Is Our Defense Better Than 2025? just bored, we've discussed this before

rkarp1 said:

I really liked Tonga
but he played 40% of the defensive snaps, and Durden played 38% of the defensive snaps.
I felt Durden was getting the nod more so than Tonga later in the season, aside from goal line/short yardage situations.

Can the remaining group replace those snaps? I think they can, am I am higher than most apparently on Farmer's potential. O also like Gregory and Williams, and I am not sleeping on Blay or Pharms. the team still has really nice depth here.

I think many here are over rating Ponder. He was a nice story last season, but a 1 dimensional player (so far). will he make the necessary adjustments and improvements?

I get that many believe that D Jones is more well rounded than Chaisson. But Chaisson was very, very good at getting to the QB, and Jones is not that. Hopefully Jacas can get on the field and contribute quickly. I thought Landry was playing very, very well before he got injured. I assume he can get back to that level.

The LB group is a concern. as everyone has said, the group is thin behind Elliss and Spillane.

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Wozzy said:

Assuming health the defense should be better. I’d feel better if they had a big fatty to plop next to Barmore on early run downs. But they have a lot of try hard guys who can fill in for now, I’m just concerned about third or fourth and inches.

Beyond that the defense will be better if Landry is healthy, Ponder arrives to camp stronger and Jacas comes as advertised. Weaknesses on last year’s defense were few, but one was after Landry went down they had to use piecemeal players on the edge. Jennings was their run stopper and Chaisson was their pass rusher… so they had to guess what the opposing offense was doing. An every down OLB like Landry plays the run as well as the pass so this area could potentially be much improved.

The defensive coverages were a mixed bag because they were exceptional at man coverage, but often had no clue what they were doing in zone. Vrabel made a self effacing joke how they often didn’t know what they were doing in zone midseason. Now Kevin Byard is here, he was Vrabe’s defensive backfield QB with the Titans. He should solidify the zones by lining everyone up presnap and making sure they know their assignments.

In the draft and post draft free agency they added some good depth at ILB and CB where it was needed. This was a top five defense last year when healthy, they were the best defense in the playoffs. Stay healthy, develop the youth… do it again.

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