The market has settled after a flurry of activity in the early days of free agency. With the need for elite pass rushers at a premium, it’s surprising some of the top names are still available for the right price. They represent a mix of age, experience, and cost — as teams balance staying under the cap, while still filling their needs.
NFL free agent pass rushers: Age and experience still available on the open market
There is plenty of talent available for teams looking for a free agent pass rusher, as several players with 10-sack pedigrees remain jobless.
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James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
Cliff Avril was the prize this season, and the Seattle Seahawks took advantage. They added the defensive end with double-digit sack potential, and plenty of room for improvement. Unlike the 26-year-old Avril, the remaining top pass rushers have a few more grey hairs, but are equally effective — as long as they're not seen as long-term options.
By virtue of a fax machine snafu, Dumervil finds himself unexpectedly on the open market. The Broncos extended a contract offer to try and retain one of their most effective pass rushers. However, there’s an opportunity for another team to swoop in, provided they’re willing to get their fax in on time.
At 5’11, 260 pounds, he seems small, but has a knack for playing bigger. Athletic enough to work in either a 4-3 or 3-4 system, Dumervil has the ability to attack offensive lines from a variety of angles. Over the last three years he’s totaled over 30 sacks, and has proved to be effective at sealing the edge in the run game. While he’s a little older than Avril (29 years old), he’s every bit as talented.
| Season | Team | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | |||||||||||
| G | GS | Comb | Total | Ast | Sck | SFTY | PDef | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TDs | FF | ||
| 2012 | Denver Broncos | 16 | 16 | 54 | 32 | 22 | 11.0 | 1 | 1 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 6 |
| 2011 | Denver Broncos | 14 | 14 | 42 | 31 | 11 | 9.5 | -- | 1 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 0 |
| 2009 | Denver Broncos | 16 | 14 | 49 | 42 | 7 | 17.0 | -- | 3 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 4 |
| 2008 | Denver Broncos | 16 | 15 | 24 | 17 | 7 | 5.0 | -- | 0 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 1 |
| 2007 | Denver Broncos | 16 | 16 | 39 | 34 | 5 | 12.5 | -- | 4 | 1 | 27 | 27.0 | 27 | 0 | 4 |
It wasn't long ago that Umenyiora was one of the NFL's premier pass rushers. A glut of talent in New York pushed him down the Giants' depth chart, and since Jason Pierre-Paul emerged it's been hard to see what his role is. The subject of annual trade rumors, Umenyiora now has the chance to find a new team and prove that he still has the double-digit sack potential he last showed in 2010.
More: Umenyiora visits Falcons
Primarily used as a third-down speed rusher, he best fits a traditional 4-3 front, paired with a power rusher. Initially, this seems like it would limit his usefulness around the league, but he’s still very effective, getting six sacks last year in a limited role. A team interested will need to weigh his production with age. There’s no question that Umenyiora is slowing down, but a veteran team poised to make a playoff push wont care if he’s a one- or two-year option.
| Season | Team | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | |||||||||||
| G | GS | Comb | Total | Ast | Sck | SFTY | PDef | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TDs | FF | ||
| 2012 | New York Giants | 16 | 4 | 43 | 28 | 15 | 6.0 | -- | 1 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 2 |
| 2011 | New York Giants | 9 | 7 | 25 | 16 | 9 | 9.0 | -- | 1 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 2 |
| 2010 | New York Giants | 16 | 16 | 48 | 33 | 15 | 11.5 | -- | 2 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 10 |
| 2009 | New York Giants | 16 | 11 | 29 | 19 | 10 | 7.0 | 0 | 1 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 4 |
| 2007 | New York Giants | 16 | 16 | 52 | 40 | 12 | 13.0 | 0 | 0 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 5 |
The elder statesman of the free agent pass-rushing class, Abraham remains one of the league’s best 4-3 ends, even at 34 years old. Entering his 15th season, there’s little doubt he’ll find a home somewhere in the NFL — because he hasn’t shown many signs of slowing down.
Unlike Umenyiora, there’s little guesswork involved in evaluating Abraham. What you see is what you get, and that’s a player with a wealth of experience who’s seen everything the NFL has to offer. He’s never been a stout, run-defending end, but he can still bring a lot to a team, especially a young one in need of a presence to organize their defensive front.
| Season | Team | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | |||||||||||
| G | GS | Comb | Total | Ast | Sck | SFTY | PDef | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TDs | FF | ||
| 2012 | Atlanta Falcons | 16 | 15 | 35 | 32 | 3 | 10.0 | -- | 7 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 6 |
| 2011 | Atlanta Falcons | 15 | 15 | 35 | 25 | 10 | 9.5 | -- | 2 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 4 |
| 2010 | Atlanta Falcons | 15 | 13 | 40 | 35 | 5 | 13.0 | -- | 4 | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 6 | 0 | 2 |
| 2009 | Atlanta Falcons | 16 | 15 | 35 | 30 | 5 | 5.5 | -- | 1 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 1 |
| 2008 | Atlanta Falcons | 16 | 16 | 38 | 36 | 2 | 16.5 | -- | 1 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 4 |
| 2007 | Atlanta Falcons | 16 | 16 | 32 | 31 | 1 | 10.0 | -- | 4 | -- | -- | 0.0 | -- | -- | 4 |
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