.jpg?w=1280 "Bills Texans Football")
Ranking Every NFL Defense After the 2026 Draft
The NFL in 2026 is more offense-heavy than ever. The NFL's 11 highest-paid players are quarterbacks. Fans tune in to see rainbow bombs, long runs and touchdown celebrations.
But there's an old saying that "defense wins championships." And as the Seattle Seahawks demonstrated in Super Bowl LX, that axiom is as true as ever.
The Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl before that, dominating the line of scrimmage against the Kansas City Chiefs. Of the last four teams standing a year ago, three ranked inside the top four in points allowed in the regular season.
With all that said, a lot can change on an NFL defense from one year to the next. A key departure can blow a massive hole in the defensive line or secondary. Free agency and the NFL draft are critical opportunities to patch holes and make a defense better. Teams can backslide from average to terrible—or go from good to great.
There are still some free agents who have yet to find teams. But for the most part, we know what the NFL's 32 defenses will look like in 2026. And we can't just look at those defenses. What's the fun in that?
No, we've got to rank them.
32. Miami Dolphins
1 of 32.jpg?w=684 "Bengals Dolphins Football")
It shouldn't be a huge surprise to see the Miami Dolphins bring up the rear on these defensive rankings. Dating back to last season, the team has been purging veteran talent like a store in going‑out‑of‑business mode.
Linebacker is the strength of Miami's defense. Jordyn Brooks led the league last year with 183 total tackles. Tyrel Dodson is a capable veteran starter. And rookie Jacob Rodriguez won approximately all the defensive awards ever last year at Texas Tech.
After that, though, the questions start piling up quickly. With both Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb gone, Chop Robinson is the team's top edge-rusher—and he's never topped six sacks in a season. The Dolphins spent one of their two first-round selections in the 2026 draft on San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson, but the Miami secondary is a who's who of relative unknowns.
Not being able to rush the passer is bad. Not being able to rush the passer or cover is a recipe for disaster.
31. Arizona Cardinals
2 of 32.jpg?w=684 "Falcons Cardinals Football")
More than a few eyebrows went skyward when the Arizona Cardinals drafted Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love third overall—in part because the team could have had their choice of any defensive player not named David Bailey.
And brother, the Redbirds can use all the help they can get on that side of the ball.
Edge-rusher Josh Sweat had a career-high 12 sacks last year, and the team has a promising young defensive tackle in Walter Nolen. But the other edge-rusher spot is unsettled. The team's linebacker corps (headlined by Cody Simon and Mack Wilson Sr.) is arguably the weakest in the NFL. Arizona has one of the league's better veteran safeties in Budda Baker, but unless Will Johnson and Denzel Burke take a major step forward in their second professional seasons, the cornerbacks are going to be a problem.
The Cardinals were 27th in total defense last year and 29th in points allowed in 2025.
They may well be lucky to finish that highly this year.
30. Washington Commanders
3 of 32.jpg?w=684 "NFL Draft Football")
The Washington Commanders were terrible defensively—the team was dead last in yards allowed, 28th against the pass, 30th against the run and 27th in scoring defense.
It's difficult to imagine that defense being markedly better in 2026.
It's not that the team didn't make efforts to improve in free agency and the draft. The edge-rushers were overhauled with the addition of Odafe Oweh and K'Lavon Chaisson. Safety Nick Cross was signed to shore up the back end of the defense. The team spent the seventh overall pick on Ohio State's Sonny Styles, who will replace the great Bobby Wagner at off-ball linebacker.
But questions remain at all three levels of the defense. Oweh and Chaisson have one 10-sack season between them. Styles is wildly talented but unproven. And while Amik Robertson and Ahkello Witherspoon were signed in free agency, the cornerback corps is shaky on a good day.
The Commanders may be better defensively in 2026. But that doesn't make them good.
.jpg?w=256 "Browns Football")
29. New York Jets
4 of 32.jpg?w=684 "Jets Jaguars Football")
Last year, no team in the AFC allowed more points per game than the New York Jets. It's a defense that will look significantly different in 2026.
On the defensive line, the Jets will be starting a pair of new edge-rushers in free agent acquisition Joseph Ossai and No. 2 overall pick David Bailey. There are new defensive tackles in town in David Onyemata and T'Vondre Sweat.
At linebacker, after eight years in New Orleans Demario Davis is back, joining Jamien Sherwood as the starters. The secondary has undergone a sizable overhaul—cornerback Nahshon Wright was brought over from Chicago, and D'Angelo Ponds was drafted in Round 2. Veteran safety Minkah Fitzpatrick was acquired in a trade with the Miami Dolphins.
That secondary is going to be tested. For all his talent, Bailey is a rookie at a position with a steep learning curve. Ossai never lived up to expectations in Cincinnati. And Davis is 37 years old.
It's going to be another fun year for Jets fans.
28. Cincinnati Bengals
5 of 32.jpg?w=684 "BENGALS-LAWRENCE")
Last year, the Cincinnati Bengals had a potent offense—and an awful defense.
The Bengals made a concerted effort to change that in 2026—especially along the defensive front. Boye Mafe got $20 million a season to replace Trey Hendrickson on the edge. Cincinnati sent the 10th overall pick to New York for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. Veteran tackle Jonathan Allen was signed, and Texas A&M edge-rusher Cashius Howell came to the Queen City via a second-rounder.
But Mafe had just two sacks last year in Seattle and saw his snaps scaled back. Lawrence is coming off arguably the worst season of his career. Allen is past his prime. Howell fell to Day 2 due to concerns about his arm length.
In other words, Cincinnati's new-look defensive line is by no means a sure thing. And if that line isn't markedly better in 2026, a shaky linebacker corps and a secondary that allowed the seventh-most passing yards per game a year ago is going to be exposed—again.
27. Tennessee Titans
6 of 32.jpg?w=684 "Titans Uniforms Football")
The Tennessee Titans were one of five NFL teams to allow over 28 points per game last year. And the new regime in Nashville was aggressive in trying to improve the unit in the offseason.
The Titans spent big in free agency on both sides of the ball. They added defensive tackle John Franklin-Myers and cornerbacks Alontae Taylor and Cordale Flott in free agency and then acquired edge-rusher Jermaine Johnson in a trade with the New York Jets.
The team carried that aggressiveness into the draft, using its second of two first-round picks on edge-rusher Keldric Faulk and a Day 2 selection on linebacker Anthony Hill Jr.
However, for all the money that was spent and picks that were used, there still isn't a level of Tennessee's defense that is going to strike fear into the hearts of opponents this year.
New head coach Robert Saleh has an excellent defensive mind, but this still looks like a borderline bottom-five defense. It just costs a lot more.
26. Dallas Cowboys
7 of 32.jpg?w=684 "NFL Draft Football")
The Dallas Cowboys were abysmal defensively a year ago. Only one NFC team allowed more yards per game than the Cowboys last season, and Dallas was the only team in the league that allowed more than 30 points per game.
To be fair, the Cowboys were aggressive in both free agency and the draft trying to fix that leaky defense. There are a pair of new edge-rushers in Dallas in veteran Rashan Gary and first-round rookie Malachi Lawrence. The Cowboys quietly strengthened the linebacker room with a draft day trade for Dee Winters, who topped 100 total tackles and started all 17 games for the San Francisco 49ers last year. Ohio State safety Caleb Downs is a movable chess piece who was a gift with the 11th overall pick.
If Lawrence is a quick study, the front four in Big D could actually be pretty solid. But there are just too many potential issues behind them—both against the run and in coverage.
Hope the Dallas offense is ready for some shootouts.
25. Las Vegas Raiders
8 of 32.jpg?w=684 "RAVENS-CROSBY")
The Las Vegas Raiders tried to trade away their best defensive player in the offseason. But the deal that would have sent star edge-rusher Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens for a pair of first-round picks fell through, so he will be back in 2026—on a defense that looks significantly different than last year.
Crosby will have a new batterymate on the edge this year in Kwity Paye, who signed with the Raiders in free agency. The linebacker corps was completely remodeled with the additions of Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean.
The Raiders also signed one of the league's better slot cornerbacks in Taron Johnson and added two more defensive backs in the draft in Treydan Stukes (Round 2) and Jermod McCoy (Round 4).
McCoy was a first-round talent who fell to Day 3 due to concerns about his surgically repaired knee. If he can emerge as a solid starter at a position where the Raiders badly need one, Vegas will be headed in the right direction defensively.
24. Chicago Bears
9 of 32.jpg?w=684 "Bears Packers Football")
The Chicago Bears were a playoff team last year, but that was more in spite of a defense that allowed the fourth-most yards in the NFL than because of it.
That defense has issues again in 2026—at every level.
Despite managing just 35 sacks as a team in 2025, the Bears did next to nothing to improve a pass-rush that consists of Montez Sweat and not much else. The team could still add a veteran like Joey Bosa, but getting after opposing quarterbacks is a problem right now.
At linebacker, Tremaine Edmunds is gone, replaced by Devin Bush. Bush had easily the best season of his career in 2025 with the Cleveland Browns, but his NFL career has been, um, bumpy.
On the back end, there are two new starters at safety in Coby Bryant and first-round rookie Dillon Thieneman. The Bears are still relatively deep at cornerback, but the loss of Nahshon Wright in free agency was a blow.
23. Indianapolis Colts
10 of 32.jpg?w=684 "Jaguars Colts Football")
The Indianapolis Colts were good last year right up until they weren't, and at season's end the defensive statistics were not good—Indy finished the year 29th in total defense, 26th against the pass, 24th against the run and 24th in points allowed.
The Colts have concerns heading into 2026 as well. Last year's two leading tacklers (linebacker Zaire Franklin and safety Nick Cross) are both gone, set to be replaced by a pair of rookies in CJ Allen and AJ Haulcy. The team also lost edge-rusher Kwity Paye, and Arden Key is a sizable downgrade.
Supporters of the Colts will no doubt point to the return of cornerback Sauce Gardner as cause for optimism, and the defensive backfield is the strength of the defense. But Gardner's coming off a major injury. And questions about Indy's ability to pressure opposing quarterbacks (36 sacks) could leave that secondary hung out to dry far too often.
22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
11 of 32.jpg?w=684 "NFL Draft Football")
It's the end of an era in Tampa Bay—for the first time since 2011, Lavonte David won't be prowling the middle of the Buccaneers defense. That wasn't the only big loss for the Bucs defensively, either—No. 1 cornerback Jamel Dean left in free agency.
There are replacements at the ready at linebacker in veterans Alex Anzalone and Christian Rozeboom and Round 2 rookie Josiah Trotter. But Anzalone is the wrong side of 30, Rozeboom is an average talent and there are questions about Trotter's range.
The team's biggest defensive issue may be up front. A'Shawn Robinson and Vita Vea are a solid pair of tackles, but there will be tremendous pressure on rookie Rueben Bain Jr. to produce immediately on the edge opposite Yaya Diaby after the team had just 37 sacks in 2025.
If Bain isn't a quick study the Buccaneers will have problems—little was done to replace Dean, and Tampa was 27th against the pass in 2025.
21. New Orleans Saints
12 of 32.jpg?w=684 "Jets Saints Football")
The New Orleans Saints are undergoing some major defensive transitions in 2026. A pair of longtime stalwarts are no longer in the Big Easy in edge-rusher Cameron Jordan and linebacker Demario Davis.
The Saints addressed the latter need by poaching veteran linebacker Kaden Elliss from their NFC South rivals in Atlanta. The hope up front is that Carl Granderson can rebound from a disappointing 2025 campaign, that Chase Young can build on last year's success and that Tyree Wilson will benefit from a change of scenery after coming over in a draft-day trade with the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Saints suffered a significant loss in the secondary as well when cornerback Alontae Taylor left, but New Orleans appears to believe they can weather that storm with in-house replacements as well—outside of a couple of Day 3 picks the Saints did little to upgrade the defensive back position in the offseason.
20. New York Giants
13 of 32.jpg?w=684 "Giants Raiders Football")
The New York Giants are in the opening stages of the John Harbaugh era, and the head coach has wasted no time making an imprint on the roster, including defensively.
The trade that sent Dexter Lawrence to Cincinnati left the Giants with a huge hole in the middle of a defense that was already the NFC's worst run defense in 2025. That's going to ramp up the pressure on inside linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and Arvell Reese, who are both in their first year with the team.
Reese, who was the fifth overall pick in this year's draft, also has some ability as an edge-rusher—a position where the team is loaded. Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux were both top-10 picks by the G-Men, and veteran Brian Burns was second in the NFL last year with 16.5 sacks.
New York also has some potential in the secondary. Paulson Adebo is a solid player, and the Giants took Colton Hood in the second round of this year's draft, while free-agent addition Greg Newsome was a first-round pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2021.
This has the makings of a Jekyll-and-Hyde unit—a problem for opponents against the pass, but problematic against the run.
19. Carolina Panthers
14 of 32.jpg?w=684 "Seahawks Panthers Football")
The Carolina Panthers won the NFC South in 2025, but they did so with just eight wins. In an effort to improve upon that record in 2026, the team spent big bucks in free agency on defense.
Edge-rusher Jaelan Phillips got one of the biggest contracts of free agency: $30 million a season over four years to anchor a defensive front that also includes defensive tackle Derrick Brown.
The Panthers also splurged at linebacker, giving Devin Lloyd big bucks to stabilize a group that was a weak spot for the team last year.
There's some talent in the secondary in the likes of cornerback Jaycee Horn and safety Tre'von Moehrig, and corner Mike Jackson is a capable veteran.
The Panthers have the potential to outperform this ranking. But Phillips has to live up to his contract and the linebackers have to be more consistent in 2026 for that to be the case.
18. Atlanta Falcons
15 of 32.jpg?w=684 "Falcons Buccaneers Football")
The Atlanta Falcons made defensive strides in 2025—after ranking last in the NFC in sacks in 2024, Atlanta's 57 led the conference last year.
The question now is whether the team can build on that success.
The team has some things going for it defensively. On paper, the Falcons have one of the better secondaries in the league, adding second-round cornerback Avieon Terrell to a defensive backfield that already includes his older brother A.J.
There are problems in the front-seven, however. The team's best linebacker the past few years (Kaden Elliss) is now playing in New Orleans, and Christian Harris is a clear downgrade. The team's leading sack man from a year ago (James Pearce Jr.) is staring at a personal conduct suspension, and fellow second-year pro Jalon Walker was a bit of a disappointment a year ago.
This could be the best defense in the AFC South if things fall the right way. It could be the worst if they don't.
17. Kansas City Chiefs
16 of 32.jpg?w=684 "Chiefs Raiders Football")
The status of Patrick Mahomes' surgically repaired knee is the dominant storyline for the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason, but the Chiefs have some significant questions on defense as well.
After trading cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams and losing Jaylen Watson in free agency, Kansas City's pass defense is undergoing a major overhaul. The team brought in Kader Kohou in free agency and drafted Mansoor Delane sixth overall, but the Chiefs' cornerbacks will be vastly different in 2026.
The pass rush is also a concern. Defensive tackle Chris Jones and edge-rusher George Karlaftis are back, and the team spent a second-rounder on edge-rusher R Mason Thomas, but Kansas City had just 35 sacks as a team in 2025.
There's stability at linebacker with Nick Bolton and Drue Tranquill back, but a defense that can't rush the passer and has uncertainty on the back end means that Steve Spagnuolo has his work cut out for him this season.
16. San Francisco 49ers
17 of 32.jpg?w=684 "49ers Saints Football")
There's no doubt that this writer has already angered a number of fan bases. But now it's time to kick it into overdrive, because we're now in a pack of talented but flawed defenses.
The San Francisco 49ers won 12 games last year and made the postseason, but the defense was more hindrance than asset—after finishing eighth in total defense in 2024, San Fran fell to 20th in 2025.
Now, the Niners admittedly dealt with a litany of injuries last season—the team's two best defenders (linebacker Fred Warner and edge-rusher Nick Bosa) both missed a chunk of the season.
But they aren't the only starters returning from major injuries, salary cap constraints have prevented the team from addressing some personnel losses, and this was a team that had three fewer sacks in 2025 than Cleveland Browns edge-rusher Myles Garrett had by himself.
Could the 49ers rebound in 2026? Yes.
But it's far from a sure bet—especially with no one from this year's draft expected to make an immediate impact.
15. Green Bay Packers
18 of 32.jpg?w=684 "Packers Lions Football")
The Green Bay Packers made one of the biggest splashes of the 2025 offseason in trading for edge-rusher Micah Parsons.
For a time, it appeared that move was paying off big-time, but after 12.5 sacks in 14 games Parsons tore his ACL, and Green Bay's defense wasn't the same without him.
Parsons' recovery is the biggest question facing Green Bay's defense. The Packers made the playoffs last year, but they ended the regular season on a four-game skid.
That isn't the only question, though. After trading Rashan Gary to Dallas, who will step up on the edge opposite Parsons? How will the move from Quay Walker to Zaire Franklin affect the linebackers? How will veteran Benjamin St. Juste and rookie Brandon Cisse fit into the Green Bay secondary?
The Packers have the personnel on the defensive side of the ball to field a solid unit in 2026. They are going to need to, because the NFC North has the makings of the most tightly packed division in the NFL.
14. Baltimore Ravens
19 of 32.jpg?w=684 "Patriots Ravens Football")
The Baltimore Ravens have a reputation for being a formidable defensive team, and against the run at least that has been true in recent years. They led the league in run defense two years ago at just 80.1 yards per game and ranked 10th last season.
However, the pass defense in Baltimore has been a far different story. Last year, the Ravens were the third-worst pass defense in the league. The year before that, Baltimore was 31st against the pass.
Some will point to the acquisition of veteran edge-rusher Trey Hendrickson and rookie Zion Young as key to fixing those deficiencies—the Ravens tied for the third-fewest sacks in the league last year. But in 2024, Baltimore amassed the second-most sacks in the NFL, and the secondary still wasn't great.
That defensive backfield is mostly unchanged this year. Safety Kyle Hamilton is considered one of the league's best safeties, but veteran cornerbacks like Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins need to up their game this season for the Ravens defense to rebound.
13. Buffalo Bills
20 of 32.jpg?w=684 "Bills Dolphins Football")
The Buffalo Bills were an excellent defense in some respects last year. The team was seventh in the league in total defense at 293.1 yards per game. No team in the NFL allowed fewer passing yards per game than Buffalo's 156.9. Those impressive numbers may spur many to ask why the team isn't ranked more highly here.
The reason is a run defense that was, well, bad. Buffalo surrendered 136.2 yards per game on the ground—fifth-most in the league.
It's fair to wonder how much better that run defense will be in 2026. The Bills bolstered the pass rush with the addition of edge-rusher Bradley Chubb and made several additions to the secondary in the likes of veterans Geno Stone and C.J. Gardner-Johnson and rookie cornerback Davison Igbinosun, but the run defense looks a lot like last year's team.
The Bills need a bounceback season from inside linebacker Terrel Bernard and better push up front, or opponents are going to run right at them again.
12. Pittsburgh Steelers
21 of 32.jpg?w=684 "Dolphins Steelers Football")
For years, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been defined by their defense. The list of defensive legends in the Steel City is long, from Jack Lambert to Troy Polamalu to T.J. Watt.
However, while the Steelers were champions of the AFC North last year, the defense was average at best—Pittsburgh ranked 26th in the league in total defense and was especially susceptible to the pass—fourth-worst in the league in that regard, allowing almost 244 yards per game.
We know that Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig will be able to get after the quarterback, and the team brought in a pair of veterans to strengthen the secondary in cornerback Jamel Dean and safety Jaquan Brisker. If veteran Jalen Ramsey can turn back the clock and youngster Joey Porter Jr. takes another step forward, this defense could make major improvements this year.
11. Detroit Lions
22 of 32.jpg?w=684 "Lions Vikings Football")
The Detroit Lions are trying to shake off the stink of missing the postseason last year after a 15-win 2024 campaign, and part of the reason for that backslide was a defensive drop-off. The Lions were a top-five team in terms of sacks, but the Lions were a middle of the pack defense in many other categories.
However, as recently as two years ago the Lions were a top-10 scoring defense, and there's reason to believe a rebound could be in the offing.
That reason isn't a huge influx of new talent—the team signed a potential starter at cornerback in Roger McCreary in free agency and added an edge-rusher in Michigan's Derrick Moore on Day 2 of the draft. But this defense looks a lot like the 2024 unit.
That unit does feature high-end talent at all three levels though. Aidan Hutchinson is one of the best pass-rushers in the league. Linebacker Jack Campbell is an ascending young talent. And Brian Branch is one of the NFL's most dynamic safeties.
10. Jacksonville Jaguars
23 of 32.jpg?w=684 "Texans Jaguars Football")
The Jacksonville Jaguars have one of the best defenses in the league that people don't talk about as one of the best defenses in the league.
The Jags ranked just outside the top 10 in total defense, eighth in points allowed and fielded the best run defense in the NFL at just 85.6 yards per game.
Jacksonville's defensive front features one of the league's best edge-rusher duos in Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker.
The loss of linebacker Devin Lloyd was a blow, but the Jaguars still have a veteran presence inside in Foyesade Oluokun. Jacksonville wasn't as good against the pass as against the run a season ago, but with the team reportedly moving second-year pro Travis Hunter to cornerback full-time that could change. There was also help brought in at safety in day 2 pick Jalen Huskey.
The Jaguars may not be as good defensively as their AFC South rivals in Houston. But they aren't that far off.
9. Cleveland Browns
24 of 32.jpg?w=684 "Browns Bengals Football")
It might seem a little odd to see a five-win team listed among the league's top-10 defenses. But if the Cleveland Browns were half as good on offense as they are defensively, the team would have won a lot more than five games in 2025.
Last year, the Browns were fourth in total defense and third against the pass. Cleveland's defensive line features the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and single-season sack king in Myles Garrett and an excellent defensive tackle in Mason Graham. The linebacker corps is anchored by the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year in Carson Schwesinger and a capable veteran in free agent addition Quincy Williams.
The back end is stout as well. Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell are a solid duo at cornerback, and the team got a Day 2 gift in the draft in Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.
The nickel spot is a question mark. But this isn't going to be an easy defense to move the ball on in 2026.
8. Minnesota Vikings
25 of 32.jpg?w=684 "Packers Vikings Football")
The offseason talk in the Twin Cities has been all about the arrival of quarterback Kyler Murray. But the Minnesota defense may well be the strength of the team in 2026 after ranking third in total defense, second against the pass and seventh in points allowed a season ago.
The Vikings have a sneaky-good front four even after trading Jonathan Greenard, with Andrew Van Ginkel on the edge and Round 1 rookie Caleb Banks in the middle. Eric Wilson and Blake Cashman are a strong duo at linebacker, and there's now depth behind him in rookie Jake Golday. The secondary may be short on big names, but the team played well as a unit.
With longtime starter Harrison Smith no longer on the roster one of the safety spots is the team's biggest potential weakness defensively, but defensive coordinator Brian Flores should be able to scheme around that. Flores is also one of the most aggressive DCs in the NFL—no team blitzed at a higher clip last year than Minnesota.
7. Los Angeles Chargers
26 of 32.jpg?w=684 "Chargers Patriots Football")
The Los Angeles Chargers are a legitimate Super Bowl contender in 2026, and a big reason why is the Bolts defense.
In 2025, the Chargers were fifth in the NFL in total defense and pass defense, eighth against the run and ninth in points allowed. That's what you call a well-rounded unit.
The Chargers lost edge-rusher Odafe Oweh in free agency but quickly replaced him with a promising youngster in rookie Akheem Mesidor. Mesidor joins a front that already included edge-rushers Tuli Tuipulotu and Khalil Mack and added Dalvin Tomlinson at defensive tackle in free agency.
Daiyan Henley has blossomed into an excellent off-ball linebacker the past two seasons. On the back end, safety Derwin James is a movable chess piece who can play all over the formation.
There are NFL defenses that have more star power at all three levels. But the Chargers play as well as a unit as any defense in the league. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
6. New England Patriots
27 of 32.jpg?w=684 "Falcons Patriots Football")
The New England Patriots made it all the way to Super Bowl LX last year, and the defense played its part—the Pats were eighth in total defense and pass defense, sixth in rushing defense and fourth in scoring defense.
It's a unit replete with talent at every level. A front that already featured edge-rusher Harold Landry III and tackles Milton Williams and Christian Barmore added another veteran presence in free agency in Dre'Mont Jones. Robert Spillane is a fine inside linebacker and brought in K.J. Britt to compliment him. The secondary features one of the league's best young cornerbacks in Christian Gonzalez and a capable veteran in Carlton Davis. At safety, the Patriots brought in a first-team All-Pro when they poached Kevin Byard III from the Chicago Bears.
Add in rookie second-rounder Gabe Jacas, who can play both the edge and potentially inside, and you have a defense long on strengths and short on weak spots.
5. Philadelphia Eagles
28 of 32.jpg?w=684 "49ers Eagles Football")
The Philadelphia Eagles have long been known for fielding a strong defense, and in many respects, the 2025 campaign was no different. The team was eighth against the pass and allowed the fifth-fewest points per game in the NFL last year.
That defense should be the best in the NFC East again this year by a wide margin.
The Eagles addressed their biggest defensive need with a draft-day trade, bringing over veteran Jonathan Greenard. Added to a line that includes tackles Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis and edge-rushers Nolan Smith Jr. and Jalyx Hunt, Philly should be loaded along the defensive front.
The secondary is also stacked. The team hit big in the 2024 draft with the selections of cornerback Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, and the arrival of Riq Woolen in free agency gives the Eagles one of the best CB rooms in the league.
Safety and inside linebacker aren't as loaded but aren't weak spots, either. If Greenard recaptures his 2024 form in his new home, this defense is going to give opponents nightmares on a regular basis.
4. Seattle Seahawks
29 of 32.jpg?w=684 "Seahawks 49ers Football")
The Seattle Seahawks won Super Bowl LX in decisive fashion last February, and their defense was the key to that victory.
For the season, no team in the league allowed fewer points than the 17.2 the Seahawks gave up, and the champs ranked inside the top 10 in total defense, run defense and pass defense.
As with all these high-end defenses, there's talent at all three levels. Even after losing Boye Mafe, the Seahawks still have a deep defensive line anchored by Leonard Williams. Ernest Jones IV is arguably the most underrated off-ball linebackers in the league. The defensive backfield is positively loaded, whether it's Devon Witherspoon at cornerback or Nick Emmanwori. Seattle also drafted a replacement for the departed Coby Bryant at deep safety with second-rounder Bud Clark.
It's a defense that features an ideal combination of experience, youth and talent. Throw in a fantastic defensive mind in head coach Mike Macdonald, and you have a Lombardi trophy and a whole bunch of gaudy diamond rings.
3. Los Angeles Rams
30 of 32.jpg?w=684 "Rams Cardinals Football")
There wasn't a team in the NFL this year that hammered its defensive deficiencies better than the Los Angeles Rams.
Mind you, the Rams didn't have many. L.A.'s front four of edge-rushers Jared Verse and Byron Young and tackles Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske is as good as any in the league.
Nate Landman isn't a world-beater at inside linebacker, but he's an above-average starter. With Kam Curl, Quentin Lake and Kamren Kinchens on the roster, the Rams have a trio of safeties who can all play multiple roles.
Entering the offseason, cornerback was clearly the team's biggest defensive need, so the Rams simply took all of Kansas City's. The team spent a first-round pick to trade for Trent McDuffie before making him the NFL's highest-paid corner and then double-dipped with the addition of Jaylen Watson in free agency.
There aren't many defenses in the league who sport top-10 units at all three levels of the defense.
And there isn't a better defense in the NFC this year.
2. Denver Broncos
31 of 32.jpg?w=684 "Panthers Broncos Football")
This is a difficult call. There are two defenses in the NFL right now that are in a tier of their own. Two defenses that are just stacked at every level and are nightmare fuel for opposing offensive coordinators.
The Denver Broncos are one of those defenses.
Even after losing John Franklin-Myers in free agency, the Broncos still have a loaded front with tackle Zach Allen and edge-rushers Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper. No team tallied more sacks last year.
Between that front and a pair of experienced linebackers in Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad, the Broncos allowed just 91.1 yards per game on the ground in 2025—second-fewest in the league.
It's not much easier to throw on Denver's seventh-ranked pass defense, either. Brandon Jones and Talanoa Hufanga might be the best safety duo in the game, and cornerback Patrick Surtain II was the Defensive Player of the Year in 2024.
If Denver's on the schedule, good luck moving the football.
1. Houston Texans
32 of 32.jpg?w=684 "Texans Patriots Football")
There can be only one No. 1 defense in the NFL. And in 2026, that title belongs to DeMeco Ryans and the Houston Texans.
The Texans finished the 2025 season as the No. 1 defense in terms of yards allowed and No. 2 in terms of points allowed, and it doesn't take long to see why.
Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. (who just became the NFL's highest-paid non-quarterback) combined for 27 sacks and are the best pair of edge-rushers in the league—full stop. With second-round pick Kayden McDonald joining youngster Tommy Togiai and veteran Sheldon Rankins, the interior of the defensive front is solid.
Azeez Al-Shaair is a Pro Bowl-caliber inside linebacker that helped the Texans end the season fourth in run defense. The Houston secondary features multiple "do it all" defensive backs in Kamarri Lassiter and Jalen Pitre, a "shutdown" corner in Derek Stingley Jr. and added another starter in the offseason in box safety Reed Blankenship.
.jpg?w=480 "Browns Football")
.png?w=600 "NFL Free-Agent Tracker ✍️"){kind=tracking}
.jpg?w=600 "NFL OTA Offseason Workouts 🗓️")
.jpg?w=600 "Best NFL Free Agents 📞")