NFL free agent defensive line rankings: Josh Sweat, Milton Williams lead best available
Free agency is a key way for teams to add to their roster every year. The 2024 free agent class provided difference-makers for plenty of teams on both offense and defense. The Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles netted a pair of first-team All-Pro players last offseason in linebacker Zack Baun and running back Saquon Barkley.
The 2025 free agent class features standout players on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Sam Darnold could command a big contract after a career year with the Minnesota Vikings. Same goes for offensive lineman like Ronnie Stanley after a standout 2024 campaign. On defense, there are contributors at every level hitting the open market.
The Eagles dominated the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl thanks to advantages on both the offensive and defensive lines. Two of the Eagles' key players on the defensive line are hitting free agency, offering teams a chance to build out their roster with championship talent.
That Eagles duo leads our rankings of the top 10 defensive linemen hitting free agency:
NFL free agency rankings: Defensive lineman
1. Edge Josh Sweat
- Previous team: Philadelphia Eagles
- 2024 stats: 8.0 sacks, 41 pressures, 41 tackles, nine tackles for loss
Sweat leads the way as the top edge rusher on the market. He'll be 28 next season and led the Super Bowl champion Eagles with eight sacks. His size at 6-foot-5 and 265 lbs. makes him an asset against the run and rushing the passer. He'll be up for a big payday after a Super Bowl run in 2024.
2. DT Milton Williams
- Previous team: Philadelphia Eagles
- 2024 stats: 5.0 sacks, 35 pressures, 24 tackles, seven tackles for loss
Williams blossomed from a third-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft to become a key asset on the Eagles' championship-winning defense. His 12.5% pressure rate ranked second among all defensive tackles in the NFL (minimum 200 pass rushes), per NFL's Next Gen Stats. Fellow defensive lineman Jalen Carter gets much of the attention but Williams has become a great player.
3. Edge Khalil Mack
- Previous team: Los Angeles Chargers
- 2024 stats: 6.0 sacks, 54 pressures, 39 tackles, six tackles for loss
Mack may be 33 but he is fresh off his third consecutive Pro Bowl season and is just one year removed from setting a career-high in sacks with 17. He had a career-low snap percentage in 2024 as he transitioned to a more rotational role. Still, he's more than capable of putting up near-double digit sacks and excels at setting the edge as a run defender. Many contenders will likely come calling for his services on a short-term deal.
4. Edge Chase Young
- Previous team: New Orleans Saints
- 2024 stats: 5.5 sacks, 73 pressures, 31 tackles, eight tackles for loss
Young played in all 17 games last season but did not start any of them as he also took on a rotational role. The former No. 2 overall pick set a career-high in pressures last season and will be 26 this upcoming season. That combination of draft pedigree and age will get lots of attention from teams once again.
5. Edge Joey Bosa
- Previous team: Los Angeles Chargers
- 2024 stats: 5.0 sacks, 34 pressures, 22 tackles, five tackles for loss
Bosa's a former top-three draft pick with four double-digit sack seasons on his resume. The downside is he's yet to play a full season getting 10.5 sacks in 2021. Injuries have meant he's only played 29 of 51 possible games over the last three seasons. He'll be 30 this upcoming season but can still have a role as a proven pass rusher. To avoid injury, he may be moved to a more rotational role.
6. DT Levi Onwuzurike
- Previous team: Detroit Lions
- 2024 stats: 1.5 sacks, 37 pressures, 28 tackles, one tackle for loss
Onwuzurike took on a larger role in 2024 as injuries decimated the Lions' defense. He made the most of the opportunity by setting career-highs in sacks and pressures with a career-high 594 snaps played. The franchise already committed a long-term deal to DT Alim McNeill, leaving Onwuzurike to test free agency entering his age 27 season. He's a very good interior pass rusher who has shown flashes of high-end talent, making him a high-upside option for teams looking for interior help.
7. Edge Haason Reddick
- Previous team: New York Jets
- 2024 stats: 1.0 sacks, 30 pressures, 14 tackles, two tackles for loss
Reddick missed half of the 2024 season after holding out with the Jets but has been one of the more productive edge rushers in the NFL over the three years before that. From 2020 through 2023, Reddick tallied 50.5 sacks, among the most in the league. He'll turn 31 during the 2025 season. How things went in New York may turn some teams away but he should still be a viable option as a pass rusher.
8. Edge Baron Browning
- Previous team: Arizona Cardinals
- 2024 stats: 2.0 sacks, 29 pressures, 21 tackles, five tackles for loss
Denver dealt Browning to Arizona as other Broncos pass rushers ascended to bigger roles. He'll be 26 in the 2025 season, making him one of the younger options on the open market in free agency. Injuries are a concern as he's missed 17 games combined over his four years in the league. But there will surely be teams looking to sign him as he offers coverage skills in addition to rushing the passer thanks to spending his first two years in the league as an off-ball linebacker.
9. Edge DeMarcus Lawrence
- Previous team: Dallas Cowboys
- 2024 stats: 3.0 sacks, 11 pressures, 14 tackles, four tackles for loss
Lawrence suffered a season-ending injury in Week 4 but still had impressive per-game production. He'll be 33 next season but made the Pro Bowl in 2022 and 2023. At the very least, he should get some attention as a rotational pass rusher.
10. Edge Malcolm Koonce
- Previous team: Las Vegas Raiders
- 2023 stats: 8.0 sacks, 51 pressures, 43 tackles, nine tackles for loss
Koonce suffered a season-ending injury prior to the 2024 regular season, hence why we're using his 2023 stats. That could work in his favor as he should be fully healthy entering the offseason compared to other edges who had an injury mid-season. He came on strong to close 2023 with career-highs in almost every statistic. He'll be 27 in the 2025 season and offers another high-upside option in free agency. His market will likely be low given his injury but he could outplay that if he keeps up his form from 2023.