This season, I'm hoping he's Phillip Daniels.

 

[Boone]

If Young being in his last season is really a foregone conclusion, then we’ve really mismanaged the situation. We have this history of holding onto players because we don’t want to admit we made a mistake and they aren’t who we hoped they would be. Would be far better if we traded them even if for far less than we’d ever have expected. Instead he will walk and we’ll get nothing in return.

Even if he had a bounce back year, we lose because he’ll then demand a ridiculous contract.

 

[burgold]

If Young being in his last season is really a foregone conclusion, then we’ve really mismanaged the situation. We have this history of holding onto players because we don’t want to admit we made a mistake and they aren’t who we hoped they would be. Would be far better if we traded them even if for far less than we’d ever have expected. Instead he will walk and we’ll get nothing in return.

Even if he had a bounce back year, we lose because he’ll then demand a ridiculous contract.

Yeah, this is another pattern/mistake I hope the ownership moves us away from. Throughout the Bruce/Snyder era, we'd rather hurt ourselves than either be wrong or let the player feel like they won (by getting out).

 

[MikefromOH]

We're going to need to sign either Sweat or Young after this season. Payne and Allen need edge help, and a rookie won't cut it.

 

[Bulldog]

Well with the money invested in Allen and Payne we can’t afford to hand out a 4 year $100M deal to yet another DL.

why not look to the draft?

that’s what Philly and KC do consistently.

good front offices know there are only a certain number of players around the league that are truly irreplaceable.

for the poorer clubs they find a walnut and think they never will be able to find another 😆😆