How Good Can The Defense Be This Year?

[natagu23]

I think we jump up towards the middle of the pack defensively.

Pass rush is still a concern. However, the beauty of the Wilson pick is that it can afford us to blitz 5 or 6 assuming Vontae and Wilson can shut down #1 and #2 with Butler playing the slot.

In other words we can generate pressure with the blitz while now having a decreased risk of getting burned on the backend. Oh yeahh.....we'll have Hooker playing center field back there too.

Mingo is a wildcard. Not expecting much from him except being a decent starter on STs. Now, if we can some how tap into his freak talent and he can take advantage of our long disruptive front with guys like Langford and Anderson.....could we possibly get 5-8 sacks from him? *Thinks of Pagano* Well, maybe not.

[Maniac]

It can't be worse than it has been, but I also expect it to take some time for the young kids to develop. Probably an up and down year with some really good games and some where mistakes get made.

[omahacolt]

Mingo is a bum. He will do nothing.

Middle of the pack seems doable. Maybe even a bit hopeful since we are still lacking in pass rush and monchichi didn't really seem good at generating a rush

[Colt Classic]

They can definitely be top 25.

[Hoopsdoc]

Slightly better but still bottom half.

It won't be good until we can build a young core on defense thru the draft. FA fills needs but rarely provides upper echelon play, unless you sign super stars, who never become available.

To build a truly good defense, you have to do it thru the draft.

[bertjones]

I don't know how good the D will be but I am certain it will be better.
The important thing to me is that between free agency and the draft I'm
starting to get a clear vision of what Ballard is trying to do. You have that
toilet clogger Hankins up front stuffing the run. You have two aggressive
press corners in Davis and Wilson. You have a centerfielder -Hooker to
clean up their mistakes, as well as opposing quarterbacks mistakes. You have
some linebackers-Sheard and Simon with pass rushing ability. The picture isn't
nearly painted yet but you have a definite sense of where it's headed. I never
got that feeling with Grigson, that there was some over arching plan.
So I feel very good about this. Having said that, expect me to hop the
Ballard bandwagon at the first hint of trouble.

[DrSpaceman]

Originally Posted by natagu23

I think we jump up towards the middle of the pack defensively.

Pass rush is still a concern. However, the beauty of the Wilson pick is that it can afford us to blitz 5 or 6 assuming Vontae and Wilson can shut down #1 and #2 with Butler playing the slot.

In other words we can generate pressure with the blitz while now having a decreased risk of getting burned on the backend. Oh yeahh.....we'll have Hooker playing center field back there too.

Mingo is a wildcard. Not expecting much from him except being a decent starter on STs. Now, if we can some how tap into his freak talent and he can take advantage of our long disruptive front with guys like Langford and Anderson.....could we possibly get 5-8 sacks from him? *Thinks of Pagano* Well, maybe not.

Plus it will give the pass rush more time to get to the QB. You shouldn't have guys wide open from the start of the play with Wilson and DAvis both on the field, hopefully.

More time and more pass rushers alone should help. But you still need guys that can get to the QB, and I really have no idea of any of the currently players can do that