Ranking fastest, slowest NFL teams: How all 32 rosters' speed stacks up and why it's crucial in today's game

The NFL will scour the Earth for a good 40-yard dash time. Just ask Denver Broncos wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni, who recalls scanning thousands of FCS and NAIA player times ahead of undrafted free agency in 2019.

"Trinity Benson was high on the list," Azzanni said.

Benson was a relative unknown out of East Central (Oklahoma) University with limited game film compared to bigger schools. But his long speed -- an official 4.44-second 40 time -- turned a perceived long shot into opportunity. The Broncos offered him $10,000 to sign. Two years later, Denver flipped Benson and a sixth-round pick to Detroit for future fifth- and seventh-round picks, and Benson is now part of Detroit's rotation with six catches on the year.

Speed is currency. Anyone with even a mild interest in the annual scouting combine knows this. So we asked around to discover exactly how teams identify it, acquire it, feel it -- and maximize it, to varied success. And with the help of Brian Burke at ESPN Stats & Information and data from NFL Next Gen Stats, we have created a ranking of which teams are the fastest and slowest on Sundays. To create the rankings, we factored in each team's fastest players at every position who see plenty of playing time, and we weighted each position's average yards covered per second for the players' fastest plays since the beginning of the 2020 season.

More on the exact process and the final rankings are below, and you can jump to see which teams are best set up to win a track meet. The list includes a few surprises. Not all fast teams are winners -- but at least they can keep up. But first, why is speed so important, and how is it playing a big part in the 2021 season?

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Why speed matters | Team takeaways
Our 1-32 team speed ranking

WHY SPEED MATTERS

Speed occupies the minds of coaches who scheme up plays all day. Before a joint practice with the New York Jets in August, Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni kept bringing up its importance as the ultimate roster equalizer.

"Any time you're like, 'Hey, I've got two players right here, who do I want, this guy or this guy, they are similar skill sets but this guy is way faster' ... you're always going to pick the faster guy," Sirianni said.

Sirianni's reasoning is simple: Speed gives you more flexibility as a playcaller to cover ground against complex defenses. The Eagles like their three primary receivers to play different positions, and it's no coincidence that Philly's top three receivers can all burn. Rookie DeVonta Smith didn't run a 40 pre-draft, but his burst is not an issue. Jalen Reagor and Quez Watkins are somewhere between the 4.3s and mid-4.4s. In our rankings, Philly ranked second in team speed at an average of 9.61 yards per second in part because of those three playmakers.

"It's nice to have those three guys that can really run," Sirianni said. "They help it in every aspect."

NFL offenses go heavy on pre-snap motion and crossing routes, which often require beating someone else to a spot for an easy catch. And quarterback arm strength is reaching impressive feats due to gifted young passers such as Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Josh Allen. Those guys need someone to catch up with their deep balls.

Elite speed is something you can feel but isn't always taught. That part must be earned at the NFL level. Raiders receiver Henry Ruggs III is the classic track-speed guy, with first-round billing in the 2020 draft due to his separation ability. But after a disappointing 26-catch rookie campaign for 452 yards, the Raiders told Ruggs he must make defenses feel his 4.2. Don't ease into routes -- go with force when the moment requires it.

Through seven games this season, Ruggs already has eclipsed last year's total yards with 467. His 51-yard reception in Week 4 against the Chargers marked the second-fastest speed reached by a ball carrier this season, when he hit the jets for 21.78 miles per hour, per NFL Next Gen Stats.

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46-year-old T.O. shows his speed vs. Tyreek Hill

Former NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens challenges Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill to a 40-yard dash and clocks a time of about 4.4 seconds.

Yet the Raiders are somehow 28th in receiver speed at 9.49 yards per second. Hunter Renfrow helps explain. He's one of the game's top slot receivers and leads Raiders receivers in targets (43) and receptions (31), but he's a 4.6 guy who utilizes quickness more than raw speed. No. 3 receiver Bryan Edwards is a big-bodied receiver who runs in the 4.5s. But Raiders receiver Zay Jones said it best when it comes to game speed: "It's not just a combine shirts and underwear 40s."

"This is grown-man football," said Jones, who has six catches for 72 yards and one touchdown for Las Vegas. "To be able to put it on film and to run by guys on film and to put up numbers, that's what proves it."

BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS

The Carolina Panthers are sitting on a four-game losing streak, but there's long-term hope in Carolina with a new owner, hedge fund manager David Tepper, hand-picking coach Matt Rhule and general manager Scott Fitterer in back-to-back years. The rebuild will take time, but the brain trust is working fast, thinking fast -- and prioritizing fast.

Carolina ranks first overall in the NFL in team speed with 9.62 yards covered per second, first in wide receiver speed (10.23 yards per second) and second at two other positions (defensive back and tight end).

No one knows the team's love of speed better than Evan Cooper, the Panthers' cornerbacks coach who also has a broader role: director of player evaluation. His job, in part, is to be an extension of Rhule.

"I learned very quickly he has a type," said Cooper, who was with Rhule at Temple and Baylor. "As long as I work for him, we share a type."

Rhule loves all the things most coaches love, including grit, hard work, poise and good character. But he also believes in the NFL truism that you can't teach height, weight, speed. That means Cooper spends countless hours looking for sneaky-fast gems. Fast players come into camp with a "little extra," and even if they don't play fast, their preparation and coaching should help them get there.

"We go all the way back to high-school track times," Cooper said. "We'll do all the legwork, check out GPS numbers. Some guys, it's pretty obvious, they are fast on tape. You don't need see a 40 from [Ravens receiver] Hollywood Brown to know he's fast. But we try to balance our eye and what the tape says and what's the numbers say and use as many clues as we can."

In fact, double-checking high-school triple-jump scores helped the Panthers feel good about signing defensive back Myles Hartsfield, an undrafted free agent out of Ole Miss who became Carolina's slot corner before injury. Hartsfield ran in the 4.4s but only had a Pro Day time, which some NFL teams consider unofficial.

The new regime acquired speedster receiver DJ Moore (the NFL's fourth-fastest player at an average of 10.43 yards per second), but recent WR additions Robby Anderson and Terrace Marshall Jr. both recorded unofficial sub-4.4 40s out of college. Safety Jeremy Chinn, at 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, is currently the league's 11th-fastest player at 10.33 yards per second. And he's in the same secondary as corner Donte Jackson, who has "drop-on-a-dime" speed, Cooper said.

While the Panthers try to turn speed into wins, a team that (usually) wins often is trying to find more speed.

The Kansas City Chiefs have started 3-4 thanks in part to a sluggish defense that ranks in the NFL's bottom third against the run and pass. They quickly came to the realization that the unit was too slow. While their wide receivers rank second in speed (no surprise with Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman), their linebackers rank 29th (8.67 yards per second). Their defensive backs are a more respectable 13th, but recently benched safety Daniel Sorensen had problems keeping up with receivers this season.

Overall, Kansas City ranks 25th in defensive speed at 9.42 yards per second. As a result, it inserted safety Juan Thornhill into the lineup and integrated Willie Gay into the linebacker rotation.

A few other observations from the data:

• Powerful running backs are among the fastest players in the league. Tailbacks Jonathan Taylor (Indianapolis Colts) and Derrick Henry (Tennessee Titans) are the fastest at their position (10.36 yards per second). Teams don't need a change-of-pace back to hit high speeds.

• Seattle Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf (6-4, 235 pounds) leads all wide receivers and is No. 2 overall at 10.48 yards per second. There's no one like him.

• Offensive players occupy four of the top six spots for fastest players, which makes sense since offenses dictate pace and players sprint to a spot. The Dallas Cowboys' star corner Trevon Diggs leads the league at No. 1, though, at 10.63 yards per second. And coming in at No. 6 is nine-year veteran corner Darius Slay (10.37 yards per second). Not bad for a 30-year-old! The Eagles are cratering at 2-5, but Slay is still running.

• Fast quarterbacks you'd expect? Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts and Kyler Murray. Their teams rank Nos. 1-3 in QB speed. The next two are more interesting: Daniel Jones and Ryan Tannehill. The New York Giants and Titans rank fourth and fifth, respectively, at 9.44 and 9.42 yards per second. The Giants are among the slowest in several categories, but Danny Dimes is helping prop up the offense.

• There's a common theme with the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets ranking Nos. 31 and 32, respectively, in overall speed: They are slow where it counts. Defensive back speed comprises much of the defensive ranking, and these teams are 29th and 22nd, respectively, in those spots. Neither invested heavily at cornerback or safety in the offseason for speed upgrades, and Browns corner Denzel Ward -- a legitimate speedster -- has missed time. The Jets are slow across the board, ranking no higher than 21st in any category, while the Browns are at least eighth at running back (9.57 yards per second), a position where they've invested more than $50 million between Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.

TEAM SPEED RANKINGS

Method: We found players' average yards covered per second by computing their five top speeds -- run and pass plays only -- recorded during the 2020 and 2021 seasons (through Week 6), using player-tracking data from NFL Next Gen Stats. Team, unit and position group speed were calculated with the top three WRs, two TEs, two RBs, two QBs, four DBs and 2 LBs from each team according to weighted average of top speed and snap count. Offense speed was weighted with 45% WR, 25% TE, 20% RB and 10% QB, while defense speed was weighted with 70% DB and 30% LB. Team speed is 50% offense and 50% defense. And lastly, players who changed teams count toward their current roster, and they must have made an appearance this season to factor in.

1. Carolina Panthers

Overall average yards per second: 9.62
Offense rank: No. 2 (9.57)
Defense rank: No. 4 (9.68)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: WR (No. 1, 10.23)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: RB (No. 31, 8.75)
Team speedster: DJ Moore, WR (10.43)

2. Philadelphia Eagles

Overall average yards per second: 9.61
Offense rank: No. 1 (9.64)
Defense rank: No. 13 (9.59)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: QB (No. 2, 9.79)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: DB (No. 15, 9.73)
Team speedster: Darius Slay, CB (10.37)

3. Seattle Seahawks

Overall average yards per second: 9.54
Offense rank: No. 4 (9.50)
Defense rank: No. 15 (9.57)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: WR (No. 3, 10.03)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: DB (No. 14, 9.73)
Team speedster: DK Metcalf, WR (10.48)

4. Dallas Cowboys

Overall average yards per second: 9.52
Offense rank: No. 16 (9.36)
Defense rank: No. 2 (9.69)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: DB (No. 1, 10.00)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: TE (No. 26, 8.42)
Team speedster: Trevon Diggs, CB (10.63)

5. Buffalo Bills

Overall average yards per second: 9.52
Offense rank: No. 11 (9.40)
Defense rank: No. 6 (9.64)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: QB (No. 7, 9.27)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: RB (No. 27, 9.05)
Team speedster: Taron Johnson, CB (10.17)

6. Los Angeles Chargers

Overall average yards per second: 9.52
Offense rank: No. 8 (9.44)
Defense rank: No. 11 (9.60)
Fastest units relative to NFL: QB/DB (No. 6, 9.31/9.89)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: LB (No. 21, 8.94)
Team speedster: Michael Davis, CB (10.21)

7. Washington Football Team

Overall average yards per second: 9.51
Offense rank: No. 9 (9.43)
Defense rank: No. 12 (9.60)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: LB (No. 4, 9.32)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: QB (No. 24, 8.54)
Team speedster: Terry McLaurin, WR (10.07)

8. Las Vegas Raiders

Overall average yards per second: 9.49
Offense rank: No. 14 (9.37)
Defense rank: No. 10 (9.60)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: TE (No. 1, 9.30)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: WR (No. 28, 9.51)
Team speedster: Henry Ruggs III, WR (10.34)

9. Tennessee Titans

Overall average yards per second: 9.48
Offense rank: No. 6 (9.48)
Defense rank: No. 21 (9.48)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: RB (No. 2, 10.02)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: TE (No. 31, 8.22)
Team speedster: Derrick Henry, RB (10.36)

10. Baltimore Ravens

Overall average yards per second: 9.47
Offense rank: No. 5 (9.50)
Defense rank: No. 23 (9.45)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: QB (No. 1, 10.03)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: RB (No. 26, 9.05)
Team speedster: Marquise Brown, WR (10.26)

11. Atlanta Falcons

Overall average yards per second: 9.47
Offense rank: No. 20 (9.28)
Defense rank: No. 5 (9.66)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: LB (No. 3, 9.34)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: QB (No. 27, 8.25)
Team speedster: A.J. Terrell, CB (10.05)

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Overall average yards per second: 9.46
Offense rank: No. 19 (9.29)
Defense rank: No. 7 (9.63)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: DB (No. 5, 9.89)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: QB (No. 31, 7.26)
Team speedster: Jamel Dean, CB (10.14)

13. Houston Texans

Overall average yards per second: 9.44
Offense rank: No. 22 (9.27)
Defense rank: No. 9 (9.60)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: LB (No. 2, 9.34)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: QB (No. 28, 7.84)
Team speedster: Brandin Cooks, WR (10.13)

14. Indianapolis Colts

Overall average yards per second: 9.43
Offense rank: No. 12 (9.40)
Defense rank: No. 22 (9.47)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: RB (No. 1, 10.17)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: DB (No. 30, 9.57)
Team speedster: Jonathan Taylor, RB (10.36)

15. Kansas City Chiefs

Overall average yards per second: 9.43
Offense rank: No. 7 (9.44)
Defense rank: No. 25 (9.42)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: WR (No. 2, 10.11)
Slowest units relative to NFL: LB/RB (No. 29, 8.67/8.80)
Team speedster: Tyreek Hill, WR (10.46)

16. Los Angeles Rams

Overall average yards per second: 9.43
Offense rank: No. 15 (9.36)
Defense rank: No. 20 (9.49)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: TE (No. 4, 9.15)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: QB (No. 26, 8.44)
Team speedster: DeSean Jackson, WR (10.25)

17. Denver Broncos

Overall average yards per second: 9.42
Offense rank: No. 3 (9.54)
Defense rank: No. 29 (9.31)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: TE (No. 4, 9.18)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: LB (No. 31, 8.62)
Team speedster: KJ Hamler, WR (10.26)

18. Jacksonville Jaguars

Overall average yards per second: 9.42
Offense rank: No. 26 (9.16)
Defense rank: No. 3 (9.68)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: LB (No. 6, 9.27)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: TE (No. 30, 8.25)
Team speedster: Shaquill Griffin, CB (10.18)

19. Cincinnati Bengals

Overall average yards per second: 9.42
Offense rank: No. 24 (9.21)
Defense rank: No. 8 (9.62)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: LB (No. 5, 9.30)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: TE (No. 28, 8.35)
Team speedster: Ja'Marr Chase, WR (10.06)

20. Miami Dolphins

Overall average yards per second: 9.40
Offense rank: No. 30 (9.08)
Defense rank: No. 1 (9.73)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: LB (No. 1, 9.54)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: RB (No. 28, 9.04)
Team speedster: William Fuller V, WR (10.16)

21. Detroit Lions

Overall average yards per second: 9.39
Offense rank: No. 21 (9.28)
Defense rank: No. 19 (9.50)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: LB (No. 14, 9.06)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: WR (No. 22, 9.68)
Team speedster: Jeff Okudah, CB (10.15)

22. Minnesota Vikings

Overall average yards per second: 9.39
Offense rank: No. 23 (9.26)
Defense rank: No. 17 (9.51)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: RB (No. 10, 9.53)
Slowest units relative to NFL: WR/TE (No. 24, 9.67/8.47)
Team speedster: Patrick Peterson, CB (10.15)

23. Arizona Cardinals

Overall average yards per second: 9.38
Offense rank: No. 18 (9.33)
Defense rank: No. 24 (9.44)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: QB (No. 3, 9.71)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: TE (No. 25, 8.45)
Team speedster: Christian Kirk, WR (10.13)

24. Green Bay Packers

Overall average yards per second: 9.35
Offense rank: No. 10 (9.42)
Defense rank: No. 32 (9.28)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: WR (No. 4, 9.98)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: LB (No. 32, 8.53)
Team speedster: Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR (10.37)

25. New York Giants

Overall average yards per second: 9.34
Offense rank: No. 13 (9.38)
Defense rank: No. 30 (9.30)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: QB (No. 4, 9.44)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: DB (No. 31, 9.56)
Team speedster: Adoree' Jackson, CB (10.14)

26. New Orleans Saints

Overall average yards per second: 9.33
Offense rank: No. 29 (9.10)
Defense rank: No. 16 (9.56)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: RB (No. 5, 9.65)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: TE (No. 32, 8.13)
Team speedster: Marshon Lattimore, CB (10.07)

27. Chicago Bears

Overall average yards per second: 9.32
Offense rank: No. 17 (9.35)
Defense rank: No. 31 (9.29)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: QB (No. 10, 9.06)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: DB (No. 32, 9.52)
Team speedster: Darnell Mooney, WR (10.14)

28. San Francisco 49ers

Overall average yards per second: 9.30
Offense rank: No. 28 (9.11)
Defense rank: No. 18 (9.50)
Fastest units relative to NFL: RB/LB (No. 11, 9.50/9.16)
Slowest units relative to NFL: WR/QB (No. 29, 9.51/7.79)
Team speedster: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB (10.09)

29. New England Patriots

Overall average yards per second: 9.29
Offense rank: No. 25 (9.20)
Defense rank: No. 26 (9.38)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: TE (No. 6, 9.09)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: QB (No. 30, 7.30)
Team speedster: Jonathan Jones, CB (10.21)

30. Pittsburgh Steelers

Overall average yards per second: 9.29
Offense rank: No. 32 (8.99)
Defense rank: No. 14 (9.59)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: DB (No. 3, 9.93)
Slowest units relative to NFL: RB/QB (No. 32, 8.69/7.18)
Team speedster: Terrell Edmunds, S (10.15)

31. Cleveland Browns

Overall average yards per second: 9.25
Offense rank: No. 27 (9.13)
Defense rank: No. 27 (9.36)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: RB (No. 8, 9.57)
Slowest unit relative to NFL: WR (No. 32, 9.34)
Team speedster: Nick Chubb, RB (9.99)

32. New York Jets

Overall average yards per second: 9.19
Offense rank: No. 31 (9.03)
Defense rank: No. 28 (9.34)
Fastest unit relative to NFL: WR (No. 21, 9.69)
Slowest units relative to NFL: RB/LB (No. 30, 8.76/8.64)
Team speedster: Keelan Cole, WR (9.94)