Al Galdi: Ron Rivera Wanting To Keep Ryan Kerrigan Around Could Be Because Of Analytics

Al Galdi explains why Ron Rivera wanting to keep Ryan Kerrigan as part of the Washington Football Team’s plan for 2020 may something to do with analytics…

Ron Rivera in a conversation with Washington Football Team insider JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis and said that Ryan Kerrigan is in the Washington Football Team’s plans for 2020, saying “We had a great conversation with Ryan. It was awesome…He’s all fired up about getting ready for next season…I do know he’s a guy that we really do look forward to having around.”  And when asked by JP whether Ryan is a part of the plan for 2020, Ron said, “Yes he is. Most certainly…We did our core…Ryan is part of that plan going forward.”

Kerrigan is set to have a salary-cap number of $11.69 million for 2020, which is the final season of a five-year, $57.5 million contract extension that he signed in July 2015. The 2020 season will be Kerrigan’s age-32 season.

The Washington Football Team placed Kerrigan on the reserve/injured list in mid December of 2019, due to a calf injury that was suffered in the loss at the Green Bay Packers in Week 14. Kerrigan in that game returned from a one-game absence caused by a concussion that was suffered in the 19-16 win over the Detroit Lions at FedEx Field in Week 12. The one-game absence snapped streaks of 139 consecutive regular-season games and starts to begin his career. And Kerrigan incredibly got hurt in his return, as he suffered a calf injury on the opening rive of the second half and ultimately played on just 52 percent of the Washington Football Team’s defensive snaps.

Kerrigan over 12 games in 2019 had a career-low 5.5 sacks. But it’s worth noting that his pressure numbers were not bad. He per Sportradar totaled 25 pressures. Kerrigan over 16 games in 2018, when he had 13 sacks, totaled 30 pressures. And consider this from Pro Football Focus: Kerrigan in 2019 led all Washington Football Team edge rushers with 37 pressures, a pressure percentage of 13.1 and a pass-rush win percentage of 12.8. Pressures matter. Seattle Seahawks edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney in 2019 had just three sacks but per Sportradar totaled 30 pressures. Chicago Bears edge rusher Khalil Mack in 2019 had 8.5 sacks in 2019 as compared to 12.5 sacks in 2018 despite per Sportradar totaling about the same amount of pressures (45 versus 47).

Kerrigan has 26 career regular-season forced fumbles over nine seasons. 15 of those came over his first four seasons.

Kerrigan in 2016 had 11 sacks. But 10 of the 11 sacks were first-half sacks

Kerrigan is one sack away from tying Dexter Manley’s record for career regular-season sacks with the Washington Football Team. Kerrigan has 90 career regular-season sacks in 140 games. Dexter had 91 (in 125 games).

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Al Galdi: Ron Rivera Wanting To Keep Ryan Kerrigan Around Could Be Because Of Analytics  was originally published on theteam980.com