NFL Defense Rankings 2026/27: Season Preview for All 32 Teams

The 2026 NFL season features a ton of defenses that took giant steps forward during the offseason. Superstars have new homes, defenses have new coordinators, and several of the league’s worst units have made some impressive moves. We’ll break down how we see all 32 defenses stacking up this season, along with the stats each team finished with in 2025.

We also run full-on NFL offense rankings, but here, it’s all about the backbone of every team: the defense.

Ranking All 32 NFL Defenses

A dominant defense remains the ultimate foundation of a championship contender, capable of shifting momentum and taking control of tight games. From disruptive pass rushes to shutdown secondaries, a team's defensive strength directly influences their Super Bowl odds throughout the season. Here is a definitive ranking of all 32 NFL defenses, breaking down the talent, depth, and game-changing ability of every unit in the league.

32. Miami Dolphins

Aside from the 2026 NFL Draft, the Dolphins didn’t do much to improve their defense during the offseason. Considering their offense also has issues, it seems likely the defense will rank last in many categories by the end of the season. One bright spot is rookie Chris Johnson, who is expected to start as a nickeback, meaning he will be tested early and often. The team is high on the rookie and is hoping his development will help make up for a lack of wins this season. 

31. Las Vegas Raiders

This is another defense that has been overhauled and made a change at defensive coordinator. They added some veterans in Nakobe Dean, Quay Waler, and Kwity Paye, which will add some badly needed stability. However, Maxx Crosby remains unhappy and is likely to be traded at some point during the season. His situation reminds us how dysfunctional the Raiders franchise has been, and why we have the Raiders ranked in our bottom two to start 2026.

30. Dallas Cowboys 

The Cowboys have a new defensive coordinator and revamped depth chart, but we still aren’t impressed. Jalen Thompson was a solid add at safety, but this team badly overvalued Rashan Gary. The edge rusher has posted 7.5 sacks in two straight seasons, but struggles to generate pressure without help around him. We are excited to see what the team has in first-round pick Caleb Downs, who will play a crucial role in the secondary. There is some young talent here we love, but it won’t help Dallas this season. 

29. Arizona Cardinals

This is a bad defense that did not do enough to improve during the offseason, aside from adding Alex Anzalone. That is made worse by the fact that the team has yet to agree to a new contract with Vita Vea, who was one of their top players last season. He seems to be beyond unhappy, which could limit his time on the field. However, rookie edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. looked like a star in the team’s first preseason game. A strong season could be a massive boost for this lackluster defense, but still wouldn’t make Tampa a top-15 defense. 

28. New York Giants

The Giants lost Dexter Lawrence during the offseason, but they added two key pieces in DJ Reader and Tremaine Edmunds. If Abdul Carter can improve in his second NFL season, those pieces would give the Giants a sneaky-good defensive front. That could go a long way in Harbaugh’s first season with the team. The former Ravens coach is known for the success of his defenses, which could give this unit a big boost heading into 2026. 

27. Cincinnati Bengals

Anyone who thought the Bengals would simply roll over after losing Trey Hendrickson was dead wrong. Instead, the team went out and added three stars to the defensive front in Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen, and Boye Mafe. That will more than make up for Hendrickson’s loss this season, but they won’t fix all of this unit’s problems. This is a defense we feel could move far up our list this season, but we’ll need to see it on the field after last year’s nightmare season.

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

This is a bad defense that did not do enough to improve during the offseason, aside from adding Alex Anzalone. That is made worse by the fact that the team has yet to agree to a new contract with Vita Vea, who was one of their top players last season. He seems to be beyond unhappy, which could limit his time on the field. However, rookie edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. looked like a star in the team’s first preseason game. A strong season could be a massive boost for this lackluster defense, but still wouldn’t make Tampa a top-15 defense. 

25. Washington Commanders

The Commanders' defense still doesn’t have a ton of talent, but the team upgraded its pass rush significantly during the offseason. K’Lavon Chaisson and Odafe Oweh will both take over starting spots after combining for 15 sacks and 19 TFLs with their former teams last season. That will help the defense get pressure on the quarterback, helping cover for the unit’s other issues. We don’t expect the Commanders to be elite on defense, but do believe they’ll turn some heads in 2026.

24. Indianapolis Colts

We don’t expect this defense to be great, but we do like the upgrades they made on defense. They added several proven veterans to help shore up the unit, led by Arden Key and Akeem Davis-Gaither. Cornerback Sauce Gardner has also turned some heads during camp, despite a quiet four games with the team last season. He’s only 24, meaning his best play may still be ahead. If he can stay healthy and return to form, it could lead this defense to rise rapidly in our rankings. 

23. Tennessee Titans

We fully expect the Titans defense to be one of the most improved in 2026. Robert Saleh taking over as head coach will help, but the team also turned much of its defense over during the summer. That includes Jermaine Johnson II, John Franklin-Myers, Jacob Martin, Jordan Elliot, and rookie first-round pick Keldric Faulk, who will make the line far more dangerous. If Faulk turns into the player the team thinks he can be, it could make this one of the better defenses in the AFC this season. 

22. New York Jets 

We can’t speak to the Jets offense, but we love the changes the team has made on defense. They added some key players, including David Onyemata, T’Vondre Sweat, and Minkah Fitzpatrick. The team also drafted David Bailey with the second-overall pick, giving them one of the most exciting defensive rookies in the league. They’ll lead a new-look defense, with head coach Aaron Glenn calling plays. With a depth chart balanced between young talent and proven vets, there is a lot of reason to wonder if this will be the season when Gang Green’s defensive prowess finally returns. 

21. Chicago Bears

The Bears actively went out and improved their secondary by adding Cobe Bryant during the offseason. Unfortunately, the Super Bowl champ injured his knee during camp and will be out for at least 4-6 months. That means he’ll miss most, if not all, of the season, leaving the secondary to an erratic group of defensive backs. That is a big problem for Chicago, which will be tested against the passing attacks for the Lions and Packers in the NFC North. While a couple of breakout performances could save the Bears' season, we don’t expect much from this defense in 2026. 

20. Atlanta Falcons

Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich may be the most important piece of this defense. The lack of playmakers led him to focus on coverage, which paid off in a big way. While the stats are hard to decipher, it was easy to see how the defense was so often in the right spots at the right time, limiting yards without many sacks, TFLs, or turnovers. They struggled against the run, but the addition of Da’Shawn Hand will help fix that. Considering the offensive improvement and low quality of the division, this defense could do some serious damage in 2026. 

19. Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs spent their first four 2026 NFL Draft picks on defensive players, led by cornerback Mansoor Delane. While he is expected to start for the team, the other three are expected to need time to develop. That could be an issue this season, especially since Chris Jones had another brutal season in 2025, leading many to believe the 32-year-old is no longer the star he once was. If he can’t turn things around this year, don’t count on this defense being any better than last season.

18. Cleveland Browns

The Browns open the season further down our list since they no longer have Myles Garrett to anchor the defense. His loss will be felt all season, but it won’t devastate this unit. They have a lot of talent all over the field, and added Rams’ star defensive end Jared Verse. The 25-year-old had 7.5 sacks and three forced fumbles last season, and Cleveland believes the big man’s game is still growing. While he won’t replace Garrett, he could help this defense be far better than anyone expects. 

17. Carolina Panthers

The Panthers stunned the league by winning the NFC South last season, and their defense was a big reason why. The unit didn’t have much star power, but consistently put up impressive numbers throughout the campaign. We expect the unit to be even better in 2026 after adding linebacker Jaelan Phillips and Pro Bowler Devin Lloyd. Both bring some badly needed playmaking to the defense, and could help lead the Panthers to another playoff appearance this season.

16. Detroit Lions

The biggest question around this defense is their secondary depth. The team lost Amik Robertson during the offseason, who had one interception, two forced fumbles, and led the team with 12 PDs. His absence could be compounded by injuries to Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, though both still have a chance to play Week 1. Fortunately, fifth-round pick Keith Abney II has looked like a steal during camp. He was an elite corner at Arizona State, and many believed he was undervalued during the draft. Considering the Lions have already named him a starter, it appears they believe they have a future star. 

15. Buffalo Bills

While we have them ranked around the middle of the league, we are very excited to see this Buffalo defense work in 2026. While it appears Joey Bosa won’t be returning, the team added two key pieces in Bradley Chubb and Geno Stone. I’m most excited to see how Chubb plays within this defense. He was good for a bad Miami team the last two seasons, but we believe he can unlock another level in a far better system this season.

14. Green Bay Packers

The Packers will be without Micah Parsons for at least the first six weeks, which is why they sit outside our top ten. Despite that, we are still excited about this unit’s potential under new DC Jonathan Gannon. He has been using the team’s safeties in unique ways, which can help offset the lack of a proper pass rush. If his schemes work during the regular season, this is a defense that could quickly jump up our rankings. 

13. New England Patriots

The Patriots’ defense outperformed expectations last season and seems to have gotten better over the summer. One of the biggest additions is Dre’Mont Jones, who had seven sacks, two fumble recoveries, and seven TFLs. However, the team is still missing Harold Landry III, who remains on the PUP list. The biggest question we have about this unit involves rookie edge rusher Gabe Jacas, who is loaded with talent but also has a history of knee injuries. 

12. New Orleans Saints 

The Saints' defense was solid last season, but their production was limited due to the poor play of their offense. The team was consistently put into bad spots, averaging a starting position on the 33.7-yard line, the second-worst mark in the league. This season will feature many of the same starters, but the offense is expected to be drastically improved. That should limit the amount of time the defense has to spend on the field, and we believe it could lead this unit to finish as a top-ten unit in 2026. 

11. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers were one of the most disappointing defenses in the league last season, leading them to make some big changes over the summer. While the unit seems strong, early injuries to Jalen Ramsey and Joey Porter Jr. are concerning. That is especially true for the latter, as the linebacker has yet to agree on a new contract with the Steelers. While he’s under contract to play this year, the situation could lead his back injury to linger a bit longer this season.

10. Minnesota Vikings 

There were a lot of big changes for Minnesota’s defense this summer. The Vikings decided to spend some money to bring back Andrew Van Ginkel for another year, but lost several key pieces on defense. Jonathan Greenard, Javon Hargrave, and Jonathan Allen. The trio combined for ten sacks, 21 TFLs, and a whopping 158 tackles. That is tough to replace, but the team hopes rookie tackle Caleb Banks can help. He’s looked fantastic in camp and appears set to earn the starting spot for Week 1. 

9. San Francisco 49ers

As much as we love the Niners defensive depth chart, injuries are once again an issue. Osa Odighizuwa, Nick Bosa, Tatum Bethune, Mykel Williams, Leion white, Malik Mistapha, and rookie Romello Height are all dealing with injuries during camp, though their status for Week 1 remains unknown. We saw injuries decimate this great defense last season, and the start to the pre-season isn’t giving us hope that things will improve in 2026. The good news is that Fred Warner seems to be feeling good after missing all but six games due to injury last season. 

8. Jacksonville Jaguars

This was one of the worst defenses in football for the first few weeks of the 2025 season, but they finished the campaign as one of the best. While 25-year-old Travon Walker has a season to forget, the young rusher had 10+ sacks in the previous two seasons, giving us hope for a comeback in 2026.  That would help unlock Josh Hines-Allen and potentially create one of the more dangerous pass rushes in the NFL. We also have heard positive things about Travis Hunter after an underwhelming rookie season, earning the Jags a top-10 spot in our rankings. 

7. Philadelphia Eagles

There will be a lot of new faces starting for Philly this season, but we aren’t as high on this unit as many other NFL analysts. One big reason for this is the secondary, which will be without safety Reed Blankenship, who finished third on the team with 83 tackles last season. They have a new face at corner as well, making it hard to predict how good this secondary will be. In addition to that question, newly acquired Jonathan Greenard was injured during training camp. While details have been limited, we know he will likely miss most of the preseason and possibly some regular-season games. That’s a big loss, and is why we’ve kept the Eagles outside of our top-6. 

6. Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers defense outperformed expectations last season and kept most of its starters during the offseason. While the team focused on offense for much of the draft, they used their first pick on edge rusher Akheem Mesidor. The rookie has been earning high praise from his coaches and the LA media, and could end up playing a major role in 2026. He will have a chance to help fill the hole from Joey Bosa’s trade last season. 

5. Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens were expected to have one of the best defenses in the NFL last season, but instead ended up with one of the worst. The team didn’t waste time making changes in the offseason, adding superstar Trey Hendrickson from the rival Bengals. They also brought in veteran Calais Campbell, who has played well late in his career. Unfortunately, an injury to Nate Wiggins could be a massive blow to the unit. While the Ravens say he avoided a major injury, he is expected to miss significant time. 

4. Los Angeles Rams

One of the biggest storylines from the offseason was that the Rams signed 2025 Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett. The former Browns’ star led the league with 23 sacks and 33 TFLs last season, giving an already good Rams defense a massive boost. While this has many people believing this defense could be the best in football, the superstar has already been dealing with a knee injury. Reports from the Rams have been positive, but the injury will be worth monitoring this season.

3. Seattle Seahawks

The Super Bowl champs return most of their defense this season, with one key loss in safety Cobe Bryant. Julian Love has been expected to take over as the starter, but rookie Bud Clark is turning heads in camp. The second-round pick was incredible at TCU and has already won over several of his new teammates this summer. While Love may end up winning the job, we expect Bud Clark to compete enough to be a major factor in the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year odds this season.

2. Denver Broncos

While Vance Joseph returns as the defensive coordinator, the Broncos made a lot of moves with the rest of the defensive coaching staff. How the team adapts will heavily impact their position in the AFC West odds and determine whether it can repeat as division champs. Another big question involves how the team will replace John Franklin-Myers, who accounted for 7.5 sacks last season. Rookie Tyler Onyedim and Malcolm Roach will compete for the starting spot on the left end, but can they replace JFM’s production?

1. Houston Texans

The Texans finished last season as our top defense, and that isn’t changing as we get ready for the 2026-27 campaign. This team is strong all over the field, but we are especially impressed with their secondary. It was already great with Derek Stingley Jr., Calen Bullock, Kamari Lassiter, and Jalen Pitre, but we expect them to be elite now that they added safety Reed Blankenship. Combine that with the team’s ability to generate pressure and sacks without blitzing, and you can see why we have them ranked atop our list.

Top Five NFL Passing Defenses

5. Los Angeles Rams

The addition of Myles Garrett earns the Rams a spot in our top-five. The league’s top edge rusher will cause havoc against opposing offenses, allowing LA’s secondary to thrive. 

4. Denver Broncos

The Broncos have one of the best pass rushes in the NFL, leading the league with 68 sacks in 2025. It also seems that Pat Surtain II is taking his Madden rating to heart and will be out to prove the doubters wrong. We expect it to result in a top-five pass defense in 2026.

3. Buffalo Bills

The Bills led the league in passing yards allowed per game last season (156.6) and allowed the fourth-lowest completion percentage. By adding Bradley Chubb, Geno Stone, and CJ Gardner-Johnson, we believe the unit will be elite again in 2026. 

2. Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks lost Cobe Bryant during the offseason, but we believe they found something special with Bud Clark. As a result, we expect the Super Bowl champs to remain elite in 2026.

1. Houston Texans

The Texans have an elite secondary, which is supported by one of the NFL’s best pass rushes. That allows them to blitz at a low rate, but still dominate against the pass.

Top Five NFL Rushing Defenses

5. Cincinnati Bengals

We may be out over our skis on this one, but we love what Cincinnati did to their defensive front. We expect run defense to become a major strength, though we can’t say the same of the pass defense.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jags led the league with just 85.6 rushing yards allowed per game, and ranked second in average per carry (3.9). While they lost Devin Lloyd in the offseason, the return of coordinator Anthony Campanile has us confident the unit will dominate again in 2026. 

3. Denver Broncos

Running into Denver’s defensive front was a losing bet in 2025, with the Broncos ranking second in yards per game (91.1) and YPC average (3.9).

2. Houston Texans

The Texans allowed just 93.7 YPC last season and still have Will Anderson Jr. dominating up front, putting them in the top four in the category. 

1. Seattle Seahawks

The Super Bowl LX champs open the season in our top spot, leading the NFL in YPC (3.7) and allowing the second-fewest scores on the ground (9) in 2025.

2025-26 NFL Defense Rankings