NFL free agency 2023 LB market: Breaking down top players at edge, inside and outside linebacker positions

We are days away from the NFL's free agency negotiation window on March 13, when teams can begin discussing contracts with the league's free agents. The 31 teams that didn't win the Super Bowl will spend the coming months bolstering their rosters in order to compete with Patrick Mahomes and the champion Kansas City Chiefs during the 2023 season. 

The first major step in the offseason process is free agency. And with free agency on the horizon, we continue to look at the top availble players at each position. Here's a look at the top linebackers hitting the market, both edge rushers and traditional, inside linebackers. 

The list of available free agents and snap count percentages are via overthecap.com. 

Edge Rushers/Outside Linebackers

Player	2022 Team	Type	Snaps	Age
Lorenzo Carter	Falcons	UFA	81%	28
Kyle Van Noy	Chargers	UFA	70.1%	32
Yannick Ngakoue	Colts	UFA	64.3%	28
Jihad Ward	Giants	UFA	58.1%	29
Anthony Nelson	Buccaneers	UFA	56.5%	26
Al-Quadin Muhammad	Bears	SFA	55.9%	28
Charles Omenihu	49ers	UFA	53.5%	26
Jason Pierre-Paul	Ravens	UFA	53.2%	34
Samson Ebukam	49ers	UFA	52.2%	28
Rasheem Green	Texans	UFA	48.5%	26
Kentavius Street	Saints	UFA	45.8%	27
Carlos Dunlap	Chiefs	UFA	45.4%	34
Jadeveon Clowney	Browns	Void	45.3%	30
Melvin Ingram	Dolphins	UFA	44.8%	34
Oshane Ximines	Giants	UFA	44.7%	27
Ogbonnia Okoronkwo	Texans	UFA	44.2%	28
Clelin Ferrell	Raiders	UFA	43.8%	26
Marcus Davenport	Saints	Void	43.3%	27
Shaq Lawson	Bills	UFA	43.2%	29
Arden Key	Jaguars	UFA	40.8%	27
Justin Hollins	Packers	UFA	40.7%	27
Efe Obada	Commanders	UFA	37.4%	31
Malik Reed	Steelers	UFA	37.2%	27
Justin Houston	Ravens	UFA	36.3%	34
Robert Quinn	Eagles	UFA	35.9%	33
Bruce Irvin	Seahawks	UFA	34.6%	36

UFA = Unrestricted Free Agent
SFA = Street Free Agent
Void = Voidable Year Contract

There aren't any superstars in this year's group of edge players and outside linebackers, but there is a solid starter whose sack totals have him in the company of all-time greats. Yannick Ngakoue, who turns 28 in March, has recorded eight or more sacks in each of his first seven seasons, including 9.5 in 2022, his only season with the Indianapolis Colts. 

Only four others have done that since individual sacks have been recorded, since 1982: three Hall of Famers (DeMarcus Ware, Derrick Thomas, Reggie White) and Los Angeles Rams defensive Aaron Donald, a future Hall of Famer. If a team needs at least eight sacks and more juice for its pass rush, Ngakoue should be the first call. 

Players with 8+ sacks in each of first seven seasons of career (since individual sacks have been recorded in 1982):

Player	Seasons
Yannick Ngakoue	2016-2022
Aaron Donald	2014-2020
DeMarcus Ware*	2005-2011
Derrick Thomas*	1989-1995
Reggie White*	1985-1991

* Pro Football Hall of Famer

Lorenzo Carter could be a high-upside add on a one-year, prove-it deal at 27 years old. Samson Ebukam was the San Francisco 49ers' second-best pass-rush option opposite 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa, totaling 5.0 sacks, the second-most on the team. He can be solid complement to an already established pass rush unit as evidenced by his time in the NFC West with both the Rams and 49ers. For contending teams needing help on the cheap, there's a number of established veterans to choose from in this class, including Jason Pierre-Paul, Carlos Dunlap, Jadeveon Clowney, Melvin Ingram, Justin Houston, Robert Quinn and Bruce Irvin. 

Inside Linebackers

Player	2022 Team	Type	Snaps	Age
Nicholas Morrow	Bears	UFA	99.8%	28
Bobby Wagner	Rams	UFA	99.1%	32
Rashaan Evans	Falcons	UFA	98.4%	28
Lavonte David	Buccaneers	Void	95.9%	33
Alex Anzalone	Lions	UFA	95.1%	29
T.J. Edwards	Eagles	Void	94.1%	27
Drue Tranquill	Chargers	UFA	93.4%	28
Bobby Okereke	Colts	UFA	85.1%	27
Cody Barton	Seahawks	UFA	77.4%	27
Kyzir White	Eagles	UFA	76.3%	27
Tremaine Edmunds	Bills	UFA	72.3%	25
Quincy Williams	Jets	UFA	70%	26
Germaine Pratt	Bengals	UFA	69.8%	27
Alex Singleton	Broncos	UFA	67.4%	30
Leighton Vander Esch	Cowboys	UFA	65%	27
David Long Jr.	Titans	UFA	63.4%	27
Devin Bush	Steelers	UFA	61.9%	25
Elandon Roberts	Dolphins	UFA	59.4%	29

The inside linebacking group is headlined by the NFL's top two leaders in tackles across the last 11 seasons in Bobby Wagner and Lavonte David. The Rams recently released Wagner just one season into a five-year, $50 million contract due to salary cap issues. 

Most tackles since 2012

Player	Tackles
Bobby Wagner	1,523*
Lavonte David	1,346*
Demario Davis	1,136
Luke Kuechly	1,092
Harrison Smith	946

*Free agents this offseason  

Wagner, an eight-time Pro Bowler and six-time First-Team All-Pro, registered a career-high 6.0 sacks in 2022 at age 32, showing he still has plenty of gas in the tank. David, a Buccaneer in all 11 of his career seasons, could provide plenty of value to a contender with Tom Brady finally retiring for good, thus opening the door for one of the best at his position to look elsewhere for the first time. David Long Jr. could be one of the best values of this class at 26 years old since he is a three-down linebacker who is strong against the run and is a surefire tackler. Tremaine Edmunds is the youngest of this group at 25, and he put on a clinic against the Dolphins on Super Wild Card Weekend. Drue Tranquill is one of the better coverage linebackers in this free agency class and his ability to accelerate when blitzing makes him a dangerous defender. Leighton Vander Esch isn't the same electrifying talent that he was during his lone Pro Bowl season as a rookie in 2018, but his ability to read and react against opposing offenses remains.