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The defense has been overhauled completed over the last few years except for Wilfork.
Some of the rebuilding has worked, some has not.
With one of the greatest defensive minds in NFL history in charge, we have what I would describe as a defense that plays well at times, is opportunistic, but struggles straight up to outplay offenses.
This is accentuated in situations like a 2 minute drill, where the offense isn't strategizing, isnt worried about balance, and has 4 downs to throw the ball and get 10 yards, over and over. Of course the way the NFL has evolved almost any defense has a hard time in that situation, but it is the one area where our team stands out as very weak.
So changes must be made. This is my opinion of what we have, what role they would be accpetable in (realizing we cant have an allpro at every position and taking into effect our system) and by default what I think BB should focus the entire offseason on. (If the D is 'fixed' the O will be good enough with minor moves to have us right back in the SB)
DLINE
Wilfork should be a NT in the 34. That is the best use of him and frankly he should be out on 3rd and long so he is strong for the 50 plays he is in for.
Deaderick. We can win with him as a 34 DE, but it would continue to be a spot that we want to upgrade.
Love. He should not be more than a backup. I was far from impressed with his play this year.
Brace. I was really high on Brace last year. He looked real good as a LDE stuffing the run and showing a good bull riush when he was out there but he kept losing playing time, and this year he barely saw the field. Something is missing, because he certainly has the talent to be a good LDE in the 34, but he hasn't come close to showing it. Is it health, conditioning, attitude? I don't know but at this point he should be coming to camp needing to prove he deserves to make the team, but if he does he could be a big surprise. As of now, not to be relied upon.
Pryor/Wright. Can't stay healthy, can't be relied upon.
Warren is a jag who could have a chance to come back and sit on the end of the bench. Ellis appears cooked.
Assuming we play a 34, we desperately need a DE, could really stand to upgrade Deaderick, but also need depth.
This is a round 1 priority or top FA area IMO.
Sub Package.
Anderson is a great option as a sub package rusher, who should never be on the field to do anything else. Carter is better but seemingly wouldn't be happy in that role, and I can't see banking the success of the pass rush on him being fully recovered from his injury at his age. Can't afford to not move on.
Aside from those 2, and a decent job from Ninkovich as a backup nickel DE, we were horrible on sub package DL.
We need a nickel DE across from Anderson but that comes from the OLB spot.
We need a whole new group of inside rushers in the sub package.
The DL needs a lot of work.
Some of the rebuilding has worked, some has not.
With one of the greatest defensive minds in NFL history in charge, we have what I would describe as a defense that plays well at times, is opportunistic, but struggles straight up to outplay offenses.
This is accentuated in situations like a 2 minute drill, where the offense isn't strategizing, isnt worried about balance, and has 4 downs to throw the ball and get 10 yards, over and over. Of course the way the NFL has evolved almost any defense has a hard time in that situation, but it is the one area where our team stands out as very weak.
So changes must be made. This is my opinion of what we have, what role they would be accpetable in (realizing we cant have an allpro at every position and taking into effect our system) and by default what I think BB should focus the entire offseason on. (If the D is 'fixed' the O will be good enough with minor moves to have us right back in the SB)
DLINE
Wilfork should be a NT in the 34. That is the best use of him and frankly he should be out on 3rd and long so he is strong for the 50 plays he is in for.
Deaderick. We can win with him as a 34 DE, but it would continue to be a spot that we want to upgrade.
Love. He should not be more than a backup. I was far from impressed with his play this year.
Brace. I was really high on Brace last year. He looked real good as a LDE stuffing the run and showing a good bull riush when he was out there but he kept losing playing time, and this year he barely saw the field. Something is missing, because he certainly has the talent to be a good LDE in the 34, but he hasn't come close to showing it. Is it health, conditioning, attitude? I don't know but at this point he should be coming to camp needing to prove he deserves to make the team, but if he does he could be a big surprise. As of now, not to be relied upon.
Pryor/Wright. Can't stay healthy, can't be relied upon.
Warren is a jag who could have a chance to come back and sit on the end of the bench. Ellis appears cooked.
Assuming we play a 34, we desperately need a DE, could really stand to upgrade Deaderick, but also need depth.
This is a round 1 priority or top FA area IMO.
Sub Package.
Anderson is a great option as a sub package rusher, who should never be on the field to do anything else. Carter is better but seemingly wouldn't be happy in that role, and I can't see banking the success of the pass rush on him being fully recovered from his injury at his age. Can't afford to not move on.
Aside from those 2, and a decent job from Ninkovich as a backup nickel DE, we were horrible on sub package DL.
We need a nickel DE across from Anderson but that comes from the OLB spot.
We need a whole new group of inside rushers in the sub package.
The DL needs a lot of work.