NFL FREE AGENCY: TOP 10 AVAILABLE EDGE RUSHERS

BY ADAM GREENE

Considering all the marquee free agents have been snatched up, there’s plenty of quality edge rushers still available in the 2023 free agent class, including multiple former first round NFL Draft picks.

Here are my selections for the 10 best guys that somehow remain currently consciously uncoupled from an NFL franchise.

1. YANNICK NGAKOUE

Age: 28

Size: 6-2, 246 pounds

2022: 29 tackles, 9.5 sacks, eight tackles for a loss, one forced fumble

For a guy with his production, Yannick Ngokue has been stuck in full mercenary mode very early in his career. Ngakoue has never, regardless of the team, posted fewer than eight sacks in a season in his entire career since being taken in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft. In spite of that, when he takes the field in 2023, he’ll be playing for his sixth team in nine seasons.

Where he should end up: Carolina Panthers

You’ll see Carolina on plenty of these lists simply because of what they gave up to the Chicago Bears to land the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. They need to add talent all over and if Ngokoue just has his average season, the Panthers will be significantly more dangerous on defense and bring consistent pressure with Brian Burns and Frankie Luvu (who had a pretty solid 2022).

2. LEONARD FLOYD

Age: 30

Size: 6-5, 240 pounds

2022: 59 tackles, nine sacks, 10 tackles for a loss, one fumble recovery

The Los Angeles Rams say they’re not in a rebuild, but a remodel so, in this case, Leonard Floyd must have been the old countertops. They sent him packing in spite of another solid season with the team. Floyd has recorded 29 sacks over the last three years in the Rams system after amassing just 18.5 over his first four seasons in the NFL, all with the Chicago Bears.

Where he should end up: Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals must upgrade their pass rush as the two guys they have slated to start right now (Jonathan Ledbetter and Myjai Sanders) had exactly four sacks between them a year ago. Arizona does pick at No. 3 overall and, unless they trade down thanks to a run on quarterbacks, should be able to pick their favorite pass rusher there. But, there’s nothing wrong with adding a young, relatively bargain friendly guy that played well for your arch rivals.

3. JUSTIN HOUSTON

Age: 34

Size: 6-3, 270 pounds

2022: 21 tackles, 9.5 sacks, seven tackles for a loss, one pass defended, one forced fumble

Like Ngokue, Justin Houston is a full on NFL mercenary these days after a long stint to open his career with the Kansas City Chiefs. He’s played for two teams since he and KC parted ways, the Indianapolis Colts from 2019-2020 and the Baltimore Ravens from 2021-2022. At each stop, he’s been a consistent producer and, in the four years since the Chiefs set him free, recorded 33 sacks.

Where he should end up: Kansas City Chiefs

Houston was a fixture with the Chiefs for years, but walked before they started their current Super Bowl run. Now, with a cap heavy roster and looking at a serious dynasty, Kansas City should bring back Houston for one final run with a guy that will likely end up in their ring of honor after he retires.

4. MELVIN INGRAM

Age: 33

Size: 6-2, 247 pounds

2022: 22 tackles, six sacks, seven for a loss, one pass defended, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, one defensive touchdown

Ingram had a bounce back season with the Miami Dolphins in 2022, recording his highest sack total since 2019. He’s at the end of his career and is probably looking at a string of one year contracts, but proved a season ago he can still deliver in the right situation.

Where he should end up: Miami Dolphins

And the Dolphins were obviously the right situation. Without a first round pick thanks to getting busted for contract tampering with Tom Brady and Sean Payton, Miami needs to keep the key players it already has on the roster without spending a ton of money to do so.

5. BUD DUPREE

Age: 30

Size: 6-4, 269 pounds

2022: 18 tackles, four sacks, six tackles for a loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery

Bud Dupree has never quite lived up to his draft position and pre-draft hype coming out of Kentucky. His best year was 2019 with the Pittsburgh Steelers where he recorded 68 tackles, 11.5 sacks and 16 tackles for a loss. Since then, he’s come nowhere close to that production. In two seasons with the Tennessee Titans, Dupree started just 17 games and recorded a total of 35 tackles, eight for a loss and seven sacks.

Where he should end up: Los Angeles Rams

With the attention that Aaron Donald draws from offenses, the Rams defense has brought pass rushers like Dupree back to life in recent years. Whether it was Dante Fowler, Jr. in 2018 or the aforementioned Leonard Floyd. A guy like Dupree should be inexpensive and possibly give the Rams somewhere between 8-10 sacks facing consistent one-on-one matchups.

6. SHAQ LAWSON

Age: 28

Size: 6-3, 270 pounds

2022: 31 tackles, 3.5 sacks, six tackles for a loss, one pass defended, one forced fumble

Shaq Lawson’s return to the Buffalo Bills after a year with the New York Jets looked an awful lot like his first stint with the team. He had an OK year, but made just six starts and appeared in 15 games. Lawson is still young, but he’s probably topped out at what he’s going to be. Like so many of the other players on this list, Lawson is a former first rounder that never quite forged the career he expected.

Where he should end up: Cleveland Browns

Pretty much every man on this list could be a band aid for a good team without a lot of draft capital or salary cap space. That sums up the Browns pretty well. Lawson is young, he should be inexpensive and can serve as a solid third pass rusher behind Myles Garrett and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo. Plus, you never know if, in the right situation, Lawson could finally turn it on and show why he ended up in the first round of the 2016 draft in the first place.

7. ROBERT QUINN

Age: 32

Size: 6-4, 245 pounds

2022: 10 tackles, one sack, two tackles for a loss

A year after recording 18.5 sacks for the Chicago Bears, Robert Quinn fell back to earth hard in 2022, picking up a single sack in the entire season and not one for the Philadelphia Eagles, who traded for him midway through their NFC Championship campaign. Quinn could hang up his cleats after a solid 13 year career and getting to play in a Super Bowl, but he might have one more double digit season still in him in the right situation.

Where he should end up: Indianapolis Colts

With speculation that the Colts might trade up for a quarterback, they need to fill out their roster with some bargain priced free agents. Quinn is all upside, as his contract would be minimal and there’s always a chance he could turn right back into a game wrecker lined up next to DeForest Buckner.

8. FRANK CLARK

Age: 29

Size: 6-3, 261 pounds

2022: 39 tackles, five sacks, eight tackles for a loss, one pass defended, one forced fumble

Frank Clark saw his streak of three consecutive Pro Bowls come to an end this season and, considering he was about to win his second Super Bowl, was probably OK with it. While his production never seemed “Pro Bowl worthy” to me, he’s been a solid player in the league and is still relatively young. He does come with some potential off the field problems and any team signing him will have to factor that in.

Where he should end up: Houston Texans

The Texans have a roster full of holes and luckily have the draft capital to address most of them. What they still need is bodies and guys that can produce this season under new head coach DeMeco Ryans. And, if Clark keeps his nose clean off the field, he could find a long term forever home in Houston.

9. CARLOS DUNLAP

Age: 34

Size: 6-6, 285 pounds

2022: 39 tackles, four sacks, six tackles for a loss, eight passes defended, one forced fumble

Carlos Dunlap is the second Kansas City Chiefs pass rusher in a row to make our list, which shows the hole that team will have on its roster heading into the draft. Dunlap had a down season with the Chiefs, posting the lowest sack total of his career and could always decide to ride off into the sunset after a solid 14 years in the league.

Where he should end up: Atlanta Falcons

I have no idea how hot Arthur Smith’s seat is in Atlanta, but I feel as if something needs to break this season. At worst, Dunlap would add a legitimate pass rush threat either coming in off the bench or as a starter. More importantly, he’ll bring leadership to a defensive crew that’s desperate for it.

10. JADEVEON CLOWNEY

Age: 34

Size: 6-5, 255 pounds

2022: 28 tackles, two sacks, four tackles for a loss, three passes defended, one forced fumble

Jadeveon Clowney has experienced one of the weirder NFL careers. He came in as the No. 1 overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft and didn’t really play like that until his third year in the league. By the time he figured it out, he’d made three Pro Bowls and was priced out of staying with the Texans. He’s bounced around Seattle, Tennessee and Cleveland since and the days of any long term job security are probably behind him.

Where he should end up: New England Patriots

Clowney remains a ridiculous athlete and maybe Bill Belichick can find a way to scheme him into being the pass rusher he was back in 2016-2019. Anywhere close and he’d be worth signing.

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

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