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GB’s Parsons, McKinney voted among NFL’s best

Myles Garrett has been the NFL’s dominant defensive player for years, leading to his record-setting campaign with 23 sacks last season before being traded in June from Cleveland to the Los Angeles Rams.

Garrett’s performance helped him earn the honor of being named the top off-ball linebacker in the NFL by The Associated Press.

A panel of eight AP Pro Football Writers ranked the top five players at edge rusher, basing selections on current status entering the 2026 season. First-place votes were worth 10 points. Second- through fifth-place votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.

Garrett got all eight first-place votes and won the voting with 80 points. Green Bay’s Micah Parsons was the only other player named on all eight ballots and was second with 27 points. Houston’s Will Anderson Jr. was third, Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt was fourth and Detroit’s Aidan Hutchinson was fifth.

Brian Burns of the New York Giants, Baltimore’s Trey Hendrickson, Las Vegas’ Maxx Crosby, San Francisco’s Nick Bosa and Jacksonville’s Josh Hines-Allen also received votes.

1. Myles Garrett, Los Angeles Rams

Garrett won his second AP Defensive Player of the Year award last season and earned All-Pro honors for the fifth time after breaking the single-season sack record held by Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt. His 125 1/2 career sacks are the second-most to Reggie White among players in their first nine seasons in the NFL and Garrett is the only player with five straight seasons with at least 14 sacks.

Now after playing in only three playoff games in his career with the Browns, Garrett could have a chance to deliver in the postseason following the trade to the preseason Super Bowl favorite Rams.

2. Micah Parsons, Green Bay Packers

Parsons was dealt from Dallas to Green Bay before last season and delivered 12 1/2 sacks in 14 games while earning his third career All-Pro honor. Parsons’ season ended early following a torn ACL in Week 15 that is expected to sideline him for at least the start of this season.

But Parsons has performed at a high level every year in the NFL and is the only player ever to start his career with five straight seasons with at least 12 sacks.

3. Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans

Anderson is the anchor of one of the NFL’s top defenses and earned his first All-Pro honor last season when he had 12 sacks and 20 tackles for loss. He turned that performance into a three-year, $150 million contract extension in the offseason.

In three seasons with the Texans, the 24-year-old Anderson has piled up 30 sacks and 136 tackles, including 46 for loss. He also has 64 quarterback hits in his career and has forced four fumbles and recovered three.

4. T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers

Watt’s production has dipped a bit in recent years but he still remains one of the game’s top pass rushers. He had seven sacks in 14 games last season when he earned his eighth straight Pro Bowl bid.

He has led the NFL in sacks three times and has 115 for his career.

5. Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions

The No. 2 pick in the 2022 draft bounced back from an injury-shortened 2024 campaign to record a career high last season with 14 1/2 sacks to make his second Pro Bowl and be named a second-team All-Pro.

Hutchinson has 43 sacks, 100 quarterback hits, 44 tackles for loss and five INTs in 56 career games.

Kyle Hamilton, who does it all for the Baltimore Ravens defense, was voted the top safety.

The two-time All-Pro can play slot cornerback and cover receivers or tight ends. He can play in the box and stop the run. He can drop into zone and play traditional deep safety. He can blitz.

Hamilton received six first-place votes. All-Pro Kevin Byard finished second, followed by Derwin James, Antoine Winfield Jr. and Xavier McKinney.

1. Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore Ravens

Hamilton is an elite defensive back no matter where he plays. He can line up anywhere, giving the defense multiple options and the offense fits.

He had no interceptions and one sack and received 46 of 50 votes for first-team All-Pro last season because his value isn’t measured in glamorous stats. Opposing quarterbacks had a 49 rating when Hamilton was on the field and 90 when he was off it.

Hamilton forced two fumbles, had seven tackles for loss and 105 overall.

2. Kevin Byard, New England Patriots

Byard led the NFL with seven interceptions last season and earned his third All-Pro honors.

He’s a prototypical modern safety who can be a traditional deep centerfielder, quick and savvy enough to undercut routes in man coverage. He’s also strong against the run.

Byard received two first-place votes, one second and one fourth, appearing on four ballots.

3. Derwin James Jr., Los Angeles Chargers

James is another versatile hybrid safety who earned second-team All-Pro honors at slot cornerback last year.

James had three interceptions, two sacks, one forced fumble, 94 tackles and six for a loss.

The Chargers line James up in the box, the slot, or at deep safety and he produces from each spot.

4. Antoine Winfield Jr., Tampa Bay Buccaneers

A 2023 All-Pro, Winfield bounced back from an injury-plagued season to make the Pro Bowl roster last year.

He had two interceptions, one sack, one forced fumble, 93 tackles and four for a loss.

Winfield is a versatile playmaker with excellent ball-tracking ability. He has 18 career sacks, nine interceptions and 12 forced fumbles in six seasons.

5. Xavier McKinney, Green Bay Packers

McKinney followed up his first All-Pro season by earning second-team honors in 2025.

He had two interceptions, 107 tackles, one forced fumble and one sack.

McKinney can play traditional free safety, step into the box and disguise coverages.