Five Late-Round Defensive Linemen To Target

Photo: USA Today Sports

Defensive schemes are changing in the NFL. Teams are running out Nickel packages as their base personnel, and the top defenses are running rotations along their defensive line. We covered this in more detail in my most recent article on pass-rushing rotations, which you can read here. What this has done is create an influx of depth at the defensive linemen position. All of these defensive linemen currently have an ADP outside of the top 50. This ADP is courtesy of The IDP Show and is pulled from paid best ball drafts (40 and counting) that began in January. Here are five late-round defensive linemen to target in your IDP drafts.

Shaquil Barrett, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - DL51 and EDGE37

Barrett seems to be the forgotten edge rusher in IDP leagues. Since he joined the Buccaneers, Barrett has been nothing short of spectacular. From 2019-2021(his first three full seasons in Tampa Bay), Barrett averaged 50 tackles, 12.5 sacks, and 3.5 forced fumbles per season. Barrett's 2022 was cut short by a torn Achilles tendon in Week 8. He has since been rehabbing and said in an interview on the Loose Cannons Podcast, "But I'm ready to go. I'm gonna be ready to go when it's time to go. I'm pretty sure 'time to go' will be the first game. I don't anticipate missing any games. I don't anticipate being on any play counts. So, I should be ready to go for the first game for sure."

The entire Buccaneers defense suffered when Barrett went down with a lack of pass-rush on the team. Tampa Bay did not do much, outside of drafting YaYa Diaby in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, when it came to adding edge-rushing depth. Barrett has averaged a 77.25% snap share since joining the Buccaneers. This volume likely does not change much, if any. Drafting him as the DL51 makes Barrett a terrific late-round defensive lineman to target.

Randy Gregory, Denver Broncos - DL78 and EDGE 61

Gregory's first season in Denver was a huge disappointment. He was once again hit with the injury bug and only suited up for six games in 2022. This has been a recurring theme for Gregory. Still, his contract has him set up to be a starter leading into 2023 with a currently clean bill of health. Before the 2022 season, the Broncos signed Gregory to a five-year and $70 million contract, one that does not have an out until the 2024 season. He did play well in 2022 when he was on the field. Gregory finished with 20 pressures per PFF, 12 tackles, two sacks, and two forced fumbles in his six appearances.

He has been a playmaker when on the field, forcing eight fumbles over the past three seasons. His volume also was strong in 2022, playing 50% of the team's defensive snaps (61.75% before the injury). Denver is deep at the EDGE position, but Gregory is the veteran and most polished of the group. He should still lead the group in snaps for 2023, as long as he is healthy. Drafting him at DL78 is well worth the risk.

Dorance Armstrong, Dallas Cowboys - DL80 and EDGE62

Armstrong broke out in a big way in 2022 with 33 tackles and eight sacks. His potential always flashed, but he finally put it together. He also set a career-high in pressures in 2022 with 46. The Cowboys ran a package called The Big Nascar Package in 2022. This package has four edge defenders across the defensive line as opposed to having your normal run-stuffing, gap-filling defensive tackles in the interior. This allowed Armstrong to see a 47% snap share, third most on the team. He also has a 70 coverage grade per PFF average over the past three seasons. This helps keep him on the field in passing situations and plays a big part in that Big Nascar Package.

The Cowboys led the entire league in pressures in 2022, and Armstrong was a big part of it. His role should not change much, though he could see even more snaps with DeMarcus Lawrence showing his age a bit. At DL80, Armstrong is an incredible value and a great late-round defensive lineman to target.