The feeding frenzy that is NFL free agency officially kicks off on March 10, and teams looking for help on the defensive line should have plenty of interesting players to choose from. The proliferation of the passing game in today’s NFL means that it is absolutely critical that teams have a consistent pass rush, making the crop of defensive line free agents among the most coveted this offseason.
2015 NFL free agents: Greg Hardy, Jerry Hughes headline list of available defensive linemen
Teams searching for help in the trenches on defense won’t be disappointed by this year’s crop of free agent defensive linemen.
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The Seattle Seahawks might have fallen just short in their quest for back-to-back Super Bowl wins, but they showed that a dominant defense can win a lot of games and that you can never have too much talent on the defensive side of the ball, particularly in the trenches.
Although not a deep group, the list of available D-linemen did feature Ndamukong Suh, arguably the best overall free agent, but it was reported Sunday that he had agreed to terms with the Dolphins, a six-year deal worth $114 million with $60 million guaranteed. Teams have plenty of consolation prizes at the defensive tackle spot. There are several other solid defensive linemen who should provide a ton of value for any team needing help in the trenches, as well as several edge rushers like Justin Houston and Brian Orakpo available among free agent linebackers. Many of these players could provide a boost to any team needing an upgrade in its ability to get to to the quarterback.
Below is a list of notable free agent defensive linemen:
The 2010 first-round pick struggled during his first three seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, but has turned his career around since coming to Buffalo two years ago. After combining for just five sacks in 2010-12 with Indy, Hughes has exploded for 10 sacks in back-to-back campaigns with the Bills. He started all 16 games for Buffalo this season, and was one of the most productive pass rushers in the league with 61 total quarterback pressures.
Hughes offers a ton of speed off the edge and is just 26 years old with his best years of football still ahead of him. Lacking the pedigree of the other top free agent defensive linemen, he likely won’t carry the rich price tag of Suh, making him also one of the more affordable pass rushers available this winter.
Update: Hughes re-signed with the Bills on a five-year, $45 million deal.
Nicknamed “Pot Roast,” Knighton was a key part of the Broncos defense this season and would be a welcome addition to any team’s interior defensive line for 2015. His stats (33 tackles, 2.0 sacks) don’t tell the whole story of his actual impact in the trenches. Knighton is a massive presence in the middle of the line, able to occupy multiple blockers and drive opposing lineman into the backfield.
One concern for any team considering Knighton is his ability to keep his weight under control. Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman noted recently that the 28-year-old nose tackle, listed at 331 pounds, has been fined approximately $300,000 over the past several years for weight-related issues. Regardless, Knighton is capable of causing havoc at the line scrimmage and provides a lot of value among the crop of free agent defensive linemen.
Update: Knighton signed with Washington.
Odrick is expected to be a hot commodity this offseason after establishing himself as one of the top players on the Dolphins’ highly ranked defense in 2014. He ranked 19th in the NFL among the 81 DT/NTs that played at least 25 percent of their team’s snaps, grading out as a more effective pass rusher than run stopper, according to Pro Football Focus.
Another strong selling point for Odrick is his health and durability. Since becoming a regular part of the Dolphins’ defensive rotation in 2011, he’s never missed a game and started 40 of 64 contests over the last four seasons.
Update: Odrick signed a five-year, $42.5 million deal with Jacksonville.
Hardy’s free agency is clouded by his off-field issues and current status on the league’s exemption list. The 26-year-old played in just one game in 2014 after he was convicted last summer of assaulting his ex-girlfriend. Hardy’s trial for domestic violence was recently dismissed, but his case is still under review by the NFL.
Despite the possibility of a suspension next season, the 2013 Pro Bowler remains a highly productive pass rusher (26 sacks in 2012 and 2013 combined) and is likely to be courted by several teams in free agency.
Other notable names
Paea is known as a high-character, hard-working player who should be a safe bet for any team looking to bolster its defensive line this offseason. He had a career-high six sacks and 33 tackles last season, starting all 16 games for the Bears.
Update: Paea signed a four-year, $21 million deal with Washington.
Nick Fairley (Detroit Lions)
Fairley’s free agency stock would likely be higher if he had not suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 8. Although he had just one sack and 14 tackles before going down, he was rated by Pro Football Focus as the 11th-best 4-3 defensive end through the first eight weeks of the season.
Williams is a run-stopping beast, and largely underrated by traditional stats. He has two career sacks and only one season with more than 40 tackles, but he constantly demands double teams and is a disruptive force in the middle of the defensive line.
Update: Williams agreed to a deal with the Oakland Raiders.
Cory Redding (Indianapolis Colts)
Redding is 34 years old, so he’ll likely be coveted more in free agency as a consistent veteran leader than a game-changing performer on the field. Despite his age, Redding did play the most snaps of any Colts defensive lineman last season (921, including playoffs) and recorded 5.5 sacks in 19 games.
Update: Redding agreed to a two-year deal worth $6 million with the Cardinals.
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