2018 Defense & STs

DE Clark
DT Jones
DT Reed
DE Jordan Green
OLB Wright
MLB Wagner
OLB Griffen Sm.
CB Maxwell Coleman
CB Griffen Sl.
FS Thomas
SS McDougald

P Dickson
K Janikowski
KR Penny
PR Lockett

This potential lineup gives me hope about controlling field position like during the early PC years. Giving the offense better field position and the defense the long field will go a long way toward returning to competitive football. I'm pumped the Hawks still have the best Free Safety in football to protect the back end as the younger guys get mixed into the secondary.

I also have Jones penciled in at starting 3T in the base defense. But I think they will probably give veteran signee Shamar Stephens the first crack at the starting job because he has a little more experience, durability, and run stopping ability.

Really happy about the Rasheem Green selection. It seems they have built some nice depth there this off-season after the loss of Bennett and (presumably) Avril.

Jones seems like a very important player if they hope to generate interior pressure with any consistency.

Tom Johnson, Marcus Smith, Quinton Jefferson, Branden Jackson, Noble Nwachukwu, Poona Ford, Eddie Wilson, etc. could all be in the mix for playing time.

Developing depth behind the starters at LB and DB will also be critical. Injuries can be expected.

Agreed about the depth and the lineup fluidity. This has to have Pete and Ken smiling.

Consider other special teams potential contributors: We still have Thorpe, and now add Griffin (Sm.), and maybe flowers, and our tackling downfield may be amazing...

Rotational and situational depth is of supreme importance to our defensive line. The approach is less about finding four starters and is much more about adding the best possible 8-9 guys to the 53 man roster.

8-9 DL
DE: Dion Jordan, Frank Clark, Rasheem Green, Branden Jackson, Quinton Jefferson, Marcus Smith, Marcell Frazier
DT: Jarren Reed, Naz Jones, Tom Johnson, Shamar Stephen, Poona Ford, Eddy Wilson, Albert Havili

Looks like a year in which we may want to keep 9+ to me but it always feels that way in May.