Best landing spots for 10 highest-graded free agents: Defense

Estimated Reading Time: 8minutes

Once Super Bowl 60's final whistle blows, NFL free agency will be on the mind of every team. These are the best landing spots for PFF’s top 10 defensive free agents for the 2026 offseason.

Editor's Note: PFF grades listed are taken from a sample of the player’s past two seasons.

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EDGE Khalil Mack, Los Angeles Chargers (89.9)

Best Landing Spot: Baltimore Ravens

Although the former Defensive Player of the Year is mulling retirement, Khalil Mack is still playing at a high level. An injury early in the 2025 season restricted his snap volume, but upon his return in Week 7, he produced an 84.9 PFF overall grade, seventh best among qualifying edge defenders. Should Mack decide to play another year in pursuit of a championship, he will have no shortage of suitors.  

With his defensive coordinator in Los Angeles, Jesse Minter, exploring head-coaching opportunities, Mack may choose to follow him to a new destination. The Ravens are reportedly interested in Minter — need serious help on the edge — so the fit makes sense. Baltimore finished in the bottom four of the NFL in PFF pass-rush grade (62.1), pressure rate (32.1%) and pass-rush win rate (36.9%) this season.

EDGE Trey Hendrickson, Cincinnati Bengals (89.8)

Best Landing Spot: Chicago Bears

While the Bears found success with Montez Sweat, their edge pass-rush rotation was otherwise limited, as no other edge rusher with at least 100 pass-rush snaps posted a pass-rush win rate above 10%. Ultimately, Chicago finished just 29th in pressure rate (31.1%) during the regular season, highlighting the need for a game-breaking presence off the edge. Reuniting Hendrickson with his former defensive coordinator, Dennis Allen, makes sense.  

Despite an injury-shortened 2025 campaign, Hendrickson profiles as one of the most impressive pass rushers on the market this offseason. Across the past three seasons, he ranks in the top five at his position in PFF pass-rush grade on true pass sets (92.5) and stands as one of just six edge rushers with a pass-rush win rate above 20%.

LB Bobby Wagner, Washington Commanders (89.2)

Best Landing Spot: Buffalo Bills

Wagner is another high-performing veteran whose market is worth watching. Although Wagner, at nearly 36 years old, isn’t near the player in coverage he once was, he still excels as a run defender and a blitzer. This season, he stood as the only linebacker to produce 90.0-plus PFF grades in run defense (90.3), pass rushing (92.4) and tackling (90.5). 

The Bills struggled to fit the run in 2025, ranking 28th in rushing success rate (33.1%) allowed. Their linebacking corps was a contributing factor, as the group's 27.3% negatively graded run-play rate ranked 30th. With Matt Milano‘s and Shaq Thompson’s contracts set to expire, finding a savvy veteran to overhaul the group would be wise. 

LB Devin Bush, Cleveland Browns: (88.9)

Best Landing Spot: Dallas Cowboys

Bush revitalized his career in Cleveland. He took on an increased role in 2025 and posted a career-best 87.6 PFF overall grade, third best among qualifying linebackers this season. The 27-year-old linebacker has posted two consecutive seasons with PFF run-defense grades above 85.0, but he sets himself apart with a strong 80.4 PFF coverage grade, as well. 

The Cowboys have been known to take swings on former first-round picks, and Bush could be the next. Dallas ranked 28th in EPA per play allowed on designed runs and also surrendered the seventh-most yards per carry. Adding Bush to play alongside Logan Wilson, who was acquired at the trade deadline but didn't find his footing under now-fired defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, should net improvements to the group. 

LB Devin Lloyd, Jacksonville Jaguars (86.8)

Best Landing Spot: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Jaguars opted against picking up Devin Lloyd’s fifth-year option last offseason, to which he responded by producing his best season yet, earning second-team All-Pro honors. The 27-year-old posted the second-highest PFF overall grade (89.1) among qualifying linebackers during the regular season, finishing as the only linebacker with an 80.0-plus PFF grade in run defense (83.2), coverage (81.1) and pass rushing (82.2). 

The Buccaneers struggled mightily at the linebacker position this season, with the unit as a whole ranking 28th in PFF overall grade. Lavonte David is weighing retirement, and SirVocea Dennis ranked 90th out of 94 qualifying linebackers in PFF coverage grade (30.5) this past season, so upgrading the position with Lloyd would be an immediate boost.

CB Jamel Dean, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (83.4)

Best Landing Spot: Miami Dolphins

Former Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley is taking over as head coach of the Miami Dolphins and should be keyed in on overhauling the coverage unit this offseason. The Dolphins rostered just one cornerback with at least 100 coverage snaps and a 60.0-plus PFF coverage grade. That player was Rasul Douglas, who is slated to enter free agency, creating an immediate need at the position.   

Dean is a quality cornerback, having never produced a season-long PFF coverage grade below 72.0. He thrived as an outside cornerback in Todd Bowles’ Cover 3-heavy scheme, earning an 87.2 zone PFF coverage grade this past season. Hafley’s defense in Green Bay ran zone coverages at the fifth-highest rate in the NFL this past season, making for a seamless fit.

LB Leo Chenal, Kansas City Chiefs (82.0)

Best Landing Spot: Carolina Panthers

After playing a limited role as a situational run-stuffing and blitzing linebacker to start his career with the Chiefs, Chenal is ready to take on a full-time role elsewhere. He has posted a 70.0-plus PFF run-defense grade in each of his first four seasons. But, it’s his improvements in coverage — headlined by a career-best 72.6 PFF grade in 2025 — that should make him an enticing option.  

The Panthers' linebacking corps failed to produce a single player with a PFF overall grade above 55.0. Adding Chenal to headline the group as the new green-dot communicator would project well for a defense that ranked 23rd in EPA per play allowed this past season.

LB Demario Davis, New Orleans Saints (80.3)

Best Landing Spot: New Orleans Saints

Despite having just turned 37 years old, Davis has indicated that he isn’t quite ready to hang up the cleats. His leadership and veteran knowledge would be valuable for any defense, and his play has even reached new heights, with his 88.9 PFF run-defense grade in 2025 standing as a new career high.  

Plenty of teams could use a veteran as savvy as Davis at the heart of their defense, but it makes the most sense for the Saints to retain him with an extension. Davis was an integral part of a New Orleans defense that ranked in the top 10 in EPA per play allowed and 12th in PFF overall grade (70.8). 

S Kamren Curl, Los Angeles Rams (77.9)

Best Landing Spot: Pittsburgh Steelers

Current Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula is seen by many as the favorite to be hired as the Steelers' next head coach, so Curl could opt to follow his coach to the Steel City. Shula brought out the best in Curl, elevating the safety to a high-level player in 2025. Curl flew around the field in Shula’s defense, posting a career-best PFF run-defense grade (87.5) this season, in addition to an 87.6 PFF coverage grade at free safety over his two seasons in Los Angeles. 

The Steelers struggled in coverage in 2025, particularly at safety. Pittsburgh ranked 30th in passing yardage allowed and surrendered the second-most receptions of 15 or more yards this season. The unit was forced to play Jalen Ramsey at safety for the majority of the season, due to a lack of other viable options. Adding Curl would let the Steelers move Ramsey back to outside cornerback, where he has been a force.

EDGE Odafe Oweh, Los Angeles Chargers (77.4)

Best Landing Spot: Tennessee Titans

With Robert Saleh and the Titans agreeing on a contract to be named their next head coach, the first order of business in Tennessee will be to revamp a defense that struggled on the edge. The Titans generated solid sack numbers but failed to produce pressure off the edge, generating just a 19% pressure rate (28th). 

To his credit, Oweh led two different teams in PFF pass-rush grade (among defenders with at least 100 pass-rush snaps), generating a 71.1 mark with the Ravens before being traded to the Chargers, where he earned a 77.7 figure. Cumulatively, Oweh’s 78.0 PFF pass-rush grade finished 18th among all qualifying edge rushers.