Start Your Engines!
The highly anticipated 2022-23 NFL season is simmering and all the football fans can smell it. You know whose the craziest NFL fans of them all? Drum Roll Please! Bettors but this article is about the football nerds among us. NFL Fantasy owners, like myself, know how a handy scoring defense can be. Here are some teams with a defense most owners should take if the price is right!
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts defensive core are so underrated that many people don’t realize how successful they’re going to be. Starting with the key additions of former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore, former Raider Yannick Ngakoue, and former eagles starter Rodney McLeod. These three will help anchor a defense that heralds Deforest Buckner, Darius Leonard, Kwity Paye and Kenny Moore! Furthermore, let’s not sleep on the Matt Ryan pick up as well. The best defenses that make it to the Super Bowl usually have a QB like Matt. (cough* 28-3 was not his fault)
LA Chargers
So much hype surrounding the Chargers defense and rightfully so. Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack on the same team is just unfair! J.C. Jackson in the same secondary with Derwin James and Asante Samuel Jr. is a serious no fly zone! Everything could go right for the Chargers D OR everything could go extremely well. Listen, as long as Justin Herbert is behind center, this is the team to beat. (Once again, a good defense plus a poised QB equals success for all)
Detroit Lions
Okay, hear me out first! The Lions historically are somewhat of a laughing stock but most teams weren’t laughing much after facing their “kneecap biting” defense last season. Win, lose, or draw, the Lions fought hard in every game to the very end with guys most of us couldn’t name. Coming back for vengeance is cornerback Jeff Okudah, former #2 overall pick, after fully getting rid of his injury bugs. They resigned Safety Tracy Walker to run it back with promising youngsters in linebacker Derrick Barnes, defensive backs Jerry Jacobs, Ifeatu Melifonwu, and of course Amani Oruwaye. Most of all, the cherry on top is this years draft steal edge rusher Aiden Hutchinson, another defensive second overall selection. You heard it here first!
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers defensive unit do not have jarring stars outside of defensive end Nick Bosa and backer Fred Warner. Yes, they did snag starting cornerback Charvarius Ward in free agency and second year safety Talanoa Hufanga is catching positive reviews. However, most of the credit is behind the minds of their defensive staff including Defensive Coordinator Demeco Ryans. A great player during his time, Ryans was key in the 2021-22 playoff run. Holding the top seeded Packers to just ten points in a playoff victory. The 49ers defense here to stay!
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs may not have been prepared for Tom Brady’s departure (which is why I think they convinced him out of retirement) but they sure was ready to reload on defense. The 2021 draft brought them first round pick Joe Tryon , edge rusher, who will get more snaps this season. This years bunch includes Defensive Lineman Logan Hall from Houston University who is primed to replace veteran Ndamukong Suh. They may have lost safety Jordan Whitehead to the Jets but they still have the same solid defensive core from their Super Bowl run led by Antoine Winfield Jr. and Devin White.
In Conclusion
NFL teams are still improving their teams especially on defense. With several free agents still out there that can make an impact, the domino effect is still at large. So far these are the teams who maybe satisfied with the defense they do have to chase Super Bowl 53 and crown you champion over your league.
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