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

Time To Hang It Up: Five NFL Defensive Stars Who Should Retire Right Now

aaron donald fantasy football rankings news NFL DFS lineup picks

Which NFL defensive players should retire after the 2022 season? Should you trade these aging players away from your IDP dynasty team? Mitch Blatt looks at five NFL players who could hang it up in the upcoming 2022-23 offseason.

Sometimes when you are late into a Sunday afternoon watching the Red Zone Network, you see a random player on your screen you didn't think played anymore. He's wearing an unfamiliar uniform. Maybe you only catch a glimpse of him when the camera pans the sideline bench. And you think, "Wait. He's still playing?!"

J.J. Watt retired this offseason at just the right time. He played all sixteen games and recorded 12.5 sacks, his first double-digit season since 2018. He made two sacks in his final game ever, and Red Zone shifted coverage to Arizona to show the crowd giving him a standing ovation at the two-minute warning. That is the way to go.

As a fan, you don't want to see players try to stay around for too long and damage their hard-earned legacies. Here are five once-great gridiron warriors who ought to hang it up right now.

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

 

#1. Aaron Donald, DT/DE, Age 31

2022 Stats: 11 games, 49 tackles, 5.0 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery

Actually, Donald should have followed Andrew Whitworth and retired after the 2022 Super Bowl rather than suffer through the 2022 Rams season. He had his ring. He just turned thirty. He had been selected to the All-Pro first team for seven straight years. He had nothing left to prove.

But maybe he (like the NFL schedule-makers) overestimated the Rams' chances of repeating. Well, the season quickly went downhill. The Rams went 5-12. Like many of the Rams' starters, Donald got injured and missed six games toward the end of the year.

He had an alright season, making 5.0 sacks and 49 combined tackles in 11 games, but it wasn't close to his previous seasons. He missed being selected to the All-Pro team for the first time since his rookie season. It won't get much better for the Rams this season.

 

#2. Ndamukong Suh, DT, Age 36

2022 Stats: eight games, ten combined tackles, 1.0 sack

In his 20s, Suh won Defensive Rookie of the Year and made the All-Pro team five times. He made over 60 combined tackles three times as a defensive tackle, setting a career-high with 72 at age 29. But his production started to trail off as soon as he hit 30. That year, he only made 48 tackles, his lowest total in four years, and he never again would be the same force crashing on running backs behind the line of scrimmage.

After three wanting years with the Buccaneers, no team wanted him heading into the 2022 season, but the Eagles eventually added him when Jordan Davis suffered a late-season injury. In eight games as a rotational player, Suh made 10 tackles, two QB hits, and one sack.

 

#3. Bruce Irvin, DE, Age 36

2022 Stats: 11 games, 28 tackles, 3.5 sacks

The 36-year-old edge rusher says we shouldn't assume he's done. He should be done. If 2022 is his last season, he will have gone out on a high note.

Selected by the Seattle Seahawks No. 15 overall in 2012, he was a fearsome player who routinely knocked balls loose and approached double-digit sack totals. He didn't play up to his first-round status, but he was a quality starter and a part of the Legion of Boom that allowed the fewest points in each of his first four years in the league. Irvin made history in Super Bowl XLIX, sacking Tom Brady and punching Rob Gronkowski in the closing seconds, making him the only player to ever get ejected from a Super Bowl.

After the Seahawks, he spent three seasons with the Raiders, but he's been bouncing around ever since, rejoining the Seahawks for two games in 2020, making seven tackles for the Bears in 2021. In 2022, he once again joined the Seahawks practice squad and was elevated to the starting lineup for ten games, during which time he made 28 sacks and 3.5 sacks, which is 3.5 more than he did in the preceding two years. To return to the team that drafted him and have the best season he's likely ever going to have again is a good way to go.

 

#4. Josh Norman, CB, Age 37

2022 Stats: two games, eight tackles, four receptions (one TD) allowed on six targets

Josh Norman took some time to build up to the status of shutdown corner. After rising and then falling in the run-up to the 2012 Draft, the Coastal Carolina product was drafted in the fifth round by Carolina. He played so poorly that he was benched in 2013, but by the second half of 2014, he was put on the opposing team's number-one receiver.

In 2015, he held DeAndre Hopkins to 53 yards, T.Y. Hilton to 15 yards, Dez Bryant to 6 yards, and Julio Jones to 33 yards. He was an epic trash talker and physical nuisance. He got into Odell Beckham Jr's head and caused him to commit three personal fouls, including a punch that resulted in a one-game suspension. In 2014, 2015, and 2016, Normal allowed fewer than 54% of the passes thrown in his direction to be completed.

But by 2018, his coverage skills and tackling ability both began to decline precipitously. Opposing quarterbacks went after him, and he allowed completions over 67% of the time in each of his past five seasons. He was back with the Panthers for the final two games of the 2022 season after injuries were piling up, and he looked done.

 

#5. Anthony Barr, LB, Age 31

2022 Stats: 14 games, 58 tackles, 1.0 sack, zero forced fumbles, zero fumble recoveries

The last of Barr's four Pro Bowls was five years ago. The former No. 9 overall pick was solid across the board early in his stint with the Vikings. He could create a couple of turnovers, put hits on the quarterback, and make five combined tackles a game.

Later, his seasons would always be disrupted by injury. He has missed two or more games every year since 2018, including missing 14 games in 2020 with a torn pec.

He was a depth piece on the Cowboys in 2022, his first season apart from the Vikings, and he wasn't making the grade. Now he's a free agent. He shouldn't look for a new home.



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

Pete Crow-Armstrong

Homers Twice, Drives in Three
Brice Matthews

Joining Astros
MLB

White Sox-Guardians Postponed on Thursday
Brandon Aiyuk

Likely to Begin Season on PUP List, but Not Ruled Out for Week 1
Jameson Williams

Not in the Team's Long-Term Plans?
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Micah Parsons

Plans to be Present for Start of Training Camp
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Ikem Ekwonu

Next Up for Extension in Carolina?
Jalen Thompson

Heading into Last Year With Cardinals?
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Najee Harris

Suffers Eye Injury in Fireworks Mishap
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Set To Open Up UFC Nashville Main Card
Junior Tafa

Set For Light-Heavyweight Bout
Alex Bregman

Will Return to Red Sox This Weekend
Chris Sale

Braves Won't Consider Trading Chris Sale
Clarke Schmidt

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery on Friday
Nick Nash

Unlikely to Make Falcons Active Roster
Lane Johnson

in No Rush To Retire
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Blake Corum

has "Gotten His Speed Back"
Jarquez Hunter

Picking Up Rams Offense Quickly
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Kirk Cousins

Feels Misled by Falcons
Bijan Robinson

Says Falcons Have "Outlandish Goals" for the Running Game
Luther Burden III

Bears Expect Luther Burden III to be Ready for Training Camp
Cole Kmet

an Unlikely Trade Piece
Tony Pollard

Titans Hope to Balance Rushing Attack With Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears
Byron Buxton

Sitting Thursday
Quentin Johnston

Not Assured of Starting Role
Cordarrelle Patterson

on the Roster Bubble in Pittsburgh?
Shedeur Sanders

Not Assured of Roster Spot in Cleveland?
Wan'Dale Robinson

Hoping For More Downfield Opportunities
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
NBA

Alex Ducas Heading to Australia
Dominick Barlow

Inks Two-Way Deal With 76ers
Jordan McLaughlin

Spurs Re-Sign Jordan McLaughlin to One-Year Deal
Dylan Harper

Out Thursday, Expected to Play Saturday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Homers Twice on Wednesday
Mike Trout

Homers Twice in Win Over Rangers
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Leads Yankees to Victory
Salvador Perez

Crushes Two Homers in Win
Cleveland Browns

Greg Newsome on the Trade Block?
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Zach Tom

An Extension Candidate in Green Bay
Devin Booker

Agrees to Extension with Phoenix
Trevor Williams

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery
Byron Buxton

Exits After Hit-by-Pitch, X-Rays Negative
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Playing on Wednesday
Alex Bregman

has "Really Good Chance" to Return Before All-Star Break
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Expected to Return on Friday
Walter Clayton Jr.

Leads Jazz to Summer League Win
Carter Bryant

Struggles in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Drops a Double-Double in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Oklahoma City Thunder

Malevy Leons Logs Impressive Summer League Outing on Tuesday
Dalton Knecht

Collects 25 Points in Lakers Summer League Win
Los Angeles Lakers

Darius Bazley Drops 27 Points in Summer League on Tuesday
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Chet Holmgren

Agrees to Rookie Max Extension
Alex Bregman

Not Returning Wednesday
Jhoan Duran

Unavailable Due to Illness
Shane McClanahan

Tosses Clean Frame in First Rehab Appearance
Jacob Wilson

Day-to-Day After HBP
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. to be Reassessed Wednesday
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Malaki Branham

Traded to Washington
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Blake Wesley

Moves to Washington
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Kelly Olynyk

on the Move Again
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Anthony Davis

Recovering From Eye Surgery
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF