[h=1]Ranking all 32 NFL defenses[/h][h=3]Seattle, KC, Denver among league's best Ds; position groups ranked too[/h]
By Nathan Jahnke | Pro Football Focus
ESPN INSIDER
Yesterday, we ranked every NFL offense and every single offensive position group. Now we turn our attention to defenses.
Below, you'll see not only where each team's defense ranks but also how each position group -- secondary, linebackers, edge rushers and interior line -- grades out against the rest of the NFL.
In order to compile the ranks, we used PFF's graded depth charts series as a starting point to grade and rank position groups throughout the league. Then, we weighted those rankings toward starters and moderated our expectations for rookies, according to the performance PFF data expects them to achieve in Year 1, by draft position.
The color-coded images at the right of every team include the team's ranking in each of the four position groups.
(To clarify: The Secondary grouping includes cornerbacks and safeties; Linebackers includes all 4-3 'backers and 3-4 ILBs; Edge Rushers includes 4-3 DEs and 3-4 OLBs; Interior Linemenincludes 4-3 DTs and all 3-4 linemen.)
After last year's Super Bowl victory, this shouldn't be much of a surprise. But in case you needed a reminder: In Seattle's base defense, all 11 starters -- never mind the guys on the bench -- are solid or above-average players. There are only 20 players in the league who are likely to be bench guys this season that we think would rate as good starters. The Seahawks' defense has two of them in DT Kevin Williams and Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith.
If there is any weakness, it is slot cornerback Jeremy Lane. He was decent in 2013, in allowing an NFL passer rating of 81.1 and defending three passes, but his inexperience showed at times. Still, Lane isn't enough to hold the Legion of Boom back from having the best secondary in the league.
There are 23 defensive players we consider elite. The only team with more than two is the Chiefs: Dontari Poe at nose tackle, Justin Houston at left outside linebacker and Eric Berry at strong safety. Their strongest unit is their edge rushers; there, Houston pairs with Tamba Hali. Rookie Dee Ford was just added to the mix as well. Hali led all 3-4 outside linebackers in pressures last year, with 77, while Houston's 59 pressures were seventh best, even though he missed the last five games of the regular season.
Kansas City's weakest link is the secondary. Aside from Berry, the Chiefs have mostly average defensive backs.
The 49ers make it this high on the list thanks to an excellent front seven. For the past three years, they've had Ray McDonald and Justin Smith at defensive end, Ahmad Brooks and Aldon Smith at outside linebacker, and Patrick Willis with NaVorro Bowman at inside linebacker. Once Bowman is healthy, those six players will be reunited.
The injury to Glenn Dorsey is potentially a big loss -- Dorsey was quietly impressive at nose tackle the past season -- but the core of an excellent defense remains intact. This should be one of the league's best units again in 2014, even as some key contributors rack up mileage.
Given last year's Super Bowl performance and the Broncos' less-than-sturdy defensive reputation, it might be surprising to see them rated this high. To make our case: Denver will get Von Miller, who led the league in 2012 with 86 pressures, back this season; they added safetyT.J. Ward and pass rusher DeMarcus Ware in free agency; and DB Chris Harris also returns from injury.
This isn't a slam dunk, though, particularly considering how much the Broncos like to rotate their linemen. Their top eight players played between 300 and 800 snaps the past season. While they have some quality players along the line -- particularly Terrance Knighton -- they don't have the depth to always have multiple quality linemen on the field.
The Patriots' defense has been improving over the past few years. This offseason, it only got better. They added arguably the league's best cornerback in Darrelle Revis. He allowed 0.72 yards per coverage snap, which was second best in the league. He is now paired with the league's best safety, Devin McCourty, who led all safeties in passes defended the past season.
They have good starters across the board in the front seven, where they're led by Vince Wilfork and Jerod Mayo and up-and-coming linebacker Jamie Collins. One caveat: the top four teams on the list have at least one great pass-rusher. The Pats don't have anyone who can reliably wreak havoc on opposing QBs.
The Bills' strength is in the interior of their defense. In 2013, three Bills interior linemen had at least 25 run stops. That group is led by Kyle Williams, who also had 69 pressures in '13, a top-five mark for interior linemen. Like the 49ers, Patriots and Seahawks, all 12 of the Bills' starters (crediting nickel corners as starters) have proven to be average NFL starters or better. That can't be said for 28 other NFL teams, though the season-ending injury to Kiko Alonso will hurt.
This season, they add Brandon Spikes, which will make it even more difficult for teams to run up the middle. They could have issues in the secondary, though. After losing Jairus Byrd in free agency, the Bills lack any player who excels in coverage.
</photo></p>The defense is led by two outstanding linebackers in Luke Kuechly andThomas Davis. That pair combined for 51 run stops, six interceptions and six passes defended last year. When their best four players are in, Carolina's defensive line is also quite formidable. They are led by Greg Hardy, who had 39 combined sacks and hits, which was third best for all players not named J.J. Watt or Robert Quinn.
While the defense has as much star power as any team up front, their secondary is a big cause for concern, given that it has lost four of its five best defensive backs.
The Dolphins make it into the top fourth of the league due to their star players. Their best player on D is Cameron Wake, who had 71 pressures, fourth most among 4-3 defensive ends, despite missing games and being limited in his playing time for most of the first half of the season. They also have Brent Grimes, one of the league's most underrated corners, who had four interceptions and 14 passes defended last year and did not allow a touchdown in coverage all year. There's great rotational depth at defensive tackle here too.
On the downside, they have a few mediocre starters, and the majority of their depth is inexperienced.
Few teams have been able to turn a negative into a positive like the Saints have with their defensive backs. They invested recent high draft picks in Kenny Vaccaro and Stanley Jean-Baptiste while adding free agents Jairus Byrd, Keenan Lewis and Champ Bailey. Another big change for New Orleans was the emergence of Cameron Jordan andJunior Galette as a pass rushing duo. Each had at least 12 sacks, 12 hits and 30 hurries.
Two of the Saints' highest paid players are Curtis Lofton and David Hawthorne. Both have played two years for the team at roughly $8 million per, and neither has yet paid dividends.
The Packers are another defense that should be much improved in 2014. The defense's best two players, Clay Matthews and slot cornerback Casey Hayward, played only a combined 659 snaps in 2013. Outside of Matthews, the Packers' strength is at cornerback, where they have Tramon Williams and Sam Shields. Those two allowed 57 percent and 50 percent catch rates, respectively, last season; combine them with Hayward and you have one of the league's best secondaries.
Mike Daniels is a force inside who brought pressure on 11.7 percent of his pass rushes in 2013, sixth best for 3-4 defensive ends. While they have added a lot of draft picks and even free agents to the line, the Packers remain short on proven quality there and are waiting for players to step up.
The Bengals are yet another team that will see their top two players return from injury. Defensive tackle Geno Atkins had 78 pressures in 2012, which was the second most for any defensive tackle in a season since 2007. He was missed dearly this past season. Cincy also gets back Leon Hall, one of the league's best slot corners, who allowed 0.65 yards per coverage snap from the slot. That put him second best in 2012 before he missed time last year as well.
A number of other well-known players are mixed in among the starting lineup. Vontaze Burfict, Carlos Dunlap, Adam Jones and Reggie Nelsonwill all make a sizable impact. Still, the losses of Michael Johnson, James Harrison and Chris Crocker will hurt them, and there are some players who will need to step up in 2014.
Like most teams in the middle of the pack, the Detroit defense has some assets mixed with some question marks. While Ndamukong Suh's sack numbers weren't all that high in 2013, it was his best year as a pro. With 72 pressures, he was constantly making life difficult for the quarterback. Their next best player isn't nearly as well known, but middle linebacker Stephen Tulloch had a defensive stop on 11.3 percent of his run plays, which was fifth best for middle and inside linebackers.
The Lions will be relying a lot on recent high draft picks in Ezekiel Ansah, Kyle Van Noy and Darius Slay. If all three live up to expectations, the question for the Lions might be how far in the playoffs they can go, rather than whether they can make the postseason at all.
The Ravens have some aging playmakers on defense, but they have not reached the point where they've stopped making plays. Few teams are two-deep at pass rusher like Baltimore is, with Elvis Dumervil andTerrell Suggs. Both posted double-digit sacks, double-digit hits and double-digit hurries the past season. They also have a few players who are somewhat one-dimensional but very good in their respective specialties.
Haloti Ngata has continued to make things difficult for opposing running backs but wasn't as much of a force against the pass the past season as he has been previously. Daryl Smith excelled on pass plays, regardless of whether he was blitzing or dropping into coverage. Losing Arthur Jones, James Ihedigboand Corey Graham should hurt unless a number of replacements can step up.
The Colts' ranking is helped out a lot by having Robert Mathis at outside linebacker. At the age of 33, his decline is inevitable. Still, that time has yet to come -- though he will miss the first four games of the season due to suspension.
Former Ravens Cory Redding and Arthur Jones are strong presences inside. Jones has made a run stop on one out of every 10 plays, the fourth best mark for 3-4 defensive ends. The star of their secondary isVontae Davis, who has only allowed half the passes thrown his way to be caught. Bjoern Werner is the only defensive player on the team to be drafted by the Colts in the first four rounds of the draft, and he didn't have a promising rookie year. Altogether, there is currently very little young talent to build around.
The Jets make it this high based completely on the strength of their defensive line. While plenty has been said about Muhammad Wilkersonand Sheldon Richardson, and they deserve their due, Damon Harrisonhad a monstrous season last year on the nose without earning much fanfare. His 36 stops tied for the most among all defensive tackles. In terms of backups, Kenrick Ellis had a run stop on 15 percent of his run snaps, which was the best for all defensive or nose tackles.
The rest of the defense features a significant number of question marks and a hefty dose of questionable talent. Still, it's hard to picture an offensive line that would have much success against this defensive front.
Few teams have as big a gap as the Bucs between their star players on defense and the rest of their talent. Strong arguments could be made for Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David as the best NFL players at their respective positions. But those two have had little help around them.
Only five teams have two elite defensive players. The other four rank in the top five. Although the Bucs made some good free agent additions in Michael Johnson and Alterraun Verner, this defense is still in desperate need of a better supporting case. Currently, McCoy carries almost the entire pass rushing load.
The Eagles have an odd problem on defense: Most of their top defensive talent plays the same position. At defensive end, they haveCedric Thornton, Fletcher Cox and Vinny Curry. While Curry is the backup of the three, he recorded a pressure on 14.7 percent of his pass plays, a mark that was second among 3-4 defensive ends, just behind J.J. Watt. At right outside linebacker, they have either Trent Cole or Brandon Graham on the field. While Graham is the backup there, he accumulates pressures on 11.9 percent of his pass rush plays.
The Eagles have one of the best slot cornerbacks in the NFL in Brandon Boykin. But outside of Boykin, their starters grade largely average, and their backups are inexperienced almost across the board.
After having one of the worst defenses in the league in 2013, Washington made moves in the right direction this offseason. Their strength was and remains their 3-4 outside linebackers. They combined for 103 pressures over the season. At defensive tackle, they had Barry Cofield, who recorded the eighth most pressures for the position at 41. Now, they've added Jason Hatcher, who had the fourth most for defensive tackles, at 51.
While they will have one of the best four-man rushes in the league, they still might have problems stopping the run as well as in coverage when the rush isn't able to pressure the quarterback.
The Browns weren't afraid to be big spenders in free agency this offseason. Those dollars should help the defense remain average. Last year, inside linebacker Karlos Dansby had 10 passes defended, which led all linebackers, while Donte Whitner had six passes defended, which tied for second most among safeties.
Returning cornerbacks Buster Skrine and Joe Haden had 15 and 12 passes defended, respectively, which were both in the top 10 for cornerbacks. All of that adds up to an impressive coverage unit for the Browns. But investments along the defensive line have yet to pay off, and they haven't been able to facilitate much of a pass rush.
The Titans are the highest-ranked team with no elite players and only one considered high-quality. The reason they stand out despite the low star power is that 10 of the 12 main contributors are average or better starters. The best player on the unit is Jurrell Casey, one of just a few interior pass-rushers to manage double-digit sacks the past season. While he plays a big part in their defensive line rankings, the team has good depth there. Only the team's shift to a new scheme could derail the impact of that unit overall.
The Cardinals have an interesting mix of tremendous players and areas of concern. Defensive back Tyrann Mathieu was a stud as a rookie and could be a star if he returns to full health after last season's ACL tear. Patrick Peterson is capable of manning up against the best receivers in the league. The one man on the defense we deemed elite is Calais Campbell, who had the second-highest overall PFF grade among 3-4 defensive ends.
While Campbell and Mathieu solidify the line and the secondary, respectively, there are plenty of questions at linebacker. They lostKarlos Dansby in free agency and Daryl Washington to suspension, and outside of a 36-year old John Abraham, they have lacked an edge rusher for several seasons.
You could argue the Rams' three best defensive players are defensive ends. Of course, they have defensive player of the year Robert Quinnat right and Chris Long at left end. But backup William Hayes was also incredibly impressive this past season. His run stop percentage of 10.5 was third best for the position in 2013. Adding to the abundance of riches, the next two best players are likely defensive tackles Kendall Langford and Michael Brockers. And we haven't even talked about rookie Aaron Donald, whom the Rams drafted in the first round.
But while they have a remarkable defensive line, their linebackers and defensive backs probably wouldn't be starters on most teams. Their mediocrity poses major problems for the entire unit.
The outlook for the Raiders' defense is uniquely dubious for two reasons. First, half of this year's likely starters were not on the team a year ago. Second, they are one of only five teams without an elite or high-quality starter. Top draft pick Khalil Mack could change that, but he won't be enough to solidify the unit overall. On the bright side, the Raiders have an all-new pass rush, which will consist of LaMarr Woodley, Justin Tuck, Antonio Smith and Mack.
The Oakland secondary should also be much improved. Safety Tyvon Branch missed nearly all of last season but had a 5.8 run stop percentage in 2012, which was seventh best for safeties that year.
For the past several years, the best player on the Steelers has been safety Troy Polamalu. That remains true today, but neither he nor the defense is what it once was. Polamalu is still a force on his best day, and when targeted in 2013, he allowed just 52.1 percent of passes to be completed, tied for the lowest in the league among safeties with at least 35 targets. Meanwhile, as Polamalu declines, the emergence ofCameron Heyward and Jason Worilds gives the defense hope for the future.
The Steelers also invested early on defense in this year's draft. As long as they don't suffer any injuries, they should have a strong starting unit down the line. For now, though, they have either a rookie or someone with hardly any NFL experience providing the majority of their depth. An injury or two could cause major problems.
The Texans have defensive end J.J. Watt, who we would argue is the best player in the NFL. Watt had 54 stops against the run last year. The next-most for a defensive lineman was 40. The Texans also should have a healthy Brian Cushing at inside linebacker, and first overall pickJadeveon Clowney can only help their pass rush.
But they only have four starters who were considered average or better the past season. Only three defensive players drafted in 2012 and 2013 remain on the roster -- and none of those three has yet lived up to expectations.
The strength of the Giants is in a secondary that will look very different from last season's. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was added to the roster; he instantly becomes their best player on defense. Only 44.1 percent of passes thrown his way were caught last season, which was second best in the league, behind only new teammate Trumaine McBride, who allowed 43.8 percent. They also have Stevie Brownreturning from injury; he had eight interceptions in 2012. The losses ofJustin Tuck and Linval Joseph will hurt their defensive line, though DTJohnathan Hankins has flashed ability and could step up.
The Falcons have been trying to get tougher on both sides of the ball. They have a long way to go to be good enough on defense. This summer, they spent three picks in the first four rounds of the draft on defensive players who might not pay immediate dividends but should help in the long run.
On the sunny side of things, they have three players who rank as good starters or better, all of whom were added within the past 18 months. Cornerback Desmond Trufant had a league-leading 15 passes defended as a rookie. The Falcons also added two linemen who specialize in stopping the run in Tyson Jackson and Paul Soliai. All the same, the Falcons need some young players to step up to move up the defense rankings.
The Chargers' 2013 season was filled with great play on offense and some subpar play on defense. But there's reason to believe the unit will be better in 2014. OLB Dwight Freeney returns after achieving 19 pressures on 112 pass rushes before getting hurt the past season. At this point in his career, there's no guarantee he'll stay healthy.
While they had some trouble at cornerback, the additions of Brandon Flowers in free agency and Jason Verrett in the draft should help. For the most part, the defense is full of players who have yet to distinguish themselves as starters. But most are still young enough to improve.
This offseason, the Vikings took some steps forward and a few back. Two of their best players on defense will be new additions Captain Munnerlyn and Linval Joseph. Munnerlyn was the only cornerback last year to be targeted more than 60 times and not allow a single touchdown. The addition of rookie pass-rusher Anthony Barr is also intriguing.
But the Vikes lost longtime stars Jared Allen and Kevin Williams, and they let go of Erin Henderson, their best linebacker. That linebacking corps could be quite weak as a result. They have gotten younger on defense and have a few pieces of the puzzle, but they still need to find out if some of their young players are a fit to complete the picture.
The Bears have five defensive players who are above-average starters but none who currently grades as elite or high-quality. They added the top two 4-3 defensive ends in run stop percentage this offseason inLamarr Houston, at 10.3 percent, and Willie Young, at 9.9 percent. The other three above-average starters are Tim Jennings, Lance Briggs andCharles Tillman -- who are 30, 33 and 33, respectfully.
Things get a lot more unconvincing after those five. While the Bears have built a strong offense, they haven't hit on too many defensive draft picks in the past decade. Most of their successes in the draft are now playing for other teams. We'll see if first-round rookie corner Kyle Fuller can buck that trend.
In 2013, the Jaguars lacked star power, put a lot of young players on the field and hoped a few would show enough to stick. CornerbackAlan Ball proved up to the challenge; he had 13 passes defended on the year, good for sixth most in the NFL. A few young players were also able to play well enough to grade out as average starters. Then, in free agency, they added Red Bryant and Chris Clemons and made major upgrades to the defensive end position in the process.
Although they lack the big star that most defenses have, the Jags have taken steps in the right direction and could leap up the rankings if a few more youngsters emerge in 2014.
The Cowboys had statistically one of the league's worst defenses in 2013. Then they lost their three best players this offseason. Jason Hatcher and DeMarcus Ware left for greener pastures, while Sean Leesuffered another injury and was shut down practically before a pad had been strapped on. The average team has 4.5 good starters or better on the defense, but the Cowboys currently have just one.
If there is hope for this defense, it comes on the defensive line. They added Henry Melton, who was one of the best pass rushing interior linemen in 2012 before he got hurt in 2013. Defensive lineman Jeremy Mincey will also serve as an upgrade. Anthony Spencer sets the edge well and is a quality player when healthy. There are just too many question marks here overall, though.
By Nathan Jahnke | Pro Football Focus
ESPN INSIDER
Yesterday, we ranked every NFL offense and every single offensive position group. Now we turn our attention to defenses.
Below, you'll see not only where each team's defense ranks but also how each position group -- secondary, linebackers, edge rushers and interior line -- grades out against the rest of the NFL.
In order to compile the ranks, we used PFF's graded depth charts series as a starting point to grade and rank position groups throughout the league. Then, we weighted those rankings toward starters and moderated our expectations for rookies, according to the performance PFF data expects them to achieve in Year 1, by draft position.
The color-coded images at the right of every team include the team's ranking in each of the four position groups.
(To clarify: The Secondary grouping includes cornerbacks and safeties; Linebackers includes all 4-3 'backers and 3-4 ILBs; Edge Rushers includes 4-3 DEs and 3-4 OLBs; Interior Linemenincludes 4-3 DTs and all 3-4 linemen.)
[h=3]1. Seattle Seahawks[/h]
After last year's Super Bowl victory, this shouldn't be much of a surprise. But in case you needed a reminder: In Seattle's base defense, all 11 starters -- never mind the guys on the bench -- are solid or above-average players. There are only 20 players in the league who are likely to be bench guys this season that we think would rate as good starters. The Seahawks' defense has two of them in DT Kevin Williams and Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith.
If there is any weakness, it is slot cornerback Jeremy Lane. He was decent in 2013, in allowing an NFL passer rating of 81.1 and defending three passes, but his inexperience showed at times. Still, Lane isn't enough to hold the Legion of Boom back from having the best secondary in the league.
[h=3]2. Kansas City Chiefs[/h]
There are 23 defensive players we consider elite. The only team with more than two is the Chiefs: Dontari Poe at nose tackle, Justin Houston at left outside linebacker and Eric Berry at strong safety. Their strongest unit is their edge rushers; there, Houston pairs with Tamba Hali. Rookie Dee Ford was just added to the mix as well. Hali led all 3-4 outside linebackers in pressures last year, with 77, while Houston's 59 pressures were seventh best, even though he missed the last five games of the regular season.
Kansas City's weakest link is the secondary. Aside from Berry, the Chiefs have mostly average defensive backs.
[h=3]3. San Francisco 49ers[/h]
The 49ers make it this high on the list thanks to an excellent front seven. For the past three years, they've had Ray McDonald and Justin Smith at defensive end, Ahmad Brooks and Aldon Smith at outside linebacker, and Patrick Willis with NaVorro Bowman at inside linebacker. Once Bowman is healthy, those six players will be reunited.
The injury to Glenn Dorsey is potentially a big loss -- Dorsey was quietly impressive at nose tackle the past season -- but the core of an excellent defense remains intact. This should be one of the league's best units again in 2014, even as some key contributors rack up mileage.
[h=3]4. Denver Broncos[/h]
Given last year's Super Bowl performance and the Broncos' less-than-sturdy defensive reputation, it might be surprising to see them rated this high. To make our case: Denver will get Von Miller, who led the league in 2012 with 86 pressures, back this season; they added safetyT.J. Ward and pass rusher DeMarcus Ware in free agency; and DB Chris Harris also returns from injury.
This isn't a slam dunk, though, particularly considering how much the Broncos like to rotate their linemen. Their top eight players played between 300 and 800 snaps the past season. While they have some quality players along the line -- particularly Terrance Knighton -- they don't have the depth to always have multiple quality linemen on the field.
[h=3]5. New England Patriots[/h]
The Patriots' defense has been improving over the past few years. This offseason, it only got better. They added arguably the league's best cornerback in Darrelle Revis. He allowed 0.72 yards per coverage snap, which was second best in the league. He is now paired with the league's best safety, Devin McCourty, who led all safeties in passes defended the past season.
They have good starters across the board in the front seven, where they're led by Vince Wilfork and Jerod Mayo and up-and-coming linebacker Jamie Collins. One caveat: the top four teams on the list have at least one great pass-rusher. The Pats don't have anyone who can reliably wreak havoc on opposing QBs.
[h=3]6. Buffalo Bills[/h]
The Bills' strength is in the interior of their defense. In 2013, three Bills interior linemen had at least 25 run stops. That group is led by Kyle Williams, who also had 69 pressures in '13, a top-five mark for interior linemen. Like the 49ers, Patriots and Seahawks, all 12 of the Bills' starters (crediting nickel corners as starters) have proven to be average NFL starters or better. That can't be said for 28 other NFL teams, though the season-ending injury to Kiko Alonso will hurt.
This season, they add Brandon Spikes, which will make it even more difficult for teams to run up the middle. They could have issues in the secondary, though. After losing Jairus Byrd in free agency, the Bills lack any player who excels in coverage.
[h=3]7. Carolina Panthers[/h]
</photo></p>The defense is led by two outstanding linebackers in Luke Kuechly andThomas Davis. That pair combined for 51 run stops, six interceptions and six passes defended last year. When their best four players are in, Carolina's defensive line is also quite formidable. They are led by Greg Hardy, who had 39 combined sacks and hits, which was third best for all players not named J.J. Watt or Robert Quinn.
While the defense has as much star power as any team up front, their secondary is a big cause for concern, given that it has lost four of its five best defensive backs.
[h=3]8. Miami Dolphins[/h]
The Dolphins make it into the top fourth of the league due to their star players. Their best player on D is Cameron Wake, who had 71 pressures, fourth most among 4-3 defensive ends, despite missing games and being limited in his playing time for most of the first half of the season. They also have Brent Grimes, one of the league's most underrated corners, who had four interceptions and 14 passes defended last year and did not allow a touchdown in coverage all year. There's great rotational depth at defensive tackle here too.
On the downside, they have a few mediocre starters, and the majority of their depth is inexperienced.
[h=3]9. New Orleans Saints[/h]
Few teams have been able to turn a negative into a positive like the Saints have with their defensive backs. They invested recent high draft picks in Kenny Vaccaro and Stanley Jean-Baptiste while adding free agents Jairus Byrd, Keenan Lewis and Champ Bailey. Another big change for New Orleans was the emergence of Cameron Jordan andJunior Galette as a pass rushing duo. Each had at least 12 sacks, 12 hits and 30 hurries.
Two of the Saints' highest paid players are Curtis Lofton and David Hawthorne. Both have played two years for the team at roughly $8 million per, and neither has yet paid dividends.
[h=3]10. Green Bay Packers[/h]
The Packers are another defense that should be much improved in 2014. The defense's best two players, Clay Matthews and slot cornerback Casey Hayward, played only a combined 659 snaps in 2013. Outside of Matthews, the Packers' strength is at cornerback, where they have Tramon Williams and Sam Shields. Those two allowed 57 percent and 50 percent catch rates, respectively, last season; combine them with Hayward and you have one of the league's best secondaries.
Mike Daniels is a force inside who brought pressure on 11.7 percent of his pass rushes in 2013, sixth best for 3-4 defensive ends. While they have added a lot of draft picks and even free agents to the line, the Packers remain short on proven quality there and are waiting for players to step up.
[h=3]11. Cincinnati Bengals[/h]
The Bengals are yet another team that will see their top two players return from injury. Defensive tackle Geno Atkins had 78 pressures in 2012, which was the second most for any defensive tackle in a season since 2007. He was missed dearly this past season. Cincy also gets back Leon Hall, one of the league's best slot corners, who allowed 0.65 yards per coverage snap from the slot. That put him second best in 2012 before he missed time last year as well.
A number of other well-known players are mixed in among the starting lineup. Vontaze Burfict, Carlos Dunlap, Adam Jones and Reggie Nelsonwill all make a sizable impact. Still, the losses of Michael Johnson, James Harrison and Chris Crocker will hurt them, and there are some players who will need to step up in 2014.
[h=3]12. Detroit Lions[/h]
Like most teams in the middle of the pack, the Detroit defense has some assets mixed with some question marks. While Ndamukong Suh's sack numbers weren't all that high in 2013, it was his best year as a pro. With 72 pressures, he was constantly making life difficult for the quarterback. Their next best player isn't nearly as well known, but middle linebacker Stephen Tulloch had a defensive stop on 11.3 percent of his run plays, which was fifth best for middle and inside linebackers.
The Lions will be relying a lot on recent high draft picks in Ezekiel Ansah, Kyle Van Noy and Darius Slay. If all three live up to expectations, the question for the Lions might be how far in the playoffs they can go, rather than whether they can make the postseason at all.
[h=3]13. Baltimore Ravens[/h]
The Ravens have some aging playmakers on defense, but they have not reached the point where they've stopped making plays. Few teams are two-deep at pass rusher like Baltimore is, with Elvis Dumervil andTerrell Suggs. Both posted double-digit sacks, double-digit hits and double-digit hurries the past season. They also have a few players who are somewhat one-dimensional but very good in their respective specialties.
Haloti Ngata has continued to make things difficult for opposing running backs but wasn't as much of a force against the pass the past season as he has been previously. Daryl Smith excelled on pass plays, regardless of whether he was blitzing or dropping into coverage. Losing Arthur Jones, James Ihedigboand Corey Graham should hurt unless a number of replacements can step up.
[h=3]14. Indianapolis Colts[/h]
The Colts' ranking is helped out a lot by having Robert Mathis at outside linebacker. At the age of 33, his decline is inevitable. Still, that time has yet to come -- though he will miss the first four games of the season due to suspension.
Former Ravens Cory Redding and Arthur Jones are strong presences inside. Jones has made a run stop on one out of every 10 plays, the fourth best mark for 3-4 defensive ends. The star of their secondary isVontae Davis, who has only allowed half the passes thrown his way to be caught. Bjoern Werner is the only defensive player on the team to be drafted by the Colts in the first four rounds of the draft, and he didn't have a promising rookie year. Altogether, there is currently very little young talent to build around.
[h=3]15. New York Jets[/h]
The Jets make it this high based completely on the strength of their defensive line. While plenty has been said about Muhammad Wilkersonand Sheldon Richardson, and they deserve their due, Damon Harrisonhad a monstrous season last year on the nose without earning much fanfare. His 36 stops tied for the most among all defensive tackles. In terms of backups, Kenrick Ellis had a run stop on 15 percent of his run snaps, which was the best for all defensive or nose tackles.
The rest of the defense features a significant number of question marks and a hefty dose of questionable talent. Still, it's hard to picture an offensive line that would have much success against this defensive front.
[h=3]16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers[/h]
Few teams have as big a gap as the Bucs between their star players on defense and the rest of their talent. Strong arguments could be made for Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David as the best NFL players at their respective positions. But those two have had little help around them.
Only five teams have two elite defensive players. The other four rank in the top five. Although the Bucs made some good free agent additions in Michael Johnson and Alterraun Verner, this defense is still in desperate need of a better supporting case. Currently, McCoy carries almost the entire pass rushing load.
[h=3]17. Philadelphia Eagles[/h]
The Eagles have an odd problem on defense: Most of their top defensive talent plays the same position. At defensive end, they haveCedric Thornton, Fletcher Cox and Vinny Curry. While Curry is the backup of the three, he recorded a pressure on 14.7 percent of his pass plays, a mark that was second among 3-4 defensive ends, just behind J.J. Watt. At right outside linebacker, they have either Trent Cole or Brandon Graham on the field. While Graham is the backup there, he accumulates pressures on 11.9 percent of his pass rush plays.
The Eagles have one of the best slot cornerbacks in the NFL in Brandon Boykin. But outside of Boykin, their starters grade largely average, and their backups are inexperienced almost across the board.
[h=3]18. Washington Redskins[/h]
After having one of the worst defenses in the league in 2013, Washington made moves in the right direction this offseason. Their strength was and remains their 3-4 outside linebackers. They combined for 103 pressures over the season. At defensive tackle, they had Barry Cofield, who recorded the eighth most pressures for the position at 41. Now, they've added Jason Hatcher, who had the fourth most for defensive tackles, at 51.
While they will have one of the best four-man rushes in the league, they still might have problems stopping the run as well as in coverage when the rush isn't able to pressure the quarterback.
[h=3]19. Cleveland Browns[/h]
The Browns weren't afraid to be big spenders in free agency this offseason. Those dollars should help the defense remain average. Last year, inside linebacker Karlos Dansby had 10 passes defended, which led all linebackers, while Donte Whitner had six passes defended, which tied for second most among safeties.
Returning cornerbacks Buster Skrine and Joe Haden had 15 and 12 passes defended, respectively, which were both in the top 10 for cornerbacks. All of that adds up to an impressive coverage unit for the Browns. But investments along the defensive line have yet to pay off, and they haven't been able to facilitate much of a pass rush.
[h=3]20. Tennessee Titans[/h]
The Titans are the highest-ranked team with no elite players and only one considered high-quality. The reason they stand out despite the low star power is that 10 of the 12 main contributors are average or better starters. The best player on the unit is Jurrell Casey, one of just a few interior pass-rushers to manage double-digit sacks the past season. While he plays a big part in their defensive line rankings, the team has good depth there. Only the team's shift to a new scheme could derail the impact of that unit overall.
[h=3]21. Arizona Cardinals[/h]
The Cardinals have an interesting mix of tremendous players and areas of concern. Defensive back Tyrann Mathieu was a stud as a rookie and could be a star if he returns to full health after last season's ACL tear. Patrick Peterson is capable of manning up against the best receivers in the league. The one man on the defense we deemed elite is Calais Campbell, who had the second-highest overall PFF grade among 3-4 defensive ends.
While Campbell and Mathieu solidify the line and the secondary, respectively, there are plenty of questions at linebacker. They lostKarlos Dansby in free agency and Daryl Washington to suspension, and outside of a 36-year old John Abraham, they have lacked an edge rusher for several seasons.
[h=3]22. St. Louis Rams[/h]
You could argue the Rams' three best defensive players are defensive ends. Of course, they have defensive player of the year Robert Quinnat right and Chris Long at left end. But backup William Hayes was also incredibly impressive this past season. His run stop percentage of 10.5 was third best for the position in 2013. Adding to the abundance of riches, the next two best players are likely defensive tackles Kendall Langford and Michael Brockers. And we haven't even talked about rookie Aaron Donald, whom the Rams drafted in the first round.
But while they have a remarkable defensive line, their linebackers and defensive backs probably wouldn't be starters on most teams. Their mediocrity poses major problems for the entire unit.
[h=3]23. Oakland Raiders[/h]
The outlook for the Raiders' defense is uniquely dubious for two reasons. First, half of this year's likely starters were not on the team a year ago. Second, they are one of only five teams without an elite or high-quality starter. Top draft pick Khalil Mack could change that, but he won't be enough to solidify the unit overall. On the bright side, the Raiders have an all-new pass rush, which will consist of LaMarr Woodley, Justin Tuck, Antonio Smith and Mack.
The Oakland secondary should also be much improved. Safety Tyvon Branch missed nearly all of last season but had a 5.8 run stop percentage in 2012, which was seventh best for safeties that year.
[h=3]24. Pittsburgh Steelers[/h]
For the past several years, the best player on the Steelers has been safety Troy Polamalu. That remains true today, but neither he nor the defense is what it once was. Polamalu is still a force on his best day, and when targeted in 2013, he allowed just 52.1 percent of passes to be completed, tied for the lowest in the league among safeties with at least 35 targets. Meanwhile, as Polamalu declines, the emergence ofCameron Heyward and Jason Worilds gives the defense hope for the future.
The Steelers also invested early on defense in this year's draft. As long as they don't suffer any injuries, they should have a strong starting unit down the line. For now, though, they have either a rookie or someone with hardly any NFL experience providing the majority of their depth. An injury or two could cause major problems.
[h=3]25. Houston Texans[/h]
The Texans have defensive end J.J. Watt, who we would argue is the best player in the NFL. Watt had 54 stops against the run last year. The next-most for a defensive lineman was 40. The Texans also should have a healthy Brian Cushing at inside linebacker, and first overall pickJadeveon Clowney can only help their pass rush.
But they only have four starters who were considered average or better the past season. Only three defensive players drafted in 2012 and 2013 remain on the roster -- and none of those three has yet lived up to expectations.
[h=3]26. New York Giants[/h]
The strength of the Giants is in a secondary that will look very different from last season's. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was added to the roster; he instantly becomes their best player on defense. Only 44.1 percent of passes thrown his way were caught last season, which was second best in the league, behind only new teammate Trumaine McBride, who allowed 43.8 percent. They also have Stevie Brownreturning from injury; he had eight interceptions in 2012. The losses ofJustin Tuck and Linval Joseph will hurt their defensive line, though DTJohnathan Hankins has flashed ability and could step up.
[h=3]27. Atlanta Falcons[/h]
The Falcons have been trying to get tougher on both sides of the ball. They have a long way to go to be good enough on defense. This summer, they spent three picks in the first four rounds of the draft on defensive players who might not pay immediate dividends but should help in the long run.
On the sunny side of things, they have three players who rank as good starters or better, all of whom were added within the past 18 months. Cornerback Desmond Trufant had a league-leading 15 passes defended as a rookie. The Falcons also added two linemen who specialize in stopping the run in Tyson Jackson and Paul Soliai. All the same, the Falcons need some young players to step up to move up the defense rankings.
[h=3]28. San Diego Chargers[/h]
The Chargers' 2013 season was filled with great play on offense and some subpar play on defense. But there's reason to believe the unit will be better in 2014. OLB Dwight Freeney returns after achieving 19 pressures on 112 pass rushes before getting hurt the past season. At this point in his career, there's no guarantee he'll stay healthy.
While they had some trouble at cornerback, the additions of Brandon Flowers in free agency and Jason Verrett in the draft should help. For the most part, the defense is full of players who have yet to distinguish themselves as starters. But most are still young enough to improve.
[h=3]29. Minnesota Vikings[/h]
This offseason, the Vikings took some steps forward and a few back. Two of their best players on defense will be new additions Captain Munnerlyn and Linval Joseph. Munnerlyn was the only cornerback last year to be targeted more than 60 times and not allow a single touchdown. The addition of rookie pass-rusher Anthony Barr is also intriguing.
But the Vikes lost longtime stars Jared Allen and Kevin Williams, and they let go of Erin Henderson, their best linebacker. That linebacking corps could be quite weak as a result. They have gotten younger on defense and have a few pieces of the puzzle, but they still need to find out if some of their young players are a fit to complete the picture.
[h=3]30. Chicago Bears[/h]
The Bears have five defensive players who are above-average starters but none who currently grades as elite or high-quality. They added the top two 4-3 defensive ends in run stop percentage this offseason inLamarr Houston, at 10.3 percent, and Willie Young, at 9.9 percent. The other three above-average starters are Tim Jennings, Lance Briggs andCharles Tillman -- who are 30, 33 and 33, respectfully.
Things get a lot more unconvincing after those five. While the Bears have built a strong offense, they haven't hit on too many defensive draft picks in the past decade. Most of their successes in the draft are now playing for other teams. We'll see if first-round rookie corner Kyle Fuller can buck that trend.
[h=3]31. Jacksonville Jaguars[/h]
In 2013, the Jaguars lacked star power, put a lot of young players on the field and hoped a few would show enough to stick. CornerbackAlan Ball proved up to the challenge; he had 13 passes defended on the year, good for sixth most in the NFL. A few young players were also able to play well enough to grade out as average starters. Then, in free agency, they added Red Bryant and Chris Clemons and made major upgrades to the defensive end position in the process.
Although they lack the big star that most defenses have, the Jags have taken steps in the right direction and could leap up the rankings if a few more youngsters emerge in 2014.
[h=3]32. Dallas Cowboys[/h]
The Cowboys had statistically one of the league's worst defenses in 2013. Then they lost their three best players this offseason. Jason Hatcher and DeMarcus Ware left for greener pastures, while Sean Leesuffered another injury and was shut down practically before a pad had been strapped on. The average team has 4.5 good starters or better on the defense, but the Cowboys currently have just one.
If there is hope for this defense, it comes on the defensive line. They added Henry Melton, who was one of the best pass rushing interior linemen in 2012 before he got hurt in 2013. Defensive lineman Jeremy Mincey will also serve as an upgrade. Anthony Spencer sets the edge well and is a quality player when healthy. There are just too many question marks here overall, though.