Last season may have been a down year by Brent Grimes' standards, but it didn't alter his position among the best cornerbacks in the league.
Although he missed four games and had only one interception last season, ProFootballFocus.com, a highly regarded football statistical analysis website, still places Grimes among the league's best.
After Darrelle Revis, the openly accepted best corner in the NFL, Grimes made PFF.com's list as one of the next three veteran players in the league chasing Revis' spot atop the best corner in the league category.
Grouped with Grimes is Houston's Johnathan Joseph and Philadelphia's Nnamdi Asomugha.
PFF.com says Grimes allowed a completion in just 44.6 percent of the balls thrown at him in coverage and broke up 12 passes in addition to his one interception. The only knock they could find against Grimes is the injury he sustained last year. Although he only had the one interception, the low number of completions he allowed showed how well he plays his space. As Grimes has continued to play corner at a high level in recent years he's gotten more and more respect from opposing quarterbacks and fewer balls are thrown his way.
Grimes will return to Atlanta for another season with the Falcons this year and the addition of Asante Samuel to the duo that Grimes and Dunta Robinson make up give the Falcons an imposing trio of corners. The addition of Samuel will allow Robinson to slide inside to cover the slot receiver on certain downs. This offseason Robinson has said that's his preferred position, meaning each corner can play the position they play best.
After the Grimes' category, other cornerbacks recognized as being excellent were Joe Haden, Brandon Flowers and Ladarius Webb.
