Ranking the NFL's Best Cornerback Duos Ahead of the 2023 Season

During the last half-decade, pass production in the NFL has reached unparalleled levels. Star quarterbacks and wide receivers remain some of the most recognizable players in the game.

But they occasionally run into a couple of lockdown cornerbacks.

Last season, Philadelphia Eagles duo Darius Slay and James Bradberry headlined the list of top tandems at the position. In 2023, they'll likely have company from a newly formed duo also within the NFC East.

The ranking is naturally subjective, but the choices are largely based on recent production and performance.

6. Cincinnati Bengals

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Mike Hilton and Chidobe Awuzie

Among the duos featured here, the least-known tandem probably belongs to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Mike Hilton and Chidobe Awuzie are excellent, though.

Despite his unassuming 5'9" stature, Hilton has earned a spot in the conversation as the NFL's top blitzer from the slot. He's a physical, intelligent player who's produced 126 tackles with 12 for loss in two years on the Bengals. Plus, he's limited opponents to 6.4 yards or less per target during four of the last five seasons.

Injuries have limited Awuzie to 22 games in 2021 and 2022 combined, Still, he's thrived when healthy. Awuzie has ceded an outstanding 4.5 yards per target in his time with the Bengals.

Joe Burrow and a star-packed receiving corps land most of the attention, but Hilton and Awuzie are two more standouts in Cincinnati.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Carlton Davis III and Jamel Dean

Considering the salary-cap crunch the Tampa Bay Buccaneers faced this offseason, it seemed Carlton Davis III and Jamel Dean had played their last snaps together (for now, at least) in 2022.

Tampa, however, pulled off a surprise when it ponied up $52 million to retain Dean on a four-year contract.

While expensive, that decision keeps a promising duo intact. Both players have allowed less than 6.7 yards per target in three of the last four seasons. Unsurprisingly, since Dean entered the league in 2019, the Bucs have finished no worse than 11th in yards allowed per pass attempt.

Tampa has many concerns to address as the post-Tom Brady era begins, but cornerback is very likely not one.

4. New York Jets

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Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed

Did you know the New York Jets co-led the NFL in yards allowed per attempt last season? Largely, they can point to Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed for that accomplishment.

Gardner, the No. 4 overall pick of the 2022 draft, rapidly established himself as an elite pro corner. After notching 75 tackles with a league-best 20 pass defenses and two interceptions, he earned first-team All-Pro honors and AP Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Reed signed with the Jets in free agency last offseason and continued an ascent that started with the Seattle Seahawks. He yielded just 5.8 yards per target for the second year in a row.

While the arrival of Aaron Rodgers is the franchise's main story, Gardner and Reed are a tremendous sidebar.

3. Miami Dolphins

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Xavien Howard and Jalen Ramsey

The first of this ranking's two newly formed standout duos can be found on the Miami Dolphins.

As the Los Angeles Rams embraced a defensive overhaul, they shipped Jalen Ramsey across the country. The three-time AP All-Pro selection, who's racked up 34 pass defenses with eight interceptions in the last two seasons, found a comfortable landing spot in Miami.

Opposite him will be Xavien Howard, one of the league's top ballhawks. He's tallied 28 picks in four seasons, leading the league in interceptions during the 2018 and 2020 campaigns.

Howard needs to recover from a down 2022—he ceded 9.3 yards per target—but Ramsey's proximity can spark that resurgence.

2. Dallas Cowboys

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Trevon Diggs

Thanks to one of the offseason's biggest moves, the Dallas Cowboys have an excellent chance to claim the No. 1 spot.

Dallas sent a fifth-round draft pick to the Indianapolis Colts for Stephon Gilmore, a highly respected veteran. He's surrendered no more than 6.7 yards per target in each of the last five years.

Gilmore offers a steady presence, while Trevon Diggs is more of a playmaker. He's liable to occasionally get toasted on double moves, yes. But since he's snagged 17 interceptions in three NFL seasons, the Cowboys will gladly put up with Diggs' aggressive style.

Factor in DaRon Bland, a breakout rookie in 2022, and Dallas has a well-built coverage unit for the 2023 campaign.

1. Philadelphia Eagles

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Darius Slay

Might be tough to throw against the best NFC East teams, huh?

That's nothing new when preparing for Philadelphia, which boasted Darius Slay and James Bradberry in 2022 anyway. The defense has to replace C.J. Gardner-Johnson but returns its fixtures on the outside.

Slay struggled during his team debut in 2020 but has since yielded no more than 6.7 yards per target.

Bradberry has long been an effective NFL player. Last season, though, the 2022 free-agent pickup had a career-best year. Bradberry clamped down on his responsibility at a stellar 4.4 yards per target, and he secured second-team All-Pro recognition for the performance.

Philadelphia is fortunate to have a pair of championship-caliber corners in its pursuit of another trip to the Super Bowl.