1. Bryan Cook, Kansas City Chiefs
Snaps: 2,549 | PFF grade: 73.5
Cook ranked fifth among safeties in PFF grade (83.5) in 2025, producing a career year as he heads toward free agency. A reliable tackler, he recorded missed tackle rates of just 5.6% in 2025 and 6.2% in 2024.
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2. Kamren Curl, Los Angeles Rams
Snaps: 3,524 | PFF grade: 75.7
The former seventh-round pick parlayed an impressive start to his career with Washington into two more solid years with the Rams. Curl will be only 27 years old for the 2026 season and allowed just one touchdown in coverage this season. His 81.8 PFF overall grade over the past four years ranks 13th among qualifying safeties.
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3. Kevin Byard, Chicago Bears
Snaps: 3,461 | PFF grade: 80.3
Byard has been a stabilizing presence for the Bears since arriving in Chicago. Since the 2024 season, he has produced an overall PFF grade of 78.1 along with an 89.8 PFF run-defense grade. He has also remained impactful in coverage, recording a league-high seven interceptions this season. At 32, Byard stands out as one of the top safeties on the free-agent market due to his consistent playmaking across the field.
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4. Jabrill Peppers, Pittsburgh Steelers
Snaps: 1,427 | PFF grade: 90.0
Peppers was thrust into an unexpected starting role for the Steelers midseason, earning a 65.1 overall PFF grade across 100 snaps. The former Patriot was far more productive from 2022 to 2024, posting an overall PFF grade of 90.1 with grades above 90.0 against both the run and the pass. Peppers also offers rare versatility, logging at least 935 snaps in the box, slot and at free safety. The question now is whether the 30-year-old is viewed as a defensive starter or more of a special-teams piece, but his recent track record shows he can still contribute at a high level.
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5. Jalen Thompson, Arizona Cardinals
Snaps: 2,857 | PFF grade: 74.2
A five-year starter in the Cardinals' secondary, Thompson has established himself as one of the more reliable tacklers at the safety position. His missed tackle rate of 6.3% ranks fifth among safeties with 100 or more tackles over the past two seasons. He also took a step forward in coverage in 2025, allowing a passer rating of 98.4 when targeted while breaking up five passes. The 27-year-old has never finished a season below a 64.0 overall PFF grade and could strengthen a wide range of secondaries.
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6. Coby Bryant, Seattle Seahawks
Snaps: 2,095 | PFF grade: 68.4
Bryant has been one of the more under-the-radar contributors to Seattle's elite defense. Over the past two seasons, he has produced an overall PFF grade of 72.7. The former Cincinnati standout has done his best work against the run, earning a PFF run-defense grade of 80.9 since 2024.
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7. Reed Blankenship, Philadelphia Eagles
Snaps: 3,094 | PFF grade: 62.9
Blankenship was one of the anchors of Philadelphia's Super Bowl run in 2024, earning a 69.5 overall PFF grade, but his performance declined sharply in 2025. His 29.9 PFF coverage grade ranked last among qualified safeties, and he allowed a 116.8 passer rating when targeted. He remained effective against the run, however, recording a 75.3 PFF run-defense grade. The 26-year-old will look for a rebound opportunity and still offers upside due to his strength as a run defender.
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8. Jaylinn Hawkins, New England Patriots
Snaps: 1,852 | PFF grade: 69.4
Hawkins was one of the league's most quietly impressive defenders in 2025. His 81.3 overall PFF grade ranked sixth among qualifying safeties entering the AFC championship game, and he also placed second in PFF run-defense grade (86.3) and seventh in PFF coverage grade (79.7). At 28, Hawkins is well positioned to command a lucrative contract whether he remains in New England or hits the open market.
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9. Harrison Smith, Minnesota Vikings
Snaps: 2,966 | PFF grade: 72.6
One of the premier safeties of his era, a 36-year-old Smith was again effective in 2025 with the Vikings. The six-time Pro Bowler allowed just an 81.0 passer rating when targeted and logged a 67.6 PFF coverage grade, although he missed a career-high 19.4% of his tackle attempts. He will likely be weighing whether to come back for his 15th NFL season, with the prior 14 coming in Minnesota.
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10. Jaquan Brisker, Chicago Bears
Snaps: 2,409 | PFF grade: 67.7
Even in the lowest-graded season of his career so far, Brisker notched an average 60.4 PFF overall grade that ranked 61st among safeties to play at least 400 snaps. His first two seasons were his best, and if he can get back to that level, then the team that signs him is getting a player who can play all across the defensive backfield and will be only 27 years old when the 2026 campaign begins.
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11. Ar'Darius Washington, Baltimore Ravens
Snaps: 1,006 | PFF grade: 79.0
Washington is undersized at 5-foot-8, and he missed most of the 2025 season with an Achilles injury suffered before the season. However, his 2024 season will intrigue a lot of teams. That year, he spent time in the slot, in the box and as a deep safety and ranked fifth among safeties with an 86.1 PFF coverage grade.
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12. Alohi Gilman, Baltimore Ravens
Snaps: 2,685 | PFF grade: 80.8
Gilman has been in the league for six seasons now and has developed into a solid starter at safety. The Los Angeles Chargers traded him to the Baltimore Ravens during the 2025 season, and he finished the year with a 70.4 PFF overall grade, which ranked 26th among players at the position.
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13. Nick Cross, Indianapolis Colts
Snaps: 2,559 | PFF grade: 68.3
Cross suffered a down year at the worst time as he heads for free agency, but he has proven himself capable of being a solid starting safety. He ranked 28th among safeties with a 70.3 PFF overall grade in 2024 and doesn't turn 25 until the start of the 2026 NFL season.
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14. Andre Cisco, New York Jets
Snaps: 2,326 | PFF grade: 65.8
Cisco suffered a season-ending injury in Week 8 of his lone season with the Jets, ending a three-year streak of playing at least 800 snaps on defense. A solid starter, he has earned a PFF overall grade above 60.0 in every season and will be just 26 when the 2026 NFL campaign kicks off.
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15. C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Chicago Bears
Snaps: 2,275 | PFF grade: 65.8
Gardner-Johnson had a tough 2025 season that resulted in a 51.4 PFF overall grade across stints with the Houston Texans and Chicago Bears. He is just one year removed from a career-best season with the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, though, having earned an 85.7 PFF coverage grade with them in 2024.
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16. Chuck Clark, Pittsburgh Steelers
Snaps: 1,179 | PFF grade: 61.6
Chuck Clark enjoyed a bounce-back season in 2025 after posting just a 50.8 PFF grade across 709 snaps with the Jets a year earlier. Splitting 470 snaps between strong safety and free safety, he earned a 74.6 overall grade and an excellent 86.5 run-defense grade. In coverage, Clark allowed 18 catches on 23 targets for 235 yards and added four pass breakups, though he did give up two scores.
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17. Donavan Wilson, Dallas Cowboys
Snaps: 2,702 | PFF grade: 60.4
Wilson's play dipped in 2025 with a 38.8 PFF coverage grade, as his 78.4% completion percentage against was the eigth-highest for qualified safeties. Still, he was an asset against the run with a 73.9 PFF run-defense grade. The soon-to-be 31-year-old will look to bounce back next season, potentially playing outside of Dallas for the first time in his career.
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18. Xavier Woods, Tennessee Titans
Snaps: 2,537 | PFF grade: 69.5
Woods played 526 snaps during his lone season with Tennessee. He performed well in coverage, earning a 70.3 PFF coverage grade and allowing a 75.5 passer rating when targeted. However, he missed 25% of his tackle attempts — the highest rate among qualifying safeties. The 30-year-old will now be searching for stability as he heads to his third team in three seasons.
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19. Jordan Poyer, Buffalo Bills
Snaps: 2,518 | PFF grade: 68.3
Poyer's return to Buffalo went solidly, with the veteran securing a 68.6 overall PFF grade and a 15.4% forced incompletion rate. Poyer played 451 snaps as a backup, which yielded a more pedestrian 62.8 PFF coverage grade and a 40th-percentile run-defense mark. The 34-year-old has played all of the last nine seasons in the AFC East, and coming back to either the Bills or the Dolphins as depth could make sense.
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20. Geno Stone, Cincinnati Bengals
Snaps: 3,114 | PFF grade: 59.7
After signing a two-year, $14 million deal to join the Bengals, Stone underwhelmed in a big way. Over the last two seasons, his 51.8 overall PFF grade is the third-lowest among safeties to play 1,500 or more snaps, sitting below a 47.5 mark in both coverage and run defense. The 26-year-old will aim to regain the form he relished with the Ravens, when he secured a 72.2 overall grade in 2022 and 2023.
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21. Nick Scott, Carolina Panthers
Snaps: 2,004 | PFF grade: 51.5
Scott improved in his second season with the Panthers, finishing with a 62.3 overall PFF grade and a 61.0 PFF coverage grade. Although he's 5-foot-11, Scott isn't afraid to get his nose dirty, with his 68.0 PFF run-defense grade and 22 stops reflective of that. The 30-year-old has never earned above a 66.9 overall grade for a full season, which likely renders him more of a depth or sub-package player in the future.
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22. Andrew Wingard, Jacksonville Jaguars
Snaps: 1,546 | PFF grade: 69.8
Wingard was a reliable contributor for the Jaguars from the 2022-24 seasons, but he declined a bit last year with a 47.9 PFF coverage grade. At the same time, his 80.9 PFF run-defense grade was in the 78th percentile among safeties. While doubts about his pass defense may linger after only his second full-time season, Wingard has put his more established talents on display over the last few years with an 83.2 coverage grade from 2023-24.
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23. Tony Jefferson, Los Angeles Chargers
Snaps: 794 | PFF grade: 82.7
Jefferson proved that his hasty retirement wasn't needed yet, earning a 70.8 overall PFF grade with a 72.6 PFF coverage grade for Los Angeles in 2025. Impressively, he saw the field on 533 snaps for the Chargers, which was almost equivalent to his snap total from 2021-24. The 34-year-old can still be a coverage specialist at this junction of his career, boasting a 34.5 passer rating when targeted and picking off four passes last year.
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24. Dane Belton, New York Giants
Snaps: 1,460 | PFF grade: 59.9
Although the Giants invested heavily at safety last offseason, Belton played a career-high 705 snaps, with 124 or more coming in the box, slot or at true free safety. Belton missed a miniscule 4.1% of his tackle attempts, but he allowed a 68.4% completion percentage when targeted. The 25-year-old has a wealth of experience for his age but will likely enter training camp competing for a chance to start.
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25. Kyle Dugger, Pittsburgh Steelers
Snaps: 2,650 | PFF grade: 49.5
Dugger joined the Steelers as a mid-season trade acquisition, although a change of scenery didn't offer tremendous benefits. Dugger sported a 48.3 overall PFF grade in Pittsburgh, and his season-long 41.7 PFF coverage grade was the sixth-worst among qualified safeties. The former Patriot can still make plays as a downhill defender, but his play against the pass could constrain his interest.
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26. Jonathan Owens, Chicago Bears
Snaps: 1,403 | PFF grade: 61.3
Owens played only 47 defensive snaps for the Bears in 2025, his fewest since his rookie season in 2020. He underperformed in that very constricted sample with a 48.6 overall PFF grade and a 50.4 PFF coverage mark. But Owens was strong on special teams, as his 90.1 special teams grade was the sixth-best among qualified players. Owens' playing time on defense is tenuous moving forward, but he can still be an asset in the third phase of the game.
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27. P.J. Locke, Denver Broncos
Snaps: 1,916 | PFF grade: 57.8
Part of Denver's fearsome defense, Locke tallied a 63.7 overall PFF grade across only 302 total snaps. Locke filled in decently when starter Brandon Jones got hurt, notching a 62.0 overall grade with a 69.3 PFF run-defense mark. The 29-year-old could be a camp flier given his upside as a run-defending safety, though his coverage performance has left plenty to be desired.
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28. Marcus Epps, Philadelphia Eagles
Snaps: 1,514 | PFF grade: 58.1
Epps returned to the Eagles last year as depth, seeing 308 snaps — the bulk of which came after Andrew Mukuba got injured. While Epps excelled against the run with an 80.9 PFF run-defense grade, his 45.3 PFF coverage grade placed 86th ouf of 99 qualified safeties. The 30-year-old will likely serve as a depth piece in 2026, especially having compiled 484 snaps over the last two years.
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29. Ashtyn Davis, Miami Dolphins
Snaps: 1,191 | PFF grade: 62.0
Davis' journey to Miami didn't yield favorable results, as he ended the year with a 51.1 overall PFF grade and sub-55.0 marks in every major category. At the same time, he earned a 74.5 overall grade from 2023-24 with the Jets. That prior body of work should be sufficient to at least earn another shot as a starter.
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