2026 NFL free agents: Pete Prisco ranks his top 25 defensive players on the market
Trey Hendrickson is Prisco's top-ranked defensive free agent
The NFL's version of March Madness comes in the form of free agency. Soon enough, the legal tampering window will open, and all hell will break loose across the league with teams and soon-to-be free agents agreeing to the parameters of deals that'll shake up the NFL for 2026 and beyond. Then, once we ring in the start of the new league year on March 11, those signings will become official.
Already, this offseason has been busy with various hirings, releases, and trades that have come across the wire, and the mayhem hasn't even truly started yet.
Of course, as we sit on the doorstep of free agency, you probably want to know who the best players are that will be available on the open market. To help us with that, we've tasked CBS Sports senior NFL writer Pete Prisco to come up with his top 100 free agents list. Below, we'll be highlighting his top 25 defensive free agents this offseason.
If you want to check out Prisco's top 25 offensive free agents, click here.
All right, let's get to it!
1. EDGE Trey Hendrickson
When healthy, Trey Hendrickson has been one of the NFL's more prolific pass rushers, so it's not surprising to see him top Prisco's list on the defensive side of the ball. The 31-year-old was limited to seven games last season due to a hip injury but did post four sacks.
In 2024, Hendrickson led the NFL with 17.5 sacks, which also made him just the fifth player in league history with 17-plus sacks in back-to-back seasons.
With a clean bill of health, Hendrickson has the ability to be an absolute game wrecker for whichever organization he joins next.
2. CB Jaylen Watson
Jaylen Watson's breakout season in 2025 couldn't have come at a better time with him now slated to hit the market.
Last season, the corner elevated to a full-time starter and put together some of the best production of his career, recording two interceptions and breaking up six passes. As the primary defender in coverage, Watson allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete just 53.8% of their passes and register a career-best 46.6 passer rating against.
At just 27 years old, he'll have plenty of teams lining up to ink him to a deal.
3. EDGE Jaelan Phillips
Jaelan Phillips is coming off a roller coaster of a season in 2025 that saw him traded from the Miami Dolphins to the Philadelphia Eagles in early November. While he found himself switching teams and entering a new conference, Phillips was tremendous following the trade and improved Philly's defense dramatically.
The Eagles were the No. 1 scoring defense following the Phillips trade, allowing just 15.6 points per game. In 17 games between the Eagles and Dolphins, Phillips totaled five sacks, 14 quarterback hits, and the fourth-highest pressure rate.
At just 26, he'll have a strong market, but there are serious injury concerns with a history that includes an ACL tear and a torn Achilles over his NFL career.
4. EDGE Odafe Oweh
The former first-round pick out of Penn State in 2021 flipped a switch after being traded from the Ravens to the Chargers in early October last season. In 12 games played for L.A. over the regular season, Odafe Oweh tallied 7.5 sacks. The 27-year-old continued that renaissance in the playoffs with a dominating three-sack, two forced-fumble performance against the Patriots, albeit in a loss. Oweh's ability to get to the quarterback has ticked up in recent years, posting 17.5 sacks in the past two seasons after having just 13 over his first three seasons.
5. EDGE John Franklin-Myers
John Franklin-Myers, a former fourth-round pick of the Rams in 2018, was an underrated piece to arguably the best defense in the NFL last season in Denver.
His 7.5 sacks were a career high, which made him an absolute force on the interior.
Even as he's set to turn 30 years old at the start of next season, his ability to push the pocket will make him a popular figure in free agency.
6. EDGE Boye Mafe
Boye Mafe has been with the Seahawks since the club drafted him in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Minnesota. He also just helped the franchise to a Super Bowl 60 victory.
However, his role did diminish a bit in 2025, seeing his defensive snap counts fall for the second straight year (72% in 2023, 60% in 2024 and 50% in 2025). That said, Mafe still registered 40 pressures, albeit with just two sacks on the stat sheet for 2025.
7. LB Devin Lloyd
Devin Lloyd's five interceptions last season had him tied for the second-most in the NFL.
His six total takeaways were tied for the third-most in the league.
On top of creating turnovers, Lloyd had a career-high 10 quarterback hits, so this is an off-the-ball linebacker who can make plays all over the field.
That should endear him to a club looking for a boost on defense.
8. CB Alontae Taylor
Alontae Taylor, the former second-round corner out of Tennessee in 2022, is coming off a strong season for the Saints.
He had two interceptions and 11 pass breakups while holding opposing quarterbacks to a 89.1 passer rating against.
Taylor has the ability to play both on the outside and inside, making him a versatile figure in the secondary.
9. S Jaquan Brisker
Limited to just five games in 2024 due to injury but able to bounce back nicely last season, Jaquan Brisker played in 17 games and two playoff matchups for Chicago. The 26-year-old safety also broke up eight passes to go with his 93 tackles over the regular season.
10. DT David Onyemata
Nose tackle David Onyemata is a little long in the tooth -- he'll turn 34 in the middle of next season -- but he's coming off a disruptive season with the Falcons in 2025.
In 17 games played (all starts), Onyemata had 62 tackles, seven tackles for a loss, one sack and 21 pressures.
11. S Bryan Cook
Bryan Cook has made a name for himself in Kansas City after being the Chiefs' second-round pick in 2022 out of Cincinnati.
On top of snatching two Super Bowl rings over his tenure, he's turned himself into a quality safety.
The 26-year-old posted a career-high 86 tackles and six pass breakups in 17 games played last season.
12. CB Tariq Woolen
Tariq Woolen burst onto the scene as a rookie with 16 pass breakups and a league-leading six interceptions after being a fifth-round pick of the Seahawks in 2022.
While he's come down from that ridiculous pace over the past few years and stopped being an every-game starter for Seattle in 2025, he has plenty of talent.
In 16 games (seven starts) during the regular season, he had 41 tackles, 12 pass breakups, and an interception.
13. CB Jamel Dean
Jamel Dean put together a solid tenure with the Buccaneers, which included a win in Super Bowl 55 during his second season in the league.
Last season, he held opposing quarterbacks to a mere 42.4% completion rate when he was the primary defender in coverage, to go along with a personal-best 34.4 passer rating against and career-high three interceptions.
14. S Nick Cross
Nick Cross is one of the younger free agents as he's hitting the market at just 24 years old.
When you pair the safety's age with him developing into a starter for Indy over the last two seasons, he'll have value on the market. In 2025, he had 120 tackles, five pass breakups and a career-high 2.5 sacks.
15. LB Leo Chenal
Leo Chenal has been a solid contributor within Kansas City's defense since joining the club as a third-round pick in 2022.
He's best known for defending the run than he is in coverage.
Chenal just finished up a 2025 season where the 25-year-old posted 58 tackles, two sacks and five quarterback hits in 14 games played (12 starts).
16. S Jalen Thompson
A fifth-round pick by the Cardinals in 2019 out of Washington State, Jalen Thompson developed into a weekly starter for Arizona.
In 15 games played last season, the safety posted 95 tackles, one sack and six pass breakups.
17. LB Nakobe Dean
Nakobe Dean has flashed special play throughout his career with Philadelphia, but the concerns centering around the linebacker's injury history.
The 25-year-old has only played a full season once over his first four years in the league, and that came back in 2022 when he was a rookie. Those injury concerns were what contributed to him falling to the third round out of Georgia, and they haven't subsided since turning pro.
That said, he could be worth the roll of the dice for a team looking to add at linebacker.
18. EDGE Joey Bosa
Joey Bosa didn't give the Buffalo Bills the level of disruption that they were likely looking for, but the veteran is still a fascinating figure on the free agent market this offseason.
In 15 games played last year, Bosa had 29 tackles, five sacks, and five forced fumbles. He'll turn 31 in July.
19. EDGE Dre'Mont Jones
Dre'Mont Jones spent the 2025 season split between the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens after he was traded at the deadline.
The 29-year-old will serve as a solid rotational piece to a defense and is coming off a season where he registered a total of seven sacks.
20. S Alohi Gilman
Alohi Gilman was traded from the Chargers to the Ravens in early October and proved to be a strong addition for Baltimore.
In the 12 games following the trade, he recorded 68 tackles and broke up six passes.
Given that the Ravens just hired former Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter as their next coach, it'll be interesting to see if the franchise retains him.
21. LB Bobby Wagner
Bobby Wagner is still playing at a high level, despite finishing up his age-35 season in 2025.
In 17 games for Washington, he had 162 tackles, 4.5 sacks and four pass breakups.
Again, he's up there in age, but he can still be a strong contributor for a contender.
22. EDGE Kwity Paye
Kwity Paye fell off a bit with the Colts in 2025, totaling just four sacks and 39 tackles over 17 games played. That was a decline from posting at least eight sacks in each of the previous two seasons.
Even with that decline, Paye is 27, and some team will likely look to that prior production and have confidence they can get him back up in running, so there will be a solid market for him.
23. LB Kaden Elliss
Kaden Elliss is a solid linebacker who can get after the quarterback and work well in the run game.
The former seventh-rounder out of Idaho in 2019 had 380 tackles and 12.5 sacks over his past three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons.
24. S Coby Bryant
When the Seahawks selected Coby Bryant in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Cincinnati, he entered the league as a cornerback.
More recently, he's converted to safety and has been a solid contributor, and just helped the franchise win Super Bowl 60.
During the regular season, Bryant had 66 tackles, seven pass breakups and a career-high four interceptions.
25. S Reed Blankenship
After going undrafted in 2022 out of Middle Tennessee, Reed Blankenship has risen to a viable starter in the NFL.
He helped Philadelphia win Super Bowl 59 in the 2024 season, and the 27-year-old just finished a 2025 campaign in which he had 83 tackles and four pass breakups.
