The game of football is won and lost in the trenches more often than not. Teams across the league are set to strap on the pads next week for training camp and it may come with the sobering reality that the trench play simply isn't where it needs to be to compete. For teams that are looking for more punch on the offensive side of the ball, the options are pretty limited. 

For teams enduring that fight on the defensive side of the ball, there appears to be some more flexibility. It depends on what you're looking for. And in some cases, like that of the Detroit Lions, you may be willing to bring on anyone and everyone. Between the injuries to Alim McNeill and now Levi Onwuzurike, the Lions have been hammered up front. They may also be seeking out some help on the edge. 

What free agent defenders are still out there up front? Here are five interior defenders who may still be able to help a team in 2025. 

Five interior defensive lineman who may still be able to help in 2025

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NT Linval Joseph – Authentic nose tackle

There's the twilight of your career and then there's the twilight of your career. Joseph is in the latter. He'll be 37 years old this October and has played increasingly reduced snaps the last three seasons between stops in Philadelphia, Buffalo, and Dallas. 

But he's the most accomplished free agent interior defensive lineman still on the market and his experience could certainly add value to his teammates beyond his own execution between the lines. If you're looking for 250-300 snaps in the A-gaps, give Joseph a call. 

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DL Raekwon Davis – Alignment versatile run defender

Davis endured a trying 2024 season after signing a two-year, $14 million contract with the Indianapolis Colts. He was placed on the non-football injury (NFI) list with high blood pressure at the start of training camp and then played a career low number of snaps throughout the season. Davis is going to come with the need for more medical clearance amid last year's scare and he certainly isn't going to command a lot of attention on passing downs; he is a run defender through and through.

But he could, if healthy, be a sufficient run defender on early downs before rotating out on long & late rush opportunities. He's bounced around between heavier weights playing as a nose tackle and going leaner to play as an odd-front end, so there could be appeal to different teams for different reasons. 

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DL Quinton Jefferson – Depth pass rusher

We are one season removed from Jefferson posting a 12% pressure rate with the New York Jets in 2023. He split time last season between Cleveland and Buffalo but struggled to find impactful reps with either team — a suggestion that the 32 year old defender may not have much left in the tank. But with training camp around the corner, any teams who may have lingering questions about their depth inside may want to kick the tires here and let Jefferson prove he's running on empty this summer. 

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DL Demarcus Walker* – Hybrid bid end/interior rusher

Am I cheating here by including Walker? Maybe. So what? 

Desperate times call for desperate measures and we are getting kind of thin for options that could feasibly contribute. Walker has played increasingly higher percentages of his snaps overtop of tackles or wider over the last two seasons in Chicago. But when you revisit his prior stops in Tennessee and Houston, you find enough inside flexibility to give him some consideration in a similar role in 2025. Putting him in tight alignments as a base end or shaded inside as a 4i alignment (inside shoulder of the tackle) could keep him well-aligned to his strengths as compared to living on the outside. 

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DL Khalil Davis – Depth/Rotational pass rusher

Davis was not as impactful in 2024 as he was with the Texans in 2023, but he's still theoretically got time left before his athleticism taps out. He'll be 29 this season and could be a depth role player for a unit. He posted an 8.5% pressure rate in 269 rushes with the Texans in 2023 before splitting time between Houston and San Francisco this past season. If you have the right pieces and an aggressive scheme, perhaps you can help Khalil Davis recapture some of the flashes he had with DeMeco Ryans. 

Dan Campbell confirms the worst nightmare for a defensive lineman’s season

On Friday, the Detroit Lions put out a transaction update where they had defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike listed on the reserve/PUP list. The original thought was that being on that list meant that he was going to miss the first four games of the season. The other thought was that maybe this had something to […]