Once the initial waves of the NFL free agency period die down, there are usually a few stragglers who find new homes within a matter of weeks. But this year, I wouldn’t characterize any of the remaining edge pass rush names as “scraps.”
I’d go as far as to say that I’m actually shocked some of these productive edge dynamos haven’t been signed yet, given their remaining power and established pedigree. Having an edge pass rush is one of those pro football things you never possess quite enough of. You’re probably still shorthanded even when you think you have enough to give offensive tackles sleepless nights.
But, after Super Bowl 56 champion Leonard Floyd finally signed with the Super Bowl-contending Buffalo Bills on Monday, the edge market should start to slowly fall into place within a matter of weeks. A stat-stuffer like Floyd setting the table with a one-year deal gives everyone else a precedent to work with.
Here’s a look at five quality edge pass rushers who could still have a valuable place on a championship contender.
5
Melvin Ingram
At the age of 33, with 11 seasons under his belt, Ingram is well past his prime. He’s probably also not going to amount to much more than a situational role. Father Time — it catches up to all of us. Nonetheless, this is a guy who still had 10 quarterback hits and six sacks on a mediocre Dolphins defense last season. If Ingram can land on a playoff contender of any kind, they will be pretty satisfied with the wily veteran’s production.
4
Jadeveon Clowney
A former No. 1 overall pick, Clowney has never quite lived up to his on-paper potential. But in a career that now spans almost a decade, he’s still been a useful No. 2 pass-rushing option when in the right situation. Most recently, Clowney was a de-facto member of the Cleveland Browns’ “Bash Brothers” with the all-worldly Myles Garrett — ironically, another No. 1 overall pick. Such a distinction saw the 30-year-old Clowney record 23 quarterback hits and 11 sacks in 24 starts with the Browns.
There’s a lot more than meets the eye with Clowney — who was, at one point, benched for frustration over his usage in 2022 — but he can still be a valuable member of a quality defense.
3
Robert Quinn
Quinn might be one of the more hot and cold pass rushers in the modern NFL pantheon. By that, I mean the 33-year-old is notorious for being very good in odd-numbered years of late (2019, 2021) and very bad in even-numbered years (2020, 2022). Quinn was so forgettable in 2022 he played no meaningful role on the NFC-title-winning Philadelphia Eagles despite a midseason trade.
Well, guess what prospective pass-rush needy teams: 2023 is an odd-numbered year. You know what that means. Take your pick at Quinn — a former Defensive Player of the Year in 2013 — while you still can. When he accrues 12-plus sacks this season, don’t say I didn’t warn you.
2
Yannick Ngakoue
If all Randy Moss does is catch touchdowns, all Ngakoue does is sack quarterbacks. Ha, get it? We have fun here.
But seriously: Ngakoue has 135 quarterback hits (!) and 65 sacks (!!) in seven career seasons despite featuring on five (!!!) different teams. Oh, and he’s only 28 years old. It boggles the mind how anyone who needs a legitimate pass-rushing presence would let this guy sit on the open market for this long. Part of that is on Ngakoue.
The veteran has said he’s looking for a more “stable home” after bouncing around like a mercenary for most of the past three years. If I were a squad looking for consistency and explosive play, I’d offer a primed veteran like Ngakoue whatever his heart desires, and I wouldn’t look back.
1
Justin Houston
Barring a massive late-career renaissance, Houston will likely never be a Pro Football Hall of Famer. But, with over 111 sacks and four Pro Bowl selections to his name, the long-time stalwart remains one of the NFL’s more underrated edge terrors. Take Houston’s play during the 2022 season, for example. The man had 17 quarterback hits and 9.5 sacks for the Baltimore Ravens, numbers that are more or less in line with the rap sheet of his entire career profile — you know, when he was just about 10 years younger.
Even in his mid-30s, Houston is still chugging along as an elite “1B” pass rusher. At an affordable price, he could be the missing piece to one team’s championship puzzle. And at this stage of his illustrious career, that’s all he missing: A contributing role with a contender.
