- Khalil Mack, amid retirement rumors, will return for 2025: Mack could prioritize going to a membership poised for achievement within the coming yr, one thing the Commanders and Lions may pitch.
- The Cardinals badly want pass-rushing assist: Arizona is a possible touchdown spot for a number of gamers on this checklist, together with Josh Sweat, Haason Reddick and Milton Williams.
Estimated Studying Time: 9 minutes
EDGE Khalil Mack, Los Angeles Chargers
General Free-Agent Rank: 5
Potential Touchdown Spots: Washington Commanders, Detroit Lions
After briefly entertaining retirement, Mack is returning for 2025 and can enter the free-agent market as the highest accessible edge rusher. Together with his remaining time within the league being restricted, Mack could prioritize going to a membership poised for achievement within the coming yr, one thing the Commanders and Lions may pitch.
Though Dan Quinn’s protection could have completed within the prime 12 in sacks this season, it got here largely because of the scheme. Washington dedicated to a top-five blitz price (32.8%) — the best ever for a Quinn-led protection — and clocked the fewest snaps with 4 or fewer pass-rushers within the NFL through the common season. With Dorance Armstrong ending because the Commanders’ solely pass-rusher to exceed a 70.0 PFF general grade and the contracts for Dante Fowler Jr. and Clelin Ferrell expiring, including a drive on the sting like Mack would enable Quinn to take care of steadiness.
The Lions could not maintain fairly as a lot cap house because the Commanders, however they do possess one thing others can not provide: the chance to pair with one other elite edge rusher, releasing up Mack for extra one-on-ones. Mack and Aidan Hutchinson can be an attractive duo, boosting a go rush that fell off a cliff when Hutchinson went down early within the 2024 common season.
EDGE Josh Sweat, Philadelphia Eagles
General Free-Agent Rank: 10
Potential Touchdown Spots: Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals
Tennessee may poach Sweat from the Metropolis of Brotherly Love with a little bit of cohesion of their very own. Josh’s youthful brother, T’Vondre Sweat, is coming off a implausible rookie marketing campaign for the Titans, having earned a 76.2 PFF general grade.
Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon loved a prolific go rush whereas on the helm of the Eagles’ protection however has struggled to copy that success along with his new staff. Armed with the NFL’s fourth-most projected cap house this season, Gannon is effectively positioned to revamp his defensive entrance, and the expectation is that he’ll gravitate towards acquainted faces from his time in Philadelphia, making Sweat a probable goal.
EDGE Haason Reddick, New York Jets
General Free-Agent Rank: 12
Potential Touchdown Spots: Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions
With BJ Ojulari — the Cardinals’ second-round decide in 2023 — set to return from a torn ACL that knocked him out for the whole thing of the 2024 marketing campaign, Jonathan Gannon may shortly construct a powerhouse defensive position with a number of free-agent additions. What higher place to start out than with the uncooked expertise of Reddick, whom Gannon coached to a breakout season again in 2022 with the Eagles?
Following a season-ending damage to Aidan Hutchinson, Lions common supervisor Brad Holmes reportedly checked to see if a deal could possibly be reached to amass the disgruntled Reddick. Nonetheless, a commerce by no means materialized, partially resulting from a clause within the unique commerce settlement that might require New York to ship a 2026 second-round decide to Philadelphia if the Jets had been to ship Reddick again to the NFC. With Reddick slated to hit free company and that not being an issue, Holmes could once more attempt his luck at bringing within the former second-team All-Professional.
EDGE Malcolm Koonce, Las Vegas Raiders
General Free-Agent Rank: 16
Potential Touchdown Spots: Los Angeles Chargers
Had Koonce not suffered a season-ending damage heading into 2024 and as an alternative carried over his momentum from the again half of 2023, he would undoubtedly rank a lot increased on this checklist.
With Khalil Mack slated to money in as one in all PFF’s top-five free brokers this offseason and Joey Bosa probably changing into a cap casualty after combating accidents and on-field manufacturing in 2024, Los Angeles will definitely be available in the market for a younger pass-rusher to construct this unit round. The 26-year-old Koonce may create a strong tandem with Tuli Tuipulotu — the staff’s second-round decide in 2024 — and would save the staff important cap house to assault different evident wants.
DI Osa Odighizuwa, Dallas Cowboys
General Free-Agent Rank: 30
Potential Touchdown Spots: New England Patriots
Mike Vrabel inherits a roster that wants a lift at practically each place group, and New England holds the cap house to take action this offseason. New England’s inside was particularly ineffective in 2024, totaling the bottom strain price from defensive tackles (7.6%) in 2024. Odighizuwa can be an prompt improve, having recorded two consecutive seasons with a 78.0-plus PFF pass-rush grade and a 14%-plus win price.
DI Milton Williams, Philadelphia Eagles
General Free-Agent Rank: 32
Potential Touchdown Spots: Arizona Cardinals, Minnesota Vikings
Williams made nice strides as a pass-rusher in 2024, incomes the second-highest PFF pass-rush grade (90.4) amongst inside defenders and recording top-five marks in win price (17.2%), strain price (14.6%) and pass-rush productiveness ranking (8.3) through the common season.
Jonathan Gannon may be very conversant in Williams’ sport, having coached the previous third-round decide for the primary two years of his profession. Given the Cardinals’ pass-rushing woes (thirty first in staff PFF pass-rush grade in 2024) and ample cap house, count on Gannon to focus on acquainted faces, like Williams, to revamp his go rush in 2025.
Brian Flores is thought for his aggressive blitz packages however tends to seek out strain with out blitzing, having ranked twenty eighth in complete pressures (144) with out the blitz. Williams would match effectively in Flores’ scheme at 5-technique, the place the Vikings‘ highest-graded pass-rusher did not eclipse a 65.0 PFF pass-rush grade.
EDGE Baron Browning, Arizona Cardinals
General Free-Agent Rank: 39
Potential Touchdown Spots: Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers
Arizona was a staff in dire want of pass-rushing manufacturing this previous season, which prompted the commerce to usher in Baron Browning, who completed because the staff’s highest-graded pass-rusher (77.2) and is scheduled to hit free company. That sort of fast manufacturing must be rewarded. Ought to the Cardinals be unable to land one in all their prime targets, bringing again Browning on an economical deal is sensible.
The Panthers desperately want pass-rushing assist after their abysmal 2024, during which they ranked useless final in staff PFF pass-rush grade (51.6). With out a lot cap house to work with, their most suitable choice can be to make an early provide to a high-upside participant like Browning whereas different groups are combating over the Josh Sweats and Khalil Macks of the world.
DI Levi Onwuzurike, Detroit Lions
General Free-Agent Rank: 40
Potential Touchdown Spots: Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets
Onwuzurike is the penetrating 3-technique inside pass-rusher that each staff covets. And given how ineffective the Jaguars’ inside go rush was in 2024 — having ranked dead- ast in pass-rush win price by defensive tackles (8.9%) — he’ll undoubtedly be a goal for brand spanking new defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile’s protection. Pairing Onwuzurike’s 12%-plus go rush win price in every of the previous two seasons with the already productive tandem of Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker will surely flip heads within the AFC South.
Javon Kinlaw’s time in New York was short-lived (unrestricted free agent this offseason), and now the Jets should look elsewhere to seek out inside strain. With Aaron Glenn heading up this protection into the long run and the staff having restricted cap house, the Jets could possibly be available in the market for a extra cost-controlled choice in Onwuzurike, whom Glenn may be very conversant in, having simply coached him final season in Detroit.
EDGE Dayo Odeyingbo, Indianapolis Colts
General Free-Agent Rank: 42
Potential Touchdown Spots: Detroit Lions, Inexperienced Bay Packers
After dropping Aidan Hutchinson in Week 6, the Lions’ go rush struggled to seek out manufacturing on the sting. From Week 7 onward, their protection ranked twenty seventh in staff PFF pass-rush grade. Whereas Odeyingbo hasn’t burst onto the scene with gaudy sack numbers, he has quietly progressed every year inside his position, culminating in a 13.0% pass-rush win price this previous season.
Though the Packers completed within the prime 5 in sacks through the common season, they led the NFL in unblocked sacks, elevating considerations concerning the sustainability of their go rush. Amongst Inexperienced Bay’s 4 edge rushers with 150 or extra pass-rush snaps in 2024, solely Rashan Gary posted a double-digit pass-rush win price. At 286 kilos, Odeyingbo profiles effectively off the sting in Inexperienced Bay’s 4-3 protection.
EDGE Chase Younger, New Orleans Saints
General Free-Agent Rank: 49
Potential Touchdown Spots: Los Angeles Chargers, Chicago Bears
If prioritizing younger pass-rushers with excessive potential is a precedence for Los Angeles, Younger may match effectively throughout the Chargers’ plans for the long run. Though Younger has but to achieve the potential that warranted him being chosen second general within the 2020 NFL Draft, he has produced 70 or extra pressures in every of the previous two seasons. Jim Harbaugh can be fairly conversant in Younger’s sport, having coached in opposition to him throughout Younger’s time at Ohio State.
Younger’s former head coach in New Orleans, Dennis Allen, was named Ben Johnson’s defensive coordinator in Chicago, so the 25-year-old pass-rusher could very effectively be a goal for this protection in want of a bit extra pass-rushing chunk. Whereas Younger isn’t the perennial All-Professional many thought he can be, he’s nonetheless a high-end No. 2 edge, evidenced by his top-20 strain price (14.6%) in 2024 whereas taking part in below Allen.
EDGE Azeez Ojulari, New York Giants
General Free-Agent Rank: 51
Potential Touchdown Spots: Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals
In accordance with reviews from The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, Arizona and Cincinnati pursued Ojulari on the commerce deadline, however finally, a deal by no means got here to fruition. Now, each franchises can usher in Ojulari with out giving up any draft capital.
Though Ojulari has produced cheap sack numbers in his restricted position, he has but to show a profitable consistency, failing to exceed a 9.0% pass-rush win price over the previous two seasons. Nonetheless, ought to Arizona or Cincinnati miss out on the massive names on this class, Ojulari may step in as a spot rusher.
