Ten offensive players to keep an eye on were covered earlier in the week. The focus now turns to the other side of the ball.
Every season, a different set of players face crossroads or have something to prove for a variety of reasons. The most common reasons are related to age, contract or salary cap concerns, injury, poor performance or off-the-field issues.
Here are 10 defensive players to keep an eye on during the 2024 season, who fit into one of those categories.
The Chargers have been getting diminishing returns on their investment of making Bosa the NFL's highest-paid non-quarterback in 2020 with a five-year, $135 million contract extension, averaging $27 million per year. Ability isn't the issue with Bosa. It's availability. He's been limited to 14 games over the last two seasons because of groin, hamstring, foot and toe injuries. Bosa took a $7 million pay cut from $22 million to $15 million with the opportunity to earn $4 million back through incentives in March to ensure he wouldn't be released.
The four-time Pro Bowler is already dealing with injuries again. He just returned from breaking his left hand in early August, which required surgery. What Bosa does this season will likely determine his future with the Chargers. Bosa has the NFL's largest 2025 salary cap number for non-quarterbacks at $36,471,668. The Chargers would pick up $25.36 million in salary cap space by parting ways with Bosa next year.
There was speculation that the NFL's highest-paid cornerback could be traded after a tumultuous 2023 season. The $21 million-per-year man missed nine games in 2023 because of back and shoulder issues. Another game was lost because Alexander was suspended for conduct detrimental to the team after anointing himself a game captain against the Carolina Panthers on Christmas Eve and nearly botching the pregame coin-toss decision. Before the season, Alexander didn't do himself any favors with the front office and coaching staff in forfeiting a $700,000 bonus by skipping the offseason workout program to train in Florida instead. The speculation was put to rest after the Packers paid his $8 million third day of the 2024 league year roster (March 15), which is half his 2024 compensation. Last season will quickly be forgotten with reminders of Alexander's 2022 performance in which he picked off five passes, made the Pro Bowl and held Justin Jefferson to one catch for 15 yards when the star Vikings receiver was on his way to be named NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
Young was finally starting to put the right knee (torn ACL and patellar tendon) injury during his second NFL season in 2021, that derailed his NFL career, behind him when the Washington Commanders dealt him to San Francisco 49ers for a 2024 third-round pick at the trade deadline last season. He had five sacks in his seven games with the Commanders before the trade. He added 2.5 more sacks in nine games after joining the 49ers.
Offseason neck surgery took a long-term deal out of the equation in free agency. Young signed a one-year deal with the Saints for a fully guaranteed $13 million. The 2020 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year has gotten good reviews from the Saints throughout the preseason. The good reviews translating into major success during the regular season could mean a long-term deal next March exceeding the $24 million per year his former Commanders teammate Montez Sweat received last season shortly after his trade to the Chicago Bears.
Last season was a year for White to forget. White asked for a trade early in the offseason because of the lack of a contract extension. He reportedly wanted top off-ball linebacker money. Since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers held their ground on White's trade request and a new deal, he played the 2023 season under a fully guaranteed $11.706 million, fifth-year option.
White didn't accomplish his goal of becoming a complete overall linebacker rather than just a blitzing linebacker who made splash plays. He was on the field for 79.38% of Tampa Bay's defensive snaps during the regular season despite missing three games with a foot injury. White was essentially demoted in the playoffs because of confidence in K.J. Britt. His playtime took a drastic drop to 30.3% in Tampa Bay's two playoff games.
White signed a one-year, $4 million deal worth up to $7.5 million through incentives with the Eagles in free agency. He recently said he took less money to come to Philadelphia because he wanted to find the right situation. If White can't resurrect his career with the Eagles, the best he might be able to do in free agency next year is a deal similar to his current one.
Judon's perpetual unhappiness with the four-year, $54 million contract (worth up to $56 million through incentives) he signed in 2021 free agency led to the New England Patriots trading him to the Falcons for a 2025 third-round pick a couple of weeks ago. The four-time Pro Bowler isn't insisting on a new deal from the Falcons because they don't have any type of track record with him.
Judon is scheduled to make $7.5 million this year. It was originally $10.5 million but the Patriots moved $3 million of the money into his 2023 contract year last August to try to placate him. He was off to strong start in 2023, with four sacks in four games, when his season came to an end because of a torn right biceps. Judon picking up where he left off last year should ensure that he gets more than the $13.5 million per year of his current deal on his next contract, although he'll be 33 before the start of next season.
Greenlaw is beginning the season on the reserve/physically unable to perform list because of a fluke injury in Super Bowl LVIII last February. He tore his left Achilles while running onto the field for a 49ers defensive series early in the second quarter. Greenlaw, who is 27, probably won't return to action until some point during the second half of the season.
This is the final year of the two-year, $16.4 million extension (worth up to $17.4 million through salary escalators) Greenlaw signed in September 2022, averaging $8.2 million per year. Greenlaw may be playing his last season in San Francisco as safety Talanoa Hufanga and cornerback Charvarius Ward, who also have expiring contracts, may be bigger re-signing priorities.
The Seattle Seahawks released Adams in March because he never measured up to the four-year, $70 million extension (worth up to $72 million through incentives and salary escalators) averaging $17.5 million per year he signed during the 2021 preseason to dramatically reset the safety market. Injuries played a part. His 2021 season was cut short after 12 games because of a torn labrum in his left shoulder. A torn left quadriceps tendon in the first half of the season opener ended Adams' 2022 campaign. Adams didn't return to action until 2023's fourth game. He didn't make much of an impact in the nine games he played last season.
Adams didn't find a new football home with the Tennessee Titans until July a couple of weeks before training camp. He signed a one-year, $1,292,500 contract where $1,152,500 is fully guaranteed. Safety Quandre Diggs, who was also released by the Seahawks in March and signed with the Titans in early August, thinks Adams wasn't utilized properly over the last three seasons. Adams has been best in the box and blitzing as coverage isn't his strong suit. He set an NFL record for defensive backs with 9.5 sacks in 2020 when used more in this manner.
Better usage shouldn't be a problem this season. Adams is reuniting with Dennard Wilson. The Titans defensive coordinator was Adams' defensive backs coach during his first three NFL seasons (2017-2019), which were with the New York Jets. Adams earned First Team All-Pro honors in 2019.
White was considered as one of the league's best cornerbacks until he was bitten by the injury bug. He tore his left ACL 11 games into the 2021 season. White didn't return to action until the final six games the following year. He was starting to round back into form when tore his right Achilles while the Buffalo Bills were playing the Miami Dolphins in Week 4 last season. Opposing quarterbacks were completing 60% of passes (9 of 15 attempts) for 60 yards when targeting White, according to Pro Football Focus metrics.
The Bills used a post-June 1 designation to release White in March so his dead money, a salary cap charge for a player no longer on a team's roster, could be taken over two years instead of just one. His dead money in 2024 and 2025 is $6,234,916 and $4,134,919, respectively. White signed a one-year, $4.25 million deal, worth up to $10 million through incentives, with the Rams in April.
Davenport was hoping for a fresh start with the Minnesota Vikings when he signed a one-year, $13 million deal in 2023 free agency after five injury-plagued seasons with the Saints. The injuries continued mounting last season. Davenport had two sacks in four games before going on injured reserve for the rest of the season during the middle October with a left ankle injury. It was another one-year deal for Davenport in free agency this year. He received a one-year, $6.5 million contract worth a maximum of $10.5 million through incentives from the Lions. Davenport bettering his career-high nine sacks from 2021 isn't out of the question, playing opposite Aidan Hutchinson, provided he can stay relatively healthy.
Kinlaw's career never really got off the ground in San Francisco after the 49ers made him 2020's 14th overall pick. A right ACL tear limited him to 10 games over the 2021 and 2022 seasons. The 49ers signing Javon Hargrave to a four-year, $84 million contract in 2023 free agency killed any chance of Kinlaw's fully guaranteed $10.455 million, fifth-year option for 2024 being picked up. The addition of Hargrave made Kinlaw a rotational defensive lineman in 2023 after starting 22 of the 24 games he played in his three NFL seasons. Kinlaw played in all 17 games for the first time last season. He had career highs of 3.5 sacks and 31 quarterback pressures (combined sacks, quarterback hits and quarterback hurries).
Kinlaw signed a one-year, $7.25 million contract worth up to $9 million through incentives with the New York Jets as an unrestricted free agent in March. He'll get plenty of opportunities this season to try to change his career trajectory.