2011 NFL Free Agency: Power Ranking the Top 20 Defensive Players Available
2011 NFL free agency does not start until next month, but teams are already scouting potential signers.
And although there are several great options out there at the sexy positions like running back, quarterback, and wide receiver, the crop of defenders is much more impressive.
Poor defense cost plenty of teams playoff berths (the Giants, Jaguars) or playoff wins (the Falcons, the Saints) so adding one top notch player through the free agent market could make a world of difference.
So who are the 20 best players out there?
No. 20: Roman Harper, S
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Current Team: New Orleans Saints
2010 Stats: 98 tackles, three sacks, one INT
Harper has been the recipient of a great deal of blame for the Saints loss opening round loss to the Seahawks. He was duped on two separate touchdowns and couldn't tackle Marshawn Lynch on that ridiculous 67-yard touchdown run.
But he did have a good year and was a key member of their Super Bowl championship.
He is only 28 years old and physical enough in the run game to entice some team.
No. 19: Champ Bailey, CB
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Current Team: Denver Broncos
2010 Stats: 45 tackles, 13 pass breakups, two INT
Bailey isn't quite the same player he was back in 2005-06, but he still has great value.
This year's NFL draft is going to lead to a handful of fine rookie corners: Prince Amukamara, Patrick Peterson, Aaron Williams, Brandon Harris, Ras-I Dowling.
That could help, not hurt Bailey in the open market. Teams might be interested in bringing in a 12-year veteran to mentor their first round rookie.
And since Charles Woodson has continued to be a dominant player, teams won't necessarily shy away from Bailey. Woodson won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award at 33, the same age Bailey will be next season.
No. 18: Mathias Kiwanuka, DE
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Current Team: New York Giants
2010 Stats: 11 tackles, four sacks
Kiwanuka missed 13 games this season with a serious neck injury. But he is expected to recover to full strength.
The Giants are reportedly only offering him a one-year deal so there is a good chance he bolts with Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre Paul, and Osi Umenyiora in place.
Between the injury and the fact that he's played on such a fantastic front line, there should be concerns about another team giving him a huge deal.
Still, he was clearly the Giants top defender in the early part of the season and will be just 28 next season.
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No. 17: Jason Babin, DE
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Current Team: Tennessee Titans
2010 Stats: 12.5 sacks
Babin had a fine season, finishing third in the AFC in sacks. But there has to be some apprehension about giving Babin the enormous long term contract he'll likely be asking for.
Considering how so many sack-specialist have flamed after one great season in recent years (Shawn Merriman, Andre Carter, Greg Ellis, even former Titan Albert Haynesworth) there is a precedent for trouble on the horizon regarding Babin.
He bounced around the NFL for six seasons before landing in Tennessee. Maybe he'll turn out to be a consistent threat, but there is some risk and that is why he is not higher on our power rankings.
No. 16: Dawan Landry, S
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Current Team: Baltimore Ravens
2010 Stats: 111 tackles, four pass breakups, one INT
Ed Reed's presence certainly helped Landry become a fine player the past few years, but even when Reed was out of the lineup, he played well. In the half-season without Ed Reed, Landry recorded 52 tackles and helped the Ravens run defense stay solid.
Depending on his asking price, he could be a steal for some team.
No. 15: Stephen Tulloch, LB
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Current Team: Tennessee Titans
2010 Stats: 159 tackles, one INT, one sack
Unlike his teammate Jason Babin, there should not be the same one-hit-wonder concern over Tulloch.
The five year-veteran followed up a very good 2009 (121 tackles, two sacks) with an even better season and what could have been a pro bowl year.
There isn't a terribly great crop of mike linebackers so Tulloch should be in high demand.
No. 14: Johnathan Joseph, CB
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Current Team: Cincinnati Bengals
2010 Stats: 42 tackles, three INT, eight pass break ups
Joseph missed part of the season with an ankle injury but he was still productive.
Still, anyone who is willing to sign him this spring, would be doing so based on his 2009 campaign. Last year, he had six picks and 20 broken up passes.
Joseph isn't as big and physical as a few of the other corners out there or as several of the rookie who'll be selected in April's draft.
But when he is healthy there aren't many corners with better recovery speed.
No. 13: Charles Johnson, DE
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Current Team: Carolina Panthers
2010 Stats: 11.5 sacks
Inserting Johnson into Julius Peppers old spot should naturally produce a big sack total. And Johnson didn't disappoint, even though almost all of his teammates did.
And even without the sack totals, Johnson was pretty good in the run game as well. He did record 62 tackles, 51 of which were solos.
Still, with a remarkable class of defensive ends coming out in this year's draft, it is going to be a little more difficult for Johnson to land a huge deal.
No. 12: Ike Taylor, CB
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Current Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
2010 Stats: 66 tackles, two INT, 11 pass breakups
Taylor is overshadowed by his fellow secondary mate, Troy Polamalu. And he doesn't post the interception totals potential teams would like to see.
But he played a great game last week in the Steelers win over the Ravens, and will have another chance to shine on the biggest stage when he squares off with his old buddy/former teammate Santonio Holmes.
Taylor is not as young as a few of the other corners out there, like Johnathan Joseph or Brent Grimes, but he has as much playoff experience as any corner in the NFL.
No. 11: Cullen Jenkins, DE
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Current Team: Green Bay Packers
2010 Stats: Seven sacks
For the second time in three years, Jenkins missed a huge portion of the season with an injury. But he is a valuable part of the NFC's best defense.
Jenkins has a great set of pass rush skill and is productive in defending the run.
But a team that nabs Jenkins would be doing so based more on potential than anything else: when he is in the lineup he has produced. The problem is that he is not an every-down player which could cost him dollars and years as he seeks a deal.
No. 10: Shaun Ellis, DE
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Current Team: New York Jets
2010 Stats: Four and a half sacks
Ellis is probably past his prime, but that doesn't seem to have been the case during the postseason.
The 11-year veteran had two sacks last week in the win over the Patriots and had a big tackle-for-loss in the win over the Colts.
He was more effective in the early part of the season (three and a half sacks in the first five weeks) and was beset a bit by injuries towards the end, but teams looking for veteran leadership and strength up front would look into bringing him to town.
No. 9: Brent Grimes, CB
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Current Team: Atlanta Falcons
2010 Stats: 87 tackles, five INT, 23 pass breakups
In 2010, Grimes was proof that size isn't everything at the corner back spot. He's only 5'10" and 180 pounds, but in his second full season as a starter he was fantastic and should have earned a pro bowl spot.
Grimes has 11 picks and 36 pass breakups in the past two years and although he struggled a bit (like everyone has against Aaron Rodgers) in the loss to the Packers, that will not dissuade a team from inquiring.
He is only 27 and there are plenty of teams out there who would rather sign a player with experience than put a rookie out there on an island. He is a restricted free agent so that might complicate things.
No. 8: Ray Edwards, DE
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Current Team: Minnesota Vikings
2010 Stats: 37 tackles, eight sacks
Edwards has been the most overlook member of a very good Vikings front four. But playing in systems under both Mike Tomlin and Leslie Frazier has made Edwards the most complete defensive end in the open market: he is just as good in the run game as he is in the pass game.
And not only is he young (age 26) but he is remarkably athletic and has the ideal build of a defensive end: 6'5", 270 pounds.
If he does leave Minnesota, however, it will be interesting to see what he is capable of in a defense without two great interior tackles and Jared Allen on the other side.
No. 7: Paul Posluszny, LB
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Current Team: Buffalo Bills
2010 Stats: 151 tackles, two sacks
If Posluszny were not playing in Buffalo he would probably have received more love from the pro bowl voters.
And there has to be some head scratching out there regarding Posluszny: he had 151 tackles but the Bills were by far the worst run defense in the NFL this year. They allowed more than 250 yards more than any other NFL team.
But since stepping into the NFL in 2007, he has been one of the better middle linebackers around.
Plenty of teams will see surrounding Posluszny with better talent as a formula for success.
No. 6: Haloti Ngata, DT
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Current Team: Baltimore Ravens
2010 Stats: 63 tackles, four and a half sacks
Ngata was knocked a little bit coming into the NFL as a player who took plays off. And he wasn't terribly efficient during his first four years.
But somewhere along the way he put it all together in 2010. He put a tremendous amount of pressure on opposing passers and was very disruptive, as we all saw last week in Pittsburgh.
Like a few of the other men on this list, there has to be some question about Ngata playing with another team in another system (unless that system is Rex Ryan's Jets). With three outstanding defenders on the roster in Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, and Terrell Suggs, Ngata had a few more opportunities than he would have in most other defenses.
No. 5: Chad Greenway, LB
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Current Team: Minnesota Vikins
2010 Stats: 144 tackles, one sack
It is the Vikings front four that stands out most. But Greenway was the man making most of the tackles in the run game and was just as responsible for having the ninth ranked rush defense in the NFL.
If Minnesota is forced to choose between Greenway and Ray Edwards, the smarter move is keeping their strong side linebacker, a position that is much harder to replace in the span of an off season.
He is very capable in coverage and a reliable tackler.
No. 4: Antonio Cromartie, CB
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Current Team: New York Jets
2010 Stats: 42 tackles, three INT, 17 pass breakups
Although it didn't seem the case at the time, Cromartie may have made a brilliant decision calling out Tom Brady last week. He got plenty of attention and seemingly backed up his words on that Sunday.
That will probably earn him some attention in the off season when it comes time for him to sign a new deal.
Cromartie is not nearly as physical as he needs to be as an NFL corner but his speed and athleticism is probably as good as fellow stud Jets corner Darrelle Revis.
And he does have added value in the special teams game, returning kickoffs.
No. 3: Tamba Hali, DE/LB
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Current Team: Kansas City Chiefs
2010 Stats: 52 tackles, 14.5 sacks, four forced fumbles
Even though the season ended with a major disappointment, losing to the Ravens in a home AFC Wild Card game.
But Hali played a great game that day, recording two sacks of Joe Flacco, forcing a fumble, breaking up a pass, and nabbing five solo sacks.
It does seem unlikely that the Chiefs will let their young emerging star leave town.
No. 2: LaMarr Woodley, LB
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Current Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
2010 Stats: 50 tackles, nine and a half sacks, two INT
Woodley came up huge last week in the Steelers win over Baltimore. However, that is nothing. He has become one of the best rush linebackers in the NFL.
Now, perhaps more than any other player on this list, Woodley has benefited from playing in an incredible defense with an incredible set of individual players.
But Woodley never seems out of position, has outstanding quickness off the edge and has been consistent every week for the past three seasons.
No. 1: Nnamdi Asomugha, CB
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Current Team: Oakland Raiders
2010 Stats: 19 tackles, six pass breakups
Not only would Asomugha improve any team's secondary, but he would be a great PR move for the team that signs him.
He is a great team leader, a community leader, and a perfect face for a franchise.
But that doesn't mean all that much on the football field, where Asomugha's physical skills take over.
The injury that cost him two games this year may have been the reason why he became a free agent, but it shouldn't be a concern to any team looking to sign him.
Most defenses did not even bother testing him and that is why he has relatively few tackles and interceptions the past four seasons.
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