SLEEPERS: NFL Defensive Free Agents that Will Provide VALUE in 2026

Locked On NFL Scouting with the Draft Dudes - Daily podcast covering NFL and College Football scouting

Locked On Podcast Network

Nfl Draft, Football, Daily Podcast, Nfl Football, Football Podcast, Nfl, Pro Football, Salary Cap, Free Agency, Podcast, Sports

4.6 • 966 Ratings

🗓️ 24 February 2026

⏱️ 27 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Hidden gems abound as NFL teams weigh defensive free agent sleepers in a fast-moving offseason. Joe Marino and Kyle Crabbs spotlight impact players like Arnold Ebiketi, Kingsley Enagbare, and Montaric Brown, analyzing who offers starting-caliber upside without star-level price tags. Are veterans like Krisis Tonga, Shelby Harris, and Shaq Thompson set to outperform pricier, younger options for contenders hunting value signings? From timely recognition of John Jenkins’ career journey to debates over Quincy Williams’ bounce-back potential and Reed Blankenship’s fluctuating stock, every position group is scrutinized for hidden value. Get expert insight on 3-4 edges, versatile safeties like Alohi Gilman, and which linebackers could be this year’s breakout bargains. With crucial contract projections, positional fits, and team needs in focus—this episode is essential for anyone tracking the undercurrents of NFL free agency and roster building.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	We're breaking down defensive free agent sleepers today on the Locked on NFL scouting podcast.
0:12.2	You are a locked on NFL scouting with the draft dudes, your daily podcast for NFL and college football scouting.
0:22.3	Part of the Locked onon Podcast Network, your team every day.
0:26.9	What's better than this?
0:28.6	It's guys being dudes here on the Lockdown NFL Scouting podcast, part of the Lockdown
0:33.6	podcast network, now the number one sports podcast network.
0:37.4	We're the draft dudes.
0:55.0	I'm Joe Marino from Lockdown Bills. He's Kyle Crabs from Lockdown Dolphins. And we are your NFL experts here with you daily to talk team building across the league on the locked on NFL scouting podcast with the draft dudes. Of course, we want to issue a big thank you. Shout out and welcome to our everydayers. those of you who never miss a single episode.
0:54.5	We appreciate y'all being here very, very much. So happy Tuesday to you. It's bright and early
1:02.1	on the first day of the NFL Combine press availability. And there's a whole lot of business
1:08.2	that's being talked this week in Indianapolis. We're going to talk our own business here with that first step of the offseason
1:14.2	calendar.
1:14.6	Yesterday we did offensive free agent sleepers.
1:17.1	We are doing defensive free agent sleepers here.
1:20.9	Starting with guys up front, why don't we go to the defensive tackle group first?
1:28.1	I'm excited to get into these guys because I feel like the way that the money's going
1:33.2	with defensive alignment in general is like you're going to pay a lot for even pretty good
1:39.8	young rotational type players, right?
1:42.3	They're like $6, $7, $8 million a year for someone's going to play like 400 snaps and be pretty good. Where I find the value to be. Yeah, there it is, the 6.7. I fell into that. It's early. We got to do it. Yeah, I appreciate. Check the box within the first two minutes. Where I find the value to be a defensive tackle is really
2:01.9	with the older players, like the north of 30 guys that I believe can come in and fill a specific
2:08.0	role for probably half of what you're going to pay somebody who's five years younger to do
2:12.5	the same thing. And I'm referring to the likes of like Crisis Tonga, Roy Lopez, DJ Reader, Sebastian Joseph Day, Tim Sell, Shelby Harris.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Locked On Podcast Network, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Locked On Podcast Network and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.