Power Ranking the NFL's 10 Best Defenses After the Myles Garrett Trade

Unless you were completely off the grid on Tuesday, you know the month of June started with a bang in the NFL—and it threw the league's defensive pecking order into a blender.

Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead has never been shy about dealing picks for stars, but Tuesday he made his biggest move since trading for quarterback Matthew Stafford.

In exchange for Rams edge-rusher Jared Verse, a first-round pick in 2027, a second-round pick in 2028 and a conditional third-round pick in 2028, the Rams received edge-rusher Myles Garrett.

All Garrett has done in nine years is win two Defensive Player of the Year awards (including 2025), amass the most sacks (125.5) anyone ever has over that span, set records for consecutive seasons with both 12 or more sacks and 14 or more sacks and break the single-season sack record with 23 a year ago.

Adding a no-doubt Hall of Famer and arguably the best defensive player in the league to an already-stout Rams defense has to strike fear into the hearts of offensive coordinators across the NFC. But does it give Los Angeles the single best defense in all of the National Football League?

Let's find out.

10. Pittsburgh Steelers

AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski

Steelers EDGE T.J. Watt

For much of the franchise's storied history, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been known for fielding formidable defenses, including the famed "Steel Curtain." Last year, though, they ranked 26th in total defense and had the fourth-worst pass defense in the NFL.

However, after some offseason additions the Steelers appear primed for a big-time rebound in that regard.

If he's healthy and close to 100 percent, T.J. Watt remains one of the most feared edge-rushers in the game. Fellow edge rushers Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig combined for 17 sacks last season, and the ageless Cameron Heyward was a second-team All-Pro inside.

On the back end, the team already had cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey (who made his eighth Pro Bowl on the heels of a career-high 88 tackles in 2025) and Joey Porter Jr., who had a passer rating against of less than 60 last year. In free agency the Steelers added veteran cornerback Jamel Dean (who started 77 games over seven seasons in Tampa) and safety Jaquan Brisker, who had two 100-stop seasons in four years with the Bears.

The linebackers are a potential issue—Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson are good players but not great ones.

But this is a unit without many glaring weaknesses on paper.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars

AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

Jaguars LB Foyesade Oluokun

The Jacksonville Jaguars are rarely mentioned among the league's best defenses, but that unit played a major role in their 13 wins and AFC South title in 2025.

In 2025, the Jags ranked just outside the top 10 in total defense, eighth in the NFL in points allowed and fielded the best run defense in the league at just 85.6 yards per game.

It starts up front, with edge-rushers Josh Hines Allen and Travon Walker. Walker admittedly had a down year sack-wise in 2025 (3.5), but that didn't stop the team from extending him in the offseason and Walker hit double-digits in sacks in both 2023 and 2024—a feat that Hines-Allen has accomplished twice in his own right, including 17.5 sacks in 2023.

Losing linebacker Devin Lloyd in free agency was a blow, but the Jaguars still have a steady, veteran presence at inside linebacker in Foyesade Oluokun, who led the league in tackles in 2021 and 2022. Moving second-year pro Travis Hunter to cornerback full-time should help shore up a secondary that struggled at times last year, and the team drafted a potential starter at safety in third-round pick Jalen Huskey.

The Jaguars don't have the best defense in their division. But that doesn't mean that side of the ball isn't a strength for the team.

8. Minnesota Vikings

AP Photo/Julio Cortez

Vikings S Joshua Metellus

The Minnesota Vikings missed the postseason a year ago, but the fault for that can't be laid at the feet of the new Purple People Eaters—in 2025, the Vikings were third in total defense, (282.6 yards per game) second against the pass (158.5 yards per game) and seventh in points allowed (19.6 points per game).

The Vikings traded edge-rusher Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles, but the hope is that youngster Dallas Turner is able to step into a full-time role opposite Andrew Van Ginkel after logging a team-high eight sacks in 2025. Defensive tackle Jalen Redmond had six sacks in his own right a year ago, and the team added a starter beside him in Round 1 of the 2026 draft in Caleb Banks.

At linebacker, Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson aren't household names. But both are capable veteran linebackers who each had at least 115 tackles last year.

Long-time starter Harrison Smith is gone from the secondary, and the Vikings will need a couple of youngsters to step up on the back end this year. But Isaiah Rodgers and Byron Murphy are an underrated duo at cornerback, and Joshua Metellus is a talented safety capable of moving around the formation.

In an NFC North with little separation between the four teams, the Vikings have the best defense in the division.

7. Los Angeles Chargers

AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper

Chargers EDGE Tuli Tuipulotu

The Los Angeles Chargers fashion themselves a Super Bowl contender in 2026, and a big reason for that is the team's defense. In 2025, the Bolts were a top-10 defense in total yards (fifth), pass defense (fifth), run defense (eighth) and points allowed (ninth).

That's a defense without a glaring weakness.

The Chargers lost edge-rusher Odafe Oweh in free agency, but the team still has veteran Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu (who had a career-high 13 sacks last year) at the position, and first-round rookie Akheem Mesidor was brought in to add depth in the pass rush.

At linebacker, Daiyan Henley is a rising young talent after logging a career-high 103 tackles. The trio of Cam Hart, Donte Jackson and Tarheeb Still at cornerback may not have a ton of star power, but as a unit they were stout. Safety Derwin James Jr. is one of the most talented and versatile players in the league at his position and the highest-paid safety in the NFL.

There's also a new defensive coordinator in town in Chris O' Leary after Jesse Minter took the head coaching job in Baltimore. But what the Chargers lack in star power they make up for by playing as a unit.

It will not be an easy team against which to move the ball in 2026.

6. New England Patriots

AP Photo/Steve Luciano

Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez

Quarterback Drake Maye may have had the lion's share of the credit for New England's run to Super Bowl LX last year, but the defense played its part last year—the Pats were eighth in total defense (292.5 yards per game) and pass defense (193.5 yards per game), sixth in rushing defense (101.7 yards per game) and fourth in scoring defense (18.8 yards per game).

The defensive front features a pair of veteran edge-rushers in Harold Landry III and Dre'Mont Jones, who have combined for 96.5 career sacks. Veteran Milton Williams and Christian Barmore are a solid pair of interior linemen.

At linebacker, Robert Spillane missed four games in 2025, but in each of the two seasons preceding that Spillane eclipsed 145 total tackles.

The defensive backfield is loaded. Christian Gonzalez is one of the NFL's best young cornerbacks. Veteran Carlton Davis III has eight NFL seasons and 105 career starts under his belt who won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Pats also added a first-team All-Pro safety in free agency in Kevin Byard III, who has led the league in interceptions twice—including last year.

Front to back, there are far more strengths than weaknesses on the New England defense in 2026.

5. Philadelphia Eagles

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

Eagles DT Jalen Carter

Two years ago, the Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl LIX by making Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes miserable. Philly's defense wasn't quite as dominant in 2025 as the year before, but the team ranked eighth against the pass and allowed the fifth-fewest points per game.

That defense should be formidable again in 2026.

Eagles general manager Howie Roseman stockpiles defensive linemen—the team was in on the Myles Garrett sweepstakes but balked at including star tackle Jalen Carter in the deal. But the team did add veteran edge-rusher Jonathan Greenard in a draft day trade to a room that already included the likes of Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith Jr.

At linebacker, the team has an in-house replacement for the departed Nakobe Dean in youngster Jihaad Campbell, who will start opposite Zack Baun.

The Philadelphia secondary is a strength as well—Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean have rapidly become two of the NFL's top young cornerbacks, and the Eagles signed Riq Woolen away from the Seahawks in free agency.

The Eagles did lose a starter at safety in veteran Reed Blankenship, but deep safety Andrew Mukuba is an ascending talent.

Philly's defense is easily the class of the NFC East.

4. Seattle Seahawks

AP Photo/Scot Tucker

Seahawks S Nick Emmanwori

The Seattle Seahawks are the defending NFL champions, and the team's defense played a significant role in that decisive win over the New England Patriots.

In the regular season, the team led the league in scoring defense at just 17.2 points per game. The Seahawks ranked inside the top 10 in total defense, run defense and pass defense as well, logging 47 sacks (tied for sixth-most in the league) and adding 25 takeaways (also sixth-best in the NFL).

Even after the loss of edge-rusher Boye Mafe, the Seahawks still have depth and talent on the defensive line—DeMarcus Lawrence and Uchenna Nwosu on the edge and Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy in the middle. Ernest Jones IV is one of the league's more underappreciated off-ball linebackers, and batterymate Drake Thomas is a capable NFL starter.

Seattle's secondary is loaded. Devon Witherspoon is at least a top-10 (if not top-five) cornerback. Safety Julian Love has topped 100 total tackles in three of the last four seasons. Entering his second professional season, Nick Emmanwori has the look of a star in the making.

It's not exactly a stunner that a defensive head coach like Mike Macdonald would prioritize that side of the ball.

But it's an impressive group nonetheless.

3. Denver Broncos

AP Photo/David Zalubowski

Broncos EDGE Nik Bonitto

This is a ranking that will probably ruffle some feathers.

To be clear, the Denver defense is in the conversation as the best in the NFL. Last year the Broncos were second to the Houston Texans in total defense, giving up just 278.2 yards per game. Denver was seventh in the NFL against the pass.

Only the Jaguars gave up fewer yards per game on the ground last year than the 91.1 yards per contest the Broncos surrendered. Only two teams allowed fewer points per game. And Denver's 68 sacks in 2025 were easily the most in the NFL.

That dominant pass rush is keyed by a pair of outstanding edge-rushers in Jonathon Cooper and Nik Bonitto, who combined for 22 sacks in 2025. Defensive tackle Zach Allen chipped in seven more on the way to first-team All-Pro honors.

The Broncos sport a pair of experienced inside linebackers in Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad, and the secondary is borderline terrifying. Talanoa Hufanga and Brandon Jones may be the best safety duo in the league, cornerback Patrick Surtain II was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year two years ago and 2025 first-rounder Jahdae Barron should be improved in 2026.

Denver almost made the Super Bowl a year ago—and the defense did the majority of the heavy lifting.

2. Los Angeles Rams

AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

Rams EDGE Byron Young

While speaking to reporters in his introductory press conference, new Rams edge-rusher Myles Garrett said he plans to make an immediate dent with his new team.

 "The opportunity to come here and have an immediate and profound impact on a team," he said, "it's something that has me looking forward."

Make no mistake, the Garrett deal was massive. The Rams were already a top-three defense. Now the team sports a front that is truly the stuff of nightmares: Garrett and 2025 breakout Byron Young on the edge and young tackles Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske inside.

Well, unless Aaron Donald comes back.

Nate Landman is not a star, but he is a reliable starter at linebacker. Cornerback was the team's weak spot, but it was blasted in the offseason as well—the Rams flipped another first-rounder to Kansas City for Pro Bowl corner Trent McDuffie and then signed his teammate Jaylen Watson in free agency.

The Rams also might have the best safety room in the league—Kam Curl logged a career-high 122 total tackles last year, and Quentin Lake posted a career-best passer rating against last year manning the slot.

Adding Garrett to this stacked unit is the ultimate Les Snead move, and it turns the Rams defense into one of the most intimidating units in the league.

1. Houston Texans

AP Photo/Maria Lysaker

Texans CB Derek Stingley Jr.

As seismic as the Myles Garrett trade was, it still isn't enough to rank the Rams defense ahead of the Houston Texans. While L.A. projects as a defensive juggernaut, Houston already is one—and proved it last year.

There wasn't a team in the league that gave up fewer yards per game last season than the 277.2 the Texans allowed last year. The Texans were top-six in every major defensive statistical category, including second in scoring defense, third in takeaways and sixth in sacks.

This is a team that won a playoff game last year in which their quarterback turned it over several times because the Pittsburgh Steelers could not generate any offense.

With all due respect to Garrett and Young, Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter are kings of the mountain among edge-rush duos until they get knocked from that perch. Houston has young defensive tackles of their own in Tommy Togiai and rookie Kayden McDonald. Inside linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair is a Pro Bowler in his own right.

The secondary is absolutely loaded with talent. Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter were both Pro Bowlers at cornerback a year ago—as was free safety Calen Bullock. The Texans signed veteran box safety Reed Blankenship away from the Eagles in free agency, and Jalen Pitre has emerged as a versatile force in the slot.

There is no obvious weak link in this defense.