CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 18: Cameron Heyward #97 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates with T.J. Watt #90 after a sack against Sam Darnold #14 of the Carolina Panthers during the third quarter of the game at Bank of America Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
NFL 2023: Ranking 5 best pass rush duos in the league
A good pass rush can get you to the playoffs in the NFL. A great pass rush? Well, that can help you close out a championship. A great pass rush in today’s NFL is really a non-negotiable if you are a team with championship aspirations. Whether you get the job done as a team or one elite individual carries a unit, you need to have a great pass rush to win consistently in the NFL.
And that’s why so many teams invest heavily in that regard. The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles — champions of the AFC and NFC respectively — finished 2nd and 1st in the NFL in total sacks per game last season. How about that?
Getting pressure is mission-critical, so which NFL teams have the best pass-rush duos in 2023? Let’s take a look at the top five.
Top 5 best pass rush duos in the NFL in 2023
NFL 2023: Bradley Chubb #2 of the Miami Dolphins rushes the quarterback during an NFL football game against the New York Jets at Hard Rock Stadium on January 8, 2023 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
NFL pass-rush duo no. 5: Miami Dolphins — Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb
The Miami Dolphins don’t get a ton of attention for having one of the best pass-rush duos in the entire NFL so we’re going to give them their flowers for a bit. The duo of Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb is not only one of the best in the NFL, but it’s also got the potential among this list for the greatest longevity.
The Dolphins selected Phillips in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Miami and he’s been fantastic since his arrival. He’s got 41 QB hits and 15.5 sacks in his first two NFL seasons along with 62 total pressures. His 36 QB pressures last season ranked 10th overall in the NFL and his 25 QB hits were just three off from ranking in the top five in the league.
The Dolphins realized their need for another option in the pass-rush department last year, so they traded a first-round pick (and then some) to the Denver Broncos to acquire Bradley Chubb. Chubb, when healthy, has been a consistently underrated pass rusher. The former 5th overall pick out of NC State earned a big-money contract from Miami for his work in Denver, and he posted one of the best seasons of his NFL career in 2022 with 8.0 sacks, 20 QB hits, and 3 forced fumbles.
Now, this pass-rush duo is going to be coached up by the all-time great Vic Fangio, one of the best in league history at scheming up a dominant defense.
