The most important non-QB on every NFL team

The quarterback is the most important position in the NFL, but it takes additional great players to win. Following the 2022 season, these are the most important players other than the quarterback on each of the 32 NFL teams.

A five-time Pro Bowler, Hopkins has effectively replaced Larry Fitzgerald as Arizona's top receiver. After a great first season with Arizona in 2020, he played only 10 games in 2021 and it showed in the team's late-season plunge.

The Falcons had a rough year in 2021, but Patterson was one of the few bright spots. He finished the year with 1,166 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns as he entered free agency.

Baltimore's defense is loaded with talent, and Humphrey is perhaps their most effective player. He's become a shutdown cornerback in five seasons, and a late-season injury was felt in the Baltimore secondary during 2021.

Diggs has helped transform the Bills offense over the last two seasons. He's made back-to-back Pro Bowls and now have four consecutive seasons with over 1,000 yards receiving.

There isn't a running back in football who is a bigger part of their offense than McCaffrey, and that's shown with Carolina's struggles when he's been hurt over the last two years.

The Bears paid the Raiders a hefty price to acquire Mack in 2018. He's been the face of an elite Chicago defense over the last four seasons.

The Bengals went from bottom feeders to AFC Champs in large part due to Chase's rookie contribution. The first-round pick had 81 catches for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns, averaging 18 yards per catch.

Garrett was the first overall pick in the 2017 draft, and has quickly become an elite pass rusher. He's made the Pro Bowl three times with 58.5 career sacks.

Smith is one of the best offensive linemen of his era, and injuries in recent seasons have stood out. The eight-time Pro Bowl is one of the rare offensive linemen who makes a clear difference in each game.

After trading Von Miller, Simmons has become the face of Denver's defense. He was second team All-Pro for the second time in three years in 2021.

St. Brown was one of the few bright spots in a forgettable 2021 season for Detroit. He finished his rookie campaign with 90 catches for 912 yards and five touchdowns.

Entering free agency in 2022, Adams is arguably the best wide receiver in the game. He's been an All-Pro in back-to-back seasons, finishing 2021 with a career-high 1,553 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Few recognizable players were left after Houston's 2021 teardown, but Cooks was one of them. The veteran had over 1,000 yards receiving, reaching that benchmark for the sixth time in his career.

Leonard has given the Colts quite a return on their 2018 second-round draft choice, becoming an All-Pro twice in four seasons. He also won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2018.

Allen has been one of the few consistent performers on Jacksonville's defense recently. The 2019 first-round pick has 20.5 sacks over three seasons.

Hill has once in a generation speed that completely changes the way defenses play the Chiefs.  He's made the Pro Bowl in al six of his seasons and has been an All-Pro three times.

Waller has managed to overcome off-field issues to be one of the top tight ends in the game. He made the Pro Bowl in 2020 but did regress in 2021 due to injuries.

Bosa is one of the highest paid defensive players in the league and for good reason. He's made four Pro Bowls and had 58 sacks in six seasons.

There might not be a more dominant defensive player in football than Donald, who has won three Defensive Player of the Year Awards and been an All-Pro in seven of his eight NFL seasons. 

Waddle made his presence felt in his rookie season, with 104 catches for 1,015 yards and seven touchdowns. New head coach Mike McDaniel has already said he will be a huge part of the new offense.

Minnesota has several cornerstone players on defense, but Hunter's importance has never been greater. Injuries over the last two seasons and the resulting decline of the defense have clearly shown.

Judon was a great free agent addition for the Pats in 2021, with 12.5 sacks. He helped revamp an elite defense.

Thomas had one of the best seasons by a receiver in history during 2019, with 149 receptions and 1,725 receiving yards. Injuries over the last two seasons have really hurt New Orleans offense.

As Daniel Jones develops at quarterback, he will continue to lean on his running back. Barkley led the NFL in yards from scrimmage in his rookie season but has struggled with injuries since then. The new coaching staff needs a healthy Barkley for the offense to reach its potential.

Williams has slowly ascended to become one of the top interior pass rushers in the league. He has 15.5 sacks over three seasons.

Philadelphia's secondary has been drastically improved over the last two seasons since adding Slay. He made his fourth career Pro Bowl in 2021.

Watt is one of many stars in the Steelers defense, and has led the NFL in sacks back-to-back years. His 2021 performance helped him win Defensive Player of the Year.

San Francisco's offense completely transformed in 2021 when Samuel was used more often as a running back. He finished the year as an All-Pro with 1,770 yards from scrimmage and 14 touchdowns.

Since being drafted in 2012, Wagner has basically seen two generations of Seahawks defensive personnel and helped the defense stay afloat more recently. He has an incredible streak of eight consecutive Pro Bowls and All-Pro designations in six seasons.

White has become the backbone of the Bucs defense over the last two years, helping them perform consistently elite against the run. He made his first Pro Bowl in 2021 with 128 tackles and 3.5 sacks.

Henry led the NFL in rushing in 2019 and 2020 before missing nine games with a foot injury last season. He remains on the short list of the best backs in the league.

Washington has a lot of defensive talent, but the offense is still building. There are limited weapons on the unit currently, though McLaurin is an exception. H's been great in three consecutive seasons, now with over 3,000 yards in his career.