There's no shortage of upper-tier edge defenders in the AFC North. Whether we are talking about outside linebackers or defensive ends, some of the very best apply their game-wrecking skillset within the smash-mouth AFC North.
Here are the top five edge defenders in the AFC’s blood and guts division.
Edge Rusher No. 5: Alex Highsmith, Pittsburgh Steelers, OLB
Well, there is no other way to say this other than to just say it. The Steelers did what the Steelers do. They selected a raw, but highly productive, collegiate pass rusher and brought them along in their system. Fast forward three seasons, and now they have one of the fastest ascending edge rushers in the league in Alex Highsmith.
Typically, the Steelers mine their talent from larger blue blood college programs, but in the case of Highsmith the Steelers took a shot on a productive player out of the mid-majors.
While at the University of Charlotte, Highsmith racked up 15 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss as a senior. When you add in his 6-foot-4, and 242-pound frame and it is easy to see why the Steelers broke their tendency to add him to their outside linebacker room.
Highsmith is coming off of a 14.5 sack season in his third year as a pro. He also added 12 tackles for loss and five forced fumbles to go along with his impressive sack total. Unfortunately for the rest of the AFC North, it looks as if the Steelers have themselves the perfect compliment to their other outside linebacker, who will make an appearance later on this list.
Edge Rusher No. 4: Trey Hendrickson, Cincinnati Bengals, DE
After the 2020 season, the Cincinnati Bengals had a massive decision to make at the defensive end position. Either resign their most proven edge defender in Carl Lawson or wade into the waters of free agency to fill the void.
Given the franchise's reluctance to throw around money at high-profile free agents, their decision to give Trey Hendrickson the bag after his 13.5 sack season in New Orleans seemed puzzling.
But in hindsight, the move to acquire Hendrickson’s ability to get after opposing quarterbacks was the second-best decision the franchise made in 2021 (see Ja'Marr Chase). Hendrickson’s arrival immediately upgraded the Bengals' defensive end room and gave them a legitimate threat off the edge. In 2021, Hendrickson racked up a career-high in sacks with 14.5.
Even with a slight downturn in sack numbers in 2022, with eight, Hendrickson’s 36 combined sacks over the last three seasons is more than enough to land him at number four on this list.
Between Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard, the Bengals have a formidable duo on the outside that present a ton of problems for opposing quarterbacks who are forced to throw their way back into games. Expect another double-digit sack season from Hendrickson in 2023.
Edge Rusher No. 3: Za’Darius Smith, Cleveland Browns, DE
The Browns may have made the biggest defensive come-up in the NFL when they traded the Minnesota Vikings for three-time Pro Bowler Za’Darius Smith. All it took for the Browns to acquire Smith was two pick swaps.
Cleveland sent two fifth-round picks, one in 2024 and the other in 2025 for a sixth and seventh-round pick in 2025. Details on if Andrew Berry was wearing a ski mask when the trade was agreed upon was unavailable.
In Za’Darius Smith, the Browns acquired one of the most productive pass rushers in the NFL. In 2022, Smith notched 10 sacks and 15 tackles for loss despite battling a knee injury that limited him to only half a sack over the last eight games of the season. Even with the knee injury limiting his sack numbers over the back of 2022, Smith still managed nine quarterback hits over that span.
What makes Smith unique is his versatility in which he can affect the quarterback. Smith is a rare talent that can line up out wide, in both standup or with his hand in the dirt, kick down inside to play either the four-I or traditional three-tech defensive tackle position, or Smith can stand up in the A-gap and rush the passer.
Za'Darius Smith - YOU ARE A CLEVELAND BROWN !! pic.twitter.com/FhJVZFwOCm
— McNeil (@Reflog_18) May 12, 2023
Smith is one of five players in the NFL to notch double-digit sacks in three of the last four seasons. Now with Smith in the fold, the Browns have one of the most formidable defensive end duos in the entire NFL, and the perfect chess piece for Jim Schwartz to have at his disposal.
Edge Rusher No. 2: T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers, OLB
If you were drawing up a prototypical rushing outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense, you would end up with T.J. Watt. You would be hard-pressed to find a better marriage of size, athleticism, skill set, and scheme in all of the NFL. Watt is relentlessness personified.
Because of the defense that he plays in, Watt gets more clean looks at quarterbacks than traditional defensive ends normally do, but Watt is not just a product of the Steelers' scheme. Since entering the league in 2017, no player in the NFL has more sacks (77.5) than Watt. In 2021, Watt tied the NFL record with 22.5 sacks and took home the NFL Defensive Player of the Year for his efforts.
Watt suffered a torn pectoral muscle in Week 1 of the 2022 campaign that limited the All-Pro edge defender to 10 games. The Steelers lost six of the seven games that Watt was forced to sit out. That is how much he means to their defense.
Outside of his rookie season, 2022 was the only year that Watt was unable to obtain double-digit sacks. It's almost impossible to imagine that Watt will not regain his status as one of the league’s most dominant pass rushers in 2023. As long as Watt is on the field the Steelers defense will pose problems for opposing quarterbacks.
Edge Rusher No. 1: Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns, DE
Myles Garrett is an outlier even among other outliers. A legitimate physical freak with unlimited potential and a work ethic that is unparalleled even among other elite-level athletes, Garrett is the most dominant defensive end in the AFC North.
What makes Garrett, and his stats, more impressive than the other stellar edge defenders in the AFC North is his ability to produce despite seeing more double teams and chip blocks than any other defender in the NFL. Garrett is truly the greatest math changer playing the game today. Just his presence on the football field affects the opposing offense’s game plan.
Garrett has racked up 74.5 sacks through his first six seasons in the NFL, including back-to-back 16-sack efforts. Now with the addition of Za’Darius Smith and Ogbo Okoronkwo, Garrett has the best supporting cast of running mates that he has had since he arrived in Cleveland.
However, the most important addition that could aid Garrett in his quest for winning Defensive Player of the Year was the addition of renowned defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. With Schwartz at the helm and dialing up the defense, the recipe is in place for Garrett to have his most successful season as a pro. That is truly a terrifying proposition for opposing quarterbacks.