Ranking Best Fits for Top Defensive Players in 2023 NFL Free Agency Class
For NFL teams that struggled on defense last season, the 2023 NFL free agency class has some real solutions that should hit the market.
The defensive class of free agents is diverse at the top this year. Javon Hargrave is an elite interior pass rusher. James Bradberry and Jamel Dean can be elite cover corners in the right context and scheme. Jessie Bates III and C.J. Gardner-Johnson are culture-changing safeties who could lead a secondary.
The resulting bidding wars are going to be intense. Each of these players headlining the defensive class should have multiple suitors.
Based on their potential to flourish with the talent and scheme in place along with the team's ability to actually sign the player without sacrificing too much to clear the cap space, here's a look at the top landing spots for the top defensive free agents.
DT Javon Hargrave
1 of 9
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Seattle Seahawks
Javon Hargrave has long been one of the best pass-rushing defensive tackles in the league. But the surrounding talent in Philadelphia last season allowed him to have his best season yet.
His 19 percent pass-rush win rate in 2021 yielded 7.5 sacks. In 2022, he boasted a pass-rush win rate of 17 percent but had 11 sacks flanked by Haason Reddick on the outside.
The obvious best fit for Hargrave is to remain with the Eagles. He has a clear-cut role in which he has excelled in. However, they have a class of 20 free agents that features several starters and just $1.1 million in cap space right now. Clearing enough space to retain him might not be possible.
The Raiders don't have that problem. They have $46.3 million in cap space after parting ways with Derek Carr. They also have one of the best complimentary pass-rushers on the outside in Maxx Crosby. Last year, they spent a small fortune to bring in Chandler Jones. While he was mostly a disappointment, he came on strong at the end of the year with four sacks, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries in his final four games of the season.
The Seahawks don't have an elite pass-rusher on par with Crosby. But they do have an intriguing young crop of edge rushers. Uchenna Nwosu and Darrell Taylor combined for 19 sacks while Quinton Jefferson had 5.5 as an interior rusher.
Adding Hargrave to the mix could make them elite and allow Hargrave to continue seeing fewer double teams.
S Jessie Bates III
2 of 9
- Cleveland Browns
- Atlanta Falcons
- Green Bay Packers
Jessie Bates III brings versatility and durability to a defense. The 26-year-old has started at least 15 games in each of his five seasons, including an All-Pro campaign in 2020. Bates was ranked in the top five in PFF's run defense grades for safeties while also racking up four interceptions.
The Athletic's Jay Morrison noted Bates is likely "as good as gone" after playing for the Bengals on the franchise tag.
Signing with the Cleveland Browns comes with the added bonus of playing the Bengals twice a year, but they also have a lot of talented pieces on the defense like Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward with a defensive coordinator in Jim Schwartz who has a proven track record of putting together good defenses. They also need to fix a run defense that allowed 4.7 yards per carry.
The Falcons aren't quite as ready to make a jump next season. They were 18th in run defense, but gave up a passer rating of 95.7 (fourth-worst in the league). Bates would obviously help improve both of those areas, but they would be relying a lot more heavily on him to make an impact that may be too much. However, they do have enough money ($66.7 million in cap space) to bring Bates into the fold and add more talent.
The Packers have a talented defense and would be elevated by Bates, however, clearing the money to sign him might not be realistic. According to Over the Cap, the Packers could create $41.2 million in cap space through simple restructures, but those can come at the cost of future cap flexibility. But Adrian Amos is a free agent and the Packers could use the upgrade at the position.
CB James Bradberry
3 of 9
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Detroit Lions
- Arizona Cardinals
After getting released by the New York Giants last offseason, Bradberry bet on himself by taking a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. He responded with his first All-Pro season which included holding opposing quarterbacks to a 51.6 passer rating.
Bradberry benefitted from playing behind the best pass rush and across from another good corner in Darius Slay. His running mate is a little smaller and more agile, leaving Bradberry to get favorable matchups against the bigger, strong receivers from the other side.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have a similar setup. They were fourth in the league in pressure percentage with Travon Walker and Josh Allen forming a formidable young duo on the edge. Tyson Campbell is CB1 after finishing seventh in PFF grade among all corners. They are $18.9 million over the cap, but cutting Shaquill Griffin alone frees up $13.1 million.
The Lions are another young defense that could use Bradberry's services. They have a comparable young pass rush with Aidan Hutchinson looking like a future star. But Bradberry would have to be the top cornerback with Jeff Okudah still struggling to find his footing in the league.
A reunion with Jonathan Gannon also makes sense. The Eagles defensive coordinator oversaw his All-Pro season and is now the head coach of the Cardinals. Byron Murphy needs to be re-signed, but he could be a dollar-store version of Slay with his 5'11", 190-pound frame.
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CB Jamel Dean
4 of 9
- New England Patriots
- Minnesota Vikings
- Atlanta Falcons
Whether you view Jamel Dean or James Bradberry as the top corner available likely depends on what you are looking for. Both are big, physical cornerbacks and Dean is the younger option at 26 years old, but he thrives in a zone-heavy system and has dealt with more injuries.
The Bucs lived in zone and played the second-highest rate of it in the league. However, Dean played his role at an elite level, ranking 10th among all corners graded by PFF.
If Dean is looking to go to a coaching staff that is going to get the most out of him, it doesn't get much better than Bill Belichick. The Pats have had several elite cornerbacks in their system. It doesn't hurt that he would be playing behind a defensive front that had a 24.1 pressure percentage last season, either.
The Vikings secondary wasn't very good last season. They allowed a passer rating of 91.6, but they were 11th in zone usage. The reliance on zone schemes helped 32-year-old Patrick Peterson finish 12th in PFF grade.
The Falcons don't figure to run a lot of zone. New defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen is coming over from the New Orleans Saints which played the second-highest rate of man coverage. But Dean is still good as a press-man corner and would pair nicely with AJ Terrell to form the foundation of an improving Falcons defense.
LB Lavonte David
5 of 9
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Miami Dolphins
- Detroit Lions
Lavonte David is still one of the best linebackers in the game, despite being 33 years old. He's an ironman who has played at least 900 snaps in all but two of his 11 seasons while delivering sideline-to-sideline range and good coverage skills.
Where David lands is going to largely depend on what he wants. He can obviously thrive in Tampa. He's called it home for his entire NFL career so if finishing out his career there is important to him, it's the best landing spot. Re-signing him might be in the best interest for the cash-strapped Bucs. If he walks, they will be on the hook for $6.9 million in dead cap. However, if they re-sign him, it's $2.3 million this year and $4.6 million next year.
So, even though they are $57 million over the cap right now, re-signing David could actually alleviate some of their financial woes.
If David wants to chase another ring or get a bigger payday, then a team like the Miami Dolphins makes a lot of sense. They have some good pieces in place to take a step forward. Xavien Howard is capable of being an elite corner. Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips is a promising pass-rushing duo. Putting David beside Jerome Baker would give them a dynamic linebacking corps to complete the defense.
The NFC North figures to be wide-open again this year. The opportunity to be part of a young and developing defense with the Lions after their successful 2022 campaign could make sense.
S C.J. Gardner-Johnson
6 of 9
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Houston Texans
- Cincinnati Bengals
Of all the top free agents the Philadelphia Eagles are in danger of losing, it would appear they are the most committed to signing C.J. Gardner-Johnson after trading for him in 2022. NFL analyst Adam Caplan was adamant on his Inside the Birds podcast that the Eagles, "will tag him if they don't think they can get a deal done."
Gardner-Johnson's versatility was an asset for the Eagles this season. His ability to play as a traditional safety or a slot corner came in handy when Avonte Maddox went down with an injury and he was forced to play in his stead.
If the Eagles decide to change course, he could serve as a building block for the Houston Texans. With DeMeco Ryans taking over, they have a strong defensive mind who will look to build an elite defense. Pairing him with Derek Stingley Jr. is a great start.
If contending for a Super Bowl remains a priority for Gardner-Johnson, the Bengals are an obvious choice too. As mentioned earlier, Jessie Bates III could be leaving but Vonn Bell is also set to be a free agent.
Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is a proven defensive mind who helped build a secondary that had the lowest passer rating allowed (80.1) in the league. He would certainly understand how to deploy Gardner-Johnson.
LB Tremaine Edmunds
7 of 9
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Buffalo Bills
- Houston Texans
Lavonte David might be the best linebacker on the market for the 2023 season, but the long-term value lies with Tremaine Edmunds. The Buffalo Bills linebacker will only be 25 years old next season and has the athleticism to make plays all over the field.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been looking to add that kind of athletic inside linebacker for years. They drafted Devin Bush Jr. with a top-10 pick and signed Myles Jack last year. Edmunds would finally give them that player while getting to play behind a pass rush that features T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith.
The potential to play alongside his brother, Terrell Edmunds, who is also a free agent but has played for the Steelers for the last five years, is just an added bonus.
Of course, staying in Buffalo is an ideal situation too. The Bills have been one of the top teams in the AFC during his time there and playing alongside Matt Milano has allowed him to shine while working on his coverage skills. However, they are well over the cap ($18.7 million) and might not be willing to spend that much on another linebacker with Milano on the payroll.
The Texans are again a potential fit here. DeMeco Ryans is coming from San Francisco where they obviously value the contributions of Fred Warner. Edmunds isn't quite on that level, but he could be the closest thing available as the new head coach looks to build his team.
S Jordan Poyer
8 of 9
- Miami Dolphins
- Carolina Panthers
- Dallas Cowboys
Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde have formed one of the best safety duos in the league for a while now, but it would appear that tandem is headed for a split. Poyer hits free agency with the Bills already set to pay Hyde $10.6 million in 2023.
Poyer noted on his podcast that he's open to a return to Buffalo but if it isn't he would prefer a place with a lower tax rate. New York's state income tax is up to 10.9 percent while states like Florida and Texas don't have a state income tax.
The safety went on to note his friendship with Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. That doesn't mean that he's headed to South Beach, but the fit makes sense from a football standpoint. The Dolphins have a promising young safety in Jevon Holland, but Poyer would be an immediate upgrade over Brandon Jones as Vic Fangio takes over the defense.
The Carolina Panthers can't offer quite the same tax break, but they do have a young secondary that could use a mentor like Poyer. Developing Jeremy Chinn as a hybrid linebacker-safety and giving Jaycee Horn room to go should be priorities and Poyer can help elevate that defense.
The Cowboys are going to have to make a decision on Donovan Wilson. The safety is set to hit the market and Poyer might find it attractive to go to a Texas team with Dan Quinn working as the defensive coordinator. Having Poyer over top would allow Trevon Diggs to continue to play his aggressive style.
Edge Marcus Davenport
9 of 9
- Kansas City Chiefs
- New York Giants
- Cleveland Browns
From a production standpoint, Marcus Davenport couldn't have hit free agency at a worse time. He's coming off a season in which only had a half-sack. Fortunately for him, it's a thin class at one of the most important positions on defense.
Davenport has struggled with injuries throughout his career but when he's healthy he checks off all the underlying metrics as a pass-rusher. According to PFF, he's top 20 in pass-rush win rate, pressure percentage and run-defense grade since he entered the league in 2018.
The Chiefs could use that kind of defender. Playing alongside an interior pass-rusher like Chris Jones makes life easier. He draws double teams all the time which would free up Davenport to see much bigger sack numbers in 2023. George Karlaftis could develop into a nice running mate too after notching six sacks as a rookie.
Dexter Lawrence is another double-team magnet on the inside in New York. Kayvon Thibodeaux notched four sacks and 13 quarterback hits in his first season, so there's potential to grow there as well. Wink Martindale is one of the most aggressive defensive schemers in the league. He would figure out ways to use Davenport's elite athleticism to chase quarterbacks.
Finally, the Browns would make sense for the defensive end too. Myles Garrett remains one of the best pass rushers in the game and playing opposite him is a nice gig. Jadeveon Clowney posted nine sacks in that role in 2021, but isn't likely to be back after registering only two in 2022.
All salary cap info via Spotrac and all advanced stats via Pro Football Reference unless otherwise noted.
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