Which AFC West squad has the best pass rushing duo?

By: Khari Demos

And just like that, the AFC West might be the best division in the NFL. I mean, maybe even ever. Just look at how deep the division is at quarterback alone.

Absolute superstars, Pro Bowlers, and dare I say multiple Hall of Fame-level players. Russell Wilson was brought in to revive the Broncos. Justin Herbert seems poised to take the crown with the Chargers. Patrick Mahomes has had it since starting in 2018. And don’t forget the tough-as-nails Derek Carr, who just got his best friend to join him in supreme wideout Davante Adams.

So the only thing to do was to build elite pass-rushing units to stop them. First LA traded for 2016 Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack. Then Denver stole away Randy Gregory from the Cowboys. KC was able to bring back Frank Clark to play next to three-time Pro Bowler Chris Jones. Then it was Chandler Jones, as he joined the silver and black in Las Vegas ”” just days after the Raiders inked Maxx Crosby to a $94 million extension.

Things got spooky there over night. There are so many names of note here and they all should be feared. But who has the best duo to get after the QB? Here’s how I’ve got them ranked:

4. Denver Broncos

While I do like Gregory and all the talent he possesses, I’m not too sure if his $70 million price tag isn’t a little rich. In five seasons played (across seven years, due to suspensions), the Nebraska product has never topped more than six sacks in a season. In 2021, he had career-highs with 17 QB hits and 29 total pressures.

I know stats don’t mean everything, but it’s hard to ignore Gregory’s lack thereof. He might be more of a presence than the numbers would show, but he also should be producing similarly to players in his pay range. Gregory’s average annual salary ($14 million) is just behind Danielle Hunter ($14.4 million) and right above Yannick Ngakoue ($13 million).

Ngakoue has had six seasons with eight or more sacks in his career, while Hunter has gone for six or more in each of his six seasons, including three seasons with 12.5 or more. Gregory, on the other hand, tied a career-best with six last season. Gregory could argue for being a more complete player than Ngakoue, but he has not been nearly as consistent as Hunter, even after he missed 10 games last season.

Now Gregory’s new pass-rushing partner, Bradley Chubb, is an extremely talented player in his own right. The 2018 first-round pick came out blazing hot to start his career, tallying 12 sacks as a rookie. After tearing his ACL in 2019, Chubb put together a Pro Bowl 2020 campaign where he recorded 7.5 sacks, 19 QB hits and 34 pressures.

But the injury bug bit Chubb again in 2021, as he missed 10 games due to an ankle injury.

As consistent of a performer as the NC State product is on the field, his availability has hampered his status ”” since 2019, Chubb has played 23 games for an average of 7.67 per season. So health permitting, Chubb could build a great tandem with Gregory. But thinking about their lack of availability ”” Gregory has only played in 22 games since 2019 ”” this unit may have the most question marks coming in.

3. Kansas City Chiefs

The KC pass rush starts and ends with Jones, as he’s posted four straight seasons at 7.5 sacks or more. In fact, amongst all players since 2018, the three-time All-Pro ranks fourth in the NFL in terms of sacks. Jones’ 41 trail only Aaron Donald (59), Myles Garrett (51.5), and Cameron Jordan (47.5) in that span.

That type of production is unique, especially for a defensive tackle. The former Mississippi State Bulldog only trails Donald in terms of sacks from players at the position since ’18. Jones is also the king of pushing the pocket from the interior ”” not only does he have 29 career pass deflections, Jones has totaled 154 pressures since 2018 as well.

But as a DT, Jones needed a formidable counterpart with him on the edge. Enter Clark, as he’s made three consecutive Pro Bowls since coming in from Seattle. Now he may not have the sack totals (18.5 since 2019), but his pressure rates overall are tremendously high.

With 46 QB hits over the past three seasons, Clark has also compiled 81 total pressures in that stretch. But the Michigan product really turned up the heat in postseason play ”” while with the Chiefs, Clark recorded a sack in five of his first six playoff games for a total of eight.

But both Clark and Jones had their struggles last postseason, as they both were held sackless in games against the Steelers, Bills, and Bengals. Ironically, Jones has yet to earn a postseason sack throughout his career.

Jones may be one of the top DTs overall in the league, and Clark may be one of the biggest disruptors in the game coming off the edge. But being able to send double teams Jones’ way inside, and Clark’s inability to top double-digit sacks since 2018, this duo does seem to have a bit of a ceiling in terms of being the go-to pass rush in the division.

2. Las Vegas Raiders

Jones and Crosby, in my opinion, bring the most flash as a tandem. Mad Maxx is coming off his first All-Pro selection this season, as he netted eight sacks, 30 QB hits, 19 QB knockdowns, and 42 total pressures.

The 2021 season may have been a coming out party for Crosby nationally, but he’s been superb throughout his Raiders tenure. He’s recorded seven or more sacks in each of his three seasons, as well as 31 or more total pressures in each of those seasons. Not to make light of the situation, but that’s amazing considering the struggles Crosby had with his addiction early on in the league.

For Jones, he was stellar in Arizona once again ”” with 10.5 sacks in 2021, the Syracuse product recorded his seventh double-digit sack season in his career. Jones also added 26 QB hits, 17 QB knockdowns, and 36 total pressures.

Not to hate on a player I have rooted for as a native of Western New York personally (just down the road from his home of Rochester), but Jones’ 2021 season is a bit inflated with the sack numbers. You must remember, the four-time Pro Bowler registered five against the Tennessee Titans in Week 1, so that means he had 5.5 in his final 14 games played.

And that’s not to diminish him for his ’21 season, that’s just the facts of the matter. Maybe this was a byproduct of Haason Reddick joining the Panthers last season. But that’s definitely not a sight you like to see for a player who’s entering the twilight of his career at age 32.

I struggled so much with this one so much because I believe so much in this duo. Ironically, I think what held me back from making them #1 was because I think they’re more complete, dominant edge players, rather than just elite in the pass rush part of things. Yes, they both are known to get after QBs, but I believe their biggest strengths show in the run game as well.

So with that being said, we have our last duo to crown.

1. Los Angeles Chargers

Bosa and Mack have the potential to be one of the greatest edge rushing duos ever. Bosa tallied 10.5 sacks last season, the fourth time he’s gone for double-digits in his six career seasons. The two seasons he didn’t? He was on pace to do so, but he missed 15 total games of action to slow him down a bit (2018, 2020).

The Ohio State product has been downright scary over the past three seasons ”” since 2019, Bosa has posted 54, 45, and 43 pressures in those respective campaigns.

Now comes in Mack, a four-time All-Pro and 2010s All-Decade performer. From 2015-20, Mack had 8.5 sacks or more in each season, including a career-high 15 in 2015. That streak ended in 2021, but the numbers lie a bit on that.

Mack only totaled six sacks on the season, but he did that in only seven games played after going through foot surgery in November. My former UB teammate also wrecked havoc in terms of pressures before the ’21 campaign, posting 47, 45, and 31 in 2018, 2019, and 2020, respectively.

The case I really want to make for these two is that they’ve played some of their best ball when they had another formidable rusher with them. Whether it was Mack having 21.5 sacks in 2016 and 2017 playing across from Bruce Irvin, or his 12.5 with a healthy Akiem Hicks inside in Chicago in 2018, as well as Bosa’s 47.5 sacks in his first five seasons playing the opposite side of Melvin Ingram, the numbers bear proof.

So I’m taking the tandem that has a former NFL DPOY and has combined for 10 Pro Bowl selections. There’s a lot of different ways you can look at this argument, but Mack and Bosa seem to be just a notch above when it comes to getting after QBs, in my opinion.

But above all, we get to watch them all chase Russ, Herbert, Carr, and Mahomes all season. Man oh man, get your popcorn ready.