Our weekly NFL defense rankings examine every unit across the league to determine the best defenses in the NFL. With the preseason wrapped up, let’s dive into our evaluations for the worst and best NFL defenses this season. We’ll update our NFL defense rankings, with analysis on all 32 teams, every Sunday night each week.
Our NFL defense rankings are updated as of Monday, January 26. We lead with some quick analysis on the two defenses in the Super Bowl. After that, the defenses from eliminated teams are ranked with offseason analysis for each of them.
1. Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks defense got them to the NFC Championship Game and the offense punched the team’s ticket to the Super Bowl. Now, a defense that finished the regular season ranked second in scoring rate (28.7%) and yards per play allowed (4.6) while ranking first in third-down defense (32.1% conversion rate allowed) and EPA Per Play (-0.113) has an opportunity to hoist the Lombardi Trophy at Levi’s Stadium.
Under head coach Mike Macdonald, Seattle excels at creating pressure without blitzing. The Seahawks posted the sixth-highest pressure rate (26.2%) in the NFL during the regular season and were one of only two teams in the top-10 for pressure rate with a blitz rate under 20 percent. It certainly helps to have a defensive line that finished with the seventh-highest ESPN pass-rush win rate (41%) in the NFL this season.
The Seahawks defense should match up well versus the Patriots offense, especially with the way New England’s offensive line has allowed pressures and sacks of Drake Maye throughout the postseason. Plus, Seattle boasts the secondary to effectively blanket Stefon Diggs and limit Maye’s vertical passing rapport with Kayshon Boutte. There’s a real chance Seattle holds New England under 24 points in the Super Bowl.
2. New England Patriots
The New England Patriots defense has been outstanding in the playoffs. Getting multiple starters back on that side of the ball has totally reversed a unit that was showing signs of regression in the second half of the regular season. This defense will be integral to New England pulling off the upset in the Super Bowl.
Across three postseason games, quarterbacks have completed just 55.1 percent of their pass attempts with a 78.1 QB rating and averaged 5.7 yards per attempt with 147.7 passing yards per game versus New England. Context matters in those numbers, but the Patriots’ pass rush (15 sacks) also deserves credit for how dominant this unit has been against the pass.
In the Super Bowl, we fully expect Mike Vrabel to remain aggressive versus Sam Darnold. New England also has the cornerback tandem, led by Christian Gonzalez, to at least keep some contain on Jaxon Smith-Njigba. We will, however, be seeing just how effectively Seattle can run the football with Kenneth Walker III against a defense that has allowed 392 rushing yards in its three playoff gam
3. Houston Texans
The Houston Texans defense performed at a Super Bowl-caliber level this season. There’ll be plenty of fair discussion this offseason regarding what needs to be done to ensure the offense can reach a level that doesn’t waste this elite unit. What DeMeco Ryans and Co. can feel great about is that the core of this Texans defense–Will Anderson Jr., Danielle Hunter, Derek Stingley Jr., Jalen Pitre, Azeez Al-Shaair and Kamari Lassiter–is under contract for the 2026 season. There’s room to add some depth on the defensive line, but we have no doubt the Texans defense could be No. 1 in the NFL next season.
4. Denver Broncos
As long as the core remain in tact for the Denver Broncos–Vance Joseph scheming up a unit with Pat Surtain, Talanhoa Hufanga, Riely Moss, Nik Bonitto and Zach Allen–we expect this to be one of the best NFL defenses in 2026. However, John Franklin-Myers and Alex Singleton are both free agents this offseason and Dre Greenlaw’s penchant for missing games raises some questions about the play at linebacker. Still, those issues aren’t enough to have any real concern about Denver defensively next season.
5. Philadelphia Eagles
As long as Vic Fangio is designing a defense that features Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Nakobe Dean, Zack Baun, Jihaad Campbell, and Nolan Smith Jr., this will be one of the best NFL defenses in 2026. What we are keeping an eye on is whether or not Philadelphia is able to retain edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, who made a significant impact after being acquired at the NFL trade deadline. One thing is very clear: Howie Roseman has some work to do in finding both a No. 2 corner and potentially a Reed Blankenship replacement.
6. Minnesota Vikings
As long as a team with a head-coaching vacancy doesn’t poach Brian Flores this offseason, the Minnesota Vikings’ defense will be great in 2026. There was a rough stretch midway through the season, but this group then allowed just 16.7 points and 261.1 total yards per game with a 4.25 yards-per-play average, limiting quarterbacks to a 61.8 passer rating with one passing touchdown and 21 sacks taken from Weeks 11–17. It is even more impressive because Minnesota’s cornerback room still is not exactly a glowing strength. At the very least, though, Minnesota ensured Flores will remain the mastermind behind this unit.
7. Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams boast the front to have a top-10 defense in 2026, as they did for the majority of this past season. However, Les Snead must address the secondary this offseason for Los Angeles. Fortunately for defensive coordinator Chris Shula, the Rams have a pair of first-round picks and are well-positioned to snag one of the top cornerbacks in the 2026 NFL Draft. If Los Angeles can get more consistency in pass coverage next season, this defense can reach another tier in our NFL defense rankings.
8. Cleveland Browns
As long as Myles Garrett is willing to play for the Cleveland Browns, this will be a top-10 defense in the NFL. What allowed this unit to be even better in 2025 was a standout season from rookie linebacker Carson Schwesinger, with first-round pick Mason Graham also playing really well on the interior. There are plenty of issues on the other side of the ball to fix this offseason, but Cleveland’s defense will again be the absolute strength of this team next fall.
Related: Cleveland Browns Offseason Moves that Should be Made
9. Green Bay Packers
Micah Parsons should return at some pomnt early in the 2026 NFL season, but it’s fair to assume he won’t be close to 100 percent. The Green Bay Packers defense will also get back defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt, another integral piece to this unit’s success. However, there are glaring holes at secondary and defensive tackle that can’t adequately be addressed with minimal cap space and draft capital. Plus, Green Bay’s No. 2 linebacker Quay Walker will potentially be leaving this offseason in NFL free agency.
10. Chicago Bears
Some will view the Chicago Bears defense as a regression candidate in 2026. After all, defenses that lead the NFL in takeaways in the regular season often experience a noticeable statistical drop-off the following year. We see reason for optimism in Chicago. Look at the Bears secondary. Jaylon Johnson (7 starts) and Kyler Gordon (3 starts) missed significant time. Furthermore, edge rusher Austin Booker only played in 10 regular-season games. Chicago needs to re-sign Kevin Byard, Jaquan Brisker and Nahshon Wright, and there is certainly room to improve the pass rush. With better health, though, we think this could be a very good defense in 2026.
11. Los Angeles Chargers
Jesse Minter won’t be back as the Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator. Even if the team re-signs Khalil Mack and Odafe Oweh to keep its pass-rushing tandem in place, there’s reason to expect regression from this Chargers defense in 2026. Minter was one of the game’s best defensive architects and with him out of the building, a new system comes in and we might not see the Chargers’ talent maximized the way it had been in the previous two seasons.
12. Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons have building blocks defensively now in James Pearce Jr., Jalon Walker, and Xavier Watts. Pairing that rookie trio with A.J. Terrell, Jessie Bates, and Divine Deablo gives you a unit that can consistently play well and really stand out at defending the pass. The draft-day trade proved instrumental in turning this defense around, and as the youngsters get more experience, there is a path to the Falcons’ defense becoming an excellent unit next fall. With Kevin Stefanski retaining defensive coordinator Jeff Ullbrich, this unit could take another step forward in 2026.
13. Jacksonville Jaguars
The biggest key for the Jacksonville Jaguars defense this offseason would be hanging onto defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile. If he sticks around, the next priority should be re-signing linebacker Devin Lloyd after a breakout season. Those are two steps that can help this unit maintain above-average play in 2026. If Jacksonville is willing to make Travis Hunter a full-time cornerback, we could be looking at one of the best NFL defenses in 2026.
14. Buffalo Bills
It’s certainly great for the outlook of the Buffalo Bills defense that Ed Oliver, Maxwell Hairston, Landon Jackson, Taylor Rapp and Terrell Bernard will all be healthy next fall. However, it’s also worth acknowledging that the list of Bills free agents includes Joey Bosa, A.J. Epenesa, Matt Milano, Tre’Davious White, Damar Hamlin and Shaq Thompson. That’s a lot of snaps that could depart in free agency. Buffalo has performed well enough defensively under Sean McDermott to believe this will be an above-average unit in 2026. However, there are enough concerns (depth and run defense) to be skeptical of this being a top-12 unit.
15. New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Brandon Staley truly did some impressive work this season in his first year with the group. Taking over a defense with a few aging stars, some draft busts, and relative unknowns, it only took a few months before it all started coming together. From Weeks 10–17, the Saints’ defense surrendered just 17.3 points and 269.7 total yards per game, allowing just a 58.5 percent completion rate and 5.3 yards per attempt to quarterbacks. Even more talent will come in this offseason, and that leaves us really optimistic about what Staley can do in 2026.
16. Indianapolis Colts
Health will be paramount for the Indianapolis Colts’ defense in 2026. Charvarius Ward landed on IR twice with concussions, DeForest Buckner missed significant time, and Sauce Gardner dealt with a lingering calf injury. If they can all stay on the field in Lou Anarumo’s defense, this can be a top-12 unit next season. Whether or not Indianapolis can be even better than that defensively comes down to what they do at edge rusher and off-ball linebacker this offseason.
17. Detroit Lions
The smaller concern with the Detroit Lions’ defense is the possibility of linebacker Alex Anzalone and edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad departing this offseason in free agency. Regardless of those potential exits, the graver concern is a secondary featuring Pro Bowl safety Brian Branch in the early stages of recovery from Achilles surgery while Kerby Joseph deals with a nagging long-term knee injury. If Detroit cannot find a truly impactful No. 2 edge rusher to pair opposite Aidan Hutchinson, this defense could struggle to be anything better than league-average in 2026.
18. Kansas City Chiefs
Chris Jones, in his age-31 season, showed signs of slowing down. It also became painfully apparent this fall that the Kansas City Chiefs’ defense does not have a true No. 1 edge rusher who can win with explosiveness. It might also be fair to question Trent McDuffie’s long-term future with the team; his contract demands may not be worth meeting if the front office views him primarily as a nickel corner rather than a boundary stopper against big-bodied receivers. What could really make a difference for Kansas City defensively next season, especially if Jones is more inconsistent at 32 years old, is using premium draft capital on an edge rusher, defensive tackle, and safety.
Related: Kansas City Chiefs Offseason Moves to Create Cap Space
19. San Francisco 49ers
We’ll start with the reason for optimism regarding this San Francisco 49ers defense. Nick Bosa, Mykel Williams, Fred Warner and Ji’Ayir Brown will all be healthy in Week 1. Getting those pieces back can make a world of difference, especially for the front seven. However, San Francisco is also facing the very real possibility of defensive coordinator Robert Saleh departing to become a head coach again. We’ve seen what this defense has looked like without Saleh. If San Francisco is in the market for a new defensive coordinator for next season, that new play-caller will be a bit of a concern for us when projecting this unit.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers defense is going to be another year older in 2026, with Cameron Heyward 37 years old and T.J. Watt showing some signs of decline entering his age-32 season. Fortunately, Joey Porter Jr. has elevated himself into becoming one of the league’s top corners and Alex Highsmith has developed into a nice No. 2 edge rusher. Still, the possibility of a new regime and the aging of some key starters doesn’t bode well for this unit being great in 2026.
21. Baltimore Ravens
It’s absolutely time for a new defensive play-caller. The problem is, that won’t be remotely enough to fix this Baltimore Ravens defense. For as great as Kyle Hamilton and Roquan Smith are, they can’t be maximized if you are simply unable to generate pressure without blitzing. Baltimore desperately needs to find pass-rushing help this offseason, in addition to bringing in a new defensive coordinator. Failing to do either of those two things will just result in more of the same in 2026.
22. Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers’ defense made tangible progress in 2025; it is amazing what happens when Ejiro Evero has some talent to work with. There are some very nice building blocks here, starting with Derrick Brown and Jaycee Horn, but the Panthers’ pass rush and linebacker corps still leave a lot to be desired. Ultimately, until those issues are fixed, the Panthers do not even have a league-average defense on paper.
23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
After a strong start to the season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defense plummeted, much like the rest of the team. From Weeks 10–18, Tampa Bay allowed 351.3 total yards per game with a 6.25 yards-per-play average and a 102.4 opponent passer rating. This decline is a reflection on Todd Bowles, whose blitz-heavy tendencies seem to have become stale, as most offenses now have clear answers for his pressure packages.
24. New York Giants
The New York Giants’ defense really should have been so much better than it was in 2025. A front with Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence, Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux should anchor a top-15 defense. Unfortunately, the play out of the secondary was abysmal this season, and New York had a bottom-five run defense once again. We are holding out hope that a great defensive play-caller can finally unlock this unit’s potential, but we have been let down by the Giants’ defense before.
Related: New York Giants Offseason Moves That Should be Made
25. Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver truly did some impressive work with this unit in the second half of the season. From Weeks 8–17, the Dolphins’ defense allowed just 20.1 points and 325.6 total yards per game. Those are not elite statistics, but it is an achievement given the struggles in Miami’s secondary. Good coaching can do a lot to mask a unit’s holes; the issue is that the Dolphins will not have much cap space this offseason to improve the roster. The next Dolphins general manager must be exceptional at identifying talent in the NFL Draft; if they can do that, Weaver has proven he will maximize those players.
26. Las Vegas Raiders
Trading Maxx Crosby is certainly in the best long-term interest of the Las Vegas Raiders. However, look at what happened to the Cowboys and Packers over the years when All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons was off the field. If Crosby is not on the Raiders’ roster when the regular season kicks off, especially with the focus being placed on improving the offense for a rookie quarterback, this could be a bottom-three defense in 2026—if not worse.
Related: Las Vegas Raiders Offseason Moves that Should be Made
27. Arizona Cardinals
Here is the big problem with the Arizona Cardinals’ defense heading into 2026. Top corner Garrett Williams is in the early stages of recovering from Achilles surgery, Walter Nolen could miss significant time with a serious knee injury, and Calais Campbell might finally retire. The front seven needs a ton of work, even with Josh Sweat earning the contract he signed last offseason, and the secondary is now missing Williams while relying on an injury-prone corner in Will Johnson. There are plenty of reasons to fear Jonathan Gannon is coaching another bottom-10 defense next fall.
28. Cincinnati Bengals
Trey Hendrickson almost certainly won’t be taking the field for this Cincinnati Bengals defense in 2026 and first-round pick Shemar Stewart recorded just 4 pressures while playing 247 defensive snaps. The real issue we have with Cincinnati is that the front office has missed on so many picks on the defensive side of the ball and the lack of development from said players leads very little reason to believe a turnaround is coming. It also doesn’t help that DJ Turner, one of the few defensive standouts, will be in a contract year next season and that could create a whole new contract saga with the front office.
29. Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans defense boasts Jeffery Simmons, T’Vondre Sweat, Amani Hooker, and not much else. It is also a bit unfortunate that defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson likely won’t get to stick around, as he was never really given the talent to help him out as a young play-caller. On the bright side, Tennessee boasts the cap space to invest in its secondary and linebacker corps this offseason, then later use its top-five pick to snag a premier edge rusher in the 2026 NFL Draft. Pairing an impact edge rusher with Sweat and Simmons could be enough for this to become a top-20 defense next season.
30. Dallas Cowboys
It turns out that trading away a generational pass rusher results in your secondary being exposed on nearly every drive. Who would’ve thought? Even adding Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams did little to help a Dallas Cowboys defense that allowed at least three passing touchdowns six times and a passer rating over 100 in ten different games. The cornerback room needs to be overhauled, off-ball linebacker has been a glaring weakness for years, and there isn’t a blue-chip pass rusher left on this roster. Dallas simply can’t fix all of those issues in one offseason.
31. Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders defense needs an influx of talent on the defensive line and probably some new ideas brought forth to Dan Quinn in the meeting rooms. Washington allowed 29-plus points to an opponent seven times in 2025 and surrendered eight 400-yard games. By far the most pressing need is the pass rush, a weakness on this unit for the last two seasons under Quinn. Washington might also need to invest some Day 2 draft capital and cap space into the cornerback room, which has fallen well short of expectations.
Read More: NFL Teams with the Most Cap Space in 2026, including the Washington Commanders
32. New York Jets
The New York Jets defense went the entire 2025 season without an interception. That shouldn’t be possible, but this unit ‘accomplished’ it this year. Aaron Glenn oversaw a unit that finished with the lowest pressure rate in the NFL, and there arguably wasn’t a starting-caliber player in the Jets secondary. New York essentially needs to completely overhaul the secondary this offseason, and even then, it might only be a top-25 defense next fall.
Related: New York Jets Offseason Moves that Should be Made
NFL defense rankings FAQ
Sportsnaut’s NFL defense rankings evaluate and rank all 32 NFL defenses each week, reviewing their performances and projecting how they’ll perform in their upcoming game based on matchups and NFL defense stats.
The Houston Texans have the best defense in the NFL right now.
The New York Jets have the worst NFL defense right now.
The Houston Texans have the best pass defense in the NFL this season.
The Cincinnati Bengals have the worst pass defense in the NFL right now, allowing 257.3 passing yards per game with the most passing touchdowns (25) allowed) through 10 games.
The New England Patriots have the best run defense in the NFL right now.
The Cincinnati Bengals have the worst run defense in the NFL right now, allowing 160.9 rushing yards per game and 5.2 yards per carry.
The Chicago Bears lead the NFL in takeaways this season with 22.
The Chicago Bears set the NFL record for most sacks in a season with 72 sacks in 16 games in 1984. Most recently, the 2022 Philadelphia Eagles became just the fourth team in NFL history to record 70 sacks in a single season.
The Pittsburgh Steelers allow the most passing yards in the NFL in 2025.
The 1985 Chicago Bears had the best NFL defense ever. Led by three Hall of Famers – Mike Singletary, Richard Dent and Dan Hampton – Chicago allowed just 101 total points on its way to winning Super Bowl XX, including an NFL record two shutouts in the playoffs. In addition, the 1985 Bears’ defense held opponents to a 50.2 passer rating with a 46.5 percent completion rate and 17-37 TD-INT ratio in 19 total games and opponents averaged just 76 rushing yards per game and 3.4 yards per carry across 19 contests in the regular season and playoffs.
The Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers are some of the best NFL defenses to target in fantasy.
