- Rams claim the top spot: Los Angeles added Myles Garrett to a defensive line that ranked second in PFF grade last season, pairing him with Byron Young and Kobie Turner.
- Texans boast an elite edge duo:Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter were the only pair of teammates to earn PFF pass-rush grades above 90.0 last season.
- Falcons rank 32nd amid key absences: James Pearce Jr. is suspended for the first eight games, while Jalon Walker will miss the season after suffering a torn ACL.
With the 2026 regular season almost here, our rankings series is nearing its conclusion. After ranking the NFL’s top edge defenders and interior defensive linemen individually, it’s time to evaluate how those pieces come together
Here are PFF’s rankings of all 32 defensive lines heading into the 2026 NFL season
1. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams fielded the NFL’s second-highest-graded defensive line last season, then added the best player from the only unit that ranked ahead of them by trading for edge defender Myles Garrett. Garrett joins fellow edge defender Byron Young and interior defensive lineman Kobie Turner, giving Los Angeles a trio that combined for 227 pressures last season
2. Houston Texans
The Texans boast the NFL’s most devastating edge duo in Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter. Both ranked among the top five defensive linemen in total pressures last season, and they were the only pair of teammates to earn PFF pass-rush grades above 90.0
The interior is also in good shape. Tommy Togiai and Sheldon Rankins each earned PFF grades above 70.0 in 2025, while the additions of Logan Hall and rookie Kayden McDonald give Houston even more depth
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
T.J. Watt, Nick Herbig and Alex Highsmith give the Steelers the NFL’s strongest trio of edge defenders entering the 2026 season. All three earned PFF pass-rush grades above 75.0 and generated at least 40 pressures last year
The interior is similarly formidable, with Cameron Heyward remaining one of the league’s most dominant interior defenders. Keeanu Benton has also emerged as a strong pass-rusher, rounding out one of the NFL’s most complete defensive fronts
4. Philadelphia Eagles
Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis and Moro Ojomo give the Eagles one of the NFL’s strongest interior defensive lines. Davis and Ojomo both earned PFF grades above 90.0 in 2025, while Carter tied for 13th at the position with a 77.0 PFF pass-rush grade
Philadelphia also strengthened its edge group with the addition of Jonathan Greenard, whose 77.8 PFF pass-rush grade last season was higher than any Eagles defender with at least 200 pass-rushing snaps
5. Seattle Seahawks
Byron Murphy II’s continued development headlines the Seahawks’ defensive front. The 2024 first-round pick generated 62 pressures last season and ranked 12th at the position with a 77.3 PFF pass-rush grade
Seattle lost edge defender Boye Mafe in free agency, but the unit remains deep, with four returning players who generated at least 50 pressures across the regular season and playoffs last year
6. Denver Broncos
The Broncos’ defensive front is headlined by interior defender Zach Allen and edge defender Nik Bonitto, both of whom ranked among the top 15 at their respective positions in PFF pass-rush grade last season. Allen’s 83 pressures led all interior defenders, while Bonitto ranked seventh among edge defenders with 81
The loss of John Franklin-Myers hurts Denver’s depth on the interior, but Allen and Bonitto give the Broncos two high-end pass-rushers to build around, keeping this among the league’s strongest defensive fronts
7. Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens’ defensive line was in rough shape by the end of the 2025 season, but few units have improved more from a personnel standpoint this offseason. Baltimore added edge defender Trey Hendrickson in free agency after the former Cincinnati Bengal earned PFF pass-rush grades of 90.0 or better in four straight seasons
The Ravens also get Nnamdi Madubuike back on the interior. The 2020 third-round pick generated 121 pressures between 2023 and 2024 before a neck injury, initially feared to be career-threatening, limited him for most of the 2025 season
8. Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals lost Trey Hendrickson in free agency but will hope the addition of Boye Mafe can help offset his departure. Mafe hasn’t reached Hendrickson’s level as a pass-rusher, with a career-high 77.8 PFF pass-rush grade in 2023, but he is younger and has earned a PFF grade above 65.0 in each of his four NFL seasons
Cincinnati’s biggest addition came on the interior, where the team traded for Dexter Lawrence. Lawrence is coming off a down season by his standards, yet he still earned an 84.5 PFF pass-rush grade in 2025
9. Jacksonville Jaguars
Edge defender Josh Hines-Allen remains the star of Jacksonville’s defensive front. He is coming off his third straight season with a PFF pass-rush grade above 80.0 and set a career high with 95 total pressures in 2025
Travon Walker hasn’t lived up to his billing as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, but he has steadily improved throughout his career. He earned a career-high 68.1 PFF grade last season, giving Jacksonville a solid complement to Hines-Allen off the edge
10. Detroit Lions
Aidan Hutchinson returned in 2025 and showed no signs of decline after suffering a broken leg in 2024. His 100 pressures led all players during the regular season, while his 92.1 PFF pass-rush grade ranked third
Detroit has been searching for a consistent complement to Hutchinson off the edge and will have high hopes for second-round pick Derrick Moore to fill that role
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers’ spot just outside the top 10 largely hinges on whether they retain Vita Vea, who has requested a trade as he seeks a new contract. The 12th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft has generated at least 50 pressures in each of the past two seasons and would be a significant loss on the interior
Tampa Bay has the potential to field a strong group of edge defenders, though. Yaya Diaby generated 62 pressures in 2025, the Buccaneers added Reuben Bain Jr. in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and David Walker has drawn glowing reviews throughout training camp
12. Cleveland Browns
Trading for Jared Verse as part of the return for Myles Garrett was a shrewd move by the Browns, but there is still an inevitable drop-off from Garrett in 2026. Verse earned an 82.2 PFF pass-rush grade last season, compared to Garrett’s 93.3
Cleveland will also be hoping for a second-year leap from Mason Graham, its first selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. Graham showed plenty of promise as a rookie, earning a 68.7 PFF grade
13. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys have significantly retooled their defensive line over the past 12 months. Dallas sent edge defender Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers, acquiring interior defender Kenny Clark as part of the return, before adding Quinnen Williams during the season. The former New York Jets standout ranked first among all defensive linemen with a 91.7 PFF run-defense grade
The ceiling of this group will likely depend on the development of its young edge defenders. Second-year player Donovan Ezeiruaku generated 36 pressures as a rookie, while Dallas will also be looking for an immediate contribution from rookie Malachi Lawrence
14. Buffalo Bills
There is plenty of potential along the Bills’ defensive line, and this group could push into the top 10 if several players hit their ceilings. Deone Walker impressed as a rookie, earning a 71.5 PFF pass-rush grade across 231 pass-rushing snaps
Buffalo could also get a major boost from Bradley Chubb. If he can recapture his pre-injury form from 2023, when he earned an 88.8 PFF grade before suffering an Achilles injury, the Bills will have the supporting pieces needed to complement edge defender Greg Rousseau and interior defender Ed Oliver
15. Carolina Panthers
The Panthers made a significant investment in edge defender Jaelan Phillips, hoping he can complement Derrick Brown’s dominance on the interior. Injuries have limited Phillips throughout his career, but he played 819 snaps in 2025, his highest total since 2022
Brown remains the centerpiece of the defensive front. He was at his best in 2023, when he earned a career-high 90.1 PFF grade, but remained productive last season with 35 pressures across 450 pass-rushing snaps
16. New England Patriots
Milton Williams didn’t match the heights of his 2024 season with the Philadelphia Eagles, when he earned a 90.4 PFF pass-rush grade, but he still generated 36 pressures in his first season with the Patriots. Alongside Christian Barmore and Cory Durden, he gives New England a strong group on the interior
The Patriots replaced K’Lavon Chaisson with Dre’Mont Jones in free agency, adding a versatile piece who can move around the defensive front in obvious passing situations. Getting Harold Landry back from the PUP list in time for the start of the season would provide another boost after he generated 48 pressures in his first year with New England
17. Tennessee Titans
The strength of the Titans’ defensive line is on the interior, where Jeffery Simmons and John Franklin-Myers have the potential to form a devastating pass-rushing duo. Simmons earned a 91.4 PFF pass-rush grade in 2025, while Franklin-Myers posted a career-high 84.3 mark in 2024
The bigger concern is on the edge. Neither projected starter, Jermaine Johnson nor Jacob Martin, earned a PFF grade above 65.0 last season. An immediate contribution from rookie Keldric Faulk would go a long way toward raising the ceiling of this group
18. Indianapolis Colts
The ceiling of the Colts’ defensive line will largely depend on Laiatu Latu’s continued development in his third season. He improved his PFF grade from 72.1 as a rookie to 84.1 last year, while his pressure total jumped from 38 to 61. Another step forward would give Indianapolis a true every-down threat off the edge
On the interior, Grover Stewart took a step back in 2025, with his 57.3 PFF grade marking his lowest since 2018. He remained productive as a pass-rusher, however, generating 36 pressures on 317 pass-rushing snaps
19. Kansas City Chiefs
Chris Jones remains one of the NFL’s premier interior pass-rushers, earning a PFF pass-rush grade above 90.0 for the seventh time in eight seasons last year. His 43.4 PFF run-defense grade was a career low, however
George Karlaftis is Kansas City’s top threat off the edge and is coming off his best season as a pass-rusher, earning a career-high 75.9 PFF pass-rush grade
20. San Francisco 49ers
The addition of Osa Odighizuwa should boost the 49ers’ pass rush after the former Dallas Cowboy earned PFF pass-rush grades above 70.0 in each of the past three seasons. A fully healthy Nick Bosa would push this group much closer to the top 10 than the bottom 10, but he is coming off a season-ending injury and also missed multiple games in 2024
San Francisco would also benefit significantly from an immediate contribution from rookie Gracen Halton or a second-year leap from Alfred Collins
21. New York Giants
Abdul Carter established himself as a high-end pass rusher as a rookie, earning an 84.5 PFF pass-rush grade and generating 66 pressures on 507 pass-rushing snaps. Fellow edge defenders Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux combined for another 85 pressures, giving New York plenty of reason to feel confident about its edge group
The concern is on the interior, where all three projected starters earned PFF run-defense grades below 65.0 last season
22. Minnesota Vikings
Trading away Jonathan Greenard leaves the Vikings without the player who led their defensive line in both PFF pass-rush grade and total pressures last season. Minnesota will be counting on Dallas Turner to help fill that void after he took a significant step forward in 2025 following a difficult rookie season
The Vikings also used a first-round pick on Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks. If Turner continues to develop and Banks makes an immediate impact as a rookie, this group could quickly climb the rankings
23. Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers are in solid shape on the edge, where Khalil Mack earned an 80.7 PFF run-defense grade and Tuli Tuipulotu posted a 74.4 PFF pass-rush grade last season
The interior is more concerning. Teair Tart is the only projected starter there who earned a PFF grade above 65.0 last year, leaving the middle of the defensive line as the clear weakness of this group
24. Las Vegas Raiders
The Maxx Crosby trade ultimately falling through means the Raiders retain one of the NFL’s best all-around edge defenders. Crosby earned PFF grades above 77.0 both as a pass-rusher and run defender last season
There are significant questions beyond Crosby, however. The other three projected starters along the defensive line all earned PFF grades below 60.0 last year, leaving Las Vegas with plenty of uncertainty despite keeping its star pass-rusher
25. Washington Commanders
The Commanders invested heavily on the edge this offseason, adding Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson in free agency after the pair combined for 101 pressures in 2025. Both have been solid throughout their careers, though neither has consistently reached the upper echelon of the position
The interior is a bigger concern. Tim Settle is the only projected starter who earned a PFF grade above 70.0 last season, and even that came over a relatively small sample of 383 snaps
26. Chicago Bears
Montez Sweat was the only Bears defensive lineman to play at least 300 snaps and earn a PFF grade above 70.0 last season, and Chicago did little to upgrade the group beyond adding depth pieces
The interior remains the biggest concern, with projected starters Grady Jarrett and Gervon Dexter Sr. both earning PFF run-defense grades below 45.0 in 2025
27. Green Bay Packers
With Micah Parsons on the field, the Packers would rank inside the top 15, but the star edge defender is expected to begin the season on the PUP list. Fellow edge defender Lukas earned a career-high 75.5 PFF grade last season, though it came across just 263 snaps. Through three NFL seasons, he has yet to play 500 snaps in a single year
Green Bay will also be counting on Javon Hargrave to remain productive at age 33. He earned a solid 68.4 PFF grade in 2025, his 10th NFL season
28. New Orleans Saints
None of the Saints’ projected starters on the interior earned a PFF grade above 65.0 last season, making that the clear weakness of the defensive front. New Orleans is stronger on the edge, where Chase Young, Cameron Jordan and Carl Granderson all cleared that mark in 2025
An immediate contribution from second-round pick Christen Miller would provide a much-needed boost on the interior
29. New York Jets
The Jets have the potential to outperform this ranking if they get strong contributions from their younger players, most notably David Bailey off the edge. The other edge defenders projected for prominent roles — Joseph Ossai, Kingsley Enagbare and Will McDonald IV — all earned PFF grades below 65.0 last season
On the interior, 33-year-old David Onyemata is coming off a 78.2 PFF grade and could form a strong partnership with T’Vondre Sweat. This group has more upside than several teams around it, but its uncertain floor keeps it this low entering the season
30. Miami Dolphins
Josh Uche is the only one of Miami’s four projected defensive line starters who earned a PFF grade above 65.0 last season, and even that came across just 244 snaps. The 2020 second-round pick has yet to reach 400 snaps in any of his six NFL seasons
The Dolphins’ best chance to outperform this ranking lies with their young talent. Edge defender Chop Robinson and interior defender Kenneth Grant both have significant upside, but Miami will need substantial steps forward from the third- and second-year players, respectively
31. Arizona Cardinals
Josh Sweat is expected to be activated from the PUP list shortly and should form a solid edge pairing with Zaven Collins after the duo combined for 78 pressures in 2025
The interior is a much bigger concern. Darius Alexander has earned PFF grades below 50.0 in each of his first two seasons, while Roy Lopez has cleared 60.0 in just two of his five NFL seasons. Walter Nolen is the key to raising the ceiling of this group. He flashed as a rookie with a 74.2 PFF grade, albeit across just 169 snaps
32. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons wouldn’t rank last if their defensive front were at full strength, but they will be without both of their second-year edge defenders for significant time in 2026. James Pearce Jr., who led the team with 45 pressures last season, is suspended for the first eight games
Fellow edge defender Jalon Walker, Atlanta’s highest-graded returning defensive lineman, will miss the entire season after suffering a torn ACL. Those absences leave the Falcons severely depleted off the edge and push them to the bottom of these rankings
