The NFL's annual flea market is about to begin—although at this gathering, you aren't getting squat for $4.99.

On Monday, the NFL's "legal tampering" period (the league's non-answer to the rampant tampering that goes on every year) begins. At 4:00 P.M. on March 11, the league year kicks off—and teams can officially sign free agents.

Over the days and weeks to come, dozens of players will sign deals. Hundreds of millions of dollars will be handed out. Both the NFL and IDP landscapes will be dramatically altered.

It can be argued that the smartest deals each year are the second-tier deals that don't break the bank. And some veterans will be left little recourse but to ink one-year "prove-it" deals. But there will be a fortunate few who will hit the proverbial jackpot.

And it's quite possible that at least one will be a defensive lineman.

Edge-rushers and defensive tackles alike can make big bucks on the open market. Of the five highest-paid non-quarterbacks in the NFL, four are edge-rushers. All make at least $40 million a season. Three defensive tackles bring home more than $25 million a season.

It's unlikely that any of this year's free agents on the D-Line will make that kind of scratch. But there's no shortage of IDP-relevant targets set to hit the open market at the position.

In the first of a three-part series, here's a look at the best of the bunch—and what free agency could mean for their fantasy value in 2206 and beyond.

EDGE Trey Hendrickson, Cincinnati Bengals

There was some speculation that the Bengals might tag Hendrickson and try to trade the 2024 sack king. But the franchise tag deadline came and went, and Hendrickson has already posted a goodbye message to the fans in Cincinnati, writing that, "I was and always will be proud to have worn the Cincinnati Bengals logo and honor the history behind it."

Hendrickson posted 17.5 sacks in back-to-back seasons in 2023 and 2024, and he was DL3 in fantasy points two years ago in The Godfather's Default IDP Scoring. But Hendrickson will turn 32 during the 2026 season, and his four sacks in seven games last year were his lowest total since 2018. Add in unimpressive tackle numbers (over 45 stops just once in nine years), and regardless of where Hendrickson lands, he's a candidate to be overdrafted by IDP managers chasing ghosts.

Projected Landing Spot: New England Patriots

EDGE Odafe Oweh, Los Angeles Chargers

Oweh cracked 10 sacks with the Baltimore Ravens two years ago, but that didn't stop the team from dealing the 27-year-old to the Los Angeles Chargers in-season last year. Oweh logged 7.5 sacks in 12 regular-season games with the Bolts in 2026, adding three more in the postseason. Given Oweh's production the past two seasons and the fact that he's in the prime of his career, there should be no shortage of demand for the fifth-year veteran.

Oweh isn't a big tackle producer—he's had fewer than 40 stops in each of the past two seasons. Two years ago, he finished in low-end IDP DL2 territory in fantasy points, and last year, once joining the Chargers, he dipped just outside the top-30 in points per game. Oweh is a high-variance, low-end second starter or high-end depth for fantasy managers.

Projected Landing Spot: Tennessee Titans

EDGE Jaelan Phillips, Philadelphia Eagles