Highest-graded linebackers from the 2024 NFL season

• The Eagles’ unlikely standout linebacker duo: Zack Baun and Oren Burks, both signed to modest free-agent contracts last offseason, were key in Philadelphia’s Super Bowl run.

• Fred Warner pushed through injury: The 49ers’ star linebacker earned PFF overall grades of 92.6, 95.8 and 96.6 in three of his first four games but suffered a fractured ankle in Week 4.

Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

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The Philadephia Eagles‘ win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 59 put a bow on the 2024 NFL season — and PFF’s grades. Here were the top 10 linebackers across the regular season and postseason.

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1. Zack Baun, Philadelphia Eagles (90.1)

After four years in New Orleans of limited success, Baun signed a one-year deal with the Eagles in the 2024 offseason and broke out. He set career highs across the board — in PFF overall grade, PFF run-defense grade (79.4), PFF tackling grade (61.2), PFF pass-rushing grade (74.2) and PFF coverage grade (90.9), the latter of which led the position.

Baun recorded 20 pressures, converting four into sacks despite having just 20 pressures in his entire career heading into the 2024 season. He had never forced a fumble in the NFL before this past year, yet he led the league with six. Baun’s 141 tackles also paced the NFL, with the next closest linebacker having 115. While tackles can be an overrated stat, Baun backed up his strong totals with 79 stops, 16 more than the next closest linebacker.

As a result of his breakout season, the Eagles rewarded Baun with a three-year, $51 million deal with $34 million guaranteed.

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2. Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers (89.2)

Warner opened the 2024 season about as hot as any linebacker. He earned PFF overall grades of 92.6, 95.8 and 96.6 in three of his first four games while posting PFF coverage grades of 92.9, 94.2 and 94.0 in those contests. However, in that fourth game, he suffered a fractured ankle.

While Warner played through the injury, it was clearly causing him problems. He went the rest of the season with only one 80.0-plus PFF game grade, a 92.1 performance against the Rams in Week 15. Warner has stated that he won’t need surgery this offseason, so he will presumably be ready for the start of the 2025 campaign.

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3. Bobby Wagner, Washington Commanders (88.3)

Wagner is an ageless wonder. In his age-34 season, he was still among the very best at his position. His 91.2 PFF run-defense grade ranked second among linebackers, his 86.3 PFF tackling grade placed third and his 90.9 PFF pass-rush grade ranked first.

The veteran was the most valuable linebacker in football in 2024, worth 0.37 wins, beating out Zack Baun by .05. The Commanders seemed to have valued his contributions, re-signing him to a one-year deal worth up to $9.5 million.

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4. Oren Burks, Philadelphia Eagles (86.0)

Burks is an intriguing entry on this list because he didn’t play a defensive snap until Week 7 despite appearing in every game on special teams. He also didn’t record more than 14 snaps on defense in a single game until Week 17. Yet, when Nakobe Dean went down in the Eagles’ wild-card round victory over the Packers, Burks answered the call.

He put up an 80.7 PFF overall grade in the postseason, including an 82.9 mark in coverage. Burks was particularly impressive in the Super Bowl, earning an 87.7 PFF overall grade and an 86.9 PFF coverage grade on 55 snaps. He is set to hit free agency, and his performance down the stretch could entice a team to take a chance on him in a bigger role.

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5. Edgerrin Cooper, Green Bay Packers (85.7)

The Packers eased Cooper, a rookie second-rounder out of Texas A&M, into a starting role in 2024. He played sparingly until Week 5, when he became a regular member of the rotation. After missing time in the middle of the season due to a hamstring injury, Cooper caught fire upon his return in Week 15 against the Seahawks, putting up a 93.8 PFF overall grade, an 82.4 PFF pass-rush grade and a 93.0 PFF coverage grade. He never earned a PFF grade below 76.2 in a game after his return.

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6. Leo Chenal, Kansas City Chiefs (81.6)

Chenal uniquely played on the defensive line (208 snaps) about as often as at off-ball linebacker (287) in 2024. At 250 pounds, he is the heaviest linebacker on this list, with most at the position weighing closer to 230 pounds — a sign of the times as speed becomes more valued across the league.

Chenal’s best asset is his run defense, where he posted an elite 90.1 figure, his second straight season going over 90.0. He is also a very sure tackler, missing only four attempts all season, tied for the fourth fewest among 90 qualifying linebackers.

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7. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Cleveland Browns (80.6)

Owusu-Koramoah suffered a neck injury after a collision with Derrick Henry in Week 8, ending his season prematurely. He had been putting together a career year, as his 80.6 PFF overall grade and 91.7 PFF run-defense grade were career highs. His PFF run-defense grade ranked first among qualifying linebackers, and he added a 77.0 PFF pass-rush grade for good measure. 

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah: 2024 PFF Grades

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8. Elandon Roberts, Pittsburgh Steelers (79.7)

Roberts’ best two seasons have come with the Steelers after he was a rotational player for much of his career with the Patriots and Dolphins. His tenure in Pittsburgh has included both of his career 70.0-plus PFF overall grades, with 2024’s mark being his best. His 91.0 PFF run-defense grade in 2024 ranked third among linebackers.

Although Roberts’ coverage skills leave a lot to be desired — he has posted a PFF coverage grade above 60.0 only once in his career — he has a defined role as a strong run defender and now hits the free-agent market.

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9. Devin Bush, Cleveland Browns (79.2)

Long considered a bust after the Steelers traded up to select him at 10th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft, Bush may have saved his career in his first year in Cleveland. His 79.2 PFF overall grade and 86.4 PFF run-defense grade in 2024 smashed his previous career highs, while his 80.6 PFF tackling grade and 77.5 PFF pass-rush grade rank as the second-best numbers of his career.

Bush finished the season hot, generating 75.5-plus PFF overall grades in four of his last five games — including a 91.9 performance against the Bengals in Week 16.

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10. Jack Campbell, Detroit Lions (78.7)

After a very disappointing rookie season in which he earned a 52.1 PFF overall grade while getting torched in coverage (35.3 PFF coverage grade), Campbell showed significant improvement in Year 2 in the middle of the Lions‘ defense.

Every facet of Campbell’s game improved in 2024: His PFF overall grade jumped from 52.1 to 78.7, his PFF run-defense grade moved from 75.8 to 82.5 and his PFF tackling grade went from 66.4 to 83.1. But perhaps nowhere was he more impressive than in coverage, where his grade skyrocketed from 35.3 to 74.2 after he didn’t allow a touchdown and broke up three passes.