I am a bit worried about the D line. Theyre going to struggle mightily against Mahomes. Now that Milano is already out- I'm not thrilled with the defensive talent. McD should get the most out of them, but he can only do so much.
The LB core was supposed to be our strongest positional group on defense, and now even that looks dire. I have little faith in the Safeties. I do like our corners, but the D line is likely going to struggle with a 4 man rush.
It pains me that KC can build an elite defense that performs that way in the playoffs the season their offense looks human. It's wild how teams like the Pats and Chiefs can win championships when their QB isn't playing great. I attribute that to coaching, and while I like McD- he's not close to Reid. Then again, who is on his level? The Chiefs getting a generational talent at QB + the best coach in football may waste Buffalo's chance at a SB with an elite QB.
Sorry, all. Just had to vent a bit. This year is already shaping up to having a surplus of injuries on defense again.
The D-line is actually the position on the defense that I'm least worried about. We know that Oliver and DaQuan work very, very well as a duo in the middle and I think that between Carter/Johnson/Williams our depth is far better inside than it was last year. At the end position, if Groot takes another step....we should be solid. It's being reported that Von looks as fast and explosive as ever, AJE is a known quantity and Solomon could bring some pass rushing chops.....and Smoot is solid. If Oliver/DaQuan/Groot/Von all stay healthy, I think we can get solid 4-man pressure.
At CB? Douglas is known for his high/low play -- as in, he plays great one week and then like ass another. We got mostly the good Douglas last year....is the bad one coming? Has Elam really stepped up that much? Do we trust Ingram/Lewis as CB4?
Safety is a CONCERN for me. Rapp wasn't good last year, and it's being reported that he's got the same issues this year as last. Unless Damar took some form of quantum leap, he's no more than a backup in the NFL. Edwards WAS a backup for KC until injuries forced him in. Bishop is likely the most talented back there, but can he make an impact...especially with missing a bunch of camp?
LB is less of a concern -- Bernard is solid as a starter. Between Morrow and Williams and maybe even Jones, I think we can piecemeal a decent enough replacement. Dodson was decent enough mostly, and Morrow is basically a carbon copy.