With the last piece of confetti hitting the ground in the ' Super Bowl LVI celebration, the 2021 NFL season is now officially in the rear-view mirror. While it's technically the offseason, we all know quite well that the fun is just beginning. As we saw last season, some teams are just one move away from finding themselves in the winner's circle hoisting the Lombardi Trophy and that march to Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Arizona, begins now.Of course, a ma sive piece of constructing a potential Super Bowl-caliber roster comes via free agency, which is roughly a month out. Beginning at noon ET on March 14, the legal tampering period in the NFL will commence where clubs are permitted to go into contract negotiations with soon-to-be free agents. Then, on March 16 at 4 p.m. ET, the 2022 league year begins and free agency is officially underway.As we gear up for that mayhem to unfold, we've ranked the top 25 free agents from the defensive side of the ball and provided a quick preview of their prospects on the market. Check out our on offense.Ranking free agents on defense1 Los Angeles Rams OLB Miller is still one of the best pa s rushers that the NFL has to offer. Not only will he be able to help any unit get after the quarterback, but the 32-year-old is a winner, with this latest Super Bowl run with the Rams being the latest example. The two-time Super Bowl champion totaled five sacks in eight regular-season games after being acquired by the Rams and tacked on four more sacks in the postseason. Re-signing with L.A. is a likely option for Miller as the Rams look to defend their title in 2022, but if another team can pry him away they'll be getting a future Hall of Fame talent.2 Arizona Cardinals OLB Jones is another elite pa s rusher and was right back to being a game-wrecking presence along the ' front seven in 2021 after being limited to just five games the previous year. He finished with 10.5 sacks on the season with five of those coming in the Week 1 opener against Tenne see. The 2021 Pro Bowler also had 36 pre sures and 26 quarterback hits. Adding quality pa s rushers is always going to be of interest throughout the league and Jones could be set to cash in on the open market, especially if Miller decides to go back to Los Angeles.3 New England Patriots CB Jackson has been one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL since coming into the league as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He's also been one of the biggest bargains for the as Jackson played the 2021 season on a second-round restricted free agent tender that was valued at just under $3.4 million. This past season, Jackson became Alex Ovechkin Jersey New England's top corner following the departure of and continued to play at a high level. He totaled a league-leading 23 pa s breakups and had eight interceptions. He also allowed just 49.1% of the targets thrown his way to be completed. That level of production should lead to Jackson making top-of-the-market money once free agency opens up.4 New Orleans Saints FS Williams played the 2021 season on the franchise tag and is now looking to hit the open market after another solid season in New Orleans. He defended eight pa ses this past year and had a career-high 74 tackles while allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete just 48.8% of their targets thrown in his direction. He's also been remarkably durable over his career and played 98% of the defensive snaps for the in 2021. At just 25 years old, Williams should have plenty of suitors ranging from contenders to teams looking to build upon their budding secondaries, which will likely make him one of the highest-paid safeties in the league.5 Cincinnati Bengals FS Bates was one of the key members of the ' Super Bowl run this season and particularly turned up his level of play in the playoffs. During that Super Bowl run, Bates, who is already considered one of the better safeties in the league, totaled 20 tackles, defended six pa ses, and recorded two interceptions. While he was able to improve his play as the season went on, he did struggle in coverage a bit over the regular season as quarterbacks completed 80% of their pa ses thrown in his direction. Still, Bates is someone Cincinnati should look to make a priority of keeping as it builds this core around , but if the Bengals do let him test free agency, he'll have plenty of teams interested in his services to bolster the back end of their secondaries.6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers CB Davis is one of the few young cornerbacks hitting the free agent market this offseason, so he'll garner plenty of interest throughout the league. The Bucs' former second-round pick can be a true No. 1 corner and has the physicality to play man coverage and square off against a team's top receiving option. He was limited to 10 games in the regular season due to a quad injury but was able to return late in the year to help the Bucs land in the postseason. Over that stretch, the 25-year-old defended 11 pa ses and recorded one pick, while allowing 57.1% of his targets to be completed.7 Cleveland Browns DE Veteran pa s-rushing help will always be a sought-after ability in the NFL and Clowney does bring that to the table. After a disappointing run with the in 2020, Clowney inked a deal with the and enjoyed a solid bounce-back season. Over 14 games, he totaled nine sacks, 11 tackles for a lo s, and 32 pre sures. Of course, Clowney's life was made a bit easier at attacking the quarterback with opposing teams paying a bit more attention to along the Browns' front seven. The former No. 1 overall pick may not be able to carry a defense, but he'll certainly be a strong contributor for a team looking to make a Super Bowl run.8 Dallas Cowboys DE Gregory has resurrected his career nicely over the past two years after struggling with off-the-field i sues. He's a legit game-changing pa s rusher, who had 29 pre sures for Dallas last season and was second on the team in sacks (6) only looking up to Defensive Rookie of the Year . His explosivene s and ability to get after the quarterback will be attractive to several teams if the let him hit the market.9 Carolina Panthers CB A contract dispute between Gilmore and the Patriots contributed to the star cornerback starting last season on the PUP list and was eventually traded to the Carolina Ilya Samsonov Jersey Panther in the middle of the season. He ended up playing in nine games (eight starts) and recorded two interceptions during his stint in Carolina. That clunky 2021 campaign and the fact that he mi sed the back half of the 2020 season due to a quad injury has lowered the 31-year-old's stock a bit, but he's also not far off from winning the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year honor, either. Given his talent and experience playing deep into the playoffs (Super Bowl LIII champion), he'd be the perfect addition for a Super Bowl-caliber team looking for an added boost to its secondary.10 Kansas City Chiefs FS Mathieu is a versatile weapon that the have used splendidly in their secondary over the last few years. While is the face of the K.C. offense, there's a case to be made that Mathieu has been that type of figure on the defensive side of the ball as the Chiefs have contended for Super Bowls. The 29-year-old can play more traditionally in the back end of the secondary, line up in the slot or situate himself in the box and still find succe s, which will make him an appealing target. The "Honey Badger" has also been a durable piece to the Chiefs' secondary over the last three seasons, playing no fewer than 94% of the defensive snaps in a season.11 Miami Dolphins DE After moving around the league to begin his career, Ogbah seemed to find his footing over the last two seasons in Miami. For the , he's posted back-to-back seasons with nine sacks and at least 36 pre sures. In 2021, he also defended 12 pa ses. While he may not be considered elite at his position, Ogbah is an ascending player that can be productive in the right situation.12 Green Bay Packers ILB Campbell signed on with the last offseason and the one-year stint in Green Bay did prove to be a productive one. Campbell put together an All-Pro season for the first time in his career after totaling a career-high 146 tackles to go along with two forced fumbles, two picks, and five pa s breakups. That production now has Campbell in line for quite the payday on the open market. While Campbell did enjoy a strong year, teams might be wondering where this has been throughout his career. Neverthele s, they'll be getting a solid off-ball linebacker that just played 97% of the snaps last season.13 Carolina Panthers OLB Reddick has been unlocked after making the switch to an edge rusher two seasons ago. Now, he's posted back-to-back double-digit sack seasons and has done so with two different organizations after signing a one-year deal with Carolina last offseason. Reddick's speed is what has allowed him to find succe s off the edge and he has totaled 23.5 sacks the past two seasons.14 Tenne see Titans OLB Landry popped in the final year of his rookie deal with the Titans in 2021. The Boston College product put together his first Pro Bowl season after totaling a career-high 12 sacks, 43 pre sures, and 75 tackles. The 25-year-old could be a franchise tag candidate, but Nathan Walker Jersey if he does get to free agency he'll be a young pa s rusher that teams should flock to. Not only is Landry starting to blo som as a pa s rusher, but he's also a tremendously durable player as he's started every game for Tenne see since 2019.15 Las Vegas Raiders CB Hayward's five-year run with the ended with his release last offseason -- partially due to salary cap reasons -- and his market wasn't exactly booming. He'd eventually ink a one-year deal with the and put together another strong season. The 32-year-old started all 17 regular-season games for Las Vegas in 2021 and defended nine pa ses while allowing 57.1% of his targets to be completed. He's best suited for a team that plays a lot of zone and should see a much healthier market this go-around.16 Los Angeles Rams CB Williams enters free agency after winning the Super Bowl with a Los Angeles Rams team that has held him in high regard. Last offseason, the club placed a first-round tender on him to retain his services for the 2021 season. Last year, he played well opposite of and allowed 62% of his targets to be completed while totaling 71 tackles. In the playoffs, he registered three pa s breakups and finished with 24 more tackles. Williams' speed has been an advantage for him throughout his career, but his size limitations -- stands 5-foot-9 -- does cap his ceiling as a No. 2 corner. Still, that's not a bad situation to find yourself in.17 Chicago Bears DE Hicks dealt with a nagging goin injury throughout the 2021 season and was limited to just nine games. When healthy, however, he's a great piece along the defensive line. In those nine games, he maintained a strong level of play, totaling 3.5 sacks and 11 pre sures. This is the second time in three seasons where Hicks has been held to single-digit games, so there is some level of concern surrounding his durability, but so long as he can stay on the field he's still a solid run defender and pa s rusher along the interior.18 Seattle Seahawks FS Diggs has put together back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons and, similar to Jackson who we mentioned earlier on this list, simply has a knack for creating turnovers. The safety has 10 interceptions over the last two seasons and just put together a 2021 season where he notched a career-high 94 tackles John Carlson Jersey . He also is only on record for giving up one touchdown last season and opposing quarterbacks had a pa ser rating of just 63.4 when throwing in his direction.19 New York Jets FS Maye would be higher on this free agent list had it not been for a torn Achilles he suffered back in Week 9. That was the worst po sible outcome for the safety as he was playing the 2021 season on the franchise tag with the . When healthy, he's proven to be an extremely solid piece to a secondary and played well in New York when given more opportunity following the trade of . In the six games he played before going down with injury, Maye allowed just 47.6% of the balls thrown his way to be completed and totaled 46 tackles with two pa s breakups. Given the injury, Maye could be looking for a one-year prove-it deal somewhere to hit a more lucrative market next offseason.20 Seattle Seahawks CB Reed is coming off a career year in 2021. The former fifth-round pick totaled a career-best 10 pa s breakups to go along with two interceptions last season, while holding opposing quarterbacks to just a 47.7 completion percentage when targeted. Since ascending to a starter in Seattle's secondary, there isn't much to pick at in Reed's game as he plays physical and is also solid against the run. The one knock is his size as he is just 5-foot-9, which could leave him exposed to bigger receivers.21 Philadelphia Eagles CB After a two-year run with the , Nelson stayed in the state of Pennsylvania and inked a one-year deal with the for the 2021 season. He started all 16 games he played with the club in the regular season and was a solid No. 2 corner opposite of , which is a role he's probably best suited for. This season, Nelson broke up seven pa ses and has proven to be a strong figure in the secondary as he can play both zone and man-to-man effectively. He did give up five touchdowns last season, but should be considered a worthwhile addition to a secondary with a team looking for a reliable No. 2 corner.22 Cincinnati Bengals DE was one of the key offseason acquisitions for the Bengals that helped propel them to a Super Bowl appearance. In just his first year in Cincinnati, the defensive tackle registered 5.5 sacks and a career-high 50 tackles in 16 games played. He carried over that strong level of play into the playoffs where he added 1.5 sacks and recorded an interception. The 26-year-old is a well-rounded presence along the defensive line that can stuff the run, and make an impact at attacking the quarterback on occasion.23 Kansas City Chiefs CB Ward was on a second-round free agent tender for the 2021 season and continued to play at a high level. His 6-foot-1, 200 pound frame helps him hold up in man coverage and be a reliable tackler. This past season, he totaled 10 pa s breakups and two interceptions, while racking up 67 tackles. Ward also only allowed quarterbacks to complete 51.3% of their targets against him with a pa ser rating of 79.4. At just 25 years old, he is primed to be a highly targeted corner on this market.24 Buffalo Bills DE Hughes will be 34 at the start of next season, but the veteran pa s rusher has played well as he sits on the back-nine of his career. Over the last few seasons, he's been a rotational pa s rusher for the , who had the No. 1 defense in the NFL last year in DVOA. Hughes played in 52% of the defensive snaps in 2021 and played in all 17 regular-season games (16 starts). Over that stretch Alexander Alexeyev Jersey , he totaled two sacks and 26 total pre sures. He'll likely re-sign with the Bills as they are primed for a Super Bowl run, but Hughes could be looked at as a solid veteran piece to any contender.25 Baltimore Ravens OLB Gone are the days where Houston will be rivaling the NFL sack record, but the veteran pa s rusher is still a strong rotational piece to a team's front seven. With the last year, he started all 15 of his games and registered 4.5 sacks with 24 pre sures. Similar to Hughes, he can still be a valuable piece even as he's in the twilight of his career.