Defense is still the fastest way to change the shape of an NFL season, and a handful of teams clearly treated this offseason that way. While the Dallas Cowboys were in the conversation, they just missed the cut. Heading into the 2026-2027 season, these are the five most improved defenses in the league.
At No. 5, the Tennessee Titans made a clean sweep under new head coach Robert Saleh, who has never been shy about building a defense from the ground up. Tennessee reshaped every level of the unit and spent its second first-round pick on Auburn edge rusher Keldric Faulk.
The rookie is expected to help right away because of his ability to play every down. With Saleh bringing in fresh faces and high-upside youth, the Titans are trying to turn that side of the ball into something the league has to take seriously.
Washington lands at No. 4 after a busy offseason aimed at fixing a defense that badly needed help. The Commanders went heavy in free agency to address the problems that showed up last year, and they did it knowing their defense has to be a strength if they want to keep pace in the NFC East.
That urgency makes sense: Washington finished the 2025-2026 season last in yards allowed per game. Dan Quinn now gets a rejuvenated group and should have a much better chance to push the defense forward in a big way.
The New York Jets come in at No. 3, and the reason is simple: they could hardly have gotten much worse. A season ago, they gave up the 25 th -most yards per game and went all 17 games without an interception.
So the front office attacked free agency on every level of the defense, then added Texas Tech’s David Bailey with the second overall pick in April’s draft. Aaron Glenn is on the hot seat, and as a defensive-minded coach, he’s banking on this upgraded unit buying him the time he needs to keep steering the franchise in the right direction.
Cincinnati checks in at No. 2 after a frustrating year that exposed just how much work the defense needed. Joe Burrow missed extended time for the second time in three seasons, and only Washington gave up more yards per game than the Bengals.
The response was aggressive. Cincinnati signed veteran defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, traded for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, and used its first two picks on defensive players, with Texas A&M edge rusher Cashius Howell standing out most.
If the Bengals are going to get back to the Super Bowl, having something that at least looks like a real defense will go a long way.
The top spot belongs to the Los Angeles Rams, who made the biggest splash of all by landing veteran and Future Hall of Famer Myles Garrett. The price was steep, but Garrett instantly changes the look of the Rams’ front and joins a young group that already includes Braden Fiske, Kobie Turner and Byron Young.
There’s also the possibility that retired Aaron Donald returns, and if that happens, Los Angeles would open the season with the projected top defense in the NFL. The Rams didn’t stop there either, trading for cornerback Trent McDuffie and signing Jaylen Watson to strengthen the secondary.
In Other News...
Titans Injury Wave Puts Early Pressure On Their Young Offense
The Titans are already dealing with an early-season squeeze on their young offense, and the injury report has only made the margin for error thinner. Tennessee has lost Jaren Kanak and Jaylen Harrell for the season, while backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky and first-round pick Carnell Tate both showed up on the injury report before being expected to come through fine.
With Tony Pollard working back from a sore foot, the running back room had enough uncertainty that Tennessee moved to add DErnest Johnson for depth. The hope is that the current wave of injuries stops short of becoming a longer-term problem, but for a team trying to settle in around inexperienced playmakers, every missed practice has felt like another test of just how quickly this offense can steady itself. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Rookie Is Making Tennessees New O-Line Battle Very Real
The Titans search for answers along the interior of the offensive line has already gotten interesting in camp, and Fernando Carmona has been right in the middle of it. The rookie fifth-round pick has moved from the edge to the middle before, handling both left tackle and guard in college, and his first preseason appearance came at right guard, where he gave Tennessee another look at a spot that is far from settled.
Head coach Robert Saleh has noticed the way Carmona has attacked the opportunity, and the rookie has also pointed to the daily reps against defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons as part of his growth. With another preseason start apparently on deck, Carmona is doing more than simply filling a practice rep. He is making the Titans keep a close eye on a battle they may have hoped would sort itself out a little more quietly. [Read more 🡒]