2026 NFL Front Seven Rankings, All 32 Teams

As a feature in the 2026 Sharp Football Preview Book, the Sharp Football Analysis team ranked positional units across the league for the 2026 season, including the best and worst NFL defensive front sevens.

The ranking guidelines were specific to the voter, with the only requirement that the focus be on the upcoming season only, not the future outlook.

With a combination of numbers, film, and projections, the rankings were averaged for quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers/tight ends, offensive line, defensive front seven, defensive secondary, and head coach.

Next up: 2026 NFL front seven rankings.

2026 NFL Front Seven Rankings

Score based on average ranks of positional unit (on a 100-point scale) for all 32 teams, from Sharp Football staff voters. If all voters had a team at #1, that score would be 100. 

What team has the best defensive front seven in the NFL?

32. Miami Dolphins

Miami’s front seven ranked no higher than 30th on any ballot. Bradley Chubb (now in Buffalo) led the team in pressure rate a season ago, ranked 57th out of 219 qualifiers. 2024 first-round pick Chop Robinson ranked 149th with a dreadful 8.4% pressure rate, worse than many interior linemen. 

31. Atlanta Falcons

The front seven remains a major weakness at 31, although that is an improvement over last year. They allowed 4.6 yards per carry in 2025, and the hope for the pass rush relies on James Pearce improving after he led the team in sacks as a rookie. That is in question because of offseason legal trouble.

30. Chicago Bears

Devin Bush is the only notable newcomer to a defensive front that finished 2025 ranked 31st in pass-rush win rate and 26th in run-stop win rate.

29. Arizona Cardinals

Despite pouring a lot of resources into it, Arizona's front seven ranked near the bottom in pressure, sacks, and run defense. The Cardinals did add Roy Lopez in free agency to help their interior line, but the thing that will make the difference is the continued development of former first-round picks Walter Nolen and Darius Robinson.

28. New Orleans Saints

Chase Young is coming off a double-digit sack season, and Cameron Jordan announced his return to the team in June.

27. Las Vegas Raiders

Despite keeping Maxx Crosby, we’re still not optimistic about the Raiders' front seven. On non-blitzes, the Raiders only generated a 30.7% pressure rate last season, ranked 25th. The addition of Kwity Paye might help, though his 9.7% pressure rate last year only ranked 106th out of 184 qualifiers.

26. Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals overhauled their struggling front seven, but it's hard to imagine the pass-rush unit drastically improving after the loss of Trey Hendrickson. Last season, Cincy generated pressure in 2.5 seconds or less on just 15% of opponent dropbacks, ranked 31st. 

25. Indianapolis Colts

The Colts added several pieces to the front seven, most notably rookie linebacker CJ Allen. However, they did little to address the interior defensive line, which struggled to get into the backfield last year. Indy allowed 1.4 yards before contact per attempt to running backs, ranked 23rd.

24. Washington Commanders

Washington made a lot of changes on the defensive side of the ball, adding five new starters to their front seven, including a whole new linebacking corps headlined by rookie first-round pick Sonny Styles up the middle. Despite the new additions, the panel still ranked the Commanders’ defensive front at 24th.

23. Buffalo Bills

Buffalo had three players ranked in the top 50 of pressure rate last year (out of 219 players with at least 150 pass-rush snaps), but only Greg Rousseau (ranked 23rd) returns. Joey Bosa (ranked 29th) and A.J. Epenesa (ranked 46th) are gone. Bradley Chubb (ranked 59th) and Mike Danna (ranked 209th) were the most notable additions to the front seven. 

22. Tennessee Titans

Evaluating the Titans' front seven was difficult due to the complete overhaul. Last year’s unit couldn’t stop anyone 一 it allowed 10 or more yards on 12% of carries by running backs, ranked 28th. But rookies Keldric Faulk and Anthony Hill, along with veterans John Franklin-Myers and Jordan Elliott, should improve the situation. 

21. Los Angeles Chargers

Tuli Tuipulotu ranked ninth among qualified pass rushers in pressure rate last year (17.9%), and yet the Chargers only ranked 16th as a team. Rookie Akheem Mesidor will need to make an immediate impact for this unit to improve. 

20. Minnesota Vikings

Veterans Jonathan Greenard, Javon Hargrave, and Jonathan Allen all departed this offseason. Minnesota replaced them with Caleb Banks (first round) and Domonique Orange (third round) in the draft. The Vikings do return their top edge rushers from last year, Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel.

19. Carolina Panthers

Jaelan Phillips was given a huge contract to boost the pass rush from the edge, and Derrick Brown remains a force up the middle, leading the team with 39 total pressures in 2025.

18. New York Giants

The front seven dropped sharply to 17th from a strong fourth last year (-13), the largest decline among all Giants units. The biggest loss here is obviously Dexter Lawrence, who was traded to the Bengals in the offseason. New York still has Brian Burns and second-year man Abdul Carter on the edges and added Tremaine Edmunds in free agency to man the middle of their defense.

17. Dallas Cowboys

Dallas added Rashan Gary in free agency to hopefully fill the void left by Micah Parsons after his trade to the Packers last year, but the strength of the defensive front is now up the middle, led by Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams.

16. New York Jets

New York was aggressive in attempting to rebuild the front seven with seven new players likely factoring into the rotation, most notably first-round pick David Bailey. How much gas veterans David Onyemata and Demario Davis have left in the tank will likely have a significant impact on the success of this unit. 

15. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars' front seven was excellent against the run, though losing Devin Lloyd will hurt. The bigger concern, however, is the pass-rush unit. Despite being anchored by three former first-round picks, Jacksonville only ranked 19th in pressure rate a season ago. 

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa’s front seven delivered a solid improvement to 14th from 22nd a year ago. Tampa Bay poured a ton of resources into reshaping this group in the offseason, drafting Rueben Bain Jr. and Josiah Trotter with their first two picks and signing A’Shawn Robinson and Alex Anzalone in free agency. The hope is that Calijah Kancey can return to full strength as well after playing just three games in 2025.

13. Green Bay Packers

The addition of Micah Parsons looms large after he posted 12.5 sacks before an injury cut his season short. As of now, it remains unclear if Parsons will be ready for Week 1, but the defensive front looks strong up the middle with new additions Zaire Franklin and Javon Hargrave. 

12. Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City’s pass-rush unit was the strength of its defense last year, and it was especially dominant when able to anticipate a pass play. On plays with a dropback probability of 80% or higher, the Chiefs led the league with a 47.2% pressure rate. Adding rookie R. Mason Thomas to the mix will only make that unit more dangerous. 

11. New England Patriots

The Patriots generated pressure in 2.5 seconds or less on 23% of dropbacks last year, ranked 13th. However, the front seven lost K'Lavon Chaisson, who led the team with a 14.5% pressure rate a season ago. Dre’Mont Jones and rookie Gabe Jacas will step in, but are likely to struggle to be as disruptive.

10. Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens' front seven generated pressure at a 29.7% rate on non-blitzes, ranked 29th. They also stuffed opposing running backs for zero or negative yards on just 16.2% of attempts, ranked 22nd. Baltimore is hoping the additions of Trey Hendrickson, Calais Campbell, and Zion Young can turn that around. 

9. Detroit Lions

Aidan Hutchinson was back to full health in 2025, finishing the year with 14.5 sacks, and linebacker Jack Campbell earned himself first-team All-Pro honors. The big loss for Detroit will be Al-Quadin Muhammad, who left for Tampa Bay in free agency. Second-round pick Derrick Moore will replace him.

8. San Francisco 49ers

Nick Bosa hopes to return to form after being limited to just three games last year. Osa Odighizuwa was added to help the interior of the defensive line, and Dre Greenlaw was brought back in free agency to team up with Fred Warner over the middle of the field.

7. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers’ front seven returns mostly intact after generating pressure in 2.5 seconds or less on 25% of dropbacks, ranked sixth. The run defense could use some work, though, after making contact in the backfield on just 25% of opponents’ rush attempts, ranked 19th. 

6. Cleveland Browns

The Browns will, of course, miss Myles Garrett, but Cleveland’s pass-rush unit should remain the strength of the defense with Jared Verse stepping in. When quarterbacks took a traditional dropback of three or more steps, Verse generated a 20.7% pressure rate (ranked eighth). Garrett’s rate was just a tick behind at 20.3% (ranked 12th). 

5. Seattle Seahawks

Seattle had four players record at least 6 sacks in 2025, and all four guys will return in 2026. However, the strength of the defense is its ability to stop the run. The Seahawks allowed a league-best 3.7 yards per carry.

4. Denver Broncos

The Broncos were one of three front-seven groups to receive a first-place vote. Running backs only picked up five or more yards on 30% of carries against Denver, the league’s second-lowest rate. Nearly the entire unit returns. 

3. Los Angeles Rams

The Rams' front seven surged to third from 17th, a massive leap partially due to a massive trade for Myles Garrett. Garrett will replace Jared Verse, who was sent to Cleveland in the trade, and will provide an elite edge rushing option opposite Byron Young, who led the team in sacks with 12.5. On the interior, Kobie Turner remains another elite pass rusher, posting 24 sacks in his first three NFL seasons.

2. Philadelphia Eagles

The front seven is the only spot the Eagles went up in our rankings this year, jumping from eighth to second. Philadelphia locked up Jordan Davis to a long-term extension after a breakout 2025 season and added veteran Jonathan Greenard to the edge in a draft-day trade with the Vikings.

1. Houston Texans

Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter ranked first and 10th, respectively, out of 184 qualifiers in pressure rate generated a season ago, but the front seven isn’t just great at getting after the quarterback. Opposing running backs were held to two or fewer yards on 44% of their carries against Houston in 2025.