ClutchPoints
The saying goes that defense wins championships. Explosive offenses get all the attention, but it was proven last season that faring well in NFL defensive rankings is uber important. The Cincinnati Bengals had arguably the best offense in the league, and they didn’t even make the playoffs.
Defenses around the NFL will look a whole lot different this season than they did last year after a busy offseason jam-packed with big free-agent and NFL Draft moves. So check out the gallery to see the ranking of the 10 best NFL defensive units for the 2025 season.
The Seattle Seahawks were good but not great last season on defense, and they didn’t make many offseason moves to improve their defensive outlook, outside of the signing of DeMarcus Lawrence. Even so, the team is good enough to take the final spot in these rankings.
Devon Witherspoon is one of the best slot cornerbacks in the NFL, and fellow corner Tariq Woolen has great size and skill for the position. The secondary is further enhanced by a great safety duo: Coby Bryant and Julian Love.
Witherspoon was added with one of the draft picks acquired in the Russell Wilson trade, as were Derick Hall and Boye Mafe. Those players ranked second and third on the team in sacks last season, only trailing Leonard Williams.
Any conversation surrounding the Cleveland Browns starts with Myles Garrett. The 2023 Defensive Player of the Year is not only arguably the best defensive player in football, but he is one of the best NFL players overall, regardless of position.
With 14 sacks and 47 combined tackles, Garrett actually improved upon his DPOY season last year. Garrett is a freak-of-nature athlete who gets after opposing quarterbacks with ruthless aggression. His presence makes life easier on the rest of the Browns’ defense, which is a unit that actually underwhelmed in comparison to expectations last season.
In theory, the Browns should have one of the best secondaries in the NFL, especially because Garrett forces quarterbacks into bad decisions. Denzel Ward is one of the best cornerbacks in the league, and his partners in crime, Greg Newsome and Martin Emerson, have played elite football in coverage in years past before having down seasons in 2024.
If the two cornerbacks, neither of whom has surpassed age 25, return to form and play to their potential, the Browns could be elite on defense.
Mason Graham could take the defense to a whole new level as well. The Browns drafted Graham fifth overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, and many considered him the second-best defensive player in this class.
The Browns gave up a lot of points last season, and they are thin at linebacker because Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah will miss all of the season, but they actually have the potential to exceed this ranking among the best defenses in the league.
The Detroit Lions’ defense was ravaged by injuries last season. Their offense...
