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NFL Power Rankings for all 32 starting EDGE duos in 2021

By Randy Gurzi

LANDOVER, MARYLAND - OCTOBER 11: Montez Sweat #90 of the Washington Football Team celebrates with teammate Chase Young #99 after a play in the second half against the Los Angeles Rams at FedExField on October 11, 2020 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MARYLAND - OCTOBER 11: Montez Sweat #90 of the Washington Football Team celebrates with teammate Chase Young #99 after a play in the second half against the Los Angeles Rams at FedExField on October 11, 2020 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /
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2021 NFL Power Rankings
RENTON, WASHINGTON – JULY 29: L.J. Collier #91 of the Seattle Seahawks warms up at Training Camp on July 29, 2021 in Renton, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images) /

28. Seattle Seahawks: Kerry Hyder, L.J. Collier

It’s not for a lack of trying, but the Seattle Seahawks don’t really boast an elite corps of defensive ends right now.

Seattle used a 2019 first-round pick on L.J. Collier from TCU and then a second-round pick in 2020 on Darrell Taylor from Tennessee as well as a fifth-round pick on Alton Robinson from Syracuse in that same draft. There’s also Benson Mayowa and they did sign Aldon Smith who had a resurgence season in 2020 with Dallas but was released after reports of another offseason incident for him.

The Seahawks also traded for Carlos Dunlap last season and then signed Kerry Hyder in the offseason after he had a big season in 2020 with the 49ers, racking up 8.5 sacks for them.

With all those names, it’s hard to predict who will be the starting defensive ends for them. The best guess might be Hyder who just signed a three-year deal and Collier, who can play inside as well, but still started 16 games last season.

There are a lot of players they can throw out there but when looking at the actual starters, the Seahawks don’t have anyone who commands double-teams — and unless Taylor or Collier takes a major step forward, they likely won’t have that any time soon.

27. Arizona Cardinals: Chandler Jones, Markus Golden

Here’s one that could be much better — or much worse by the time the season ends. Chandler Jones has been an absolute stud in his career and enters the 2021 season with 97 career sacks. He did have double-digits in five straight seasons (and six out of seven) before missing 11 games last year. And now in five seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, Jones has 61 sacks and 175 tackles.

Having said all that, Jones apparently wants out. He’s been said to be unhappy with his contract and wants to be delt elsewhere. While the Cards have yet to budge, there’s still a chance they could decide to move him.

Across from him is Markus Golden who has been up and down in his career. He had 12.5 sacks for the Cardinals in 2016 but then had zero in four games the following season and 2.5 in 2018. This led to him moving on as he joined the New York Giants in 2019. That season, he had 10 sacks and 72 tackles.

The next season, he was traded in October back to the Cardinals after struggling with New York. So now, he’s back where it all started and while he can be really good, he can also be simply average.

Arizona also added J.J. Watt who will help open things up for them as the defensive end in their 3-4 front, but these are the potential starting EDGE players and they have too many question marks to be sold on.

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