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Defense wins championships. High-powered offenses will draw more eyes and even may be enough to get your team a playoff spot. But, the stingiest defenses always seem to prevail in the postseason. Forming a defensive identity is paramount for any team hoping to contend for the Super Bowl. With the 2024 NFL season on the horizon, let’s look at all 32 teams and see how they stack up on the defensive side of the ball. Here are the league’s best defenses, ranked from worst to first.
32. Arizona Cardinals
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The Cardinals don’t have a lot going for them on the defensive side of the ball. Kyler Murray and company will have to put up points in bunches to stay in games. Budda Baker is the best player on Arizona’s defense, but can only cover so much. The pass rush is anemic and the rest of the secondary is unproven. Head coach Jonathan Gannon has a defensive background, but we’re not expecting much out of this group in 2024.
31. Washington Commanders
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By most measures, the Commanders fielded the worst defense in football last season. They finished last in yards allowed and points per game. They had the worst pass defense in the league plus a bottom-10 rush defense. They poached Dallas’ defensive coordinator Dan Quinn after a peculiar head coaching search. They added veteran Bobby Wagner in the offseason plus two intriguing athletes in Frankie Luvu and Jeremy Chinn. The defense should be improved in ’24, but that’s not saying much after a disastrous campaign.
30. Atlanta Falcons
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The Falcons enter the year as many people’s pick to win the NFC South. They’ll have to do so with a mediocre defensive cast. By selecting Michael Penix Jr. in the first round, the Falcons (initially) decided to not address their serious need at pass rusher. While the trade for New England’s Matthew Judon certainly helps, it remains a serious concern. Grady Jarrett is still going strong, but is coming off an injury-riddled campaign. They’ll have to rely on Jessie Bates, AJ Terrell and the recently signed Justin Simmons to consistently make plays in the secondary.
29. Carolina Panthers
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After a disastrous season a year ago, the Panthers could surprise some people this coming season. At the very least, there is reason to be optimistic for the defense. Derrick Brown is an absolute stud, and the team got him some help by adding Jadeveon Clowney to the mix. In the secondary, it’s up to CB Jaycee Horn to stay healthy and live up to expectations. He’s shown he has the ability but the son of the former NFL receiver needs to put together a complete season.
28. Denver Broncos
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Patrick Surtain II is sensational. That’s about where it ends for the Broncos defensively. There’s nobody across the front that stands out as a game-changer. There’s some potential among the linebacking group, but they’ve struggled to stay healthy. 2023 draft pick Drew Sanders is already lost for the season with an Achilles injury. Plus, All-Pro safety Justin Simmons remains a free agent and is unlikely to return.
27. Los Angeles Rams
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Aaron Donald retiring is the biggest loss any team sustained in the offseason. There’s no replacing a player of his stature. Donald may go down as the best defensive player in league history — and, certainly the best for his position. The Rams did a good job drafting last year and added a couple of veterans to the secondary in Tre’Davious White and Kamren Curl. However, this was already an average group even with Donald. We expect the offense to carry the load in Los Angeles.
26. Seattle Seahawks
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New head coach Mike MacDonald will be tasked with revamping a defense with a few solid pieces already in place. Most notably, the cornerback tandem of Devon Witherspoon and Tariq Woolen creates a nice base in the secondary. The team added Byron Murphy II in the first round to help up front. Uchenna Nwosu is another player to look out for after appearing in just six games last year. It might take MacDonald a year or so to get all the pieces in place, hence their ranking near the bottom of the list heading into ’24.
25. Indianapolis Colts
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The Colts boast a young defensive core that could make its way up this ranking in short order. First-round pick Laiatu Latu could potentially be good right away and blow any expectations set for this group out of the water. We all know what DeForest Buckner brings up the middle and how much easier he makes it for his teammates. On the backend, the only established defensive back is Kenny Moore who has been stellar defending slot receivers for years.
24. Philadelphia Eagles
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From a talent perspective, the Eagles should be much higher on this list. However, the numbers don’t lie. The Eagles finished 30th in points allowed last season. It got especially ugly over the second half of the year. In the offseason, the team lost star edge rusher Haason Reddick and hopes to replace some of his production with former New York Jet Bryce Huff. The secondary added two rookies Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Vic Fangio was brought on in hopes of resurrecting a group that recorded 70 total sacks two years ago. We’ll see if the changes pay off for Philly.
23. Miami Dolphins
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The Dolphins would be much higher on this list if it weren’t for injuries. Miami lost their two top pass rushers — Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips — last season due to major injuries. It’s unclear when either will be back. For Chubb, it’s the third time he’s torn an ACL. Phillips suffered an Achilles tear which is always difficult to recover from. There’s still plenty of talent on the roster — namely in the secondary with CB Jalen Ramsey and S Jevon Holland — but the group will struggle to find any sort of consistency without their top edge rushers.
22. Los Angeles Chargers
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The Chargers defensive depth chart would look elite four years ago. Today, it’s a middle-of-the-pack squad led by a trio of stars whose best days are likely behind them. Don’t get us wrong, Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, and Derwin James still can take over a game. It’s just that they can’t do it as consistently as before. Especially when they’re being surrounded by middling talent. Jim Harbaugh spent his first two picks as head coach of the Chargers on the offensive side of the ball. He’ll have to hope that some of his defensive selections in the middle rounds will blossom into starting-caliber players.
21. Minnesota Vikings
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Minnesota DC Brian Flores is the type of playcaller who can help mask roster flaws. The Vikings aren’t overly stacked from top-to-bottom. Especially now that star edge rusher Danielle Hunter is in Houston. However, they consistently gave opponents problems last year due to Flores’ blitz-heavy scheme. They made up for losing Hunter by adding a former Texan in Jonathan Greenard and former Dolphin Andrew Van Ginkel. 35-year-old safety Harrison Smith is still making plays after 12 years in the NFL.
20. New Orleans Saints
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Some Saints fans might feel a bit slighted by this ranking. After all, New Orleans finished 9th in points allowed and forced the fourth most turnovers in the league. However, this is an aging group that looked a bit outmatched against stronger offenses. Will they be able to win at the line of scrimmage? Cam Jordan is no longer an every-down difference-maker, and Demario Davis can only cover so much of the field. Two of the biggest names on the defense — CB Marshon Lattimore and DE Chase Young — are obvious injury risks. HC Dennis Allen has always commanded a solid defense, but the roster isn’t what it used to be.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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The Buccaneers are in a similar position to their division rival Saints. They’re led by a veteran middle linebacker in Lavonte David who is still among the league’s best. Much like the Saints, we worry about the Bucs’ ability to consistently get after opposing quarterbacks. The team hopes second-year rusher Calijah Kancey can build on a solid rookie campaign. In the secondary, Antoine Winfield Jr. is an elite safety who seems to make a big play every week.
18. Cincinnati Bengals
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The Bengals are a tough team to rank. They don’t have the same level of star power as some of the top defenses in the league. Trey Hendrickson tallied 17.5 sacks last season and wasn’t named to either All-Pro team. They finished 31st in yards allowed ahead of only the Washington Commanders. However, we’ve seen this unit come through time and time again. It’s been one of the few defenses that has given Patrick Mahomes problems in the postseason. Lou Anarumo is a savvy defensive coordinator who should have this defense much improved in ’24.
17. Tennessee Titans
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Tennessee has two main ingredients in place for a dominant defense — an interior presence and an elite corner. Jeffrey Simmons is an absolute menace who can line up all over the defensive line. He can single-handedly shift a game in the trenches. Acquiring L’Jarius Sneed from the Super Bowl champions allows the Titans to cut the field in half. Sneed is one of the most versatile corners in the league, but he excels in man coverage. There are questions across the rest of the defense, but Simmons and Sneed are a devastating combo to lead the pack.
16. Green Bay Packers
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We’ve been waiting for the Packers’ defense to break out for years. This is a group filled with former first-round picks and highly touted prospects. It hasn’t come to fruition just yet, but they did show signs throughout 2023. The front seven is quite good and boasts plenty of depth. The team went out and added Xavier McKinney in the offseason to replace Darnell Savage. If Jaire Alexander can finally stay healthy the secondary will be massively improved. Green Bay will need to have at least an above-average defense to compete in the rugged NFC North.
15. Chicago Bears
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Much of the talk this offseason has been about the Bears’ improved offense, but let’s not overlook what they accomplished on the other side of the ball a season ago. We saw a transformation for this group after acquiring Montez Sweat. The former Commander added much-needed juice to the pass rush and helped bring the entire roster together. The linebackers are excellent with Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards, and cornerback Jaylon Johnson is a rising superstar.
14. New York Giants
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New York’s ranking is solely based on the defensive line. There’s a case to be made it’s the best in football. Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux off the edge with Dexter Lawrence up the middle. Not to mention, the flexibility to rotate in athletes like Azeez Oljuari or Isaiah Simmons into the mix. Bobby Okereke is solid patrolling the middle of the field. The secondary is still a work in progress, and the loss of Xavier McKinney will surely be felt. However, this team will get after the quarterback and make it difficult for offenses to function properly.
13. Jacksonville Jaguars
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Amidst the Jaguars’ implosion to end ’23, the defense hung tough. It’s not their fault Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville offense routinely placed them in difficult situations. Heading into ’24, it might behoove the team to lean on its defense and preach turnover-free football on the offensive end. Especially after adding two impact starters in former 49ers DT Arik Armstead and former Packers safety Darnell Savage. Former No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker collected five sacks over the final four games. A big season for the Georgia product appears to be in the cards.
12. Houston Texans
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We could be talking about the Texans as a top-5 defense by season’s end. Head coach DeMeco Ryans is a brilliant defensive game-planner and wasted no time fixing Houston’s biggest weaknesses. Adding Danielle Hunter gives the Texans one of the best pass-rushing duos in the game. Will Anderson Jr. looked unstoppable as a rookie and will only look even better playing across Hunter. One of the more underrated signings of the offseason was linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair who Ryans is familiar with from his time with the 49ers. It’s another fast and athletic linebacker who can help in a multitude of ways. Lastly, underrate Derek Stingley Jr. at your own risk. The former No. 3 pick has been hampered by injuries and overshadowed by fellow 2022 draftee Sauce Gardner, but Stingley Jr. is immensely talented and ready for a breakout.
11. Detroit Lions
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Detroit addressed areas of need during the offseason. This defense sorely needed help in the secondary. By adding veterans in Carlton Davis and Amik Robertson, and using a first-round pick in Alabama corner Terrion Arnold, the Lions adequately boosted their pass coverage. Aidan Hutchinson will need to take the next step as an edge rusher for this defense to truly become elite. That much seems plausible after seeing Hutchinson flash throughout his first two seasons in the league.
10. Las Vegas Raiders
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For the first time in years, the Raiders’ defense showed some life. The franchise hadn’t finished top-10 in points allowed since 2002. It all started to come together after Antonio Pierce took over. They hope to carry that momentum into ’24. The defensive line is formidable — led by All-Pro rusher Maxx Crosby — and got some reinforcements in the offseason adding star defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. Good luck blocking this team if first-round pick Tyree Wilson can figure things out. Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham has done a terrific job turning things around in just two seasons. Another strong year from this Vegas group and Graham will likely start getting head coaching offers.
9. Buffalo Bills
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Expect the Bills defense to be better in ’24. And, that’s coming off a season in which they finished fourth in points allowed and first in turnover percentage. Head coach Sean McDermott took over defensive play-calling duties last season after former DC Leslie Frazier stepped down. This past offseason, former linebackers coach Bobby Babich was promoted to the defensive coordinator role. He’s taking over at the right time. Buffalo gets Matt Milano back after the star linebacker played in just five games last year. Milano is arguably the best player on the entire Buffalo defense and will make a huge impact upon return.
8. New England Patriots
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The Patriots are going a bit under the radar but should be considered one of the top defenses in football. There’s no shortage of impact players throughout the roster. Christian Gonzalez looked sensational as a rookie before going down with an injury. He’ll be back in ’24 and flanked by one of the better safety duos in the league — Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers. Even though Bill Belichick is gone, this team should still consistently win up-front. They have waves of pass rushers and run stuffers to throw at opposing offenses.
7. Kansas City Chiefs
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The Chiefs will always be a contender as long as Patrick Mahomes is on the team. However, what makes the current team so special is their ability to win on both sides of the football. Kansas City’s defense has come a long way over the years. It eclipsed the offense in ’23, finishing second in points allowed and yards allowed during the regular season. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is among the game’s brightest minds. Chris Jones can now be considered the best defensive tackle in football following Aaron Donald’s retirement. Losing L’Jarius Sneed was a serious blow, but the roster boasts several young players ready to make a big impact.
6. Baltimore Ravens
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There’s a case to be made for the Ravens being even higher on this list. Baltimore finished last year as the No. 1 ranked defense in football by several metrics. In the postseason, they faced off against C.J. Stroud and Patrick Mahomes and surrendered just 20 points over both contests (Houston’s lone touchdown was on a punt return). Kyle Hamilton and Roquan Smith are elite at their positions, and the defensive line is brimming with talent. But, we have to account for what this group lost in the offseason. Patrick Queen is now in Pittsburgh after a breakout campaign. Jadeveon Clowney joined the Panthers following his resurgence. And, most notably, defensive mastermind Mike MacDonald accepted the head coaching position in Seattle. Can the Ravens maintain their excellence after shuffling the deck?
5. Dallas Cowboys
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The Cowboys have the talent and the statistical profile of a top-5 defense. Micah Parsons is a one-man game wrecker and teams still have to account for DeMarcus Lawrence on the other side. DaRon Bland and Trevon Diggs form a ball-hawking cornerback duo. In ’23, Dallas finished fifth in points allowed and fourth in turnover percentage. However, the Cowboys’ final game left a bad taste allowing 48 points and 415 total yards to the Packers in a Wild Card loss. Dallas thrashed bad teams all year but struggled against competent offenses.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers
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A hallmark of a great defense is the ability to carry their team through offensive droughts. There might not be a defense in the league more familiar with this particular scenario than the Steelers. Pittsburgh has been awful offensively for years. They’ve finished in the bottom 10 in yards five years in a row. Last year was their lowest finish in PPG (28th) since 1998. Still, they managed to win 10 games thanks to a solid rushing attack and an elite defense. We all know about the stars — T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick are two of the best at their respective crafts — but the emergence of players like Alex Highsmith and Joey Porter Jr. will help keep this group among the league’s best.
3. San Francisco 49ers
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The 49ers weren’t quite as stingy defensively as we’ve seen in previous years. It was especially troublesome during the postseason. They allowed 31 points to the Lions in the NFC title game and had two chances to secure a Super Bowl victory only to come up short. They’ll go into next season with Pro Bowl linebacker Dre Greenlaw who tore his Achilles in San Francisco’s final game. However, they finished third in points allowed during the regular season last year. We’re still talking about a roster that includes the league’s best middle linebacker, Fred Warner, a former Defensive Player of the Year, Nick Bosa, and an All-Pro cornerback, Charvarius Ward. Oh, and they’ll also be getting their All-Pro safety, Talanoa Hufanga, back after he missed the second half of last season.
2. Cleveland Browns
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Talent across all levels is what makes the Browns so potent defensively. It all starts with 2023 Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett. A pass rusher who consistently demands double teams opens up pathways for his teammates. On the other side, the Browns locked in Za’Darius Smith on a two-year deal this Summer. The linebackers are fast and aggressive and added veteran Jordan Hicks in the offseason. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more complete secondary. Denzel Ward, Marin Emerson Jr., and Greg Newsome II make up arguably the best cornerback trio in football.
1. New York Jets
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It’s hard not to get excited about this Jets defense. A 7-10 finish a year ago doesn’t tell the whole story. Some of the worst quarterback play in the league came from the Jets. Being able to maintain as a near .500 team speaks volumes about the defensive roster Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas have put together. It’s only going to get better with Haason Reddick in town. Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner get much of the praise, but linebackers CJ Mosley and Quincy Williams are just as vital to this group.
