Chase Winovich remains in the hunt for individual glory in his debut NFL season.
The Ringer’s Danny Heifetz’s ranked the New England Patriots defensive end among the “honorable mentions” Tuesday on his list of NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year contenders. San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa is the heavy favorite to win the award, while Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Allen and Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Devin Bush Jr. are other contenders. Barring a collective nosedive from the aforementioned trio, here’s why Winovich probably will struggle to escape the “honorable mention” category.
“He might go down as a better player than his more heralded Michigan teammate, Rashan Gary.”
While that might not sound like the most ringing endorsement for Winovich, it’s worth remembering the Patriots selected him in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, and he largely has delivered he demonstrated during his college career. He has appeared in all nine of the Patriots’ games this season, registering six solo tackles with four-and-a-half sacks and one (costly) fumble return for a touchdown.
Sure, Bosa seems to be running away with the Defensive Rookie of the Year honor, but Winovich still has impressed enough to crack Heifetz’s list and leave Gary, the 12th overall pick in this year’s draft, in his wake.
