Darren Howard ranks in the all-time elite tier for pass rushers β a career that places Howard in the top 10% of all players at the position. The Knox value model assigns Howard a career score of 81, reflecting sustained impact that most players at the position never approach.
Darren Howard
Top 6% all-time pass rushersElite Playmaker
A top 10% all-time edge rusher who consistently made an impact across multiple seasons.
Career Value Β· VORP
VORP 233 Β· #271 Β· EliteWorth 233 points of value above a freely-available replacement edge rusher β top 7% of all 4,642 ranked at the position. 9 of 10 seasons cleared the replacement bar, by +25.9 on average.See board β
Seasons above replacement
9 cleared
Beat replacement (adds to VORP) Below it β adds 0, never a debit
51
Replacement
the KC-H bar
β
9
Seasons over
cleared the bar
Γ
+25.9
Avg surplus
peak +44
9 seasons Γ ~25.9 surplus β VORP 233
Combined Season Grid
The full season-by-season grids, joined on one timeline. Every selected stat family stays visible at onceβno tab hopping.
1 grid split in one view
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Defense | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tkl | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBHits | Sk | Dis | Int | PD | FF | FR | TD | Sfty | |||||
| 2000 | β | NO | 16 | β | 40 | 25 | 15 | 15 | 11 | 11.0 | 37.0 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 | β | NO | 16 | β | 42 | 24 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 6.0 | 18.0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | β | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | β | NO | 15 | β | 40 | 27 | 13 | 9 | 7 | 8.0 | 24.0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | β | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | β | NO | 7 | β | 26 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | β | NO | 13 | β | 37 | 28 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | β | NO | 10 | β | 25 | 16 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | β | PHI | 14 | β | 31 | 19 | 12 | 0 | 7 | 5.0 | 12.0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | β | PHI | 9 | β | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | β | PHI | 15 | β | 25 | 20 | 5 | 13 | 17 | 10.0 | 40.0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | β | PHI | 10 | β | 20 | 18 | 2 | 7 | 10 | 6.5 | 23.5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | β | 0 | 1 |
| Career | β | 125 | β | 292 | 203 | 89 | 52 | 58 | 68.0 | 178.0 | 3 | 33 | 17 | 10 | 0 | 1 | |
Defense
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Tkl | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBHits | Sk | Dis | Int | PD | FF | FR | TD | Sfty | VAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 24 | NO | 16 | β | 40 | 25 | 15 | 15 | 11 | 11.0 | 37.0 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 17.5 |
| 2001 | 25 | NO | 16 | β | 42 | 24 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 6.0 | 18.0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | β | 0 | 0 | 13.3 |
| 2002 | 26 | NO | 15 | β | 40 | 27 | 13 | 9 | 7 | 8.0 | 24.0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | β | 0 | 0 | 14.8 |
| 2003 | 27 | NO | 7 | β | 26 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6.1 |
| 2004 | 28 | NO | 13 | β | 37 | 28 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 14.7 |
| 2005 | 29 | NO | 10 | β | 25 | 16 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8.6 |
| 2006 | 30 | PHI | 14 | β | 31 | 19 | 12 | 0 | 7 | 5.0 | 12.0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11.2 |
| 2007 | 31 | PHI | 9 | β | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 | 4.1 |
| 2008 | 32 | PHI | 15 | β | 25 | 20 | 5 | 13 | 17 | 10.0 | 40.0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18.8 |
| 2009 | 33 | PHI | 10 | β | 20 | 18 | 2 | 7 | 10 | 6.5 | 23.5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | β | 0 | 1 | 12.2 |
| Career | 125 | 292 | 203 | 89 | 52 | 58 | β | β | 3 | 33 | 17 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 121.3 |
KV-H Anatomy
KV-H 81 Β· GreatA great career by KV-H: a peak-driven profile that scores 81 of 100, era-normalized against sacks/g peers across 10 scored seasons.
76
Sustained
career value
Γ.6
88
Peak
best 3 seasons
Γ.4
Γ1
Longevity
career length
Blend 80.8 Γ longevity 1 = KV-H 81Β· confidence 99%
What builds the career mark of 76
On-field 59.4
Availability 16.6
On-field production Staying available
Season-by-season quality (era-relative sacks/g)
2000bestavg 74elite 702009
All-Time Standing
how this career measures against the all-time greats at the position34
Depth
of 100
Reached 34% of the all-time Sacks leader β a rotational/depth all-time profile at the position.
34% of the all-time Sacks leader34
1 category β₯25% of the all-time leader33
A 0β100 scale where 100 = matched the all-time leaderat this position. Built only from visible encyclopedia data β career production vs. the all-time leader, plus efficiency (EPA) and comparable-player confidence β so it's a transparent context score, not a subjective rating. Tiers: Elite β₯ 85 Β· Strong β₯ 65 Β· Solid β₯ 45 Β· Depth < 45. Comparable-player confidence: 94%.
Career Aging Trajectory
vs. position group average Β· KV-H basisAmber = this player (normalized to own peak). Indigo = average edge rushers aging curve. Group peak age: 25. Source: StatVault KV-H era (1999+).
Combine Β· 2000
Percentiles compare each raw measurement against position peers, the full combine pool, and the same draft class where enough samples exist.
5.09s
40-Yard
Low Β· 6th pct
Pos 6thAll 16thClass Pos 16thClass All 14th
29"
Vertical
Low Β· 9th pct
Pos 9thAll 16thClass Pos 13thClass All 18th
108"
Broad Jump
Low Β· 13th pct
Pos 13thAll 19thClass Pos 21thClass All 27th
7.00s
3-Cone
Strong Β· 82th pct
Pos 82thAll 69thClass Pos 65thClass All 67th
4.32s
Shuttle
Above avg Β· 66th pct
Pos 66thAll 53thClass Pos 50thClass All 46th
Postseason Career
7 playoff gamesDefense
Tkl8Solo6Ast2TFL1QBHits2Dis3.0PD1FR1
College stats are not imported for this profile yet.
StatVault has the verified college attribution (Kansas State), but no parsed college box-score table is present in this profile artifact. The section stays here so every profile has a consistent college-stats landing point without fabricating unavailable rows.
Reference Graph
Career teammates and draft class, derived from year-by-year rosters β every name is linked.
Top Teammates
Joe HornWR6yFred ThomasCB6yAaron BrooksQB6yWillie WhiteheadNT6yJohn CarneyK5yJay BellamyDB5yFred McAfeeRB5yDonte' StallworthWR5yDeuce McAllisterRB5ySedrick HodgeOLB5yLamont HallTE5yDavid AkersK4yDonovan McNabbQB4yTrent ColeOLB4ySheldon BrownCB4yDarrin SmithLB4yJason AvantWR4yJuqua ParkerDE4yMike PattersonDT4yQuintin MikellS4yBrian WestbrookRB4yCharles GrantDE4yBrodrick BunkleyNT4yFakhir BrownCB4y
2000 Draft ClassΒ· this player went #33
Franchise Succession
the room, before and afterDarren inherited the New Orleans Saints DL room from Norman Hand (2000β2002), and handed it to Charles Grant (2002β2009).
Similar Players
Statistical + physical similarity across every player in the database, position-relevant (0β100%).
Movementderived from season history
- 2009final season
Last recorded season with PHI
- 2006team change
Joined PHI (from NO)
- 2000draft
Drafted by NO β Round 2, Pick 33
Athletic & Unique Profile
verified measurements and curated source-tagged facts6'3" / 260 lb
Frame
281 lb at 5.09s
Size-speed
29" vert / 108" broad
Explosion
Injury History
From nflverse weekly injury reports Β· coverage begins 2009.
| Season | Team | Games Out | Designations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | PHI | 0 | W7QuestionableΒ· Calf |
Knox
StatVault's proprietary player intelligence, informed by full career data. How Knox works β
Historical Knox Β· KV-H
Era-normalized career quality β z-scored against 10-season peers. See all β
81
peak 88
Season Report CardsΒ· KV-H era-normalized per season
A2000
B2001
B+2002
B2003
A+2004
B2005
B2006
C2007
A2008
A2009
Availability
Career durability β games played vs. scheduled, across 10 seasons.
78%
Era Translator
Sacks translated to the 2025NFL β each season's standing among its own-era peers, projected onto 2025's scoring environment. Modern-era (1999+) coverage.
| Season | Actual Sacks | Sacks/G | β 2025 Sacks | β 2025 /G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 11 | 0.7 | 10-1 | 0.6 |
| 2001 | 6 | 0.4 | 6 | 0.3 |
| 2002 | 8 | 0.5 | 9+1 | 0.5 |
| 2003 | 4.5 | 0.6 | 11+6.5 | 0.6 |
| 2004 | 11.5 | 0.9 | 15+3.5 | 0.9 |
| 2005 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 7+2.5 | 0.4 |
| 2006 | 5 | 0.4 | 6+1 | 0.4 |
| 2007 | 1 | 0.1 | 2+1 | 0.1 |
| 2008 | 10 | 0.7 | 11+1 | 0.7 |
| 2009 | 6.5 | 0.7 | 12+5.5 | 0.7 |
Data: nflverse:players, nflverse:player_stats_def, nflverse:combine, nflverse:draft_picks, nflverse:injuries Β· multi-source verified via the StatVault Oracle Β· updated 6/18/2026
Career Value Β· VORP
233 career value over replacement β #271 all-time of 4,642. 23.3/season above a replacement-level EDGE.
Career Profile
Draft OutcomeSteal β
Pick #33 (Rd 2) Β· NO Β· 2000 Β· +26.1 vs expected KV-H
81actual
54.9 expected Β· Ξ+26.1
Fan Rating
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