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With NFL OTA's starting up and looking forward to training camp, there is a lot of positive buzz surrounding the league's biggest defensive stars. A lot of teams added talent, a lot of players moved around, and some teams that didn't perform last year could finish among the league's best.
#5: Miami Dolphins, NFL
Key Losses: LB Elandon Roberts, S Eric Rowe, CB Byron Jones, EDGE Melvin Ingram
Key Additions: CB Jalen Ramsey, S Deshon Elliot, EDGE Malik Reed, LB David Long Jr., CB Cam Smith
The 2022 season wasn't great statistically for the Dolphins. Their unit let up 23.5 points-per-game, which ranked ninth in the league. They were also 15th in total yards defensively, which is underwhelming.
Miami reloaded with great additions to their secondary in All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey and promising young safety Deshon Elliot. They also managed to snag former South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith in the second-round of the draft.
Miami managed to get themselves a new defensive play-caller in coordinator Vic Fangio. Fangio's three-year tenure as head coach of the Broncos from 2019-2021 saw him produce some of the best defenses in the NFL.
Looking to 2023, the Dolphins have a revamped secondary with plenty of young talent in their front seven with great rotational pieces. Fangio's talented defense could very easily find itself anywhere in the top five in 2023.
#4: Pittsburgh Steelers, NFL
Key Losses: CB Cam Sutton, S Terrell Edmunds, LB Devin Bush, LB Malik Reed, LB Robert Spillane, CB William Jackson III, LB Myles Jack, CB Ahkello Witherspoon
Key Additions: CB Patrick Peterson, LB Elandon Roberts, LB Cole Holcomb, S Keanu Neal, EDGE Markus Golden, CB Joey Porter Jr., DL Keeanu Benton, EDGE Nick Herbig, CB Cory Trice Jr.
There were many questions about a Steelers defense that had just found it's stride in the second half of the 2022 season. They lost defensive starters.
The Steelers answered all of those questions and then some with maybe the best draft in the entire NFL. This made fore one of the better all-around offseasons.
The Steelers got better all over the field defensively, revamping their secondary with Patrick Peterson, Keanu Neal, Joey Porter Jr., and Cory Trice Jr.
The Steelers' defense finished 10th in scoring after what could be called a lackluster first-half of the season. They allowed no more than 17 points in a game the last seven weeks of the season. They also finished in the bottom half of the league in yards allowed. However, this was solid for a defense that tightened up very well in the second half of the season.
The Steelers have young impact players and strong veteran leadership in the secondary. The defense could very well make its return to the top five in the entire NFL.
#3: Dallas Cowboys, NFL
Key Losses: CB Anthony Brown, LB Anthony Barr, DL Carlos Watkins
Key Additions: CB Stephon Gilmore, DL Ben Banogu, DL Mazi Smith
The NFL's sixth-best scoring defense in 2022 reloaded well in a quiet way following their Divisional Round playoff exit. Most would argue, however, this was no fault of the Cowboys defense.
The Cowboys resigned key players in safety Donovan Wilson and linebacker Leighton Vander Esch, among others. Along with these signings, Dallas was also able to trade for star cornerback Stephon Gilmore from the Colts.
Gilmore will step in as the Cowboys' true CB2 alongside rising superstar Trevon Diggs to form a very dangerous secondary.
In the draft, Dallas made the move to pick big-bodied nose tackle Mazi Smith out of Michigan. Smith will step in immediately and plug up the middle. He'll free-up Dallas' elite pass rushers, DPOY candidate Micah Parsons and veteran Pro-Bowler DeMarcus Lawerence. Mazi Smith will allow Dan Quinn to be more aggressive with his play-calling and will also solidify a shaky Cowboys run defense.
Expect another big year from the star-studded defense in Dallas.
#2: Philadelphia Eagles, NFL
Key Losses: EDGE Robert Quinn, DL Javon Hargrave, S C.J. Gardner-Johnson, S Marcus Epps, LB T.J. Edwards, LB Kyzir White
Key Additions: S Terrell Edmunds, LB Nicholas Morrow, S Justin Evans, EDGE Kentavius Street, DL Jalen Carter, EDGE Nolan Smith, CB Kelee Ringo
The Philadelphia Eagles suffered a heartbreaking Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Eagles had some questions to answer after the departures of key players, like safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and linebackers Kyzir White and T.J. Edwards.
How did Philly respond? Exactly how a Super Bowl contender should. They signed impact players in safety Terrell Edmunds and linebacker Nicholas Morrow, just to name a few.
The Eagles didn't stop there. Sticking to their board, Philly was able to select multiple immediate impact players in the draft. They selected defensive lineman Jalen Carter, pass rusher Nolan Smith, and cornerback Kelee Ringo, all out of Georgia.
The Eagles kept the rest of their defensive core intact and added such great talent in free agency and the draft. The Eagles' defense will be back among the best in the league in 2023.
#1: San Francisco 49ers, NFL
Key Losses: S Jimmie Ward, EDGE Charles Omenihu, EDGE Samson Ebukam, CB Emmanuel Moseley, EDGE Azeez Al-Shaair, DL Hassan Ridgeway
Key Additions: DL Javon Hargrave, EDGE Clelin Ferrell, CB Myles Hartsfield, CB Isaiah Oliver, DL Austin Bryant, S Ji'Ayir Brown
The NFL's best defensive team in 2022 will look to reclaim that crown in 2023. The San Francisco 49ers were phenomenal in 2022, giving up a league-best 277 points.
The 49ers managed to keep a lot of their defensive core intact. They reloaded very well from their losses of safety Jimmie Ward, cornerback Emmanuel Moseley, and edge-rusher Samson Ebukam, just to name a few. The losses were filled very quickly. The Niners reloaded well with instant-impact players at different positions.
In free agency, San Francisco picked up Pro Bowl defensive lineman, Javon Hargrave, former first-round pick pass-rusher, Clelin Ferrell, and veteran cornerback Isaiah Oliver. The Niners also picked promising safety, Ji'Ayir Brown out of Penn State with the 87th pick in the draft.
The 49ers made a lot of solid signings, and will surely be a top defense to look out for in 2023.
