Let's Get Defensive: Biggest Defensive Player Signings/Trades

Mitch Blatt breaks down the free-agent linebackers, safeties, defensive linemen, and IDP stars who have changed teams in the early days of 2024 NFL free agency.

The 2024 free agency season has been full of drama and surprises, and not just at quarterback and running back.

Top-tier defensive talents like Danielle Hunter, Christian Wilkins, and Patrick Queen have changed teams. These moves will have huge impacts on the teams involved going into the 2024 season and on IDP fantasy football projections.

Join Mitchell Blatt as he highlights the biggest free agency moves and trades on the defensive side of the ball this offseason.

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Brian Burns Traded To Giants

In 2022, the Carolina Panthers turned down a trade proposal that would have netted them two first-round picks and a second in exchange for sending Brian Burns to the Rams. Now, the Panthers have traded Burns to the New York Giants for just a second and a fifth. Burns was still on his rookie contract then, and the Rams were overpaying. The Panthers knew he was on the way out when they gave him the franchise tag with the intent of trading him.

After the trade, he signed a five-year, $141 million contract with the Giants, which makes him the second-highest-paid edge rusher in the league. Judging by his production, that looks like an overpayment. He's not as good as T.J. Watt, Myles Garrett, or Danielle Hunter, who just signed a smaller contract this same offseason.

Since being drafted No. 16 overall in 2019, expectations were high for Burns. He's been pretty good, but he hasn't met the expectations of being a mid-first-round pick at defensive line. He's like the Justin Herbert of edge rushers.

In 2022, he made 12.5 sacks, his first season to hit double digits, and it looked like he was on his way to the elite tier. But then in 2023, he only made 8.0 sacks. But, to be fair to Burns, the Panthers were a terrible team all around, including on defense. They ranked third-to-last in terms of pressuring the opposing quarterback, and Burns made almost half of the pressures himself.

The Giants ranked in the middle of the pack for pressures, and the edge on the other side, Kayvon Thibodeaux should improve in his third year, so Burns is in a better situation in New York.

Danielle Hunter Signs With Texans

Danielle Hunter joins 2023 Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson Jr. on the edges of the Houston Texans' defensive line. This is going to be one of the best duos in the league for the next two years.

Hunter made a career-high 16.5 sacks last season. He also set or tied career-highs in solo tackles, assists, forced fumbles, and QB hits, while leading the league with 23 tackles for losses. It was his second-straight season with double-digit sacks, a feat he has accomplished in four of his past five seasons and six of his past eight.

Hunter will be 30 years old this season, so his value in IDP dynasty leagues is limited, but he should have at least a couple of top-five/top-ten DE positions left in him.

Jonathan Greenard Fills Void in Minnesota

With Hunter having left, the Vikings take the former Texan to fill his spot. Greenard isn't close to being a replacement for Hunter, but he's pretty good. He had a career year, making 12.5 sacks last season. He had been drafted in the third round in 2020, and he started for most of 2021, making 8.0 sacks and grading at 82.9 in PFF's numbers. Then, he missed most of 2022 and only made 1.5 sacks.

His breakout coincided with the Texans hiring defensive guru DeMeco Ryans and improving all around. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores is a strategic mind, too, but the Vikings as a whole are in worse shape than the Texans. Will Greenard still be able to produce on a new team?

Christian Wilkins to Vegas

One of the most versatile defensive lineman, Wilkins can rush the passer from the tackle and stop the run from the edge. Last season, Wilkins played about 600 snaps from the left tackle position and 230 lined up as the left end. His production shifted towards his pass-rush prowess. His sacks were up from 3.5 the previous year to 9.0, but his tackles were down from 98 to 65.

The Dolphins ran a 3-4, which gave Wilkins more space to move around on the line, but the Raiders run a 4-3, and Maxx Crosby is already established as the left end. So Wilkins will probably be fixed more at tackle and play fewer snaps from the edge. That could mean more total tackles but fewer sacks.

Patrick Queen Ready to Ride

Queen left the Ravens to join Russell Wilson in Pittsburgh. The No. 28 overall pick in 2020, Queen disappointed in his first two seasons. He missed over 17% of his tackles in 2020 and 2021 and gave up passer ratings in the 100s.

It wasn't until Roquan Smith was traded from the Bears to the Ravens that Queen started playing well. In each of 2022 and 2023, Queen made over 100 combined tackles and got his missed tackle rate down to 15.1% and lower.

The Steelers are hoping he can keep playing well as the top interior linebacker on the team. They'd been making do with a rotating cast of mediocre off-ball linebackers for years. Their other inside linebackers now are Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts. While Roberts is nothing special, he did make 101 combined tackles for the Steelers. Queen should make at least 100 tackles.

Xavier McKinney: Giants to Packers

Xavier McKinney has been one of the best safeties at tackling in his four years with the New York Giants. Now he joins the Packers, but there is reason to think he can't meet the tackle totals he put up in the Meadowlands.

McKinney made 116 combined tackles last season and 93 in 2021, his only other fully healthy season. He made 57 tackles on passing plays, the third-most in the league. The Giants had mediocre cornerbacks, so McKinney had to help frequently. The Packers have better cornerbacks; if Jaire Alexander doesn't allow the receiver he is covering to get open deep, McKinney won't have as many opportunities to make tackles. Green Bay's leading safety last season, Jonathan Owens, only made 35 tackles on passing plays.

Bryce Huff: Jets to Eagles

Bryce Huff had a breakout season, making 10.0 sacks and 21 QB hits for the Jets last season. Now he joins a crowded Eagles defensive line, which also has Brandon Graham, Josh Sweat, and Haason Reddick. Huff could be used as a pass-rush specialist on third-and-longs, which would give him value in sack-heavy IDP leagues.

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