Dane Belton has a nose for the football. He has at least one interception in all four NFL seasons, and last year he recorded an interception, five passes defensed, and three forced fumbles. Doubling his season high in tackles last season (120), Belton continued to show the Giants that he was their best safety and one of their most consistent players. He needs to improve his angles to the football, and while he can play on the back end, he does his best work floating around underneath and attacking. He's still in New York but in the AFC now with the Jets, where he'll compete to start alongside Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Woods brings an experienced presence to a safety room, and while he didn't play the full season in 2025, he still made a positive impact in the back end for the Titans. A better top-down, two-high presence, Woods can still float around the roof on defense and use his play recognition skills and instincts to get to the football. He's a willing, but not always capable, run defender who will struggle to recover downfield when he gets beaten in the run or against the pass. Woods is a good zone presence and can be an excellent third/rotational safety at this point in his career.

Watching players get hurt around him all season, Malachi Moore was a steady presence from Week 6 forward for the Jets' defense. He's a willing and capable lane-filler in the run game, a versatile player in the secondary, and his football IQ grew with the season. He did a nice job picking up crossers over the middle of the field, and his instincts were on display. He'll need to continue to grow as a coverage player in year two to maximize his potential, and there will be a starting battle with Dane Belton now in the mix.

While the first half of the season wasn't kind to Cole Bishop, he turned it around in the second half and started showing the talent that has always been there. He's still developing his route feel and ability to read them out as a two-high safety, but he played faster, missed fewer tackles, and brought better ball production down the stretch for the Bills. He had four passes broken up against the Chiefs, which set the stage for improved play. His coverage instincts are better buzzing down in the intermediate parts of the game, but Bishop set himself up to have a breakout year three in Buffalo.

Even though he didn't play much of a role early on, in the last month of the season, Avonte Maddox's number was called, and he showed up. With the injuries to Kerby Joseph and then Brian Branch, Maddox brought communication, experience, and play-making ability to the secondary. He registered an interception and four passes defensed over the last four games of the season and looked instinctive as a robber, with a quick trigger downhill in his play recognition. The former Philadelphia Eagle will take risks that open him up to getting beaten over the top, but he showed more than enough for the Lions to bring him back to compete for a role.

Andre Cisco made his money as a top-down, bone-crunching safety who could break on throws and create turnovers and break up passes. In a season with the Jets, where he suffered a season-ending oblique injury in Week 8, Cisco wasn't the same player. He missed more tackles (percentage-wise), gave up 12 receptions on 19 targets, and looked more hesitant than in years past. He still brought some big hits to the defense and read the quarterback well in zone, but Cisco has an uphill battle coming off the injury to return to making plays the way he used to.

Dante Trader Jr. was a bright spot for the Dolphins defense last season, who deserved more playing time than he got. He looked comfortable in every role that was asked of him nearing the end of the season, was a very good run defender, and showed his football IQ and play recognition consistently. His feel for the game is smooth, but he will need to clean up his tackling technique going forward to be that trusted player as a safety valve. As the former fifth-round pick's knowledge of the game continues to grow, he could start to see the ball production impact keep growing as well. The future is bright for Trader Jr. in Jeff Hafley's defense.

There's a ton of value in having a steady-eddy veteran on the back end, particularly one who can execute several roles and always be in the right position. Nick Scott might not be a remarkable athlete or coverage defender, but he's a sound tackler who consistently fills lanes the right way and takes good angles to the football. He racked up 111 tackles for the Panthers last season and became a leader in the secondary for their march to the postseason. Whether he's a starter for the Panthers or a rotational vet who the coaching staff can rely upon, Nick Scott is a great presence to have in a defense.

Jeremy Chinn wears so many different hats for the Raiders defense that he should be called the Mad Hatter. That kind of usage makes it difficult to hang his hat on any one thing, but he racks up a ton of tackles with his effort and willingness to play against the run. He's better at sorting through the trash than stacking and shedding blocks, but he gets involved. In coverage, his eyes can wander and concentration lapse, leading to coverage busts, but his athletic ability, big nickel tools, and versatility keep him on the field.

Alohi Gilman is a valuable utility man and a highly instinctual player who can help unlock a defense when utilized correctly. Flowing downhill is where he does his best work, but he can play from a single-high alignment and help patrol the back end of the defense. He doesn't have the best range, but his instincts take him to the football, and he brings a big stick with him; however, that leads to more missed tackles. Gilman is a willing lane-filler, but does get in trouble with pursuit angles and length concerns as a tackler. His versatility is his superpower, and he's just landed in the hands of Steve Spagnuolo, who is one of the most creative and havoc-creating defensive coordinators in the NFL.

Top-down safeties are what today's NFL is made of, with as many two-high shells as we're seeing, but Kamren Kinchens has the instincts to play from a single-high alignment as well as a robber. He gives the defense a ton of versatility in where he can line up and isn't afraid to play down close to the box and support the run. He drives on routes over the middle of the field, tackles well in space, and can be a dangerous player to test when he gets a read on what's happening. The Rams don't want him playing too much in the box or in man coverage, but he's exactly the type of player this secondary values.

This is the man who allows Talanoa Hufanga to play to his instinctual fancy while remaining on the roof of the Denver defense. Brandon Jones didn't give up a touchdown last season for the Broncos and continued to get his hand on the football with seven passes defensed in his injury-shortened season. He's better at covering tight ends in man coverage than receivers, but he closes quickly on the ball carrier, reads out route concepts well, and is a willing run supporter. Missed tackles have been an issue for him, and he tends to out-leverage himself in coverage, but he recovers well and provides roaming value for the Denver defense.