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 JONES, KANSAS 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 MADUBUIKE, BALTIMORE 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 WILKINS, MIAMI 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 WILLIAMS, SEATTLE 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. READER, CINCINNATI 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
7. DI SHELDON RANKINS, HOUSTON TEXANS
2024 Free agency rank: 62
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
8. DI TEAIR TART, TENNESSEE TITANS
2024 Free agency rank: 71
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 COX, PHILADELPHIA 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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