2026 NFL Secondary 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 secondaries.

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 secondary rankings.

2026 NFL Secondary 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 secondary in the NFL?

32. Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins were a unanimous choice as our worst secondary. Opponents completed 52% of their passes 10 or more yards downfield against Miami last year, the league’s third-worst rate. And now Miami has to try to improve despite losing Minkah Fitzpatrick. 

31. Washington Commanders

The secondary was Washington’s second-lowest-ranked group, finishing at 31, ahead of only the Dolphins. Cornerback Mike Sainristil had 4 interceptions last year, but also allowed nearly 800 yards in coverage. Second-year veteran Trey Amos will look to be a full-time starter this year after splitting time with Marshon Lattimore as a rookie.

30. Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders added Taron Johnson and four rookies to the secondary. So there’s hope for long-term growth, but a young secondary is often a recipe for disaster. This unit received votes no higher than 26th on any ballot. 

29. New York Giants

Secondary concerns loom large for New York, whose defensive backfield finished 29th in our rankings, the lowest-ranked unit on the team. The Giants return four starters from last year, but signed Greg Newsome II in free agency and spent a second-round pick on Colton Hood.

28. Arizona Cardinals

Arizona's secondary slipped to 28th from 11th, the second-biggest decline of any team at this position. The Cardinals return all five starters from last year, although slot corner Garrett Williams is dealing with an injury. Veteran Andrew Wingard was added for depth at safety, but the development of both second-year cornerbacks is where this group could improve the most this season.

27. Tennessee Titans

Credit the Titans for trying to improve a struggling secondary, but Alontae Taylor and Cor'Dale Flott probably aren’t the upgrades Tennessee was hoping for at the start of the offseason. Failing to spend a single draft pick on their floundering secondary was an odd choice. 

26. San Francisco 49ers

The only weakness on the 49ers' roster is the secondary, which finished all the way down at 26th in our rankings. San Francisco returns every starter from last year, when they intercepted just 6 passes all season, fourth-worst in the NFL.

25. Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs' secondary allowed a 76% completion rate when the defense failed to generate pressure, ranked 30th. Losing Trent McDuffie certainly won’t help this year, even if Mansoor Delane proves to be a capable replacement in the long term. 

24. New York Jets

The Jets allowed 20 or more yards on 10.4% of dropbacks last season (ranked 31st). The addition of Minkah Fitzpatrick should help limit big plays, but he’ll be surrounded by several inexperienced defensive backs, giving the unit a wide range of potential outcomes. 

23. Cincinnati Bengals

Votes for Cincinnati’s secondary ranged from 13th to 31st, a reflection of the wide gap between talent and production. A unit with Dax Hill and DJ Turner shouldn’t look this bad. And yet, the secondary allowed 8.3  yards per attempt when the front seven failed to generate pressure, ranked 29th.

22. Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta secondary dropped from 19th to 22nd. They return all five starters from last year, but added Darnay Holmes and Sydney Brown in free agency as key depth pieces before drafting Avieon Terrell in the second round. The team did have 16 interceptions last year, sixth-most in the NFL.

21. Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys drafted safety Caleb Downs in the first round. They also added corner Cobie Durant and safety Jalen Thompson in free agency. The hope is that the newcomers can help DaRon Bland, who is looking to recapture his 2023 form when he intercepted 9 passes.

20. New Orleans Saints

Kool-Aid McKinstry had 3 interceptions and 12 pass breakups in his second season, but also allowed 8 touchdowns in coverage. Justin Reid proved to be a valuable chess piece, lining up all over the defensive formation after signing in free agency.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay's secondary checks in at 19th this year. Safety Antione Winfield Jr. bounced back in 2025 after an injury-shortened season two years ago.

18. Chicago Bears

Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson remain the starters at cornerback, but the Bears should have two new starting safeties after signing Coby Bryant in free agency and drafting Dillon Thieneman in the first round.

17. Carolina Panthers

Cornerback Jaycee Horn has stayed healthy the last two seasons and held opposing quarterbacks to a passer rating of 79.3 when targeted in coverage last year.

16. Minnesota Vikings

James Pierre was brought in to start at corner opposite Isaiah Rodgers, and Byron Murphy remains the slot corner. However, no one on the Vikings defense finished with more than 2 interceptions in 2025.

15. Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers' pass defense posted strong numbers last year, but the pass-rush unit elevated the secondary’s play. When generating pressure, the Chargers allowed 20 or more yards at the league’s second-lowest rate, but only the 12th-lowest when failing to pressure the quarterback. 

14. Detroit Lions

In the secondary, Detroit dropped sharply to 14th from third, one of the biggest declines in the league. Part of this is due to the health of both their starting safeties. Brian Branch tore his Achilles in December, and Kerby Joseph’s status for 2026 remains a question mark as he deals with a knee injury. Veterans Chuck Clark and Christian Izien were brought in this offseason as backups.

13. Buffalo Bills

The Bills lost five of their top seven leaders in coverage snaps in the secondary from last year, most notably nickel corner Taron Johnson. The success of the unit might hinge on 2025 first-round pick Maxwell Hairston’s ability to take on a starring role after starting just two games as a rookie. 

12. Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville’s pass defense made dramatic improvements from 2024 to 2025. After allowing 20 or more yards on 18% of receptions in 2024 (ranked dead last), they improved to 12% last year (ranked fifth). If Travis Hunter sees more dedicated action on defense, the unit could improve further. 

11. Green Bay Packers

Rookie second-round pick Brandon Cisse could inject new blood into a unit that also added Benjamin St-Juste in free agency. 

10. Cleveland Browns

The Browns return their entire starting secondary from a season ago and added second-round pick Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. The unit ranked ninth in completion rate allowed at 10 or more yards downfield in 2025. 

9. Indianapolis Colts

A full season of Sauce Gardner sets a high ceiling for the Colts secondary. During his four games with the team, Gardner allowed just 2 receptions at 10 or more yards downfield. 

8. Baltimore Ravens

Evaluating Baltimore’s secondary was difficult due to the gap between the obviously elite talent and the mediocre production. The Ravens allowed 7.5 yards per attempt when the defense failed to generate pressure, ranked 21st. That’s unacceptable for a unit starting four first-round picks. 

7. Pittsburgh Steelers

Votes for the Steelers' secondary ranged from third to 18th. Those on the low end of that spectrum likely focused on their issues defending downfield, after allowing a 54% completion rate on throws of 10 or more yards, the league’s third-worst rate. The optimistic voters likely believe the additions of Jamel Dean, Jaquan Brisker, and rookie Daylen Everette will fix that. 

6. Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles remain strong at cornerback with Riq Woolen joining Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. However, the loss of Reed Blankenship has left them thin at safety, especially when DeJean slides to the slot in nickel packages. Still, Philadelphia finishes sixth, just two spots below where they were a year ago.

5. New England Patriots

As long as Christian Gonzalez is healthy, the Patriots should have a top-tier secondary. Opponents averaged 6.3 yards per attempt when Gonzalez was on the field last year, compared to 7.9 yards per attempt with him on the sidelines. 

4. Los Angeles Rams

The LA secondary made one of the biggest jumps in the league this year, moving to fourth from 26th. The Rams traded for Trent McDuffie in the offseason to be their top cornerback and also signed Jaylen Watson to start opposite his former teammate.

3. Seattle Seahawks

Devon Witherspoon should spend more time on the outside with Riq Woolen now playing for the Eagles, and Josh Jobe allowed completions on just 51% of his targets last year.

2. Denver Broncos

Denver’s secondary returns intact, anchored by Patrick Surtain. When lined up on the outside, Surtain allowed just 2 receptions at 10 or more yards downfield in 296 coverage snaps. That’s one every 148 snaps, the best rate in the league by a wide margin. 

1. Houston Texans

Derek Stingley Jr. has bucked the injury-prone label and emerged as one of the elite corners in the game. With Stingley anchoring one side, to go along with the impressive depth of the unit as a whole, Houston was nearly a unanimous choice as our top secondary.