The 2025 NFL offseason is moving along, with free agency and the draft far in the rearview mirror and both minicamps and organized team activities under way all around the league. Yet just because teams mostly have their rosters set and are gearing up for the new year, doesn’t mean there aren’t still plenty of talented players available to be signed.
One such player just hit the market on Monday as the Green Bay Packers are releasing star cornerback Jaire Alexander after failing to find an agreeable trade. And he’s not the only one out there who could potentially help a team this coming season.
Rest assured that several talented free agents will be signed before the start of training camp. Some, however, may have to wait until after camps begin after teams start suffering injuries. Given the drudgery that is training camp, don’t expect veterans who sign after camps have opened to be shedding any tears.
Below is a position-by-position ranking of the best available defensive players, starting with perhaps the deepest position when it comes to talented players.
Edge rusher
A two-time Pro Bowler, Smith is coming off a solid 2024 season that saw him record nine sacks and nine tackles for loss while playing for the Browns and Lions. Smith showed that he is still a formidable pass rusher after recording just 5.5 sacks in 2023.
At 36, Miller isn’t the same player he once was. Last year, however, Miller proved that he can still get to the quarterback after recording six sacks in 13 regular-season games. Last year was a much-needed bounce-back season for Miller, who did not record a single sack in 2023 after injuring his knee late in the 2022 season.
Clowney is one of the best pass rushers available on the open market. Clowney had 44 pressures and 11 quarterback hits to go with his 5.5 sacks last season, finishing up with a 13.7% pressure rate. The former No. 1 overall pick can still get to the quarterback at age 32.
Defensive line
Despite just turning 30, it appears that the arrow is still pointing up for Walker as far as production is concerned. Last year, the former second-round pick made a career-high 17 starts while recording a career-high 47 tackles. He also had 4.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss during his second season with the Bears.
At 29, Cominsky one of the rare notable defensive linemen still available that is under 30. After a disappointing start to his NFL career, Cominsky had more success the past two years after going from Atlanta to Detroit. He had a career-high four sacks in 2023 and followed that season up with two sacks and a career-high 36 tackles last season.
3. Jordan Phillips
Phillips wasn’t healthy last season and only played in nine games, and was on the field for only 143 total snaps between his time with the Cowboys and Bills. The massive 330-pound interior lineman is still a good run defender when healthy, though, and he can still be very useful for a defense in a part-time, early-down role.
Packers releasing Jaire Alexander: Top landing spots for oft-injured star CB, including Dolphins, 49ers
Jared Dubin
Inside linebacker
By far, the best defensive player currently unsigned is Kendricks, who is coming off a season that saw him rack up 138 tackles, three sacks, three forced fumbles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery for the Cowboys. Money might very well be the biggest reason why the former All-Pro is still on the open market.
Along with being a productive linebacker, Hewitt was also a solid special teams performer during his first 10 seasons in the NFL. In 2024, he filled the stat sheet with 59 tackles, two forced fumbles and an interception while making four starts for the Texans. At 32, Hewitt doesn’t appear to be showing any signs of slowing down.
A longtime Patriot, Bentley was a rookie the year New England won its sixth and most recent Super Bowl. He cracked the team’s starting lineup two years later and remained there until he suffered a season-ending injury two weeks into the 2024 season. The season prior to getting hurt, Bentley posted his third straight season with at least 109 tackles. He also recorded a career-high 4.5 sacks.
Cornerback
The two-time Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro is getting released by the Packers on Monday and will now be free to sign wherever he wants. When healthy, Alexander is still capable of playing like one of the best cornerbacks in football. Yet he’s been healthy for only 34 of 68 possible regular-season games over the last four years, having played more than seven games just once in that span. He’s a risky bet for any team potentially interested, but a very, very high-upside one.
Gilmore visited the Cowboys (his team during the 2023 season) in April, so it’s clear that teams are still interested in his services. A former Defensive Player of the Year, Gilmore is still a solid starting cornerback. Last year, the 34-year-old Gilmore made 56 tackles and recorded an interception while starting in 15 games for the Vikings.
Hilton was picked over Rasul Douglas and Asante Samuel Jr. largely because of his health and the fact that he is still playing at a relatively high level. Hilton, despite recording 73 tackles and an interception last season, was part of the Bengals‘ offseason purge on defense after the unit was historically bad during the first 12 games of the season. Hilton would be a nice pickup for a team that needs depth at slot corner.
Safety
Simmons’ availability is odd to say the least. The former two-time Pro Bowler continues to be without a team despite putting up decent numbers last year for the Falcons. Simmons reportedly wants to join forces with the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles.
Whitehead is available after he missed the end of the 2024 season after being in a car accident. If he’s healthy, Whitehead would be a nice addition for a team that is in need of help at strong safety. In addition to being a reliable tackler, Whitehead has impressive ball skills that allowed him to intercept a career-high four passes in 2023.
Blackmon was picked over Marcus Williams because he quite simply was the better player last year. He picked off three passes and made 86 tackles in 16 games for the Colts. Blackmon set career-highs with 88 tackles, four interceptions and eight passes defensed the season before that.
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Author: Bryan DeArdo
June 9, 2025 | 10:35 am
