The 10 Most Overrated Pass Rushers in the NFL, Ranked

Pass rusher remains one of the premium positions in the NFL, and for good reason.

While a pass rusher’s effectiveness is often gauged by sacks, pressures and quarterback hits, some receive accolades that may not align with their actual performance. For example, some edge rushers have secured lucrative contracts based on past achievements, yet their recent statistics show a noticeable decline.

Team dynamics and defensive schemes can also play a significant role in a pass rusher’s perceived value. Some players benefit from systems that tend to mask their individual deficiencies, leading to inflated assessments of their abilities. Pass rushers operating within a defense that frequently employs blitz packages, for instance, might see increased sack numbers due to the collective pressure applied rather than individual prowess.

This context is crucial, as it underscores that a player’s success can be heavily influenced by the environment and support around them rather than their skill sets alone. This list takes a look at the NFL’s most overrated pass rushers right now:

10. Danielle Hunter, Houston Texans

Now in his ninth NFL season, Texans DE Danielle Hunter is coming off a stellar year in 2023, capped off by a career-high 16.5 sacks. But throughout his career, Hunter has struggled to generate pressures in fourth quarters and against high-level offensive lines, particularly in playoff scenarios. He often relies heavily on speed and athleticism rather than technique or power moves, which limits his ability to adjust against varied offensive schemes and high-level blockers.

When his speed is neutralized, he lacks a secondary approach, which makes him easier to contain than more adaptable pass rushers. He has also failed to create the number of turnovers you’d like to see from your premiere edge rusher. Hunter has forced just 12 fumbles in 129 career games, whereas Khalil Mack has 32 forced fumbles in 160 career games.

9. Bud Dupree, Los Angeles Chargers

In his best year with the Pittsburgh Steelers (2019), Bud Dupree recorded 11.5 sacks, yet it’s fair to wonder whether this success was due more to the presence of superstar T.J. Watt than anything else. Watt’s dominance drew double teams and endless attention from offensive lines, freeing Dupree up more.

Dupree’s transition to the Tennessee Titans in 2021 further illustrated his limitations. Signing a five-year, $82.5 million contract, the Titans invested heavily in Dupree, expecting him to elevate their pass-rushing capabilities. However, Dupree struggled with injuries and inconsistent play, recording only 3.0 sacks in his first season with Tennessee, failing to justify his substantial salary. Tennessee released him after just two seasons and he has bounced around since, most recently to the Los Angeles Chargers.

8. Bradley Chubb, Miami Dolphins

After an impressive rookie season with the Denver Broncos in 2018, where he recorded 12.0 sacks, Bradley Chubb has failed to replicate that same level of impact. Since then, he has faced multiple injuries, including an ACL tear that sidelined him for most of 2019 and another that kept him off the field for the bulk of the 2024 season.

Even when healthy, Chubb’s sack numbers and overall impact on the field have not lived up to the promise of his promising rookie campaign. One example? In 2021, despite playing 14 games, he recorded zero sacks, raising questions about his ability to perform at a high level consistently. According to ESPN’s pass rush win-rate metrics, Chubb’s pass rush win rate in recent seasons has lagged behind other top-edge defenders, often placing him outside the top 25 at his position.

7. Brian Burns, New York Giants

Now in his first year with the New York Giants, edge Brian Burns just signed a five-year, $141 million deal. Considering he has amassed over 10.0 sacks in just one of his six seasons, that kind of contract may be a bit of an overpay. One of the main issues with Burns’ game is his inconsistency in generating pressure and converting pressures into sacks. Despite accumulating high totals of quarterback pressures in recent years, he hasn’t consistently translated these into sacks or game-changing plays.

Another primary area of concern with Burns is his performance against the run, which has been notably subpar compared to his peers. He has yet to earn a run defense grade higher than 62.7 in any season, per PFF. Also an issue? His lack of game-changing plays. He has 9 forced fumbles in 90 career games.

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6. Chase Young, New Orleans Saints

Drafted second overall in 2020, Chase Young was touted as a generational talent expected to bring game-changing pressure off the edge. However, his performance has largely fallen short of these lofty expectations. In his rookie season, Young recorded 7.5 sacks, which is solid — but not exceptional or what’s expected from a top pick. He has equaled that total just once since, and has yet to surpass it in any of his five seasons in the league.

Young’s impact on his team’s defensive success has also been minimal compared to other pass rushers. His inability to consistently draw double teams or affect the quarterback on critical downs has limited his influence on the game, placing him a tier below the NFL’s premier pass rushers. While many edge defenders with high expectations, such as Nick Bosa or Myles Garrett, have made immediate and sustained impacts, Young has come nowhere near that level of play.

5. Rashan Gary, Green Bay Packers

While he possesses the athletic tools and still has a high ceiling, Rashan Gary has yet to consistently meet expectations since being drafted 12th overall by the Green Bay Packers in 2019. Unfortunately for Green Bay, Gary has shown a tendency to disappear in key moments, which has hurt his standing among the league’s top defenders.

Gary’s pass-rush win rate has also fluctuated, and though he has shown flashes of dominance, he has not maintained elite production year-round. His career-high in sacks came in 2021 with 9.5, which, while respectable, is not on par with other elite pass rushers who consistently post double-digit sack totals. He also hasn’t come close to that total since. Considering he’s making $24 million per year, it’s fair to call Gary one of the league’s most overrated — and overpaid — players.

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4. Alex Highsmith, Pittsburgh Steelers

Here’s another player who has had the benefit of playing opposite T.J. Watt, a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate and one of the NFL’s most double-teamed defenders. With Watt drawing so much attention, Alex Highsmith often benefits from facing lesser offensive linemen and fewer double teams.

Highsmith’s sack numbers also warrant scrutiny for another reason: They often stem from cleanup situations rather than true one-on-one victories against offensive linemen. Cleanup sacks — those achieved when the quarterback is already under pressure or flushed out by another defender — can pad a player’s stats without necessarily indicating a dominant pass rush. Highsmith’s best season came in 2022, when he finished with 14.5 sacks. His next-best total is 7.0, which is nothing to write home about

3. Joey Bosa, Los Angeles Chargers

Joey Bosa inked a five-year, $135 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2020, making him one of the NFL’s highest-paid defensive players. His output has not consistently matched his salary, though. While Bosa ranks high in pass-rush win rates, he has missed significant playing time each season, which limits his overall impact. Bosa’s frequent injuries mean that his high salary often goes toward missed games or lower production. He has accumulated over 10 sacks in just four of his nine seasons, largely because he has missed so much time.

Bosa’s weaknesses in run defense further compound his overrated status. Although primarily known for his pass-rushing prowess, Bosa has been less effective when tasked with stopping the run. According to PFF, his missed tackle percentage is relatively high (12.8), which highlights a tendency to overcommit or miss assignments when runners come his way. That’s why we have him so high on our list.

2. Montez Sweat, Chicago Bears

Since the Chicago Bears traded for him mid-season in 2023, Montez Sweat’s performance has been up and down. He had a career-high 12.5 sacks that year, his first time netting double digits. Now in Year 6, he has only 3.5 sacks in eight games and has been missing time due to injury. After signing an extension with Chicago that nets him an average of $24.5 million per year, he’s simply not producing enough to earn that type of cash.

Also concerning is the way Sweat has failed to significantly impact high-stakes games. When facing stronger offensive lines or elite quarterbacks, Sweat has often been neutralized, failing to record significant pressure or game-changing plays. In several key matchups, including games against teams with stronger offensive tackles Sweat’s presence has been minimal.

1. Bryce Huff, Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles signed Bryce Huff to a three-year deal worth $51 million after the 2023 season, and so far, he’s been a big-time bust. After netting a career-best 10.0 sacks with the New York Jets in 2023, Huff has virtually disappeared in 2024. Unlike players with a broader set of moves and skills, Huff’s reliance on raw athleticism without a robust arsenal of techniques may have placed a ceiling on his potential.

His inability to consistently defend against the run has also been evident, even when he was with the Jets. This lack of versatility makes Huff more of a specialist than an every-down edge rusher, which can inflate his perceived impact on the game. He earns our No. 1 spot on the list due to his limited production leading up to getting paid (he had 7.5 sacks in his three years leading up to 2023) and his minimal production after signing his new deal (he has just 2.5 sacks in 225 defensive snaps so far in 2024).

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