2023 Pre-Season Rank #70, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #101, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #125, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #125.  Peak Period: 2017-21

The last three seasons of Darius Slay’s career in Detroit were phenomenal (2017-19), but they came after three average years and a rookie year in which he only played four Games. Slay joined the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020, where he looked for a shot at the Super Bowl. While he did play in one, “Big Play Slay” hasn’t won the ring yet.

Nevertheless, Slay's second three-year Pro Bowl streak is ongoing, and still a top contender.

2023 Pre-Season Rank #23, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #35, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #54, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #73.

The Rams believed that Jalen Ramsey was the best Cornerback in the NFL, and they went all in to get him during the 2019 season when he was disgruntled in Jacksonville.  Ramsey was the top CB in 2020, adding a second First Team All-Pro, a fourth Pro Bowl, and posting a career-high in Approximate Value (15).  Currently, over the AV/G, Ramsey added another Pro Bowl, First Team All-Pro, and, more importantly, a Super Bowl in 2021, proving the Rams right.  Ramsey added a sixth Pro Bowl in 2022 and a seventh with his third team in Miami, which was impressive considering he only played ten games last year.

A seven-time Pro Bowl Corner will be challenging to keep out of Canton.

2023 Pre-Season Rank #52, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #60, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #56, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #57.  Peak Period: 2015-19.

Missing the entire 2021 Season with a torn ACL, Marcus Peters had a decent 2022 in Baltimore, but it was in the shadow of his past glory.  A three-time leader in Interception Return Yards and former Defensive Rookie of the Year, Peters flamed out badly in Las Vegas and is not the player he used to be.  It was a quick fall for a player once in the Top Cornerback in the NFL conversation.

2023 Pre-Season Rank #41, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #55, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #55, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #54.  Peak Period 2016-20

It is usually easy to rank former Defensive Players of the Year, but as we are ten years deep into the career of Stephon Gilmore, we now know what we have. After a decent run in Buffalo, Gilmore had an out-of-nowhere DPOY year in 2019 (though it did follow a good 2018), though he has not matched that year since.

Since then, Gilmore has been a hired gun, playing one year each in Carolina, Indianapolis, and Dallas, and is now on a one-year deal with Minnesota.  His veteran presence still makes him valuable, but bouncing between teams could impact his perception.