Free Agency 2020: Barrett’s Breakout Puts Him Atop Edge List

For the Packers, Kyler Fackrell will be seeking greener pastures after last year's additions of the Smith Bros. and Rashan Gary.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – NFL free agency will start on Monday with the so-called legal-tampering period – when teams can officially begin negotiations with free agents – and continue on Wednesday, when the signing period begins at 3 p.m. With that, here is our preview of the top 10 free-agent outside linebackers. (Age at the start of the new league-year is in parentheses.)

FIRST, THE PACKERS’ OUTLOOK

This is a position of strength, even with Kyler Fackrell headed to free agent and likely to sign elsewhere. Za’Darius Smith, who had one of the great seasons by a defensive player in Packers history, and Preston Smith changed the face of the defense. First-round pick Rashan Gary was a disappointment but, fortunately for Green Bay, that was fine because the Smiths were so durable and productive.

Fackrell, for what it’s worth, was 11th in our list of free-agent edge defenders. He had a breakout 2018 season with 10.5 sacks. That meant nothing to general manager Brian Gutekunst, who signed the Smiths and drafted Gary. With fewer opportunities, Fackrell’s production plunged to just one sack but, according to Pro Football Focus, he actually had more pressures (25 in 2019 vs. 23 in 2018). His diverse skill-set should be coveted in free agency. Of 101 edge defenders with at least 200 pass rushes, he finished 57th in PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-rushing snap.

OUR TOP 10

Shaq Barrett, Tampa Bay (27): Barrett picked a great time for a great season. An undrafted free agent from Colorado State in 2014, Barrett never had more than 5.5 sacks in a season until 2019, when he led the NFL with 19.5 sacks, tied for first with 37 quarterback hits and was third with six forced fumbles. With Denver from 2014 through 2018, he had 13 sacks, 35 quarterback hits and seven forced fumbles. He finished seventh in PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-rushing snap.

Jadeveon Clowney, Seattle (27): The first pick of the 2014 draft by Houston, Clowney was traded to Seattle before last season. He had three sacks and 13 quarterback hits – numbers well behind his nine sacks and 21 quarterback hits in 2018. At last he forced a career-high four fumbles. In his five healthy seasons, he has 32 sacks. He finished 48th in PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-rushing snap. He’s a stud against the run and a versatile chess piece, which gives him more value than the raw numbers might suggest.

Arik Armstead, San Francisco (26): The 17th pick of the 2015 season, Armstead had nine sacks in his first four seasons. Last year, he had a breakout season with 10 sacks, 18 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles and 54 total tackles – all career highs. He finished 31st in PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-rushing snap. At 6-foot-7, he can impact a game by his very presence. As is the case with Clowney, Armstead is a tremendous run defender, which means extra value, but his one-hit-wonder status is a bit disconcerting.

Dante Fowler, L.A. Rams (25): The third pick of the 2016 season by Jacksonville, Fowler’s four-year totals include 27.5 sacks. Traded to the Rams in 2018, Fowler is coming off the best season of his career with 11.5 sacks, 16 quarterback hits, 16 tackles for losses, 58 tackles and two forced fumbles. All of those figures set career highs; he never had more than 32 tackles or nine TFLs. He finished 15th in PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-rushing snap. He’s a quality defender vs. the run, as well.

Bud Dupree, Pittsburgh (27): A first-round pick in 2015, Dupree is yet another pass rusher coming off his best season. Dupree set career highs with 11.5 sacks, 17 quarterback hits, 16 tackles for losses and 68 tackles. He never had more than six sacks, 13 quarterback hits, 12 TFLs or 42 tackles in his previous four seasons. He finished 59th in PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-rushing snap. He provides strong run defense, as well.

Markus Golden, N.Y. Giants (29): Golden had a huge second season with Arizona in 2016 with 12.5 sacks and 22 quarterback hits. In 15 games in 2017 and 2018, Golden had just 2.5 sacks and 10 quarterback hits. Landing with the Giants last year, Golden had 10 sacks and career highs of 27 quarterback hits and 72 tackles. He finished 26th in PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-rushing snap.

Shaq Lawson, Buffalo (25): The 19th pick of the 2016 draft, Lawson has been a disappointment. He has 16.5 sacks and 17 starts in his career. Last year was his best. Coming off the bench in 15 games, he had career highs of 6.5 sacks, 13 tackles for losses and 18 quarterback hits. He finished 20th in PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-rushing snap.

Vic Beasley, Atlanta (27): Beasley looked like the next great pass rusher in 2016, when he had a breakout second year with league-leading totals of 15.5 sacks and six forced fumbles. The next three years combined, he recorded 18 sacks and three forced fumbles. In 2019, he had eight sacks, 12 quarterback hits, a career-high 42 tackles and two forced fumbles. He finished 66th in PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-rushing snap.

Everson Griffen, Minnesota (32): Last season wasn’t Griffen’s best season but it was a well-timed bounce-back season. In 2018, Griffin was limited to 11 games, 5.5 sacks and 13 quarterback hits due to personal issues. Last year, he had eight sacks and 24 quarterback hits in 15 games. He tied for 11th in the league in quarterback hits and trailed only Barrett and Golden among the free agents. He finished 43rd in PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-rushing snap.

Robert Quinn, Dallas (29): Quinn had a blast-from-the-past season. With the Rams, he had 10.5 sacks in 2012, 19 sacks in 2013 and 10.5 sacks in 2014. He didn’t touch double digits the next four seasons until posting 11.5 sacks and 22 quarterback hits in 2019, his first year with the Cowboys. He’ll turn 30 in May. He finished 10th in PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-rushing snap. However, he’s a speed bump vs. the run.

PREVIEWING FREE AGENCY

Star power at quarterback

King Henry and Gordon lead running backs

Buyer beware in weak group of receivers

Buyer beware at tight end, too

Thuney leads interior offensive linemen

Bulaga, Veldheer part of crop aging of offensive tackles

The defensive line is loaded