Briggs had 4.0 sacks among his 38 tackles (19 solo) in 2025.

Briggs was a quiet success story for the Jets after being acquired in a preseason trade with the Browns. The 2024 seventh-round pick appeared in all 17 games for the Jets, starting the last eight after the team traded away Quinnen Williams. Even if the Jets bolster the interior of their defensive line in the offseason, Briggs showed enough ability to generate pressure from the inside to earn at least a rotational role in 2026.

Elliss played in 15 regular-season games (13 starts) in 2025, registering 94 tackles, three defensed passes and a forced fumble.

Elliss's regular-season tackle total was a career-best mark and ranked second on New England behind Robert Spillane. Elliss played in all four of the Patriots' postseason games as well, tallying 19 stops (including 1.0 sacks), two defensed passes, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Elliss is under contract through 2026, so he should again be a key part of the Patriots' defense next season.

Spillane notched 97 tackles, including 1.0 sacks, five defensed passes (including two interceptions) and a forced fumble over 13 regular-season games (all starts) during the 2025 campaign.

Spillane signed with the Patriots last March after a two-year run with Las Vegas during which he averaged 153 stops per season. While Spillane couldn't quite reach those numbers in his debut campaign in New England, he made an immediate impact as the Pats' leading tackler despite missing the final four games of the regular season due to an ankle injury. Spillane returned for the playoffs and posted 18 stops during New England's run to the Super Bowl in spite of missing most of the AFC Championship Game versus Denver as a result of reinjuring his ankle. Spillane is under contract through 2027 and figures to be a central figure in New England's defense again next year.

Ward played in all 17 of Minnesota's games last season, making five starts and recording 27 tackles along with a recovered fumble.

Ward logged just 62 defensive snaps over 33 regular-season contests in his first two NFL campaigns, but he was much more involved on defense in 2025 with 249 defensive snaps. The 2023 fourth-round draft pick made his first NFL start in Week 10 and then started each of the Vikings' final three contests after Josh Metellus (shoulder) landed on IR. Ward will be in the final season of his rookie contract in 2026, and if Harrison Smith decides to retire, Ward could be tabbed for a starting role.

Rodriguez posted 43 tackles (including 2.0 sacks) over 16 games (two starts) during the 2025 campaign.

Rodriguez played in just two games as a rookie, but he was much more involved during his sophomore NFL campaign. The 2024 seventh-round draft pick played over half of Minnesota's defensive snaps in eight contests, including in each of the final three games of the regular season. Rodriguez will be in the third year of his rookie contract in 2026 and figures to again play a significant role for the Vikings' defense.

Jackson played 14 games (eight starts) in 2025, logging 47 tackles (including 2.0 sacks), one defensed pass, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

Jackson didn't make any starts over 43 regular-season games across his first three NFL campaigns, but he started in each of Minnesota's first six contests last season. The Tennessee product saw a lessened role thereafter but still worked as a rotational defensive back most weeks and made two additional starts. Jackson tallied the first two sacks of his NFL career and posted a career-high 47 total tackles, though the midseason demotion doesn't bode well for his opportunities moving forward. Still, he's signed for another two years, so Jackson should play at least a rotational role for the Vikings again in 2026.

Hargrave recorded 52 tackles, including 3.5 sacks, along with a forced fumble and a recovered fumble over 16 games (15 starts) during the 2025 season.

Hargrave was limited to just three games with San Francisco in 2024 due to a triceps injury, but he remained healthy throughout the 2025 campaign -- his first with Minnesota. However, he couldn't approach his career-high mark of 11.0 sacks, and 2.0 of the veteran defensive lineman's 3.5 total sacks came in Week 1. Hargrave signed a two-year contract last March, so he's tentatively slated to return to Minnesota for the 2026 campaign.

Alexander totaled 20 tackles, including 3.5 sacks, and a defensed pass over 16 games (two starts) during the 2025 campaign.

After being selected by New York in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Alexander was a healthy scratch Week 1. However, he played in every contest the rest of the way and maintained a fairly steady rotational role. Alexander didn't get into the sacks column until he logged a half-sack in Week 8, but he concluded the campaign with 3.0 sacks over his final six contests. Alexander's strong finish could earn him consideration for a starting role next year.

Banks played in 16 games (six starts) during the 2025 campaign, tallying 31 tackles and five defensed passes. He also returned 19 kickoffs for 622 yards and a touchdown.

After starting each of the first 29 regular-season games of his NFL career, Banks couldn't hold onto a starting role last season, as Paulson Adebo and Cor'Dale Flott (knee) emerged as the Giants' starting outside cornerbacks when healthy. That unsurprisingly resulted in Banks logging career-low marks in defensive snaps (457), tackles (31) and defensed passes (five). Banks did, however, get his first professional action as a kick returner, and the highlight of his campaign was a 95-yard kick-return TD in Week 17. Banks will be in the fourth and final year of his rookie contract in 2026, and given his reduction in defensive playing time last year, it seems unlikely New York will pick up his fifth-year option.

Flannigan-Fowles registered 33 tackles, including 1.0 sacks, and one defensed pass over 10 games (three starts) during the 2025 campaign.

It was a rough first season in New York health-wise for Flannigan-Fowles -- his seven missed games came as a result of multiple issues, including injuries to his calf, hamstring and neck as well as an illness. Still, he saw more playing time on defense than in previous campaigns and finished with career-high marks in defensive snaps (224) and tackles (33). Flannigan-Fowles was playing on a one-year contract, so he's now slated to be an unrestricted free agent.