Who are the best safeties of 2022? From breaking up passes to tackling running backs and receivers, the best NFL safeties play an important role on the field. They've got to be quick, powerful, and fearsome. They must disrupt passing lanes, stick with speedy receivers, and make tackles in the open field. The 2022 best NFL safeies are some of the best defenders in football. Who is the best safety of 2022? Which of the best NFL safeties 2022 do you love?
When it comes to the best current safeties, few hold down the free safety or strong safety position better than players like Kevin Byard, Derwin James, and Jessie Bates III. However, you've also got to consider long time vets like Patrick Peterson, not to mention Tyrann Mathieu, Budda Baker, and Devin McCourty, who are among the best NFL safeties right now. Then there's great young NFL safeties like Grant Delpit, Trevon Moehrig, and Kyle Hamilton, who are carrying the torch for the next generation of the best NFL safeties ever.
Vote up the best current safeties in the NFL below and help decide which safety is at the top of their class. While you're at it, cast a vote for the best cornerbacks of 2022.
When healthy, Derwin James is the best in the business at the safety spot. After two seasons of injuries, the 25-year-old played 15 games for the Chargers in 2021 and lit it up. James earned first-team All-Pro honors and was an anchor for Los Angeles' defense. He has shown the ability to work all over the field and cover all positions (running backs, tight ends, and receivers) to an elite degree. He's spread around pretty evenly in the box, slot, and as a traditional free safety. No matter where L.A. decides to line him up, James is dominant. Whatever needs to be done in the secondary, James not only can do it but arguably do it better than anyone in the league.
The former first-round pick of the Dolphins was traded to Pittsburgh early in the 2019 season, and right away became a superb free safety for the Steelers. The Steel curtain was betwixt for all kinds of reasons in 2021, but through no fault of Fitzpatrick. The safety allowed 28 catches on 44 targets and snagged two interceptions. Fitz is great at the bait-and-wait tactic and is perfectly capable as the last line of defense against the NFL's top offenses.
Denver's secondary wasn't exactly elite in 2021, but Justin Simmons play graded out at a very high level. Simmons's production has regressed statistically from a career year in 2019, but he's been much more consistent over the past few seasons. The 28-year-old moves around inside Denver's defense; he plays in the box and on the back end of the secondary. With the Broncos offense prepared to carry the load this year behind Russell Wilson, the defense as a whole and Simmons will be in much more advantageous positions this fall.
Strong safeties of Budda Baker's ilk are a dying breed in the NFL, given the slimming down and growing positional versatility of linebackers in more recent years. However, Baker still ain't ready to give it up. He's one of few DBs who strike pure terror into ball carriers with his hard hitting and he's coming off another All-Pro season. In 17 games for the Cardinals, Baker totaled 98 tackles and two sacks. While he's largely known for being one of the more physical safeties in the game and dominant against the run, he also fended for himself well in coverage. Baker also has shown plenty of versatility playing as a free safety, lining up in the box, as well as in the slot.
Tyrann Mathieu and the Chiefs split this offseason, leading to a homecoming for the safety in New Orleans. The Saints will look to line Mathieu up all over the field, as he can play in the box, slot, and on the back end. Mathieu is still one of the best defensive playmakers in the NFL and he joins a Saints defense which has proved stalwart over the past two years.
Byard is the best coverage safety in the NFL. The Titans defensive back stymies opposing pass catchers and even racked up five interceptions last season to go with 13 PBUs. The 2021 first-team All-Pro is a sure tackler, only missing 2.2% of his tackle attempts last season. He's a versatile player and spends time in the box to balance out his duties as a free safety. While he's always been among the elite safeties in the NFL, Tennessee finally establishing some semblance of a pass rush in 2021 allowed Byard to truly flourish.
