Top 3 Edge Rushers Likely to Hit Free Agency This Offseason

Building a defense without a pass-rush can be a death sentence in the modern NFL. Of the bottom 10 defenses in quarterback hits last season, the Seattle Seahawks were the only team that made the playoffs.

That kind of impact means elite pass-rushers are valued at a premium, especially in free agency. So with that in mind, let's take a look at the three best edge rushers available on the open market this offseason.

3. Dante Fowler

Dante Fowler is coming off a career year with the Los Angeles Rams. / John McCoy/Getty Images

Once viewed as a bust, Dante Fowler revitalized his career after being traded to the Los Angeles Rams. He finished with a career-high 11.5 sacks in 2019, and also posted a pass rush win rate of 23 percent – the ninth best among all edge defenders. While there are concerns about Fowler potentially being a one-year wonder, he's still just 25 years old, and could be a defensive cornerstone for years to come.

2. Jadeveon Clowney

Jadeveon Clowney will enter free agency for this first time in his career. / Rob Carr/Getty Images

Probably the most well-known name on this list, Jadeveon Clowney has been viewed as one of the most talented pass-rushers in football since his days with the South Carolina Gamecocks. While his stats from 2019 might not look very impressive (3.0 sacks), a deeper look at the numbers proves that he backed up that reputation in 2019. He was disrupting opposing offenses all season, posting the seventh-best pass rush win rate among all edge defenders.

1. Yannick Ngakoue

Yannick Ngakoue could become one of the highest-paid pas-rushers in free agency this offseason. / Harry Aaron/Getty Images

The most consistently productive pass-rusher in the class, Yannick Ngakoue is likely looking to break the bank this offseason. He's notched at least 8.0 sacks in each of his four NFL seasons, for a combined total of 37.5. Since his debut in 2016, Ngakoue has racked up the 12th most sacks and fourth most forced fumbles (14) in the NFL. Notably, he'll be 25 years old by the time next season kicks off. He might not be a household name yet, but Ngakoue is going to get paid like one all the same.

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Max Staley is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Max Staley also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username mstaley1212. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.