2024 NFL Free Agency Rankings: Interior defensive linemen

2MNEA94 Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones during the second half of the NFL AFC Championship playoff football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023 in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)

NFL free agency is a year-round process, as teams scout opposing players in an effort to defeat them during the year and perhaps sign them in the offseason.

Now we're at the end of the 2023-24 NFL season, the free agency picture is coming into focus, and teams are beginning to identify potential targets to improve their roster weaknesses.

Here are the top interior defensive linemen slated to hit free agency in 2024. Click here for PFF's full list of the top 150 free agents.

1. DI CHRIS JONESKANSAS CITY CHIEFS

2024 Free agency rank: 1

It’s rare for a player of Jones’ caliber to reach unrestricted free agency, and Kansas City did not give up the right to franchise tag him for a second time when the two sides agreed to a reworked contract this past offseason. A tag for Jones would land north of $33 million, which perhaps helps him test the open market for the first time in his career.

Jones is not only one of the best interior pass rushers in the game right now; he’s one of the best ever. He is also capable of lining up outside of tackles as a five-technique, bending around the edge and getting home.

Top free agent comparison: Ndamukong Suh, 2015
Player Run-defense grade Pass-rush grade True pass set pass-rush grade Pass-rush win rate APY as % of Cap at signing
Chris Jones 59.9 90.3 92.3 18.5% ?
Ndamukong Suh 80.0 83.0 82.5 11.2% 13.3%

*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing

Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings


2. DI JUSTIN MADUBUIKEBALTIMORE RAVENS

2024 Free agency rank: 6

Madubuike has a strong case for being the player to earn himself the most money in 2023. With at least half a sack in 13 of 17 games this season, Madubuike more than doubled his prior season high. He also exactly doubled his total pressure output. His effort and intensity on backside pursuit plays have always been there, and now an improved arsenal of moves with a more explosive first step has Madubuike set to cash in big time.

Top free agent comparison: Javon Hargrave, 2020
Player Run-defense grade Pass-rush grade True pass set pass-rush grade Pass-rush win rate APY as % of Cap at signing
Justin Madubuike 66.1 73.6 81.9 11.2% ?
Javon Hargrave 81.3 77.5 79.8 12.2% 6.5%

*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing

Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings


3. DI CHRISTIAN WILKINSMIAMI DOLPHINS

2024 Free agency rank: 7

Wilkins hoped to get an extension done before the 2023 season but didn't let the lack of one amid many at the position slow him down. Wilkins is as good a run defender as any interior defensive lineman in the NFL, setting career highs in every pass-rushing category this season — including pass-rush win rate, pressure rate, sacks, quarterback hits and pressures.

Top free agent comparison: Malik Jackson, 2016
Player Run-defense grade Pass-rush grade True pass set pass-rush grade Run-stop rate APY as % of Cap at signing
Christian Wilkins 78.5 74.5 75.7 10.0% ?
Malik Jackson 81.5 74.1 78.1 9.7% 9.2%

*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing

Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings


4. DI LEONARD WILLIAMSSEATTLE SEAHAWKS

2024 Free agency rank: 16

Williams' three-year, $63 million pact with the New York Giants in 2021 after he received a second franchise tag is one of the strongest contracts for a player in recent history. The leverage is strongly in his favor once again after the Giants traded him to the Seattle Seahawks at the deadline for second- and fifth-round picks.

After being labeled as a stout run defender with limitations as a pass rusher, Williams backed up his career-high 74.8 pass-rush grade in 2022 with an even better 76.2 mark in 2023. His pressure rate is above 10% for the first time since 2020.

Top free agent comparison: Fletcher Cox, 2022
Player Run-defense grade Pass-rush grade True pass set pass-rush grade Pass-rush win rate APY as % of Cap at signing
Leonard Williams 66.0 76.2 84.2 11.8% ?
Fletcher Cox 63.1 75.1 81.8 12.0% 6.7%

*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing

Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings


5. DI D.J. READERCINCINNATI BENGALS

2024 Free agency rank: 19

Only injuries slowed Reader down in Cincinnati. Otherwise, he was a dominant force on the interior of a talented defensive line that was able to control the line of scrimmage and win big games up front over the past few seasons. The eighth-year pro was the anchor in the middle.

Reader is as stout as they come and nearly impossible to displace by just one blocker. And while he’ll never fill up the stat sheet with sacks, he can push the pocket and free up teammates as well as any nose tackle.

Reader, unfortunately, suffered a torn quadriceps injury in Week 15 that knocked him out for the remainder of the season. We will await more details on the recovery process before changing his projection, but the injury could obviously impact his market.

Top free agent comparison: Dalvin Tomlinson, 2023
Player Run-defense grade Pass-rush grade True pass set pass-rush grade Run-stop rate APY as % of Cap at signing
D.J. Reader 76.1 85.6 86.8 9.5% ?
Dalvin Tomlinson 67.4 79.1 85.8 7.6% 6.3%

*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing

Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings


Stewart served a six-game suspension this season for performance-enhancing drugs but returned in Week 14 for the stretch run. On/off splits are largely noise, but Indianapolis ranked in the top half of the NFL in expected points allowed per rush with Stewart and dead last in the games without him in the lineup. Stewart’s presence frees up rushers around him because he takes on double teams and clogs up the middle.

Top free agent comparison: Terrance Knighton, 2016
Player Run-defense grade Pass-rush grade True pass set pass-rush grade Run-stop rate APY as % of Cap at signing
Grover Stewart 72.8 60.2 62.6 8.9% ?
Terrance Knighton 77.3 57.1 55.9 7.4% 1.3%

*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing

Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings


Rankins plays with good leverage, engaging in blocks with a low center of gravity and often driving his blocker back several steps into the lap of the quarterback. He also has a suddenness to his game as a pass rusher, quickly getting on the toes of opposing guards and deploying his inside spin move or flashing across the line on stunts. When blockers are able to latch onto him, he struggles to disengage, getting driven past the quarterback or limiting his ability to complete the play, but he continues driving his legs through contact nonetheless and doesn’t stop until the whistle.

Top free agent comparison: Nick Fairley, 2017
Player Run-defense grade Pass-rush grade True pass set pass-rush grade Pass-rush win rate APY as % of Cap at signing
Sheldon Rankins 54.1 71.5 80.3 10.2% ?
Nick Fairley 65.6 71.6 77.0 9.9% 4.2%

*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing

Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings


Tart had a very strange and tumultuous 2023 season with the Titans after the two sides were unable to come to terms on an extension before the year. Tart played on the second-round restricted free agent tender for $4.3 million, but his effort and focus were questioned at times by the coaching staff before he was ultimately waived ahead of Week 15. The Houston Texans claimed Tart, with two other teams also putting in claims, so clearly the concerns weren’t so bad as to scare off suitors.

On the field, Tart is difficult to displace with just one blocker in the run game, and he has solid juice as a pass rusher. He makes a great member of a platoon as a zero- or one-technique who can push a pocket or knife through double teams, and he shows good recognition as to when to get his hands up for a batted pass.

Top free agent comparison: D.J. Jones, 2022
Player Run-defense grade Pass-rush grade True pass set pass-rush grade Pass-rush win rate APY as % of Cap at signing
Teair Tart 60.0 73.8 76.4 8.6% ?
D.J. Jones 64.0 66.9 69.1 8.2% 4.8%

*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing

Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings


9. DI FLETCHER COXPHILADELPHIA EAGLES

2024 Free agency rank: 72

Cox bounced back in 2023 after the first down season of his illustrious 12-year career in 2022. Cox has generated 35-plus quarterback pressures, racked up 15-plus defensive stops and logged at least 600 snaps in every year since 2013. While he may not be at the peak of his abilities any longer, he is still a handful for any offense to deal with on all three downs.

Top free agent comparison: Akiem Hicks, 2022
Player Run-defense grade Pass-rush grade True pass set pass-rush grade Pass-rush win rate APY as % of Cap at signing
Fletcher Cox 55.2 69.3 70.5 9.8% ?
Akiem Hicks 65.0 75.7 78.5 12.3% 3.8%

*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing

Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings


10. DI Calais Campbell, Atlanta Falcons

2024 Free agency rank: 88

Campbell is an ageless wonder who continued to be one of the strongest players in the NFL at his new stop in Atlanta this past season, with a dip in burst off the line when rushing the passer made up for by an anchor against the run as difficult to displace as any defensive lineman in the NFL. 

Top free agent comparison: Julius Peppers, 2018
Player Pass-rush grade True pass set pass-rush grade Pass-rush win rate  Run-defense grade APY as % of Cap at signing
Calais Campbell 72.0 77.5 11.1% 81.3 ?
Julius Peppers 71.2 78.4 10.2% 73.8 2.8%

*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing

Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings


11. DI DaQuan Jones, Buffalo Bills

2024 Free agency rank: 90

Jones finished 2023 with 19 quarterback pressures — including 2.5 sacks — on just 135 pass-rush snaps. He had been as durable as any veteran in the league prior to 2023, logging more than 600 snaps in four straight seasons with three different teams.

Jones can win as a rusher lined up anywhere from a zero-technique to a 4i, with good use of his hands to swat away blockers. But he’s a bit stiff in the hips and gets home with dogged pursuit north to south. He was a perfect fit on a Bills defensive line that has a long list of pass-rushers who all command attention and can chase quarterbacks into each other’s laps.

Top free agent comparison: Mike Daniels, 2019
Player Run-defense grade Pass-rush grade True pass set pass-rush grade Pass-rush win rate APY as % of Cap at signing
DaQuan Jones 69.6 78.5 79.4 12.8% ?
Mike Daniels 75.4 76.7 82.5 11.8% 4.3%

*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing

Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings


12. DI Maurice Hurst, Cleveland Browns

2024 Free agency rank: 95

Hurst was in the midst of a great campaign as a rotational interior pass-rusher before going down with a pectoral injury, which unfortunately has been the story of his NFL career at various stops. After logging just 41 snaps in 2021 due to a calf injury, Hurst missed the entire 2022 season with a torn biceps suffered in training camp.

Hurst had a pressure rate above 10% on the year, a strong number for an interior defender, with a pass-rush grade above 75.0. He may not receive contracts far above the minimum in his career until he proves to be more available on a consistent basis, but he has great burst off the line for an interior rusher and a springiness to his game that makes him quite effective on stunts and twists.

Top free agent comparison: Zach Kerr, 2021
Player Run-defense grade Pass-rush grade True pass set pass-rush grade Pass-rush win rate APY as % of Cap at signing
Maurice Hurst 76.5 75.9 76.7 14.1% ?
Zach Kerr 78.3 77.2 84.4 10.9% 0.7%

*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing

Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings


13. DI Quinton Jefferson, New York Jets

2024 Free agency rank: 98

The veteran may be looking for his fifth team in five seasons but part of that is because his pass-rush production requires solid contracts even despite his severe limitations against the run. Jefferson shows up, delivers a pressure rate above 10% and is good for a decent number of sacks each year. He makes sense as a member of a rotation, though he has logged more than 450 snaps in six straight seasons.

Top free agent comparison: Henry Melton, 2015
Player Run-defense grade Pass-rush grade True pass set pass-rush grade Pass-rush win rate APY as % of Cap at signing
Quinton Jefferson 34.6 63.5 66.2 10.2% ?
Henry Melton 43.9 72.0 71.2 9.6% 2.6%

*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing

Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings


14. DI Javon Kinlaw, San Francisco 49ers

2024 Free agency rank: 100

San Francisco traded DeForest Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for the first-round pick that became Kinlaw. And while he hasn’t delivered much over his rookie contract, he has flashed in his contract year.

Kinlaw profiled as a freakish athlete with a lack of refinement, and he may have relied too much on his athleticism to start his career — without much success.

He has produced a 70.3 pass-rush grade and 31 total pressures in 2023, career-high marks by a distance, and he is showing his bursty first step and bull-rush prowess once he leans into a blocker with momentum. However, he still gets blown off the ball against the run too often, given his poor anchoring and recovery ability if his first step isn’t upfield.

Top free agent comparison: Jordan Phillips, 2019
Player Run-defense grade Pass-rush grade True pass set pass-rush grade Pass-rush win rate APY as % of Cap at signing
Javon Kinlaw 27.6 69.5 77.5 9.6% ?
Jordan Phillips 48.7 70.6 73.7 8.1% 2.4%

*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing

Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings


15. DI Shelby Harris, Cleveland Browns

2024 Free agency rank: 103

Harris is still capable against the run and as a pass-rusher, but he is not a full-time player at this stage of his career. He fits in well with Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz’s platoon approach, showing a good motor and making plays on backside pursuits. A decreased snap count could lead to a highly efficient rotational player.

Top free agent comparison: Chris Baker, 2018
Player Run-defense grade Pass-rush grade True pass set pass-rush grade Pass rush win rate APY as % of Cap at signing
Shelby Harris 76.8 68.4 71.7 9.8% ?
Chris Baker 67.7 67.2 73.6 7.7% 1.4%

*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing

Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings


16. DI A'Shawn Robinson, New York Giants

2024 Free agency rank: 111
Top free agent comparison: Bennie Logan, 2017
Player Pass-rush grade True pass set pass-rush grade Run-defense grade Run stop rate APY as % of Cap at signing
A’Shawn Robinson 51.1 56.3 64.8 12.6% ?
Bennie Logan 49.1 50.8 78.2 12.6% 4.8%

*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing

Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings


17. DI Raekwon Davis, Miami Dolphins

2024 Free agency rank: 120
Top free agent comparison: Angelo Blackson, 2021
Player Pass-rush grade True pass set pass-rush grade Pass rush win rate Run-defense grade APY as % of Cap at signing
Raekwon Davis 60.9 60.9 6.9% 41.1 ?
Angelo Blackson 56.2 58.2 6.1% 36.4 1.5%

*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing

Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings

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