The New England Patriots had two players make the cut for ESPN’s top-100 MVPs of 2022, and unsurprisingly, both played on the defensive side of the ball.
In a list ranking the best players in the NFL, Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon came in at No. 24 and safety Kyle Dugger was listed at No. 61.
Judon led the entire league in sacks for most of the season and only finished behind Nick Bosa, Haason Reddick and Myles Garrett with 15.5 sacks total. He was a one-man wrecking machine that emerged into a legitimate superstar for the Patriots on the defensive side of the ball.
And he wasn’t alone.
Dugger might one day be considered one of the best safeties in football. The arrow is pointing to the stars for the former second-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft. He finished out the season with 78 tackles, eight pass deflections, three interceptions and two pick-sixes.
Dugger and Judon could be considered All-Pro snubs after the incredible seasons they had. Defense was the Patriots’ calling card in the 2022, and both defenders were big reasons for the unit’s success.
