NFC West
Seattle Seahawks: Derick Hall, EDGE
Derick Hall had a nice breakout year for the Seahawks last year after not notching a single sack in his rookie year. He finished the 2024 season with 8.0 sacks and 20 QB hits in 17 games, and could be even more productive for Mike Macdonald’s defense in 2025. There are a few interesting candidates in Seattle, including the inevitable Leonard Williams, who is an underrated threat for 9 or 10 sacks (11 last year).
San Francisco 49ers: Nick Bosa, EDGE
The 49ers brought in Mykel Williams in the 1st round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but as talented as he is, he’s got a tough hill to climb with Nick Bosa on the roster. The 49ers have lost a lot of guys defensively this year, so the burden of responsibility is going to fall directly on Bosa’s shoulders. As long as he stays healthy, he should be a strong candidate to lead this team in sacks, and the only competitors might be a distant second.
Arizona Cardinals: Josh Sweat, EDGE
The Cardinals went out in NFL free agency and spent big money on Josh Sweat so he could do exactly this: Lead the team in sacks. The Cardinals were desperate for more pass rush productivity off the edge last year after they struggled to replace the injured BJ Ojulari. Now, they’ve got Sweat in the mix as well as Ojulari coming back. They’ve also got Baron Browning as an underrated potential breakout candidate in year two under Jonathan Gannon after last year’s trade with the Broncos.
Los Angeles Rams: Jared Verse, EDGE
The Rams have had young guys stepping up all over their defensive front, including the likes of Braden Fiske and Kobie Turner. But Jared Verse is the guy off the edge with 10-plus sack potential. The first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of Florida State played over 800 snaps last season and finished with 18 QB hits and 4.5 sacks, but he’s going to be expected to make a major year two leap for this team.