8 NFL Edge Defenders in Best Position for Breakout Season in 2023

The ability to generate pressure is both a necessity and a luxury for NFL defenses.

That is precisely the reason that edge-rushers are among the highest-paid players in the sport, after all. Franchises don't often let defenders who consistently cause disruption even touch free agency.

Nick Bosa, Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt are three of the best at the position right now. But the next wave is coming.

Each player highlighted hasn't yet surpassed 10 sacks in a season. Rookies are not considered because the focus is on edge-rushers who can be compared to their past performance.

Under the expectation Nick Bosa will sign his inevitable extension soon, Drake Jackson is headed for an enviable spot.

Samson Ebukam and Charles Omenihu left in free agency, and the San Francisco 49ers didn't do much to replace them. Instead, they bolstered the interior of the defensive line with Javon Hargrave.

As a result, Jackson is expected to complete a starting unit of Bosa, Hargrave and Arik Armstead.

Yeah, that'll work.

Not only might his snap share double in 2023, Jackson's involvement in true pass-rush situations should rise. He notched three sacks in limited action last season, so a sharp rise in production seems likely.

Why not both?

Two years ago, Azeez Ojulari tallied eight sacks and 27 pressures. Despite a few injuries holding him to seven appearances in 2022, he still managed 5.5 and 13, respectively, in just 230 snaps.

Kayvon Thibodeaux, meanwhile, ended his debut campaign with four and 18, finishing fourth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.

As with Jackson in San Francisco, the New York Giants' surrounding talent is a positive, too. Dexter Lawrence, Leonard Williams and free-agent addition A'Shawn Robinson are a sturdy interior group.

Provided they stay healthy, Ojulari and Thibodeaux could each make a run at double-digit sacks in 2023.

The appeal for Carl Granderson is straightforward.

So far, he's served as a complementary piece with the New Orleans Saints. Over the last three seasons, Granderson has totaled 14.5 sacks and 39 pressures while playing no more than 45 percent of snaps.

Granderson, though, should be a starter after Marcus Davenport exited in free agency. Tanoh Kpassagnon is suited for a rotational role, 2021 first-round selection Payton Turner has much to prove and 2023 second-round pick Isaiah Foskey may need time to adjust to the NFL.

New Orleans rebuilt the interior group, but veteran Cameron Jordan remains the cornerstone of the D-line. His presence will be a positive for Granderson on the opposite edge.

So long as Granderson secures a featured role during the preseason, his upside is alluring.

The short version is Travon Walker didn't have the rookie year expected of a No. 1 overall draft pick. He closed the 2022 campaign with a modest 3.5 sacks and 21 pressures.

Walker should have a much louder season in 2023.

Experience is critical for young players, and Walker—who logged nearly 900 snaps in his debut year, including the playoffs—has plenty of that. It's hard to imagine a defender as talented as him struggling to build on a season crammed with on-field lessons.

Additionally, the trend of key teammates is also present here. Jacksonville knows it can lean on Josh Allen, who amassed 40 pressures along with his seven sacks last season.

Walker and Allen could form a devastating duo in the AFC South.

As the roster stands today, the Baltimore Ravens will have a revamped group of edge-rushers.

Justin Houston recorded a team-high 9.5 sacks last season, while Calais Campbell added 5.5 and Jason Pierre-Paul had three. Houston and JPP are unsigned, and Campbell is now a member of the Atlanta Falcons.

In other words, 2023 may be Odafe Oweh's time to shine.

Oweh, who collected eight sacks and 43 pressures during his first two years, is likely to command a massive snap share. Considering he already played about 60 percent of snaps in 2021 and 2022 combined, Oweh presumably is ready for a heavy workload.

Opportunity does not guarantee production, but Oweh should have a constant presence this season.

Had a midseason ankle injury not cost Greg Rousseau three-plus games, he might've fulfilled the "breakout" definition.

We can be patient, though.

Rousseau still tallied eight sacks and 18 pressures in those 13 appearances and—perhaps more notably—just 463 snaps. He finished among the most efficient pass-rushers in the league.

One legitimate obstacle is the amount of depth the Buffalo Bills have accumulated at the position. Rousseau and Von Miller are the starters, but Leonard Floyd, Shaq Lawson, A.J. Epenesa and Boogie Basham could all land regular snaps.

While that rotation may inhibit Rousseau from racking up stats, he'll also theoretically be fresher in clear pass-rush situations.

In some ways, Jaelan Phillips could be labeled an established player. He's registered back-to-back seven-sack seasons and played 73 percent of snaps with the Miami Dolphins last year.

However, he might be on the verge of a superstar ascent.

Melvin Ingram eclipsed 500 snaps last year, but Miami didn't re-sign him. Andrew Van Ginkel should absorb some of that playing time, and most of the rest likely will belong to Phillips.

An expanded role should only bolster the third-year pro's production. Plus, new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is a prime person to unleash Phillips opposite Bradley Chubb.

And it'd be wise not to rule out Phillips surpassing Chubb anyway.