![]() The cherry on top: A surprising showing by fellow Lions rookie James Houston, who had 8.0 sacks in just seven games.īut for this award, it’s Gardner, hands down.Ī couple of Falcons rookies had strong seasons. It was a rookie season the Lions should be more than happy about. He also notched three interceptions, all of which came in very different situations - the Packers’ fourth-down pass play that they drew up for OT David Bakhtiari will always have a special place in my heart. But Woolen landed a tier below where Gardner played this season, despite his interception total (6).ĭetroit’s Aidan Hutchinson nearly finished with double-digit sacks (9.5). A fifth-round pick, Woolen is a dynamic player who will only get better - he’s already improved on his hand usage and his penalties dropped as the season went along. Gardner’s play was so impressive that he was tabbed (rightfully) as a first-team All-Pro, a feat so rare for a rookie cornerback that one hadn’t accomplished it since Ronnie Lott in 1981.Īnother standout, the Seahawks’ Tariq Woolen, exceeded all expectations after being viewed as a height/weight/speed project out of UTSA. ![]() He led the league with 20 pass break-ups anyway. □: Stream on NFL+ /UTnxJR3z7eĪnd Gardner only got better as the season went along, so much so that opponents stopped testing his side of the field. An instant contributor for a stout Jets defense, Gardner more than held his own in early-season battles with the likes of Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase: Away we go! (All numbers via TruMedia, unless otherwise noted.)Ĭhallengers rose and fell - remember when Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd won Defensive Rookie of the Month in September? - but this has been Sauce Gardner’s award to lose for months now. For listeners of The Athletic Football Show, if you want to hear more selections and explanations from me (you poor soul) or my fantastic co-host Robert Mays, our All-Pro episodes and awards picks are out now.Įnough of the intro. I’ve also included my All-Pro selections at the bottom of the article.
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