Our defense has the "experts" saying too many holes, too young, and players not proven. As far as the youth movement goes, I'm not sold either. Between punching cabbies and getting suspended for illegal substances, it shows that the players on the defense can't step-up.

To start with the defensive line, Chris Hovan and Ryan Sims will show up for game time and put in the solid game play. Roy Miller is a great draft pick for the future to come. The big questions are about the defensive ends. Will Gaines Adams become the prolific pass rusher that he was drafted to be? Stylz G and Jimmy Wilkerson have stepped their game up, but will it be enough? D+ for the line until proven otherwise (Miller and Moore will raise the bar but in a year or two down the road)

The linebacker group, I am most excited about. Barrett Ruud deserves a contract extension and top money. He is the leader of the defense and the best player and the organization should recognize that. I was excited to see the Jermaine Phillips experiment, well because of the lack of maturity of our defensive backs, we will have to wait to see if that will ever be an option again. As far as Geno Hayes and Quincy Black go, I am glad to see them finally given a chance to play every down and to see how far they have come. B+ for the linebackers (Ruud and company have the speed and will have alot of opprotunities to make plays since the front four is sub par)

The defensive backs were the biggest hope for this defense until the recent weeks. Rhonde is a true veteran and will always come to play. Phillips moving back to Safety will be an upside since playing linebacker gave him an opprotunity to get a better feel for the defense. Sabby is young but shows signs of becoming the next John Lynch. I know that is a bold statement but in a year or two from now, you will see what I am talking about. Jackson and Talib were the young studs that were to elevate this defensebacks group into the top in the league, but with their immaturity and selfish attitudes are the most dissapointing of all. We don't have the depth to counter what we will miss with them being suspended for X amount of games. C minus for the backs (only because of Rhonde and Jermaine)

This defense had the potiential off being good enough to hold other teams in check long enough for the offense to score more points. With the defense alone, I see us starting off 1-5 or even 0-6, because of the time Jackson and Talib are gone and will have to come back and get in playing mode.

A long season awaits until the defense finds a identity. By the end of the season, they will improve and we will have a feel of what the future has in store and what players we need to draft.