Ranking All 32 NFL Defenses: How Much Can the Vikings Improve in 2023?
A couple weeks ago, we went through the meticulous task of ranking all 32 NFL offenses heading into the 2023 season. This week, we are doing a similar process, but switching to the other side of the line of scrimmage, taking on all 32 NFL defenses for this season. Here’s where the Vikings and every other franchise stand heading into the summer months.
1. San Francisco 49ers
- Best Addition: DT Javon Hargrave
- Biggest Loss: S Jimmie Ward
- Underrated Player: EDGE Drake Jackson
The NFL’s best defense from a year ago didn’t lose too many key pieces, and they added a double-digit sack machine in Javon Hargrave to create a Big Three with Arik Armstead and Nick Bosa on the defensive line. Assuming Armstead returns to full health in 2023, this defensive front should be absolutely ridiculous.
Then behind this group, there are still plenty of other stars such as Fred Werner, Talanoa Hufanga, Dre Greenlaw, and Tashaun Gibson still remain in place for the 2023 season. Perhaps some may knock them for losing Jimmie Ward and Emmanuel Moseley in the secondary, but Moseley played just five games in 2022 while Ward also missed time last season.
Additionally, the loss of some proven depth allows younger players like EDGE Drake Jackson and S Ji’Ayir Brown to step up and show what they can do. Brown was San Francisco’s first selection in the 2023 Draft, and Jackson is entering his second NFL season after showing flashes of great pass-rushing ability in his rookie year. Expect this group to maintain its greatness in 2023.
2. Buffalo Bills
- Best Addition: DT Poona Ford
- Biggest Loss: LB Tremaine Edmunds
- Underrated Player: CB Dane Jackson
The Buffalo Bills ranked among the top-10 defenses last season in points allowed, total yards allowed, passing yards allowed, passing TDs allowed, interceptions, yards per pass allowed, and rushing yards allowed. Reminder: Tre’Davius White missed 11 games and Von Miller missed six games.
With the two of them returning at full health for the 2023 season, Buffalo’s passing defense should be even more lethal this season. Additionally, despite a bit of a down year in Seattle during 2022, Poona Ford has been an excellent pass-rusher from the interior of the defensive line and should provide plenty of support to Buffalo’s front.
Keep an eye on Dane Jackson in the secondary. He helped fill the void left by White for much of the year and had a career year in his third NFL season, recording 12 passes defended along with a pair of interceptions. The 2020 seventh-round pick might be in store for a big year with White back in the lineup to take on opposing WR1s.
3. Philadelphia Eagles
- Best Addition: DT Jalen Carter
- Biggest Loss: DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson
- Underrated Player: EDGE Brandon Graham
The argument for Javon Hargrave to be the biggest loss of the Eagles offseason is certainly valid, but with the addition of Jalen Carter as well as the presence of both Jordan Davis and Fletcher Cox on the defensive front, along with an incredible three other pass rushers that put together double-digit sack seasons in 2022, the loss shouldn’t be felt as much.
One of those double-digit sack players is Brandon Graham, who has been criminally underrated throughout his career. Graham played just two games in 2021, but in every other season since 2012, he has played at least 15 games and has recorded 8+ sacks four separate times along with seven seasons of double-digit tackles for loss. Still, his only Pro Bowl appearance came in 2020.
As for Philadelphia’s secondary, this is where the questions largely lie for 2023. The loss of both Marcus Epps and C.J. Gardner-Johnson leave massive holes at the safety spot, especially considering Gardner-Johnson’s six interceptions led the NFL last season. The Eagles will need to find another player to fill those big time playmaking shoes this season.
4. Dallas Cowboys
- Best Addition: DT Mazi Smith
- Biggest Loss: LB Luke Gifford
- Underrated Player: DE Dorance Armstrong Jr.
The centerpiece of the Dallas Cowboys defense is obviously Micah Parsons, who has recorded a ridiculous 33 tackles for loss and 26.5 sacks over his first two NFL seasons after being selected 13th overall in the 2021 Draft. That being said, he is far from the only reason why Dallas has found success on that side of the ball in recent years.
For the second consecutive year, the Cowboys led the league in forced turnovers with an astounding number of 33, amounting to nearly two turnovers per game for their opponents. Trevon Diggs intercepted 3 passes in 2022 and an eye-popping 11 in 2021.
5. Miami Dolphins
- Best Addition: CB Jalen Ramsey
- Biggest Loss: LB Elandon Roberts
- Underrated Player: LB Andrew Van Ginkel
The Miami Dolphins largely relied upon their high-flying offense to find success during the 2022 season, but with their midseason trade to acquire EDGE Bradley Chubb last year, another move to bring in CB Jalen Ramsey, and the selection of uber-athletic CB Cam Smith in the second round of the Draft, they should be poised to be much better on that side of the ball in 2023.
On top of all these additions, there are a few players that were already on the roster in 2022 that should be monitored. Andrew Van Ginkel has primarily been an EDGE throughout his early NFL career, but this offseason, Miami has been testing him out at the inside linebacker spot. If it works out, he will be a versatile defender that can line up all over the field for the Dolphins this season.
6. New York Jets
- Best Addition: EDGE Will McDonald IV
- Biggest Loss: DT Sheldon Rankins
- Underrated Player: S Chuck Clark
The headlines in New York from this offseason have come from the offensive side of the ball, but that’s probably just how this defense likes it. Sauce Gardner immediately stepped into the secondary and became one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL last year, and now being paired with a playmaking safety like Chuck Clark, who New York signed out of Baltimore, the pass coverage group should be fearsome once again in 2023.
However, that’s not the only portion of New York’s defense that should be terrific this season. The addition of Will McDonald to the defensive front adds an athletic pass rusher to the crew, allowing Quinnen Williams to have a partner that opposing offensive lines must pay attention to at all times.
7. New England Patriots
- Best Addition: CB Christian Gonzalez
- Biggest Loss: S Devin McCourty
- Underrated Player: CB Kyle Dugger
With the Patriots, it’s almost an annual expectation for Bill Belichick’s defense to land somewhere in the top-10 units across the NFL. Last season was no different, with New England allowing 5.0 yards per play and tying for second with the San Francisco 49ers by forcing 30 turnovers.
However, especially with Devin McCourty retiring, the secondary could have used another physical presence to put pressure on opposing receivers. Christian Gonzalez was an absolute steal with the 17th overall pick in the 2023 Draft, and he completely fits the bill as a perfect addition to the group. Pairing him with Kyle Dugger, who recorded a pair of pick-sixes last year, should help New England remain competitive in a very strong AFC East.
8. Indianapolis Colts
- Best Addition: CB Julius Brents
- Biggest Loss: LB Bobby Okereke
- Underrated Player: LB E.J. Speed
The Colts are banking on a young secondary to hold down the fort this season, but with a defensive front that includes DeForest Buckner, Shaquille Leonard, Kwity Paye, and free agent acquisition Samson Ebukam, there won’t be nearly as much pressure on the defensive backs like second-round pick Julius Brents to hold coverage for long.
Besides, Brents and Darius Rush look poised to jump into an NFL defense immediately, and as long as they develop on a usual trajectory, this defense should be a fearsome group in the AFC South during 2023.
9. Denver Broncos
- Best Addition: LB Drew Sanders
- Biggest Loss: EDGE Bradley Chubb
- Underrated Player: S JL Skinner
Quietly, the Denver Broncos had a spectacular draft this spring, bringing in a number of versatile, athletic defenders. First and foremost among them is the Arkansas product, LB Drew Sanders. After beginning his collegiate career at Alabama and largely playing in the rotational EDGE role, he transferred to the Razorbacks, switched to the inside linebacker spot, and immediately thrived in the role. Expect him to play a sort of hybrid between the two roles in Denver.
Meanwhile, sixth-round safety JL Skinner has all the speed and athleticism of a defensive back while possessing the size of a linebacker. At 6’4 and 220 pounds, he is a truly massive specimen in the secondary. If he can come into the season fully healthy from a torn pec suffered this winter, he should be have a role in the Broncos defense this fall.
10. Washington Commanders
- Best Addition: CB Emmanuel Forbes
- Biggest Loss: LB Cole Holcomb
- Underrated Player: CB Benjamin St-Juste
The Commanders opted to decline the fifth-year option for Chase Young, calling into question the status of their pass-rushing group past the 2023 season. However, much of that has to do with his health over the past two years. If he can come back healthy this year, he should be a very productive pass rusher, and the addition of Emmanuel Forbes to the secondary puts a ball-hawking playmaker in their defensive backfield.
After a slow start to the 2022 season where the team got off to a 1-4 start, this group really came on strong to close 2022, allowing 20 or fewer points in eight of their final 12 games. If they can carry this momentum into 2023, this should be a stout group all year long.
11. Baltimore Ravens
- Best Addition: LB Trenton Simpson
- Biggest Loss: DE Calais Campbell
- Underrated Player: DT Justin Madubuike
As someone who was rooting for the Minnesota Vikings to land Trenton Simpson throughout the entire offseason, seeing the Baltimore Ravens end his fall down the draft board with the 86th pick, one selection before Minnesota went on the clock, was painful to see.
However, Simpson is going to be a very productive addition to an already stout defense in Baltimore. Pairing him with Roquan Smith while having Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams at safety is going to make for a very fun group of defenders in the middle of the Ravens defensive unit.
12. Jacksonville Jaguars
- Best Addition: LB Ventrell Miller
- Biggest Loss: EDGE Arden Key
- Underrated Player: DL Roy Robertson-Harris
Jacksonville largely spent this offseason retaining some of their main players on defense, and they are hoping for further growth from the young core that includes players like Tyson Campbell and Josh Allen.
Campbell, in particular, saw major growth in his second NFL season after being selected in the second round of the 2021 Draft. PFF gave him a pass coverage grade of 80.7 this past year, crediting him with nine pass breakups on the season. If the secondary can hold up in a similar fashion, this team should be a contender in the AFC once again.
13. New Orleans Saints
- Best Addition: DT Khalen Saunders
- Biggest Loss: LB Kaden Elliss
- Underrated Player: CB Alontae Taylor
The New Orleans Saints lost a number of their biggest producers from their front seven this offseason, including Marcus Davenport, Kaden Elliss, David Onyemata, and Shy Tuttle. While they made multiple moves in an attempt to ease the loss of their defensive tackles, they will be relying on players like Zach Baun and Pete Werner to take on bigger roles this season.
Outside of the losses, Cam Jordan has been as steady a producer at EDGE as anyone over the past decade-plus, recording 7.5 or more sacks in every season since 2012. Despite turning 34 this year, he has shown no signs of slowing down to this point, and it seems safe to expect another productive year.
On top of that, it’s hard to deny that when healthy, Paulson Adebo, Marshon Lattimore, and Alontae Taylor are one of the best cornerback trios in the league. If the Saints can get any sort of help from their offense this year, that will help keep this talented defense a touch fresher than they were by the end of 2022.
14. Cincinnati Bengals
- Best Addition: EDGE Myles Murphy
- Biggest Loss: S Jessie Bates III
- Underrated Player: LB Germaine Pratt
The losses of both Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell this offseason cannot be overlooked as it leaves uncertainty at the backend of Cincinnati’s defense heading into 2023. However, this is a team that had a very inconsistent pass-rush last year, ranking 29th in sacks.
The addition of Myles Murphy with the 28th overall pick should immensely help the Bengals defensive front while second-and-third-round selections of D.J. Turner and Jordan Battle will shore up the holes in their secondary. Perhaps this group won’t be a top-six scoring defense again, but they should still hover around the top half of the league.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Best Addition: DT Calijah Kancey
- Biggest Loss: CB Sean Murphy-Bunting
- Underrated Player: CB Carlton Davis
The Buccaneers biggest problem defensively may simply be the fact their offense doesn’t look any good. This group will likely be on the field quite often, potentially leading to inflated numbers compared to the talent that they still have.
The loss of Sean Murphy-Bunting eliminates a chunk of Tampa Bay’s cornerback depth, and while Jamal Dean is still a lockdown player, there are questions across the remainder of the secondary. That being said, the front should still be fearsome, and the addition of Calijah Kancey is a great piece to plug in alongside Vita Vea. With Devin White’s future being uncertain as well, though, this group could come further down this list by the time the season actually begins.
16. Kansas City Chiefs
- Best Addition: EDGE Felix Anudike-Uzomah
- Biggest Loss: DT Khalen Saunders
- Underrated Player: LB Willie Gay Jr.
Uber-athletic pass-rushers have been Kansas City’s favorite flavor of draft prospect over the past few years, and they may have landed the most talented one of their recent picks in Felix Anudike-Uzomah. Playing alongside Chris Jones and George Karlaftis should make life easier for the young pass-rusher as well.
That being said, this is still one of the youngest defenses in the NFL, and while the future may be bright, growing pains should be expected. Trent McDuffie went through a few of them in his rookie year, so hopefully he can help lead the secondary in 2023.
17. Detroit Lions
- Best Addition: S Brian Branch
- Biggest Loss: CB Jeff Okudah
- Underrated Player: DL John Cominsky
After being one of the worst defenses in the NFL during the 2022 season, there is a ton of variability in the outcomes for Detroit this year. Perhaps veteran free agents like Cam Sutton, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and Emmanuel Moseley can help improve the secondary, but will the lack of depth and inexperience in the front seven get the better of them?
Only time will tell, but for now, plug them into the middle of the league as a very average group. Considering how high-powered their offense looks, just average may be good enough to help them claim the NFC North crown.
18. Pittsburgh Steelers
- Best Addition: CB Joey Porter Jr.
- Biggest Loss: CB Cameron Sutton
- Underrated Player: LB Nick Herbig
The fairy tale ending had to wait an extra day into the NFL Draft, but ultimately, Joey Porter Jr. ended up being a Pittsburgh Steeler, allowing him to follow in the footsteps of his father and remain close to home. He will be the anchor in Pittsburgh’s secondary while T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward handle things up front.
Just as importantly, though, may be the selection of Nick Herbig. He is a big-bodied linebacker that can help fill a number of roles for a Steelers defense that hasn’t had very consistent off-ball LB play over the past few years. With Devin Bush out of the room, expect the Wisconsin product to take over the role.
19. Cleveland Browns
- Best Addition: EDGE Za’Darius Smith
- Biggest Loss: DT Taven Bryan
- Underrated Player: S Grant Delpit
Once again, the Cleveland Browns found themselves in need of a consistent running mate for Myles Garrett this season. To fill this need on their defensive front, they took a pair of former Minnesota Vikings by signing Dalvin Tomlinson in free agency and trading to acquire Za’Darius Smith last month. If Smith and Tomlinson can stay healthy, the problems on the front may be solved.
20. Minnesota Vikings
- Best Addition: DC Brian Flores
- Biggest Loss: LB Eric Kendricks
- Underrated Player: S Josh Metellus
In terms of actual personnel, the Vikings made massive strides to get younger and more athletic on the defensive side of the ball this offseason. Out go veterans like Eric Kendricks, Patrick Peterson, Za’Darius Smith, and Chandon Sullivan, and in comes the youth movement consisting of Mekhi Blackmon, Marcus Davenport, Byron Murphy, and Jay Ward.
However, the best thing the Vikings did this offseason remains the signing of defensive coordinator Brian Flores. A year after the team was one of the more conservative units in the league that relied far too much on timely turnovers, Flores should turn them into an aggressive, blitz-heavy group that has opposing offensive lines turned in circles trying to stop everybody.
21. Los Angeles Chargers
- Best Addition: DL Tuli Tuipulotu
- Biggest Loss: LB Troy Reeder
- Underrated Player: CB Michael Davis
A force from the middle of the defensive line is one of the more underrated components of NFL defenses, and the Chargers landed one of the better options by selecting Tuli Tuipulotu this spring out of USC.
The main hope out of Los Angeles, though, is that Asante Samuel Jr. continues his growth in the secondary while Michael Davis has been a sneaky-productive player for them throughout his career. The addition of Eric Kendricks can also help stabilize their linebacker position in 2023.
22. Green Bay Packers
- Best Addition: EDGE Lukas Van Ness
- Biggest Loss: DT Jarran Reed
- Underrated Player: EDGE Kingsley Enagbare
The Packers landed a classic Big 10 EDGE in Lukas Van Ness who can do just about anything on the defensive front, and the trio of DeVondre Campbell, Preston Smith, and Jaire Alexander gives this group the allure of a defense that could rise up the ranks by the end of the year.
However, with Joe Barry running things in Green Bay, it hasn’t exactly been pretty in stretches, and health is a big question mark with other contributors such as Rashan Gary and Eric Stokes. The depth at defensive tackle and safety are major concerns heading into the year as well.
23. Houston Texans
- Best Addition: Will Anderson Jr.
- Biggest Loss: DL Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
- Underrated Player: CB Steven Nelson
Houston got very aggressive in this draft by not only taking C.J. Stroud second overall, but trading back into the top 3 in order to snag arguably the best overall prospect of the 2023 Draft class in Will Anderson Jr.
Everything in Houston depends on how their young defenders progress. They have a few intriguing pieces in the secondary with Jalen Pitre at safety and Derek Stingley Jr. at corner, but they need major steps forward from both if they want to be serious competitors in the AFC South.
24. New York Giants
- Best Addition: CB Deonte Banks
- Biggest Loss: S Julian Love
- Underrated Player: CB Nick McCloud
Deonte Banks is exactly what New York needed on their defense, and he is a great counter to their already-elite pass-rushing group of Dexter Lawrence, Azeez Ojulari, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Leonard Williams. However, the rest of that secondary looks suspect around Banks and Adoree Jackson. Best-case scenario, this group can be an above average unit, but your humble author is a tad skeptical that they will repeat their 2022 season once again.
25. Carolina Panthers
- Best Addition: DT Shy Tuttle
- Biggest Loss: LB Cory Littleton
- Underrated Player: S Jammie Robinson
Carolina not only made big moves in free agency for their offense, but they also brought in immediate contributors on defense in Vonn Bell and Shy Tuttle. Perhaps the best part of their Tuttle signing is the fact that they were able to steal the defensive tackle away from their division rival New Orleans Saints.
Don’t sleep on some of their young draft prospects, either. Jammie Robinson is a physical player, willing to attack as a run supporter, and DJ Johnson has plenty of upside as a pass rusher at the EDGE spot. They are likely still a year or two away from being an above-average group, but this team is headed in the right direction with newly hired Ejiro Evero running the unit.
26. Atlanta Falcons
- Best Addition: DT David Onyemata
- Biggest Loss: CB Isaiah Oliver
- Underrated Player: CB Clark Phillips III
Similarly to the Panthers, the Atlanta Falcons made plenty of moves in free agency to help make immediate improvements to a defense that ranked among the bottom 10 units in both points allowed and total yards allowed. Jessie Bates III, Kaden Elliss, and David Onyemata will help on all three levels this year.
However, this is another team that has some major questions at the cornerback spot outside of A.J. Terrell. It may come down to whether or not Clark Phillips lives up to the early pre-draft hype that listed him as a potential first-round prospect, or if everyone was correct in the later assessments that ended up landing him in round four. Jeff Okudah needs to show why he is a former third overall pick as well.
27. Chicago Bears
- Best Addition: LB T.J. Edwards
- Biggest Loss: CB Joey Porter Jr.
- Underrated Player: CB Kyler Gordon
If you’ll recall, we “cheated” a few times in the offense rankings, and we’re cheating again here. The Bears obviously never had Joey Porter Jr., but if you’ll recall, they traded the No. 32 overall pick used to select Porter to the Steelers in exchange for WR Chase Claypool. To this point, that experiment hasn’t worked out while a cheap, lockdown corner is something that Chicago could use right now.
Instead, they’re going into the season hoping that their free agency splurge of T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds will work out. Certainly, the defense will perform better than they were last year, especially with a little more burst from the offense in 2023, but they won’t light the world on fire quite yet.
28. Arizona Cardinals
- Best Addition: EDGE B.J. Ojulari
- Biggest Loss: CB Byron Murphy
- Underrated Player: CB Marco Wilson
The Cardinals are another team that could be destined to slide further down this list by the time the season actually gets here with the potential of an Isaiah Simmons trade. Add on losses of Zach Allen, Byron Murphy, and J.J. Watt, and this is quickly becoming a group that is still wet behind the ears.
The future continues to look bright, though, with potentially two top-five picks in 2024 along with the selection of B.J. Ojulari in this year’s draft. 2023 will probably be a bit ugly in Arizona, though, particularly if Kyler Murray isn’t playing QB to take pressure off the defense.
29. Seattle Seahawks
- Best Addition: CB Devon Witherspoon
- Biggest Loss: DT Quinton Jefferson
- Underrated Player: EDGE Uchenna Nwosu
The Seahawks landed the top cornerback in the 2023 Draft by taking Devon Witherspoon, and he will be an excellent weapon for Pete Carroll’s defense in the coming years. That being said, this is another rather young group heading into 2023, and there will inevitably be some growing pains.
Pair the young secondary with uncertainty as to who exactly will be getting reps on the defensive front, particularly the EDGE spots, and the lack of a consistent pass-rush will likely hold this group back in 2023.
30. Tennessee Titans
- Best Addition: EDGE Arden Key
- Biggest Loss: LB David Long
- Underrated Player: CB Roger McCreary
The run defense should remain relatively strong in Tennessee this year with leaders of Denico Autry, Jeffery Simmons, and Teair Tart still around, but what are they going to do against the pass? They ranked dead-last in passing yards allowed, and second-worst in passing TDs allowed, and with their three division rivals now having young, talented players at the QB position, that doesn’t bode well for their success this year.
The one player that could change things is Roger McCreary, who started all 17 games for Tennessee after being a second-round pick in 2022. There were certainly ups and downs during that rookie season, but he has the talent to be a lockdown corner in the league. Caleb Farley is a player to keep an eye on in the secondary as well.
31. Las Vegas Raiders
- Best Addition: EDGE Tyree Wilson
- Biggest Loss: CB Rock Ya-Sin
- Underrated Player: CB Jakorian Bennett
The Las Vegas Raiders are in a bit of a strange spot as a whole right now. Looking at the roster as a whole on paper, and one might think this is a team that should be competing for a playoff spot this season. However, between injuries and contract holdouts, there are far too many variables with this team to have much faith right now.
A lack of security on offense will more than likely impact a young defense, particularly if Tyree Wilson were to miss any time with his ongoing foot injury. While Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones will still be a productive duo as pass rushers, the losses of Rock-Ya Sin along with Denzel Perryman only further shorten already thin groups at cornerback and linebacker.
32. Los Angeles Rams
- Best Addition: EDGE Byron Young
- Biggest Loss: CB Jalen Ramsey
- Underrated Player: LB Nick Hampton
The Rams are setting themselves up beautifully to be in contention for the top pick in the 2024 Draft, finishing in the cellar for both the offensive and defensive rankings ahead of training camp.
Los Angeles did a ton of tearing down this offseason, parting ways with names like Jalen Ramsey and Bobby Wagner. The team has the worst secondary in the league and should give up oodles of yards through the air all season. Sure, Aaron Donald will be around still, but how much can one interior defensive lineman really do to prevent this team from losing 13+ games?
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.