1. DJ Reader, Detroit Lions
Snaps: 1,684 | PFF grade: 76.5
Reader is now 31 years old and has not quite matched his peak form from his time in Cincinnati since arriving in Detroit, but he remains an above-average starter at the NFL level. His 68.4 PFF grade ranked 36th among interior defensive linemen this season, and he has never recorded a PFF pass-rush or run-defense grade below 60.0 in any season of his career.
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2. Calais Campbell, Arizona Cardinals
Snaps: 1,852 | PFF grade: 84.4
Retirement seems to be afraid of Campbell, who has yet to show signs of slowing down through 18 NFL seasons. He has logged 30-plus quarterback pressures in all but two of those years, and his 72.2 PFF overall grade in 2025 made it 15 straight years of topping 70.0.
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3. David Onyemata, Atlanta Falcons
Snaps: 1,794 | PFF grade: 81.8
Onyemata is entering his age-33 season, but his play remains firmly in the upper tier at the position after finishing eighth among 144 interior defenders in PFF overall grade (78.2). He generated 21 total pressures, including one sack and one quarterback hit, while his 74.2 run-defense grade again ranked inside the top 10 at the position. Across 10 NFL seasons, Onyemata has dipped below a 60.0 PFF grade just twice, making him one of the steadier veteran options at the position.
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4. DaQuan Jones, Buffalo Bills
Snaps: 1,383 | PFF grade: 75.6
Jones delivered another productive season as a pass rusher with the Bills in 2025, earning a 72.0 PFF pass-rush grade alongside a 9.3% pass-rush win rate. He has also remained serviceable against the run, posting PFF run-defense grades of at least 63.5 in two of the past three seasons. At 34, Jones brings veteran presence beyond the locker room and continues to offer on-field impact.
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5. John Franklin-Myers, Denver Broncos
Snaps: 1,764 | PFF grade: 73.8
Franklin-Myers has quietly been one of the anchors of Denver's defensive success over the past two seasons, generating 95 total pressures prior to the AFC Championship Game. Dating back to 2020, his 300 total pressures rank 21st among all NFL defenders. One of the league's more underrated defensive players, Franklin-Myers could turn that sustained production into a significant contract if he departs Denver.
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6. Sebastian Joseph-Day, Tennessee Titans
Snaps: 1,589 | PFF grade: 67.3
Joseph-Day is a good rotational defensive lineman who earned PFF overall grades of 70.2 and 66.6 in 2024 and 2025, respectively, while playing just shy of 500 snaps each year for the Titans. He has racked up 118 pressures from 1,878 pass-rushing snaps throughout his career, and he would make for a solid third interior defender for most teams.
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7. Sheldon Rankins, Houston Texans
Snaps: 1,665 | PFF grade: 65.7
Houston's edge defenders stole the show in 2025, but Rankins was unsuspectingly good on the inside as well. The veteran amassed 44 pressures with a 10.9% pass-rush win rate. Rankins' 61.2 PFF run-defense grade also placed in the 73rd percentile at the position. The 31-year-old offers some juice up the middle despite his age.
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8. Javon Hargrave, Minnesota Vikings
Snaps: 1,416 | PFF grade: 74.3
Hargrave's tenure in Minnesota lasted just one season after signing a three-year, $51 million contract last offseason. The 33-year-old recorded a 12.4% pass-rush win rate and 31 total pressures in 2025, but his PFF run-defense grade fell below 58.0 for the sixth consecutive season. At this stage of his career, Hargrave may be best suited for a rotational role focused primarily on interior pass rushing.
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9. Jonathan Allen, Minnesota Vikings
Snaps: 2,097 | PFF grade: 56.0
Allen's time in Minnesota lasted just one season after signing a three-year, $51 million contract last spring. The veteran posted a 53.2 PFF overall grade in 2025, though his 10.8% pass-rush win rate ranked in the 73rd percentile among interior defenders. At 31, Allen's struggles against the run could limit his role, but his ability to generate pressure still makes him a valuable rotational pass rusher.
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10. Da'Shawn Hand, Los Angeles Chargers
Snaps: 1,274 | PFF grade: 67.2
Hand was a rotational part of the Chargers' defensive line last year, playing 491 snaps but with minimal efficiency. His best strength is in the run game, where he created a 73rd-percentile PFF run-defense grade along with a 6.9% run stop rate. The 30-year-old is best positioned as a primary run-defending interior defender at this point in his career.
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11. Christian Wilkins, Las Vegas Raiders
Snaps: 1,214 | PFF grade: 74.3
Wilkins went unsigned after being surprisingly released by the Raiders before the start of the 2025 season. In his first year with Las Vegas, Wilkins produced a strong 80.2 PFF run-defense grade but appeared on only 246 snaps due to a season-ending foot injury. The 30-year-old faces major questions about his health as he looks to return to the field.
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12. Levi Onwuzurike, Detroit Lions
Snaps: 861 | PFF grade: 71.0
After a promising 2024 season, Onwuzurike missed all of 2025 due to a torn ACL suffered in the training camp. The year before, Onwuzurike secured a career-high 47 pressures on a 66.2 PFF pass-rushing grade, and he also added a 66.5 PFF run-defense grade. While his health will need to be tested, Onwuruzike could be an intriguing find given his age (28) and past production.
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13. Shelby Harris, Cleveland Browns
Snaps: 1,499 | PFF grade: 69.8
Harris' production over the last two years has not matched the heights he reached early in his career. Since 2024, Harris has totaled just 40 pressures on a 7.2% pass-rush win rate. At the same time, he's been solid against the run with a 67.4 PFF run-defense grade. If the 34-year-old comes back for another season, it will likely be as a rotational run-defending defensive lineman.
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14. Dalvin Tomlinson, Arizona Cardinals
Snaps: 1,814 | PFF grade: 59.3
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15. Khyiris Tonga, New England Patriots
Snaps: 832 | PFF grade: 66.8
A career journeyman, Tonga settled in nicely to his niche role on the Patriots. The interior defender offered a career-high 17 pressures on a 73.9 PFF pass-rush grade, and he even moonlighted on 18 offensive snaps. The 29-year-old could be given a larger role given his pass-rushing chops from 2025.
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16. Roy Lopez, Detroit Lions
Snaps: 1,284 | PFF grade: 64.2
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