Position Ranking: The Defensive Line
by Khaled Elsayed
8/8/2009
Fresh off looking at all aspects of offensive play and proclaiming the New England Patriots as the top offence, the Diner moves onto the defence first serving up a helping of defensive line analysis.
Each unit is broken down before a cumulative set of results are provided to determine who in my opinion are the best teams heading out of last season and into this. This involves looking at the starter, and then who will be backing them up as and when this looks like becoming a factor.
32. Denver Broncos
 It’s never easy making a transition from 4-3 to 3-4, and while it’s not completely new compared to what Denver were doing last year it doesn’t look great. It’s asking a lot to think players like Ronald Fields, Darrell Reid, Robert Ayers (right), Marcus Thomas and the rest of their depth on the offensive line are going to set the world alight.
31. Detroit Lions
Head Coach Schwartz should improve this unit by default, but at the same time there isn’t much to work with. Grady Jackson should help the run defence and it will be interesting to see what Cliff Avril can do with a full season of starts, but there’s not much else worth mentioning. Rebuild jobs take time.
30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Without Monte Kiffin we may find out that Tampa aren’t quite the same unit up front. Gaines Adams seems to be coming along nicely as he enters his third year, but its less clear whose going to step up and replacing the ageing but effective Kevin Carter. Nothing to get excited about inside, and for a team that built a reputation of not needing to blitz to bring pressure it’s hard to see them troubling too many quarterbacks.
29. Oakland Raiders
It’s still shocking to think how much the Raiders are paying Tommy Kelly when you think how bad he is. With Derrick Burgess traded away where is the pass rush going to come from? There isn’t much to get excited about this group and it’s hoped an improvement in coaching can lead to an improvement in the players.
28. Kansas City Chiefs
After finishing bottom of the league in sacks it was as good a time as any for the Chiefs to move to a 3-4 front. Tyson Jackson looks more like a prototypical 3-4 end than he does a number 3 overall pick, but at least he fits the scheme which is more than can be said for 2008 1st round pick Glenn Dorsey. Alex Magee looks a better fit than Dorsey whose may be wasting his talent here.
27. New Orleans Saints
Before their woeful performance last year and problems with suspension, the duo of Charles Grant and Will Smith looked like a formidable duo at either end. Not so much the case now. Inside Sedrick Ellis has the makings of a good tackle, but he’ll need a partner to step up and help him out. If they’re left relying on Rod Coleman than for all the ‘genius’ of Greg Williams they’ll likely need something more in the shape of divine intervention.
26. Arizona Cardinals
Playing down the playoffs as an exception to the rule that was the Cardinals defensive line last year they need to get more consistent because you can’t imagine the West being quite as poor as it was last year. Losing Antonio Smith will hurt more than the stats would reflect and really needs players like Calais Campbell to step up.
25. St Louis Rams
Spagnulo will want to focus on this area you feel, and there’s some talent to work with. Chris Long had a good year for a rookie and should be better, while the creative fronts Spapgnulo is known for should get the best out of underachievers like Adam Carriker and Clifton Ryan. Carriker in particular would appear to have the versatility that this scheme takes full advantage of.
24. Green Bay Packers
Though some Packer fans may dispute it, there’s a lot of question as to whether Green Bay have the right personnel to run a 3-4. BJ Raji (right) has the look of a tackle more suited to a 4-3, so how will he settle in as an end? While Cullen Jenkins looks like a natural fit who should excel in the system, the same cannot be said of Ryan Pickett or the monumentally disappointing Justin Harrell.
23. Miami Dolphins
A key component of a 3-4 defence is the nose tackle, and it still seems like Miami haven’t found someone who can do that job adequately yet. Randy Starks played well last year, but this unit will need plenty of players to step up if they’re to assist the Dolphins in building on last year.
22. Indianapolis Colts
If Dwight Freeney is healthy he is one of the better pass rushers in the league and allows you to ignore how utterly woeful his run defence is. The same to a lesser extent can be said about Robert Mathis, but on the inside they got such poor production from their tackles they’ll need Ed Johnson to return to the league playing better than when he left, and Fili Moala to be a rookie of the year candidate to make this line work.
21. Cincinatti Bengals
As the season wore on the Bengals run defence got better and better. Led by Peko and Sims there’s plenty to suggest teams won’t be running over them, however as good as the run defence became there are unanswered questions as to where they intend on finding a pass rush from. The inconsistent rookie Michael Johnson may provide their best hope in a situational role which is less than ideal.
20. San Francisco 49ers
The Niners defence remains a work in progress, and while some components of their defensive line look the part, there’s not enough dynamism to warrant placing them any higher. Franklin is a useful nose tackle if not limited, while Justin Smith is well worth the money it took to bring him in. Outside of that Kentwan Balmer is going to need to step up after a poor first year in the league, because the depth is thin and lacking in talent.
19. New York Jets
The Jets run defence will suffer from losing Kenyon Coleman, but at the same time if they can keep Kris Jenkins fit and healthy for the entire season they have the base for an excellent 3-4. Shaun Ellis played very well last year, but do they have the depth to rotate enough to keep people fresh?
18. Jacksonville Jaguars
It almost seems like Jack Del Rio is trying to sabotage this line. First he trades Marcus Stroud away in his prime, and now he alienates himself from John Henderson. What once was as physically intimidating a defensive line as there was is now pretty toothless in comparison. Derrick Harvey is going to have to justify quickly how much Jacksonville gave up for him in their desperate attempts to get at Peyton Manning.
17. Atlanta Falcons
If the Falcons are going to get better in this area they’re going to need to be less reliant on John Abraham. Probably the best pure pass rusher in the league he can’t do it all, and the Falcons will need the rest of their defensive ends to step up. Jonathan Babineaux got a big contract and played a lot of snaps last year, but faded as the season wore on so the Falcons will be hoping that Peria Jerry can make an immediate contribution and Trey Lewis has something left after some serious surgeries.
16. Cleveland Browns
Shaun Rogers played up to his potential, but he’ll need some help from players around him. Corey Williams is looking every bit the bad investment many thought he would be and while Kenyon Coleman will offer an upgrade you get the feeling better personnel decisions could have saved the team money, and made this unit more effective.
15. Buffalo Bills
The Bills got great performances from Kyle Williams and Marcus Stroud, creating one of the best run stopping tackle tandems in the league. The problem for the Bills (and what they’ve tried to address) is getting pressure from their ends. Aaron Schobel seems to be getting by on reputation and expectation rather than ability and production, so they may be asking a lot from Aaron Maybin as he starts his NFL career.
14. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys to some degree lucked into Jay Ratliff who has been simply fantastic since taking over the starting nose tackle spot. Losing Chris Canty and replacing him with Igor Olshansky is a drop off in talent, and there’s nothing about any of the ends to get excited about with Marcus Spears continuing to prove himself not worthy of the 1st round selection invested in him.
13. Washington Redskins
They’ll be better for having Haynesworth, but how much better could come down to his motivation and durability. Outside of him it’s a solid if not somewhat underwhelming grouping who will be hoping opposing teams fear of Haynesworth will create some better match ups for the likes of Andre Carter.
12. Seattle Seahawks
Brandon Mebane may have been one of the finds of the year with the way he played for the Seahawks as an inside penetrator but they’re going to need more from their defensive ends after Lawrence Jackson displayed little in the way of pass rushing and Patrick Kerney’s body continued to break down. The signing of Cory Redding may prove astute presuming he was that bad last year because Detroit were that bad. That’s a big presumption to make.
11. Carolina Panthers
Well it looks like Julius Peppers is going to be around and with that in mind this unit is pretty dangerous. Charles Johnson looked extremely useful in pass rushing situations, but he loss of Ma’ake Keomeatu for the season is a huge loss as demonstrated by how their run defence struggled without him. Everette Brown could be a nice player to work into some sets, but was he worth what they gave up for him?
10. San Diego Chargers
Jamal Williams may be getting on a bit where the little injuries are more frequent but make no mistake about it, when he’s on the field he is the most dominating nose tackle in the league bar none. Luis Castillo hasn’t really progressed from his play a couple of years ago and will need to step up. Olshansky is no great loss, but they’ve failed to add to a line that is thin on talent after Castillo and Williams and high on mediocrity.
9. Tennessee Titans
Losing your defensive co-ordinator and star defensive player in the same off season is a bitter pill to swallow and its one of the intriguing situations heading into the season how Tennessee cope in this respect. Jovan Hayne will need to play better than he did for the Bucs and James Jones will need to add consistency to the occasional flashes of brilliance, but even playing at their best they won’t compensate for the loss of Haynesworth. Kyle Vanden Bosche needs to play more.
8. Chicago Bears
The Bears defence may not quite be of Monster of Midway status, but there are some big components to work with. Tommie Harris may have stagnated a bit but he shows enough flashes that it’s evident he still has it, while Alex Brown is another of these underrated linemen who don’t get the credit they deserve. They invested some draft picks on the line, one of which on Jarron Gilbert who brings an immense intrigue factor with him. And an ability to jump out of a swimming pool. Neat.
7. Houston Texans
The Texans have quietly gone about investing in and creating one of the top 4 man fronts in the league. Initially ridiculed for selecting Mario Williams, that move has given them the best young defensive end in the game who seems to be getting better and better, and bringing in the underrated Antonio Smith will give teams fits with how to cope. They’ll need more production inside and after a good rookie year, Okoye will need to show last year was more a sophomore slump than him finding his level. How they use Connor Barwin will prove very interesting.
6. Pittsburgh Steelers
Casey Hampton may have seen better days but if he’s fit he’s still one of the best nose tackles in the league, while Aaron Smith is so underrated when it comes to talk of the best defensive ends in football it’s almost taken for granted. They have a solid rotation that improved with Ziggy Hood coming on board, and while not the most dynamic 3-4 they play their role of run stoppers who allow the linebackers to make plays perfectly.
5. New England Patriots
The rich get richer and the Patriots have added to their stellar defensive line with the addition of Ron Brace, who seems like a perfect fit at nose tackle to spell Vince Wilfork. Enough has been said about the likes of Richard Seymour and Ty Warren that people know how good they are. The Patriots don’t rotate their line as much as others which leaves you feeling they have more than enough depth to cope barring severe injuries.
4. New York Giants
It’s almost unfair when you consider as good as this line was they’ve been able to add Chris Canty and have Use Umenyiora back after missing last year. Still they’ve lost the guy who orchestrated the magic in Steve Spagnulo and Canty may not fit in with their base package, leaving them a little light inside.
3. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles always seem to deliver when it comes to the trenches. Trent Cole was drafted as a pass rushing specialist and developed into one of the best all round defensive ends in the league, while he is complimented by the very talented (if not somewhat idiotic) Juqua Parker. Inside Mike Patterson isn’t going to win many footraces but alongside Broderick Bunkley they’re probably the NFL’s top run stopping duo outside of the Williams sisters. The depth is about as impressive as any team has.
2. Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens line played exceptionally well and personnel wise they should be better for the return of Kelly Gregg. Adding Gregg to a grouping consisting of Suggs, Pryce and Ngata is almost unfair. The only concern is how they respond to a new defensive co-ordinator with the loss of Ryan.
1. Minnesota Vikings
Spearheaded by the best tackle in the league Kevin Williams and his brother to another mother Pat Williams, the Vikings have a dominating run defence. Throw in defensive ends like Jared Allen and Ray Edwards and it becomes pretty clear why Minnesota rotate their linemen less than just about any other team. Fred Evans showed they have pretty good depth when given a chance, but good luck getting a look in with the talent in from of him. You could almost understand QB’s assuming the foetal position to avoid these guys.
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