NFL Defense Rankings 2023: All 32 Teams Evaluated

Offense gets the glory, defense wins championships. Every NFL fan has heard that one before.

In an era of high-octane offenses, megastar quarterbacks, and game-breaking skill position players, it’s still the defensive side of the football that decides the most important games of the year. And heading into the 2023 NFL season, there are several defenses that stand out from the rest, both good and bad.

Here are our 2023 pre-season NFL defense power rankings as of May 2023 (we will update them as the season approaches and throughout the year).

#32: Los Angeles Rams

How the mighty have fallen. The Rams won a Super Bowl in 2022 and had arguably the best defense in the league, but now they are in the highly un-coveted spot of last in the WSN defensive power rankings.

What’s hard to believe about their lowly ranking is that they still employ three-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald—the rest of the defense, though, is less than impressive. Jalen Ramsey departed for the Miami Dolphins and Bobby Wagner went back to the Seattle Seahawks, leaving behind a team that finished last season ranked 20th in points and that is now down two of its best players.

The Rams are moving closer and closer to blowing up the franchise and building for the future. Good luck to them, since they already “F’d” the picks en route to the Super Bowl. 

#31: Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals need help at every position on defense. Veteran pass-rusher J.J. Watt retired at the end of last season, and although he was banged up and not highly productive, he was a veteran voice in the locker room. One that is now watching Cardinals games from his couch.

Byron Murphy and Zach Allen are also gone, and Budda Baker could be on his way out too. They brought in Kyzir White, but he won’t be enough to save a defense that gave up the best completion percentage to opposing QBs in the entire league, and they also passed up a chance to draft Will Anderson Jr. to move back and acquire future picks.

To make it even better, the Cards’ new defensive coordinator is 29-year-old Nick Rallis, who has never held this position in his young career. Talk about stepping into the fire.

#30: Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings gave up more passing yards than any team not named the Tennessee Titans last year. They also lost Patrick Peterson and Dalvin Tomlinson in free agency, though they brought in Marcus Davenport.

The Vikings are not in as woeful of a position talent-wise as the Rams and Cardinals are, but they could be much better off. This looks like a team that is moving off of older players and transitioning to younger and cheaper players to find out which ones will be around long-term.

Minnesota also opted to invest its early draft picks on the offense. The really positive news is that Minnesota now employs Brian Flores as defensive coordinator. He is an intelligent mind that will have his unit clicking eventually, but it will take time.

#29: Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars showed promise in the back half of the regular season but still need to put 17 clean games together on tape before they can move up the list. 

While they may be 27th on this list, they have serious potential to shoot closer to the top with investment into the defense. Unlike the Raiders, the Jaguars are in build-to-win-now mode thanks to preseason MVP candidate, Trevor Lawrence.

The Jags suffered a major loss of Shaquill Griffin in the offseason and did not find a suitable replacement in the draft. They need to make serious upgrades at the position to be competitive amongst the top teams in the AFC.

#28: Las Vegas Raiders

As Chris Berman would say, it’s THE RAIDAS! They might be dressed in extravagance in their semi-new Las Vegas home, but their productivity on the field makes it seem as if their minds are still in the casino (not that they’re violating the league’s gambling rules, don’t worry).

Vegas ranked 26th in points and 27th in yards allowed and also let opposing quarterbacks completed 67.6% of their passes, the third-highest percentage in the league. Not all is bleak, however, since the Raiders have Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones rising the quarterbacks from opposite ends, along with seventh-overall draft pick Tyree Wilson.

The Raiders are middle-of-the-pack in overall cap hit and could invest in the defense if they wanted to, but that is unlikely, given their timeline. Jimmy Garoppolo was brought over in the offseason likely as a stop-gap, and it would be a surprise to see them make any major moves until they’ve cleaned their books over the next couple of seasons.

#27: Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons are one of several teams in the NFL that don’t have a clear direction in front of them. Their offense is a mess, and the defense is not much better.

Atlanta was 21st in points and 26th in yards allowed and was equally poor against the pass and the run. The good news is that they took steps to address their deficiencies by signing Jessie Bates, Calais Campbell, and Bud Dupree, all of whom will start and become immediate contributors.

The biggest problem for the Falcons in 2022 was their lack of pressure. They produced the second-fewest sacks in the league and must do better to support the back end of the defense. They had a chance to draft a star corner or a different impact defensive player but puzzlingly opted to take a running back (Bijan Robinson)—their one position with strength and depth—with the eight pick.

#26: Indianapolis Colts

The Colts had a very strong defense a few years ago, but age and frequent injuries have forced that to crumble. They let former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore walk in the offseason and have no notable players in the secondary aside from Isaiah Rodgers Sr., who had a solid season last year.

The strength for the Colts is on the front line. They have players like DeForest Buckner and Kwity Paye that can get after the quarterback, although neither they nor anyone in the front seven is particularly interested in stopping the run.

The Colts are desperately searching for a franchise quarterback and won’t dish out the big bucks until they find him. Second-round corner Julius Brents is one to watch for the future but won’t be a day-one starter, and neither will boom-or-bust defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore (who ran a 4.4 at 280 pounds at the combine). There are still decent players in Indy, but their room for growth is low.

#25: Houston Texans

The Texans are practically guaranteed to get better regardless of the personnel because of the appointment of DeMeco Ryans. The 38-year-old first-time head coach has his fingerprints all over the San Francisco 49ers’ dominant defense and will have his team ready to compete if nothing else.

Players such as Jimmie Ward (who also came over from San Francisco), Denzel Perryman, and Sheldon Rankins should be the standout players. Will Anderson Jr. is also going to be a culture-setter and be good at worst and amazing at best the moment he steps on an NFL field. And while that isn’t the best core of players in the world, it is formidable and in an AFC South that has two inconsistent offenses (not including the Texans’).

Chalk this one down mostly to Ryans, but don’t be surprised if they surprise your favorite team one weekend this fall. They will play nasty and will get better as the season progresses.

#24: New York Giants

The New York Football Giants (here’s one for the old school) had the fifth-worst rush defense but were pretty solid against the pass. Straight off the bat, they need to get better against the run, or teams will be able to consistently chew up the clock and limit their chances to win games.

The Giants, despite being so solid against the pass, also lack big-name secondary players—that’s why they added Maryland corner Deonte Banks with the 24th pick in the draft. Adoree’ Jackson is penned to be the starter, and PFF graded him as the 31s-best player at his position last year. Cordale Flott (40th of 188) and Darnay Holmes (116 of 118) are the third and fourth options behind Banks.

While we’ve spoken about other teams having potential, this unit does not have much. Dexter Lawrence is awesome in the middle of the line, and Leonard Williams and Kayvon Thibodeaux are decent, but the needle is not moved by this Giants’ defense.

#23: Detroit Lions

The Lions got into several of the most exciting shootouts of the season last year in part because of their potent offense, but just as much in part because of how terrible their defense was.

Aidan Hutchinson won Defensive Rookie of the Year, but there wasn’t a whole lot to smile about beyond that. They gave up the most yards and fifth-most points per game, and five of their eight losses were in one-score games.

Dan Campbell is building a culture in Detroit that is promising. He lost former first-round draft pick Jeff Okudah in a trade to the Falcons and may have reached too high on linebacker Jack Campbell but made up for it with a savvy snag of Alabama safety Brian Branch in the second round. 

#22: Green Bay Packers

The Packers are entering life without Aaron Rodgers as the incumbent quarterback for the first time since 2008. They have a variety of areas they need to address on both sides of the football before they can be fairly evaluated.

When healthy, the Packers have proven to have a very nice secondary, though safety Darnell Savage was Pro Football Focus’ 87th ranked player of 88 qualified at his position. So, getting an upgrade there wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world.

The Packers were victims of giving opposing quarterbacks too much time and comfort in the pocket. Their 34 sacks were tied for the fifth-fewest in 2022, a problem they attempted to remedy by getting athletic Iowa linebacker Lukas Van Ness in the first round. It’s a start, but we need to see consistent production from him and the pass-rushers to move them up the list.

#21: Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs are a tricky team to rank. They seem to start the year terribly but finished second in sacks and made impact plays throughout the postseason during their run to the Super Bowl. 

Kansas City’s Super Bowl triumph was actually a year or two ahead of schedule. They played rookies for significant minutes, and all of those players will be better because of their big-game experience but also the extra time on the field.

Frank Clark was allowed to walk in free agency, but Chris Jones is still there, as is new rookie defensive tackle and hometown kid Felix Anudike-Uzomah who can generate pressure from all over the line.

They make mistakes and give up big plays, but they also take chances at big plays of their own. We respect that.

#20: Tennessee Titans

Not one team in the league wanted any part of the Titans’ run defense. Not a single one. 

The Titans gave up just 76.9 rushing yards per game last year—unfortunately, they also gave up nearly 275 passing yards per game, which was the most in the league. With how pass-oriented the NFL is in the modern era, that is disastrously bad. They also did not do themselves any favors by pretty much ignoring the defense in the draft.

Sean Murphy-Bunting will help shore up the secondary significantly and also keeps them young. Kevin Byard and Jeffrey Simmons are also great, which is why this is another team that has the potential to climb closer to the top 10 if things fall into place.

#19: Cleveland Browns

The Browns brought in three defensive tackles over the offseason to help remedy a problem that popped up frequently last season. They also have the unavoidable game-wrecker that is Myles Garrett, who single-handedly drags them up the list. Rookie defensive tackle and Baylor product Siaki Ika will join him on the line in running downs but has a ways to go in developing as a pass-rusher.

We’re not going to judge Cleveland too harshly by their stats for two reasons. Firstly, they aren’t even that bad (19th in scoring, 12th in yardage), but secondly and more importantly, they were put in a ton of bad positions by a misfiring offense.

Cleveland was awesome at stopping the run last year. If players like Greg Newsome and Denzel Ward can anchor down, they will have enough to compete in the AFC North.

#18: Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks hit the jackpot with their rookie cornerback Tariq Woolen and got another nice pick in Coby Bryant. Unfortunately, that was not enough to support the entire defense, and they finished the year ranked 25th in scoring defense and gave up the fifth-most yards per game.

Seattle would be wise to beef up in the trenches but could also begin to search for a Jamal Adams replacement. His gargantuan contract hamstring’s the team in many ways and prevents them from building for the future. 

Regardless, the ‘Hawks brought back Bobby Wagner after a brief spell with the Rams, which gives them PFF’s number-one middle linebacker and a true quarterback of the defense. They also drafted Devon Witherspoon from Illinois with the fifth-overall pick and now have one of the league’s best young cornerback trios, plus a player that can easily win Defensive Rookie of the Year this fall.  

#17: Washington Commanders

The nation’s capitol brigade had a nice year statistically, ranking eighth in points and third in yards allowed. However, Washington had the highest time of possession per game by a wide margin (despite having a horrific offense), which meant that the opportunity for “bad” stats was available less.

Dan Snyder recently sold the franchise to Magic Johnson and a team of fellow investors, which is a win no matter if they score more points than their opponents or not. The Commanders already declined 2020 second-overall pick Chase Young’s fifth-year option but will have him alongside Jonathan Allen, Da’Ron Payne, and Montez Sweat on an impressive front line.

Washington can’t move any higher because they gave up the fourth-most passing touchdowns in the league despite barely seeing the field in a fair assessment of their porous secondary. Benjamin St-Juste and Darrick Forrest are facing diminished roles with the arrival of first-round corner Emmanuel Forbes, whereas Kendall Fuller and Kamren Curl were both great in 2022. The main concern with Forbes, who was elite in man coverage, is that he is 166 pounds.

#16: Carolina Panthers

The Panthers have the excitement of possessing the number-one pick lifting the morale in their facility. They also have impactful players that, with the right supporting cast, could boost this team into the top half of NFL defenses.

Jaycee Horn is young and improving, Brian Burns is excellent, and the addition of Vonn Bell gives them more physicality and experience in the secondary. They also drafted DJ Johnson in the third round after getting their franchise cornerstone, Bryce Young, with the first selection, giving them a powerful edge-rusher with lots of room to grow in the professional ranks.

A lot of the defense’s performance will come down to how well Carolina newcomer and defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero performs. He was in charge of an elite Denver Broncos defense last year, so there’s early optimism that he will get this group running pretty hot in a short amount of time.

#15: Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers seem to fall on hard times year after year. Their defensive personnel is truly terrifying, but they just can’t stay healthy when it matters.

It’s become trendy to trash-talk Brandon Staley, but he engineered the Rams’ dominating defense of a few years ago and can scheme up exotic pass coverages (even though he seems to have no idea how to slow down the run game). The Chargers also had a nice draft, getting versatile defensive lineman Tuli Tuipulotu, who had 13.5 sacks last year, and speedy linebacker Daiyan Henley in the second and third rounds.

This year might be the end of the road for Staley and some of the other members of the Chargers’ defense if this isn’t a productive year. They ended last season on a hot streak and have undeniable talent but are under serious pressure to perform.

#14: New Orleans Saints

The Saints seem to sneak their way onto the list of best defenses in the league every year despite not claiming any of the perennial DPOY candidates. That’s a testament to the culture and coaching going on in the bayou.

New Orleans ranked fifth in yards and ninth in points allowed in 2022. Losing Davenport will hurt, but Tyrann Mathieu proved that he is still worth a big contract, and Marshon Lattimore can play much better than he did last year.

The Saints also do a tremendous job getting after the quarterback. Team success is predicated on the ability to throw the ball on one side and make QBs uncomfortable on the other, and Cameron Jordan and company have held up their end of the bargain. NO also strengthened that strength by picking Clemson DT Bryan Breese and Notre Dame DE Isaiah Foskey in the first and second rounds. 

#13: Chicago Bears

Look, I know the Bears gave up more points than any other team in the league last season. My response? I don’t care.

Chicago made one of the biggest moves of the offseason by snagging Tremaine Edmunds from the Bills and putting him next to T.J. Edwards. Their secondary didn’t perform well in 2022 but will be better with big second-round corner Tyrique Stevenson and a couple of burly defensive linemen (Gervon Dexter Sr. and Zacch Pickens).

Top defenses frequently come and go year-to-year. Consider this our pick for the “flavor of the month” defense heading into the 2023 season. 

#12: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers are in a similar spot to the Rams in that they had arguably the best defense in the league during a recent run to the Super Bowl—the difference is that they are still highly competitive.

The Bucs ranked 15th in scoring and 10th in yards allowed in 2022 and are returning important pieces such as Jamel Dean, Devin White, and others. They also added assets at nearly every position group on the defense in the draft.

Tampa’s run defense isn’t what it once was, but it is still capable of closing the holes and can also create pressure without committing too many bodies, giving it more balance in the secondary. 17th-overall pick DT Calijah Kancey is an eye-popper who can make an impact in passing and rushing situations and will see the field early and frequently.

#11: Cincinnati Bengals

Joe Burrow is just so dang cool that the Bengals’ defense hasn’t been given its due props. It perfected a bend-don’t-break style and finished 2022 17th in yards allowed but 5th in total scoring.

Here’s where it hurts for Cincy: they lost both of their starting safeties in free agency because of the big-money contract Burrow has played his way to. Eli Apple is also gone, but that allows them to get younger at corner without losing too much in the cost-effectiveness ratio.

Cinci’s front line is also great against pass and run and will do lots of the heavy lifting for the defense. All three of its first draft picks were also defensive players—DE Myles Murphy, CB DJ Turner II, and S Jordan Battle, all of whom were valuable picks at their respective spots and offer great upside. DC Lou Anarumo has built enough cache to earn a favorable pre-season ranking.

#10: Buffalo Bills

The Bills have had one of the best defenses in the league over the past few years but need to be very careful. They lost their leading tackler and defensive heartbeat in Tremaine Edmunds and are trusting 11-year vet A.J. Klein, who made just 11 tackles last season, to replace him. 

The Bills secondary’s reputation also unfairly precedes itself. Sports are about updating a resume, and Buffalo’s corners and safeties failed to do so in 2022. It’s therefore a testament to them that they ended the year fourth in scoring and sixth in yardage, but there is cause for concern.

No matter what happens on the back end, Buffalo will be rebuffed by the reintegration of a healthy Von Miller, who had eight sacks in 12 games before his injury. That’s important since the defense was mediocre at getting opposing QBs on the ground. Third-round linebacker Dorian Williams will play more Will than Mike but will fly all over the field similar to how Edmunds did.

#9: Miami Dolphins 

The Dolphins are pushing their chips to the center of the table. They traded for Bradley Chubb last year and did the same for ex-Rams corner and Super Bowl champion Jalen Ramsey in the offseason. They only had four draft picks and only spent one on defense in the form of second-round corner Cam Smith, who is going to be one for the future behind Ramsey and Xavien Howard. 

Miami’s numbers from last season don’t look great, but this will be a much different team this time around. Byron Jones is coming back from an injury, and new DC Vic Fangio, the league’s highest-paid defensive coordinator, will be instrumental in reinventing the defense.

Miami has impact players at every level of the defense. They will be tested by Josh Allen and Aaron Rodgers (now of the Jets), plus whoever the Patriots put on the field, but they’ve got the star power to hold up.

#8: New England Patriots

The Patriots finished 2022 with an 8-9 record despite rotating quarterbacks and being horribly undermanned at several positions. While part of that falls on Bill Belichick the general manager, he is above questioning as a defensive coach.

The Patriots ended the year giving up the sixth-fewest yards and 11th-fewest points. Many of their defensive metrics, such as third-down defense, took a tumble during the final seven games, in which they went 2-5. But on the bright side, that shows how dominant they were early in the season to still finish ranking where they did.

This team is an average offense away from turning into a clear-cut top-10 defense. We have them positioned right at 10th but could see them move up if the offense actually holds onto the ball and picks up third downs. Watch out for former Oregon corner Chrisitan Gonzalez to quickly become one of the better corners in the league and mount a DROY charge while playing for the greatest defensive mind in the history of football.

#7: Baltimore Ravens 

A midseason trade for Roquan Smith completely changed the complexion of Baltimore’s defense (which is partly why we’re so high on the Bears with Edmunds). In the nine games that Smith played as a member of the Ravens, the defense ranked second in points allowed, third in yards allowed, and posted a 28% red zone touchdown rate.

Smith is only 25 years old and is partnered by other standouts such as Kyle Hamilton and Marlon Humphrey. They were unable to retain Marcus Peters but can use the newfound cap space to get someone younger and that doesn’t play as risky of a style.

Baltimore, even including the weeks without Smith, finished 2022 third in points and sixth in yards allowed. They also bolstered their depth in the draft at all three levels of the defense. Buy stock now before it’s too late.

#6: Denver Broncos

The dumpster fire that was Russell Wilson’s (and Nathaniel Hackett’s) first year in Denver overshadowed many brilliant performances by the Broncos’ defense. 

Through Week 13, the Broncos gave up just 17 points per game, yet they were only 3-9. Vance Joseph gets to step into a steady situation and one that he is familiar with and has no shortage of all-league talents such as Patrick Surtain. He also now gets to work with third-round pick Drew Sanders, who can float between backer and edge-rusher, and ex-Iowa corner Riley Moss. 

The key for Denver to jump into the conversation for the best defense in the league will be getting the quarterback on the ground more frequently. But if their offense can score points and take the onus off of them every time they step on the field, they will also be in a much better spot. 

#5: New York Jets

Lots of fans and experts are high on the Jets heading into 2023. Their defense popped last year and looks like it could also contend for the title of best in the league if everything goes according to plan.

New York’s secondary underwent a rapid transformation with the introduction of rookie and All-Pro corner Sauce Gardner and the leadership of C.J. Mosely and Quinnen Williams. This rookie class is led by edge-rusher Will McDonald IV, who was seen as a reach but was extremely productive and had desirable tangible and intangible qualities. They are only going to get better too now that Chuck Clark is coming in to beef up the safety spot.

The Jets finished last season second in points and fourth in yards allowed per game despite their offense having the fourth-worst average time of possession (excluding overtime). Aaron Rodgers’ Packers were eighth in time of possession, so it’s very possible that the Jets spend less time on the field and more time resting to play even better next year.

#4: Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys did what the Cowboys do and added another big-name defensive player to their lineup with former DPOY Stephon Gillmore. He’ll serve as the bookend corner opposite Trevon Diggs, while upcoming DPOY candidate Micah Parsons (26.5 sacks in his first two years) will terrorize opposing quarterbacks. 

Parsons also approved the first-round selection of huge DT Mazi Smith, who was likened to a less-consistent Dontari Poe during the pre-draft build-up. Leighton Vander Esch is returning on a relatively cheap contract and ensures that the Cowboys are set at every position. Their depth is questionable, but their starters are not.

The Cowboys will be put through the wringer against their NFC East foes, which include the reigning NFC champion Eagles, the Giants and Daniel Jones, who had the sixth-best quarterback rating last year, and the Commanders in the new Eric Bieniemy era.

#3: Philadelphia Eagles 

The Eagles were two sacks off of the all-time record for most in a season (72) set by the 1984 Chicago Bears. They also finished 2022 with 15 more sacks than the next-closest team, and to put that in perspective, the Bears only recorded 20 sacks in the entire campaign.

Unfortunately for Philly, many of its best players were poached by other teams looking to bolster their rosters. They managed to keep hold of their entire starting defensive line but lost Javon Hargrave, T.J. Edwards, and several other standouts. But at the same time, they may have gotten the best player in the draft, DT Jalen Carter, with the ninth overall pick, along with his Georgia teammate and standout linebacker, Nolan Smith.

The Eagles gave up the fewest yards and seventh-fewest points per game in 2022. It will be practically impossible for them to match that again, but they have a culture in place and may also be able to sign veteran free agents for cheap since they have realistic Super Bowl aspirations.

#2: Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers are poised to leap back into the national spotlight with a tremendous defense in 2023. Cole Holcomb is a thumper and a fantastic signing that fits the ethos of the defense, and Patrick Peterson might be aging but still has all of the game and experience a coach like Mike Tomlin could ask for.

Minkah Fitzpatrick is another player that can win DPOY, and the defensive linemen are brutes that can stop the run and get after the quarterback. They also drafted Joey Porter Jr., the son of the legendary Joey Porter, to be their next physical, tough-nosed, and gifted cornerback. And of course, there’s sack artist T.J. Watt waiting to break the game open on the outside.

The only real flaw in the roster is Ahkello Witherspoon as the second corner. Either he will need to up his game, or the Steelers will need to look to Porter Jr. early to uphold their status as the second-best defense in the NFL. 

#1: San Francisco 49ers

There’s no question about which team has the best defense in the NFL. It can be found right in the heart of San Francisco wearing scarlet red and metallic gold.

Nick Bosa is the reigning DPOY, but there are simply too many standout players to list them all. Javon Hargrave is also joining as one of the top free agents on the market and will make the D-line all the more intimidating and nasty.

San Fran was fourth in scoring and second in yardage in 2022. But that still doesn’t reflect how dominant they are, whether it be the relentless pressure they bring, their ability to lock down the middle of the field or go one-on-one on the outside. There is nothing they can’t do, and they will be ranked number one for a long time.