Offense gets most of the attention in today's NFL, but defensive stars can be just as exciting. These dynamic defensive players stand out above the rest for their respective teams.
Jones has been one of the NFL's most consistent and productive pass rushers in recent years, with double-digit sacks in six of the last seven seasons. He finished 2019 with a career-high 19 sacks.
Jarrett has developed into one of the best interior pass rushers in the league, with 7.5 sacks and 69 tackles last season to make his first Pro Bowl. He's been anchoring Atlanta's defensive line as a starter since 2016.
Thomas came over from Seattle to join Baltimore's defense last year and didn't miss a beat. He made his seventh Pro Bowl, continuing to make big plays with two picks, two sacks and 49 tackles.
White has made himself into an elite cornerback in three NFL seasons. He was an All-Pro for Buffalo last year, leading the league with six interceptions while shutting down opposing wide receivers.
Thompson is one of the few key players sticking around Carolina's defense in 2020 after an offseason rebuild. The speedy linebacker had a career-high 109 tackles and three sacks in 14 games last season.
Mack remains one of the league's top pass rushers, even while he had what's considered a down year for his purposes in 2019 with 8.5 sacks. He's made five consecutive Pro Bowls and has 61.5 sacks in six NFL seasons.
The defensive line has long been one of Cincinnati's strongest areas, and Dunlap has been one of the team's best players for 10 seasons. He has 81.5 career sacks, including nine sacks in 14 games last season.
Unfortunately, Garrett's 2019 season ended early due to an ugly altercation with the Steelers, but he still recorded 10 sacks in 10 games. The former No. 1 overall draft choice is an elite pass rusher when he's on the field with 30.5 sacks in 37 career games.
Smith has overcome a serious knee injury in college to become a star in the NFL. He made his first Pro Bowl last season, recording 142 tackles and 2.5 sacks as one of the fastest sideline-to-sideline linebackers in the game.
A former Super Bowl MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and eight-time Pro Bowler, Miller has long been considered one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. He's coming off a down year with eight sacks last season but has 106 sacks in nine career seasons.
Flowers failed to make the difference the Lions hoped for when they gave him big money in free agency last offseason, but the former Patriot still recorded seven sacks in 15 games. He has at least 6.5 sacks in each of the last four seasons while also playing the run well.
Smith made good on his first season as a full-time starter after joining the Packers last season, with 13.5 sacks and his first Pro Bowl appearance. Joining with fellow pass rusher Preston Smith, Za'Darius is hoping for an encore performance in 2020.
Watt has long been one of the most dominant defensive players in the league, though injuries have limited him in recent seasons. He's won three Defensive Player of the Year Awards and appeared in five Pro Bowls, with 96 career sacks in 112 games.
Leonard has proved to be a tackling machine in two NFL seasons. He was an All-Pro in his rookie season and Pro Bowler last year, recording 284 tackles in 28 games for his brief career.
Allen played himself into the lineup and showed why he was the seventh overall pick in last year's draft, recording 10.5 sacks. With the loss of Calais Campbell and potential loss of Yannick Ngakoue, the Jaguars are hoping Allen builds on last season.
Mathieu joined the Chiefs in free agency last offseason and was named an All-Pro for the second time, proving to be everywhere for the team's revamped defense. While serving as a safety and occasional slot corner, Mathieu had 75 tackles and four interceptions en route to the Super Bowl.
Littleton joins the Raiders after four seasons with the Rams, two as a full-time starter. He had over 120 tackles in consecutive seasons and was also terrific covering opposing running backs.
Bosa made his second Pro Bowl in four years last season, recording 11.5 sacks and 67 tackles. He's been extremely productive during his career when on the field, proving to be an elite sack artist.
Donald is a truly elite pass rusher, now on a streak of six straight Pro Bowls and five straight All-Pro honors. He had 12.5 sacks and a league-leading 20 tackles for loss last season after recording a league-leading 20.5 sacks in 2018.
Jones joins the Dolphins from Dallas, where he was a shutdown corner for two seasons after moving over from safety. While he lacks great ball skills, Jones has been plenty productive, earning himself a huge contract in free agency with Miami.
Hunter has become an elite pass rusher for a good Vikings defense in recent seasons. He's made consecutive Pro Bowls and has double-digit sacks in three of the last four seasons. Hunter recorded 14.5 sacks in back-to-back years.
Gilmore won 2019 Defensive Players of the Year and was an All-Pro for the second consecutive season, leading the NFL with six interceptions and 20 passes defensed. He's also made the Pro Bowl in three of the last four seasons.
Jordan has been an anchor on the Saints defense since 2011, with five Pro Bowls for his career. He has double-digit sacks in three consecutive seasons, including 15.5 sacks and 53 tackles last year.
The Giants gave Martinez huge money this offseason for good reason. The former Packer has at least 144 tackles in each of the last three seasons, proving himself to be an elite part of Green Bay's run defense.
Adams has a claim as one of the top safeties in the NFL for his first three seasons. He did everything for the Jets last year, finishing with 75 tackles, seven passes defensed and 6.5 sacks in 14 games.
Cox has been a huge part of Philadelphia's defensive line since 2012, with 48 career sacks. He's made five consecutive Pro Bowls, finishing last year with 40 tackles and 3.5 sacks.
Watt has joined his older brother, J.J., as one of the most dynamic pass rushers in the game. He recorded 14.5 sacks and a league-high eight forced fumbles last season, being named an All-Pro for the first time.
Bosa was able to prove what all the fuss was about in his rookie season after becoming the second overall pick in the draft. The former Ohio State star had nine sacks and 25 quarterback hits to help him win Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Wagner is one of the few players still remaining from Seattle's elite defenses of the last decade and is still going strong with his fifth All-Pro designation last year. He led the NFL with 159 tackles and has over 100 tackles in all eight seasons of his career.
David has been a tackling machine for most of his NFL career. He has over 1,000 career tackles in eight seasons with the Bucs, including 123 tackles and seven passes defensed last year.
Byard has shown a nose for the ball in his four seasons, including an All-Pro season in 2017. Over the last three years, Byard has 17 interceptions and 261 tackles.
Collins has been a great tackler and playmaker for his entire five-year career between the Giants and Washington. He had 117 tackles last year, but his streak of three straight Pro Bowls was halted.
Seth Trachtman is a sportswriter, digital marketer, and fantasy sports expert based in St. Louis, Missouri. He’s a two-time winner of the Tout Wars Fantasy Baseball Expert’s League, and his work has appeared in hundreds of fantasy baseball and fantasy football newsstand and online publications. He’s a University of Missouri alum and long-suffering turned spoiled Kansas City Chiefs fan. Seth doesn't often Tweet, but when he does, you can find him on Twitter/X @sethroto.
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