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Yeah, as long as most everyone stays relatively healthy, I will be very disappointed if this defense does not improve, significantly, on 3rd downs to at least a middle-of-the-pack ranking.
Right now, we're going into training camp healthier than most people expected. There were no injuries out of minicamp and OTAs, and several players appear ahead of schedule, including Wilfork, Will Smith, and Easley. Tommy Kelly appears to be recovering a bit more slowly, but is still making progress. Only Armond Armstead and Alfonzo Dennard remains question marks.
Right now the defense is shaping up very nicely in terms of personnel:
- A DE rotation of Chandler Jones, Rob Ninkovich, Will Smith and Michael Buchanan. Easley may also get snaps at DE, as could Armstead if he gets healthy. Smith looks like he will be healthy enough to contribute as part of a rotation, and should get time at both DE spots. The outside pass rush should benefit tremendously from (1) a deeper rotation, (2) better interior pressure, and (3) the revamped secondary.
- A healthy Wilfork and Easley at DT, with Kelly, Siliga and Jones/Vellano for depth. Armstead is the wild card. The combination of Wilfork (IF he can come back to something at all close to his 2011-2012 form) and Easley should be wicked.
- Mayo-Collins-Hightower at LB, with Anderson for depth and coverage ability. 1 more veteran LB would be nice, though Ninkovich could get LB snaps as well. Hightower looked a bit lighter and more fluid in minicamp by all reports, Mayo seemed ready to go full tilt in training camp, and Collins looks like he is ready to explode.
- A secondary that should be one of the 2-3 best in the NFL, led by Revis and Browner. Browner's size and physicality stood out in OTAs/minicamp, and Revis was Revis. Logan Ryan and Duron Harmon appear to have put in a ton of offseason work, and both have bulked up some.
Staying healthy will be key, but overall the defense looks in great shape going into training camp.