2025 Team Defense & Defense by Committee Thread (6 Viewers)

1) How will the Eagles replace so much defensive talent?
The major question about Philadelphia's hopes for a second consecutive Super Bowl win revolve around a defense that lost some key pieces from last year's championship team. The front seven lost defensive end Milton Williams and edge rushers Brandon Graham (retired) and Josh Sweat. The secondary parted ways with cornerback Darius Slay and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson. So, how will the Eagles retool in the wake of all those departures? They'll do what they always do, which is rely on the shrewd personnel moves of general manager Howie Roseman and smart coaches to make it all work.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has a valuable chess piece in slot corner Cooper DeJean, who could move to outside corner or safety in base defense looks depending on how the other players at those spots develop. Fangio also has tremendous faith in the maturation of edge rusher Nolan Smith (who had four sacks in the last year's postseason) and the potential of second-year edge rusher Jalyx Hunt (who had a sack in that Super Bowl win over Kansas City). The Eagles are also high on adding first-round pick Jihaad Campbell to a linebacker corps that includes All-Pro Zack Baun. Like Baun, Campbell has the versatility to line up in various spots of the defense and be impactful. In other words, there may be some new faces on defense in Philly. The expectations, however, shouldn't change that much.

4) Will a youth movement make the Ravens defense the most dominant in the NFL again?
Baltimore has high hopes for its first two picks in this year's draft, as safety Malaki Starks and edge rusher Mike Green have the potential to help this defense immediately. The Ravens started slowly on that side of the football last season, as coverage mishaps and explosive passing plays marred the first half of the year until personnel changes and adjustments turned that unit into one of the league's best down the stretch. Defensive coordinator Zach Orr already loves the chemistry that has developed between Starks and veteran safety Kyle Hamilton in offseason workouts. Like Hamilton, Starks is versatile and has a nose for the football, so the expectation is that he'll learn fast. Green was a first-round talent who slipped into the second round because of off-field concerns, and he might end up being one of the steals of the draft. He led the FBS in sacks in 2024, and his athleticism -- he played wide receiver in high school and linebacker at Virginia before finishing at Marshall -- could make him disruptive in Year 1. Orr admitted to local reporters that this defense learned a lot about itself by dealing with those growing pains in his first year on the job. The additions of Starks and Green should make that process much easier this fall.

5) Will the Bengals defense really improve after so much offseason drama?

It's hard to see how Cincinnati becomes better on that side of the ball after the way the last few months have played out. The contract dispute with All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson has moved through multiple stages, from the team allowing him to seek a trade to his complaints about the franchise being unwilling to broker a deal and finally his absence from mandatory minicamp this week. This situation has literally turned uglier with each passing month. Add in the fact that Cincinnati lost one defensive leader to retirement (defensive end Sam Hubbard), released another (linebacker Germaine Pratt) and still doesn't know when edge rusher Shemar Stewart, its first-round pick, will sign his rookie contract, and it doesn't feel like this squad is about to change its fortunes with new defensive coordinator Al Golden taking over. What made Cincinnati's defense so good when this team was a true championship contender was chemistry. The players who played for former defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo bought into his creative schemes, and they created problems for various teams, most notably Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bengals learned a tough lesson on defense when that unit declined after veteran safeties Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell left in free agency following the 2022 season (Bell returned to the team in 2024). Losing more leaders from a much worse defense won't make things any easier around those parts.

Mitchie · Monday at 12:45 PM

@Faust just want to say thanks for keeping this thread going, doesn't get a lot of replies this time of year but it is appreciated.

Faust · Tuesday at 10:07 PM

WR depth among five things we learned from Texans minicamp

Excerpts:

Pass rush dominance
Defensive ends Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. continue to look formidable. Both were giving the offensive tackle trio of Cam Robinson, Aireontae Ersery and Blake Fisher issues at times. On Day 1 of minicamp, Anderson and Hunter had a rep during 11-on-11 when they both met Stroud in a collapsing pocket in the backfield.

Last season, Hunter had 12 sacks and Anderson had 11, so if the duo can repeat or exceed that production, Ryans' defense that ranked fifth in total defense and fourth in sacks could be even better in 2025.

"Coming off last year, I feel like we have great chemistry," Hunter said. "We know how each other rush now. Going out there, I can figure out what he's about to do. He'll figure out what I'm about to do. It's great chemistry, especially with the interior guys."

Stingley Island may become a thing
Throughout minicamp, the quarterbacks did not throw in Derek Stingley Jr.'s direction. That just speaks highly of Stingley's ability, since quarterbacks didn't want to waste reps going at an All-Pro cornerback.

Faust · Wednesday at 9:28 AM

Denver Broncos' defense strives to be even better in 2025

Faust · 2025-06-22T09:39:03-0400

Niners TE George Kittle on DC Robert Saleh's return: 'Violence is coming'

(HULK) · 2025-06-22T11:20:46-0400

Man, I find this time of year confusing. All 32 defenses improved apparently.

Faust · 2025-06-22T13:57:34-0400

Grok query for @(HULK)

Hey there Grok, my good buddy (HULK) from the Footballguys.com message boards is wondering if you can identify some examples of NFL defensive units that have declined in 2025 versus the 2024 season.

Yo, what's good? Shoutout to HULK on the Footballguys.com boards! Let’s dive into some NFL defensive units that took a step back in 2025 compared to 2024, based on what’s out there. I’ll keep it tight and point out a few examples with some context, leaning on stats and trends where possible.

1. **Dallas Cowboys**: In 2024, the Cowboys had a rough defensive season, allowing 6,039 yards and struggling as the league’s worst red zone defense. Despite having a stud like Micah Parsons, who still notched 12 sacks in 13 games, their defense was a far cry from their top-5 finishes from 2021-2023. Heading into 2025, early rankings suggest they haven’t fully rebounded. Bleacher Report’s post-draft analysis doesn’t paint them as a top-tier unit, and their red zone woes from 2024 seem to linger, with no clear fix noted in offseason moves. If they’re still bleeding points in 2025, it’s a decline from their elite days, even if 2024 was already shaky.[](https://www.profootballnetwork.com/nfl-defense-rankings/)[](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25193524-ranking-every-nfl-defense-after-2025-draft)

2. **San Francisco 49ers**: The Niners were a defensive powerhouse for years, with top-10 finishes before 2024. But last season, injuries and a dip in performance saw them fall apart, ranking outside the top tier. In 2025, salary cap hits and free agency losses (like Deebo Samuel and Dre Greenlaw) hurt their depth. They drafted rookies like Mykel Williams to bolster the run defense, but their pass rush and secondary are question marks, with Josh Sweat’s addition not yet moving the needle. Sportsnaut’s 2025 rankings suggest they’re more of a mid-tier defense now, a clear drop from their dominant 2022-2023 form.[](https://www.profootballnetwork.com/nfl-defense-rankings/)[](https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-power-rankings-2025)[](https://sportsnaut.com/nfl/nfl-defense-rankings/)

3. **Cincinnati Bengals**: The Bengals’ defense was a sore spot in 2024, finishing 25th overall and 27th in Defense+ rankings, a slide from their 11th-place finish in 2022. Their run defense was the second-worst in success rate, and they struggled to stop both the pass and rush (bottom six in EPA for both). In 2025, they switched coordinators to Al Golden and added edge rusher Shemar Stewart, but Trey Hendrickson’s trade request and lack of major upgrades leave them vulnerable. PFF notes their defense is still heavily reliant on Hendrickson, and early 2025 projections don’t see them cracking the top tier, signaling another year of decline or stagnation.[](https://www.profootballnetwork.com/nfl-defense-rankings/)[](https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-power-rankings-2025)[](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25192769-ranking-6-most-improved-units-nfl-after-2025-nfl-draft)

4. **New Orleans Saints**: The Saints’ defense took a hit in 2024, getting torched in their final game (27 points, 395 yards allowed to Tampa). Aging stars like Cameron Jordan and Demario Davis (both 36 in 2025) are showing wear, and the loss of defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s influence hurts. Their young corner tandem (Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alontae Taylor) is exposed by a weak pass rush, and 2025 draft picks focused on offense, not defense. Sportsnaut predicts another step back, with the Saints likely ranking in the bottom half of NFL defenses in 2025, a decline from their more competitive 2023 unit.[](https://www.wsn.com/nfl/defense-rankings/)[](https://sportsnaut.com/nfl/nfl-defense-rankings/)[](https://sportsnaut.com/nfl/nfl-defense-rankings/)

These teams stand out as examples of defensive units that either continued to slide or failed to recover from a down 2024. The Cowboys and Niners, in particular, are notable for falling from elite status, while the Bengals and Saints are grappling with systemic issues. If HULK wants to dig deeper into specific stats or players, I can pull up more or even check X for the latest fan buzz. Just let me know!

*Note: Rankings and projections are based on sources like Pro Football Network, Bleacher Report, Sportsnaut, and PFF, but since 2025 season data isn’t fully available yet, these are informed by post-draft and offseason analyses.*[](https://www.profootballnetwork.com/nfl-defense-rankings/)[](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25193524-ranking-every-nfl-defense-after-2025-draft)[](https://sportsnaut.com/nfl/nfl-defense-rankings/)

2025 Team Defense & Defense by Committee Thread (6 Viewers)

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

MVP

Footballguy

MVP

Pass rush dominance​

Stingley Island may become a thing​

MVP

MVP

(Smash)

MVP

Similar threads

Users who are viewing this thread

Pass rush dominance

Stingley Island may become a thing