If the 2024 NFL season ended today, Bill Barnwell believes 49ers star linebacker Fred Warner would walk away with the league's top defensive hardware.
Through four games, the ESPN writer picked his early favorites to win the NFL's most prestigious awards, such as MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and others.
For Defensive Player of the Year, it was a no-brainer to Barnwell.
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"I don't believe you'll hear many arguments from people suggesting Warner is anything but a great football player," Barnwell wrote. "In a league in which the meta has been about manipulating and isolating linebackers in pass coverage, he has been the exception for several years running.
"His snap running up the seam with CeeDee Lamb as a Tampa-2 pole defender in the 2022 playoffs is one of the best reps you'll ever see from a coverage linebacker given the circumstances and the matchup."
Warner has been on a tear this season, crediting his "dad strength" for the early dominance of his seventh pro season. Through the first four contests, Warner has 27 tackles, four passes defended, a league-leading three forced fumbles, two interceptions -- with one being an unbelievable 45-yard pick-six against the New England Patriots -- and one quarterback hit.
He also does a lot of the intangibles that don't always show up on a stat sheet but are impact plays, not to mention the vibe and intensity he brings alone are part of the defense's dominant culture.
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"Warner is doing this for a 49ers defense that needs him right now," Barnwell continued. "Dre Greenlaw is still on the PUP list after tearing an Achilles in the Super Bowl, while Javon Hargrave is out for the season and Talanoa Hufanga has only played 53 snaps. The 49ers have a great sack rate, but they're only slightly above league-average (13th) in pressure rate. They need Warner to be great.
"Through four games, he has been more impactful than any other defensive player in the league."
Warner is questionable for San Francisco's NFC West clash with the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, but there's no question he'll be back to his DPOY-like ways as soon as he steps foot on the gridiron.
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