Is it just me or is our front 7 extremely solid? Our DTs Garrett and Togiai are the stars but our LB are very solid and the DEs seem to be improving every week. Werner is a very good LB, Browing is having a solid year, Hilliard impresses me every time he sees the field, and Borland is having a great year sans a few plays and unfortunately catching Covid.

I think overall for the defense the DBs just have to not blow coverages and have to tackle better. I’d like to see more zone as well, rub/pick  routes have been an issue and we also don’t have Okudah, Arnette, Ward, Lattimore, Conley, Apple type corners, and a Fuller or Hooker type safety to clean up. We’ve been spoiled having 2 first round outside corners a lot of the past 4-5 years. Easier to play press man with that talent. I’m not bashing Wade or Banks.. I think Wade can still go mid to late first round and be a lockdown slot corner in the NFL. Banks might develop into a great corner like Arnette did. But for now keep everything in front and get guys on the ground and hopefully the front seven gets sacks, fumbles, forces errant throws etc. Tighten up in the red zone and force field goals. Make teams dink and dunk down the field. I think our front 7 can play well enough that we don’t have to take risk in coverage. 
 

This defense doesn’t have Young, Fuller, Harrison, Hamilton, Arnette, or Okudah but they can still be solid. As long as we eliminate the big plays and lapses that have hurt us at times this year our defense is good enough to allow Fields, Olave, and Wilson to go win big games.