X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Let's Get Defensive: The Biggest NFL Defensive Player Signings/Trades Of The Offseason

Josh Sweat Philadelphia Eagles Defense - Fantasy Football DST Streamers, Rankings, Pickups

Craig Rondinone analyzes the biggest defensive player signings and trades of the NFL's 2025 offseason and how they may affect IDP fantasy football leagues for the upcoming season.

Fantasy football can be so much more than just touchdowns, yards, targets, receptions, and rushes. To make things even more interesting, you can be in a fantasy league where both sides of the ball are represented.

IDP (Individual Defense Player) fantasy football leagues have gained in popularity over the past several seasons. Now, fantasy footballers can pay as much attention to tacklers as they do to touchdowns. Have you ever dreamt of trading Travis Kelce for a premium pass-rusher or an interception machine of a cornerback? IDP leagues give you that opportunity!

So, during this offseason, when the salary cap has been raised to a record amount and organizations are tossing millions of dollars at defensive linemen, linebackers, cornerbacks, and safeties, which free-agent signings and trades have involved the biggest names on the defensive side of the ball? Here is a look.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

The Biggest Defensive Player Signings and Trades of the 2025 NFL Offseason

Milton Williams, New England Patriots (DT)

Milton Williams played second banana on Super Bowl champion Philadelphia’s defensive line next to Jalen Carter, and he parlayed it into a $104 million payday from New England. Williams was a Super Bowl hero thanks to two sacks and constant pressure on Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes.

The jury is out on whether or not Williams can be another Vince Wilfork, especially without Carter making his life easier next to him on the line. Now, Williams will be the one facing double teams and special blocking schemes. But he will certainly fortify a Patriots run defense that finished 23rd in 2024 and faces Buffalo’s James Cook, New York’s Breece Hall, and Miami’s De'Von Achane regularly.

Williams is not exactly a fantasy force as run-stuffing tackles do not put up the spectacular stats cornerbacks, linebackers, and pass-rushers do for fantasy footballers, but do not be surprised to see his sack total rise now that he is the centerpiece of a defensive line instead of sharing the sacks with other ultra-talented big men like he did in Philly.

Josh Sweat, Arizona Cardinals (DE/OLB)

Call him an outside linebacker. Call him a defensive end. The two things you can call Josh Sweat, though, are a premium pass-rusher and rich!

Sweat was a cornerstone of the Philadelphia Eagles front seven as he consistently came off the edge to wreak havoc throughout the regular season and the postseason. Now, he has taken his talent to Arizona, thanks to a four-year, $76.4 million deal.

Sweat gave fantasy managers plenty of sacks during his seven seasons in the land of the Liberty Bell. He recorded 39 sacks over the past five years, including a career-high 11 in 2022. Sweat’s consistency, durability, and ability to make big plays in big games made him so sought-after this offseason -- and in fantasy leagues as well.

Considering Arizona did not have a player with more than five sacks in 2024, Sweat is a welcome addition to the defense. It will be interesting to see what he can do without a bevy of Pro Bowl players around him to free him up for one-on-one blocking situations. Sweat’s track record has to make you think that 7.5 to 11 sacks in 2025 is the right range for him with his new team.

Nick Bolton, Kansas City Chiefs (ILB)

Patrick Mahomes might be Kansas City’s quarterback on offense, but Nick Bolton is the quarterback of the Chiefs defense and is arguably almost as important.

Bolton has been the heart and soul of the defensive unit since being drafted in the second round back in 2021 and has slowly turned the Chiefs into a defensive team over the past couple of years. That is why he was blessed with a three-year, $45 million deal to stay with the defending AFC champions.

Bolton has been Kansas City’s leading tackler while manning the middle of the defense for the past four seasons. He finished second in tackles in the NFL in 2022 with an astounding 180. While he did not come close to averaging 10 tackles per game last season, Bolton’s role in the defense has never been more important. He led the team in tackles, tackles for loss, and fumble recoveries, and he also defended six passes and added three sacks.

Feel free to draft Bolton in IDP leagues as he can help out in numerous categories, with tackles being the main man. His role should not change now that he is staying put with the AFC champion Chiefs and is entering the prime of his career as he heads into his fifth NFL campaign.

Other Signings of Note

The Philadelphia Eagles re-signed LB Zack Baun to a three-year, $51 million contract after his breakout 2024 season. After four years as a part-time player for the New Orleans Saints, Baun blossomed with the Super Bowl champs and led the team with 152 tackles and added 3.5 sacks. After losing the aforementioned Williams and Sweat, bringing back Baun is a boost to the Eagles defense.

The Carolina Panthers re-signed CB Jaycee Horn to a four-year, $100 million deal. There was a bumper crop of cornerbacks on the free-agent market this offseason, but Carolina decided to keep the shutdown corner it had in-house for a few more seasons. Horn now has to prove that he is worth every penny.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis

POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Dylan Moore

Expected To Return From Injured List After Minimum Stay
Jonathan Kuminga

Out With An Illness
Max Scherzer

Completes Another Successful Bullpen Session
Jimmy Butler III

Ready To Play Wednesday
Jared Jones

Begins Throwing Progression
Isaiah Stewart

In Danger Of Missing Another Game Thursday
Alex Iafallo

Drops To Second Line Wednesday
Pavel Dorofeyev

To Be A Game-Time Call Thursday
Tyler Tucker

Ruled Out For Game 5
Chase Dollander

Leaves Early On Wednesday With Blister Issue
Nicolai Hojgaard

Looking To Build Off Last Week's Runner-Up Finish
Sam Montembeault

Remains Out For Game 5
Aliaksei Protas

Likely To Return Wednesday
Gary Woodland

Could See Success At CJ CUP
Alexandre Carrier

A Game-Time Call Wednesday
Patrik Laine

Out On Wednesday
Cam Davis

Making First Appearance At TPC Craig Ranch
Lance McCullers Jr.

To Make Season Debut On Sunday Against White Sox
Griffin Conine

Expected To Miss Rest Of The Season
Bryce Miller

Battles Through Back Injury On Tuesday
Green Bay Packers

Devonte Wyatt's Fifth-Year Option Exercised By Packers
New York Jets

Quarterback Jordan Travis Retires From Football
Taylor Ward

Sitting On Wednesday
Pittsburgh Steelers

Montravius Adams Released By Steelers
Sam Burns

Could Be Due For A Great Week At TPC Craig Ranch
Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles Picking Up Fifth-Year Option On Jordan Davis
Minnesota Vikings

Myles Price Lands With Vikings As UDFA
Cleveland Browns

NFL Hands Out Fines To Falcons, Jeff Ulbrich For Leak Of Shedeur Sanders' Phone Number
Tyler Glasnow

Shut Down For 10-14 Days
Cleveland Browns

Shedeur Sanders Has A Lot Of Work To Do
Pittsburgh Steelers

Calvin Austin III Has Inside Track On Slot Role
Pittsburgh Steelers

Kaleb Johnson To Be Co-Starter For Steelers?
Baltimore Ravens

Ravens Won't Pick Up Fifth-Year Option On Tyler Linderbaum
Baltimore Ravens

Ravens Exercise Kyle Hamilton's Fifth-Year Option
Minnesota Vikings

Vikings Agree With Andrew Van Ginkel On One-Year Extension
Atlanta Falcons

Nick Nash Has An Opportunity With Falcons
Atlanta Falcons

Falcons Exercise Fifth-Year Option On Drake London
Ketel Marte

Likely To Return This Weekend
A.J. Puk

Won't Need Surgery, Won't Throw For 2-3 Weeks
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Could Be Forced To Injured List With Oblique Injury
Jeimer Candelario

Placed On 10-Day Injured List With Spine Strain
Patrick Rodgers

A Solid Value Play At TPC Craig Ranch
Jamal Murray

Explodes For 43 Points In Game 5
Carson Young

Looking To Recapture Form At CJ Cup
Jayson Tatum

Fires In 35 Points In Series-Clincher
Matt McCarty

An Intriguing Value Play At CJ Cup
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Logs Massive Triple-Double In Game 5
Maxi Kleber

Listed As Questionable For Game 5
Will Zalatoris

Searching For Putting Form At CJ Cup
Rob Dillingham

Out On Wednesday
Jae'Sean Tate

Still Out On Wednesday
Jimmy Butler III

Listed As Probable For Wednesday
Jack Eichel

Notches Two Assists In Game 5 Victory
Sam Stevens

A Risky Play With Upside At CJ Cup
PGA

Sungjae Im Riding Momentum Into CJ Cup
Sebastian Aho

Sends Hurricanes To Round 2
Ben Griffin

Looking To Stay Hot After First Career Win
Jake Knapp

Looking For More Success At TPC Craig Ranch
Linus Ullmark

Records Shutout In Elimination Game
Brady Tkachuk

Extends Point Streak To Four Games
Mackenzie Hughes

Is An Interesting Option At CJ Cup
Pavel Dorofeyev

Doesn't Finish Game 5
Filip Gustavsson

Exits Early Due To Illness
Aaron Ekblad

Slapped With Two-Game Suspension
Aldrich Potgieter

Trending Downward For CJ Cup
Taylor Pendrith

Plays Well In Houston Recently
PGA

Niklas Norgaard May Not Be Cut Out For Texas
Rasmus Hojgaard

Could Be Up Or Down In Texas
Ben Rice

Smacks Two Homers To End Slump
Jorge Polanco

Hits Two More Homers, Drives In Five
Scottie Scheffler

The Untouchable Favorite At CJ Cup
Tom Kim

A Popular Name To Avoid At TPC Craig Ranch
Austin Eckroat

Looking To Find Success Again At TPC Craig Ranch
Cristopher Sánchez

Cristopher Sanchez Set To Start Wednesday
Shota Imanaga

Exits With Leg Cramps
Ben Kohles

Finishes Tied For 59th At Corales Puntacana Championship
George Kirby

"Feeling Great," Could Throw Again On Sunday
Tyler Fitzgerald

Returning To Starting Nine
Josh Lowe

Progressing Well, Could Play In Rehab Games On Saturday
Shane McClanahan

Begins "Throwing-Like" Activities
Patrik Laine

Remains Day-To-Day
Gabriel Vilardi

On Track To Return Wednesday
Brandon Hagel

Ruled Out For Game 5
Marcus Johansson

Returns To Action Tuesday
Jonas Siegenthaler

Considered A Game-Time Decision Tuesday
Brett Pesce

A Game-Time Call Tuesday
Frederik Andersen

Unavailable Tuesday
Aaron Nesmith

Upgraded To Available
Las Vegas Raiders

Jack Bech A Strong Candidate To Be An Immediate Starter
Las Vegas Raiders

Zamir White Competing For Depth Role
New York Jets

Mason Taylor To Immediately Be Atop Jets Tight End Depth Chart
Bennedict Mathurin

Cleared For Game 5
Buffalo Bills

Dalton Kincaid Setting Up As Post-Hype Sleeper In 2025?
Denver Broncos

Dre Greenlaw Expected To Be Ready For Training Camp
Seattle Seahawks

Sam Darnold To Take Over 90% Of The Snaps
Tennessee Titans

Titans In No Rush To Trade Will Levis
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Records Third Consecutive Double-Double
Brandin Podziemski

Hits Six Treys During 26-Point Performance
Jimmy Butler III

Leads Warriors In Scoring Monday Night
Jarrett Allen

Has Double-Double, Six Steals In Blowout Win
Brandon Boston Jr.

Recovering From Ankle Surgery
Kelly Olynyk

Undergoes Heel Procedure
Aaron Nesmith

Probable For Tuesday's Action
Jimmy Butler III

Officially Active For Game 4
Isaiah Stewart

Uncertain For Game 5
William Byron

Ends With A Strong Top-Five Finish At Talladega
Ryan Blaney

Bad Luck Continues With Talladega Crash
Kyle Larson

Has A Career-Best Performance At Talladega
Ian Machado Garry

Gets Back On Track With UFC Kansas City Win
Brad Keselowski

Talladega Run Ends Early After Crashing
Carlos Prates

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Zhang Mingyang

Still Undefeated In The UFC
Anthony Smith

Retires After UFC Kansas City Loss
Giga Chikadze

Takes Unanimous Decision Loss
Giga Chikadze

Takes Unanimous-Decision Loss
David Onama

Extends Win Streak At UFC Kansas City
Michel Pereira

Drops Decision At UFC Kansas City
Abus Magomedov

Extends His Win Streak
Nicolas Dalby

Gets Finished For The First Time
Randy Brown

Gets Back In The Win Column
Ikram Aliskerov

Gets First-Round TKO Finish At UFC Kansas City
Andre Muniz

Gets TKO'd At UFC Kansas City
Chase Elliott

Recovers from Speeding Penalty to Finish Fifth
Joey Logano

Finishes Last at Talladega After Disqualification for Missing Spoiler Brace
Ryan Preece

Loses Talladega Race First in Photo Finish Then in Post-Race Inspection
NASCAR

Poor Toyota Strategy Arguably Cost Bubba Wallace Winning Chances at Talladega
Christopher Bell

Unhurt After Hard Contact with Inside Retaining Wall
Chase Elliott

Is One OF The Top Overall DFS Picks Of The Week
Joey Logano

Could Joey Logano Finish A Race With A Top Finish At Talladega?
NASCAR

DFS Players Should Like Bubba Wallace For Talladega This Week
Christopher Bell

Should DFS Players Roster Christopher Bell At Talladega?
Austin Cindric

Is Austin Cindric Worth Rostering For Talladega DFS Lineups?
Shane Van Gisbergen

Is A Solid, Safe, DFS Choice For Talladega Lineups
Austin Dillon

Is Austin Dillon A Viable DFS Play At Talladega This Week?
Josh Berry

Qualifies Too High At Talladega To Be Worth Rostering In DFS
Michael McDowell

Should DFS Players Take A Shot On Michael McDowell At Talladega?
Noah Gragson

Could Be A Sneaky DFS Play For Talladega
Denny Hamlin

Probably Qualified Too Well for DFS Consideration
Kyle Larson

Increasingly Undervalued Due to His Crashing, but Still a Great DFS Option
Carlos Prates

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Ian Machado Garry

Set For UFC Kansas City Main Event
Zhang Mingyang

Scheduled For Co-Main Event
Anthony Smith

Set For His Final UFC Bout
David Onama

Set For Featherweight Bout
Giga Chikadze

Looks To Bounce Back
Abus Magomedov

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Michel Pereira

Returns To Action At UFC Kansas City
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF