Top Ten NFL Teams With the Best Defensive Lines Going Into the 2020 Season

The Top Ten
San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team located in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The 49ers arguably have the best defensive line in the NFL. Just look at what they did last season. With three great players in Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead, and DeForest Buckner, they wreaked havoc on opposing offensive lines. They got to the Super Bowl, largely due to their defensive line.

Now that Buckner is with the Colts, the 49ers drafted Javon Kinlaw in the first round, which isn't much of a downgrade. Their defensive line for next season projects as Bosa, Armstead, and Kinlaw starting, with Ronald Blair and Solomon Thomas providing good depth. This 49ers defense is great, and the defensive line headlines it.

Los Angeles Chargers The Los Angeles Chargers are a professional American football team based in Los Angeles. The Chargers compete in the National Football League as a member club of the league's American Football Conference West division.

Despite their poor record last season, it was not the fault of their line. Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram are one of the best defensive end pairs in the NFL, and now they have recently signed Linval Joseph to play in the middle. He is a good run stuffer and can sometimes get after the quarterback.

Essentially, the Chargers have three Pro Bowlers that start along their defensive line, not to mention 2019 first-round pick Jerry Tillery learning behind Joseph. For a team looking to find their footing again, their line will definitely help.

Washington Football Team The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

In 2020, Washington after 87 years got rid of the Redskins trademark due to it being labeled racist to native culture. It was named the Washington Football Team until February... read more

For a team with as many problems as they have, the Football Team has a strength on the defensive line. They have a lot of first-rounders playing and starting on it. Veteran and Pro Bowler Ryan Kerrigan and 2019 first-round pick Montez Sweat are on the edge, with Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne on the interior.

Let's not forget their first-round pick this year, second overall draft pick Chase Young, who will make this defensive line even better. Every single player I just mentioned is a first-round pick. Let's not forget some of the underrated players like Matt Ioannidis and Nate Orchard.

New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Saints currently compete in the National Football League as a member club of the league's National Football Conference South division.

The Saints are a solid team, and their defensive line shows that. Defensive end Cameron Jordan is the main man on the line and is always among the best defensive players in the entire NFL.

Marcus Davenport, playing opposite him, has also shown potential and may break out soon. On the interior defensive line, Sheldon Rankins and Malcom Brown fortify the defensive line, with David Onyemata and the former undrafted free agent Shy Tuttle backing them up.

The Saints are a great team not only because of their high-flying offense but their defensive line as well.

Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears compete in the National Football League as a member club of the league's National Football Conference North division.

The Bears showed in 2018 why their defensive line was so good. Even though injuries and regression battered the team last season, their defense stood tall, especially the defensive line.

Akiem Hicks is its best player, and when he missed time due to an injury last season, it showed. He is a top defensive end in the league right now. On the interior, Eddie Goldman has proved a valuable player in stopping the run and is an underrated tackle.

Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional football franchise based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Eagles compete in the National Football League as a member club of the league's National Football Conference East division.

The Eagles, while focusing on improving their secondary, made their defensive line even better this offseason. They signed Javon Hargrave to play alongside Pro Bowler Fletcher Cox on the interior of the line, which will make a good duo.

The edges feature Brandon Graham, who has been playing well for over a decade now, and the young Derek Barnett. Unlike their secondary, their defensive line also has good depth.

Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League as a member club of the league's American Football Conference West division.

While they did not always show it last season, the defending Super Bowl champs have a good defensive line. The team's offense is the main attraction, but their defense has also been key. Chris Jones recently signed an extension with the Chiefs, which definitely helps in the long run. He may be a defensive tackle, but he is a sack master.

He plays next to Frank Clark, who the Chiefs traded for before their Super Bowl season. He battled injury, but when he did play, he made a great impact. Less-known players like Tanoh Kpassagnon and Mike Pennel provide good depth as well.

Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are an American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960, and first took the field for the 1961 season.

While they lost two great players in Linval Joseph and Everson Griffen, the Vikings still have a good defensive line. It is all centered around defensive end Danielle Hunter, who has made a big impact for the line. Recently signed Michael Pierce should help Shamar Stephen on the interior as well.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers currently compete in the National Football League as a member team of the National Football Conference South division.

There has been hype around the Buccaneers team this offseason, but it has mainly centered around the offense. The defense is getting overlooked, especially their defensive line.

Vita Vea is really coming together as an elite run defender, and Ndamukong Suh has been a great veteran help for the defensive line. Defensive end William Gholston has also been a solid contributor since his rookie season in 2013.

Las Vegas Raiders The Las Vegas Raiders are a professional American football franchise based in Las Vegas. The Raiders began playing in 1960 as a member club of the American Football League; they have been a member club of the National Football League since the 1970 AFL–NFL merger... read more

I think the Raiders have a quietly good defensive line. Their best defensive player right now is last year's fourth-round pick Maxx Crosby at defensive end, who recorded double-digit sacks his rookie season, with 10.

Their first-round pick of the same year, Clelin Ferrell, has not panned out yet, but he still has a lot of time to do so. Johnathan Hankins and Maurice Hurst have also been solid contributors.

The Contenders
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area that competes in the National Football League. Buffalo Bills had the longest playoff drought of any team which came to an end in 2017.
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. The Browns compete in the National Football League as a member team of the American Football Conference North division... read more
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