Who is the best Defensive End in the NFL?

The evolution of the offensive side of the game of the National Football League continues to create the need for talented playmakers on the defensive side of the football. More importantly, defensive stars that can not only make plays against the run and defend against the pass but also have the speed to sack the opposing quarterback. As you start to look around at the best defensive end in the NFL, it is easy to slide in the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns atop the Top 10 NFL Defensive Ends 2024 Rankings list.

Garrett who is just 28 years old is coming off his third First Team All-Pro selection as well as earning his first Defensive Player of the Year Award has racked up 88.5 sacks since being drafted during the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

The Browns defender posted his six straight seasons with at least double-digit sacks despite facing teams game planning for him and using double teams to slow him down.

Joining Garrett among the best defensive tackles in 2024 includes Nick Bosa of the San Francisco 49ers, Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders, Aidan Hutchinson of the Detroit Lions, and Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Here is a look at the Top 10 NFL Defensive Ends 2024 Rankings:

Honorable Mention

Bryce Huff

Team: Philadelphia Eagles

Just missing the Top 10 NFL Defensive Ends 2024 Rankings list is the newly acquired Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Bryce Huff. After spending the four previous seasons with the Jets, Huff lands in the NFC East on an Eagles team looking to win another Super Bowl title.

Huff, who was an undrafted free agent signing by the Jets has blossomed into a solid pass rush specialist including posting a career high 10 sacks last season and 25 total sacks over just 54 games played in the NFL.

While there is room for improvement against the run, his ability to make plays against the quarterback position adds a ton of value to the Eagles roster entering 2024.

Leonard Floyd

Team: San Francisco 49ers

Arriving in San Francisco for the 2024 NFL Season with the San Francisco 49ers may elevate Leonard Floyd to another double-digit sack season something he has done in two of the previous four seasons.

Coming off a career high 10.5 sacks last season with the Buffalo Bills, Floyd will slide in on a talented defensive line that includes Nick Bosa.

Over the previous eight seasons, Floyd has posted 58 career sacks and will be a solid defender against the pass to help solidify a defense that was just a few plays away from winning the Super Bowl.

Top 10 Defensive Ends in NFL Power Rankings

10. Denico Autry

Team: Houston Texans

Sliding in at number 10 on the Top 10 NFL Defensive Ends 2024 Rankings list is another talented defensive end who landed with the Houston Texans during the off-season in Denico Autry.

While Autry may go under the radar his ability to get to the quarterback continues to improve each season while also bringing veteran leadership to a young team looking to make a deeper postseason run.

Autry arrives with the Texans coming off 28.5 sacks over the previous three seasons with the Tennessee Titans including a career high 11.5 sacks last season. Autry will slide in alongside fellow defensive ends Will Anderson Jr and Danielle Hunter delivering the Texans a stellar pass rushing trio at the position.

9. Haason Reddick

Team: New York Jets

Entering last season, a ton of expectations were put on the New York Jets that came crashing down just a few plays into the season after losing Aaron Rodgers for the entire season.

Fast forward another season and those expectations return with a healthy Rodgers along with a roster loaded with stars on both sides of the football. One addition to the roster was the off-season acquisition of defensive end Haason Reddick who delivers another pass rushing playmaker to the team as well as a speed defensive player who can also stop the run.

Reddick enters the 2024 NFL season coming off four straight double digit sack seasons including a career high 16 during the 2022 NFL season. Despite seeing his overall grade drop, Reddick still finished the 2023 NFL season posting a 75.2 overall grade from PFF. 

8. Will Anderson Jr.

Team: Houston Texans

After a strong rookie season with the Houston Texans after being selected third overall by the Houston Texan during the 2023 NFL Draft, Will Anderson Jr will enter the 2024 NFL season looking to build on his seven-sack season.

The former Alabama Crimson Tide defensive star was solid against both the run and pass while posting a 76.6 pass rush grade to go alongside a 77.4 run defense grade from PFF.

In addition to his regular season sack total Anderson added another sack during the team’s playoff loss while also registering 11.5 total stuffs across the regular season and playoffs.

As the 2024 NFL schedule slowly approaches the expectations are high in the AFC South as Texas will look to make a run at a second straight division title.

7. Montez Sweat

Team: Chicago Bears

It is hard to look at struggles of the Washington Commanders and hold it against Montez Sweat who put together solid NFL seasons since arriving in the Nation’s Capital.

The former first round pick during the 2019 NFL draft has recorded 41.5 sacks since entering the league during the 2019 NFL season including a career high 12.5 sacks between the Chicago Bears and Commanders last season.

Entering the 2024 NFL season, Sweat will look to build on his six sacks over his final nine games with the Bears while he continues to build on his fresh start to his NFL career on a young and improving roster that will require their defense to make plays in 2024.

6. Danielle Hunter

Team: Houston Texans

The Houston Texans are loaded with stars all across the defensive side of the football while also adding one of the top pass rushing specialists from the 2023 NFL season through free agency.

That pass rushing star was the former LSU Tigers and Minnesota Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter who elected to sign the veteran Pro Bowl star to a two-year deal worth nearly $50 million dollars ($49 million). While Hunter is known for his pass rushing, the former Tigers star has been also solid against the run over his career.

Ultimately however, his career high 16.5 sacks landed him with a Texans team looking to take another step forward after making the NFL Playoffs last season. Hunter will join a roster that includes fellow star defensive end Will Anderson Jr. 

5. Aidan Hutchinson

Team: Detroit Lions

Rounding out the Top 5 on the Top 10 NFL Defensive Ends 2024 Rankings list is the Detroit Lions young star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. Hutchinson who played a key role in the Lions success last season has slowly blossomed into one of the NFL’s top young defensive stars as he looks to build on his success last season entering the 2024 NFL season.

The Lions star defensive end finished the 2023 NFL season leading all defensive ends with 101 quarterback pressures while also ranking second behind only Micah Parsons in the NFL.

With a strong rookie season posting 9.5 sacks to go along with 52 tackles, Hutchinson improved his overall totals to include a career high 11.5 sacks last season. After falling in the NFC Championship, the Lions will look to make another deep run led by their talented play on the defensive side of the football.

4. Trey Hendrickson

Team: Cincinnati Bengals

The 29-year-old defensive end continues to rank among the best pass rushers in the NFL while being a top tier talent to the Cincinnati Bengals defensive. Since joining the Bengals after the 2020 NFL season, Trey Hendrickson has posted 39.5 sacks over the three seasons with the team including a career high 17.5 sacks last season.

While Hendrickson has made a name for himself against the pass it is hard to look past his playmaking abilities against the run as well while helping him earn an overall 84.1 grade for his play during the 2023 NFL season.

With a healthy Joe Burrow entering the 2024 NFL season, the Bengals will need Hendrickson to continue to play at a prominent level if the team is to compete in a loaded AFC North.

3. Maxx Crosby

Team: Las Vegas Raiders

It is hard to not like the style of play Maxx Crosby brings to the table week in and week out across the NFL schedule. Crosby is an all-around talent at the defensive end position that can not only play a proven role in the pass rushing area but also a proven defender against the run as well.

Entering year six, Crosby has posted 89 tackles (2022) and 90 tackles (2023) over the previous two seasons while also posting at least 12.5 sacks in each including a career high 14.5 sacks last season. His strong all-around play both against the pass and run landed him a strong 92 grade from PFF.

2. Nick Bosa

Team: San Francisco 49ers 

The San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa is as talented as any defensive end in the NFL while showcasing his playmaking abilities at the highest level including during the team’s run to the Super Bowl.

Bosa is coming off his thirst straight double-digit sack season, recording 10.5 last season while bringing his overall total to 53.5 sacks in just 68 games played. While his sack totals were down, double teams impacted his path to the quarterback while freeing up other playmakers on the 49ers defense to make plays.

Ultimately Bosa finished the season ranked third among edge rushers posting a 92.3 pass rushing grade trailing only Garrett and the Dallas Cowboys Micah Parsons.

1. Myles Garrett

Team: Cleveland Browns

In at number one on the Top 10 NFL Defensive Ends 2024 Rankings list is the Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett. Garrett was one of the top all around defensive playmakers on the defensive side of the football during the 2023 NFL season earning him his first Defensive Player of the Year Award.

The Browns defensive star was all around the football last season including posting 15 sacks, 13 tackles for a loss and 22 runs stopped at the line of scrimmage. His overall play landed him the top overall grade at 93.6 from PFF among edge defenders.

In addition to those numbers Garrett was bothered by a shoulder injury impacting his overall powerful attack to the opposing quarterback. Entering the 2024 NFL season Garrett will look to post his seventh straight season with at least 10 sacks while potentially reaching 100 career sacks during the upcoming season (88.5). 

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