Defensive linemen dominate the list of top available free agents

Posted by Michael David Smith on April 13, 2019, 7:42 AM EDT
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Free agency has cooled down considerably in the NFL, but if you’re a fan of a team that needs some defensive line help, you’re in luck.

Plenty of good defensive linemen are still available, a month after free agency began.

The top two players still available in our Free Agent Top 100 are former Lions defensive linemates Ndamukong Suh (No. 23) and Ezekiel Ansah (No. 27).

The next player available is also a defensive lineman, former Packer Muhammad Wilkerson at No. 40. And so is the next player available, former Chargers defensive lineman Corey Liuget at No. 44. In the Top 50, only those four players — all defensive linemen — remain.

Some of the top defensive linemen, including DeMarcus Lawrence and Trey Flowers, did very well for themselves in free agency. Others, including Jadeveon Clowney and Frank Clark, got the franchise tag. Some of the more affordable second tier of defensive linemen are still waiting for what they hope is not too affordable a contract.

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28 responses to “Defensive linemen dominate the list of top available free agents”

  3. These guys will be signed after the draft. Teams need to see where all the new defensive lineman land in the draft first. Then the rush will be on for the teams that don’t land one.

  4. This is a perfect example of the NFL being every bit as much a business as it is a sport. Teams are calculating there is more upside at a lower cost by drafting the young DL in this year’s class.

  5. This is a result of the rookie wage scale that the players wanted. Screwing the rookies has screwed them. Too many good, cheap pass rushers coming out this year…

  6. Suh is clearly no where near the player he once was and was always over rated anyway, and Ansah is always hurt and has never shown anything special. Wilkerson hasn’t had a good season in 5 years.
    I’m sure those guys will all be picked up after the draft by some teams who didn’t get “D” linemen they wanted in the draft. But if they give them a lot of money, they’ll be sorry.

  7. Defensive line heavy draft. Lots of talent that could become elite. Probably the best DLine draft in a long time. In a few weeks I think most of them will have offers or contracts after the draft ends. Teams that miss out on DLine help will be reaching out to these guys to get deals done.

  8. Browns may have interetake st in Wilkerson due to connections here if he’d take a 1 year prove it. Then again, those connections can work in the opposite.

  10. I’d love to see Suh in the Silver & Black at a modest laden incentive contract if Raiders can’t draft DT Q. Williams. He could help the good core of young D line players. Suh played very well in the playoffs for the Rams.

  11. The market should improve for these d- lineman 2 weeks after the draft. That is when their signings do not count against the compensatory formula.

  12. None of these guys are likely to be signed until the inevitable injuries happen in training camp and preseason.

  14. Timmy Jernigan is out there too after the Eagles declined his option. Lots of D-linemen in the draft though so it makes sense to see teams trying to hit big in the draft and then picking up these guys as fall back options. Ansah has an shoulder injury issue still.

  15. Who wants Suh on there team? I don’t. He has all the talent in the world; but no heart. Give me a guy with less talent that will give you everything he’s got on every play.

  16. Hope Suh banked that ridiculous amount of Miami money. Definitely not worth it now, wasn’t even worth it then. I foresee small one year deals bouncing from team to team from here on out until his retirement.

  17. One reason they are still available is the fact that this upcoming college draft includes a lot of good defensive linemen, so teams are not going to pay more for free agents unless they fail to pick a good DL. The available linemen may also be holding out for a good contract offer.

  18. @meet2x4….

    Suh actually made more money in Deteoit ($64.5 million) than he did with Miami ($60 million). Of course, he was in Detroit 5 years compared 3 in Miami.

    Considering Warren Buffet is a role model for him, I am sure he still has a large percentage of his $139 million career earnings invested.

  19. Why overpay for a washed up veteran like Suh? He’s just waiting for a chance to get suspended for stomping on your QB’s arm.

  20. Defensive linemen dominate the list of top available free agents
    _________________________________________________

    They dominate the draft this year too, that’s why all those FA’s are still available! A lot of top ones will land on a team as soon as the draft is over, they’ll be a mad rush for the best ones by teams that either missed out or went a different direction! This happens every year at some position and this year its the D-line.

  22. cheapseater says:
    April 13, 2019 at 8:36 am
    This is a result of the rookie wage scale that the players wanted. Screwing the rookies has screwed them. Too many good, cheap pass rushers coming out this year…
    —-
    Screwing the rookies? Do you prefer the old way where players like jamarcus Russell can come into the league and make more than all the top QBs in the league without even playing one snap? All while setting their franchises back for years if they turn out to be busts?

  25. Browns may have interetake st in Wilkerson due to connections here if he’d take a 1 year prove it. Then again, those connections can work in the opposite.
    – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
    Wilkerson had a one-year, prove-it deal last year. He got injured after three games.

  28. If I’m a Lions and I don’t land my Top tier pass rusher in the draft, I’m resigning Ansah on a 1 year prove it deal. That guy when he’s not hurt is a monster. He has slots to prove

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