1. Denver Broncos
Projected starters: DE Vance Walker, NT Sylvester Williams, DE Derek Wolfe; OLB Von Miller, OLB DeMarcus Ware; ILB Brandon Marshall, ILB Todd Davis
Other names to know: DE Jared Crick, DE Adam Gotsis; OLB Shaquil Barrett, OLB Shane Ray
Key stat: Denver recorded pressure on 48.9 percent of passing plays in their sub defense, the best mark in the NFL in 2015.
The reigning Super Bowl champions clinched the Lombardi Trophy with suffocating defense, and despite the loss of Malik Jackson (Jaguars) and Danny Trevathan (Bears), the Broncos still boast a powerful defensive front. Denver is led by a four-strong pack of pass-rushers, but defensive linemen like Walker, Wolfe, and Williams can both eat space to give their edge rushers room and capitalize when teams overcompensate to counter the threat of Miller, Ware, and company. Replacing Trevathan next to Brandon Marshall is the biggest challenge facing this defense.
2. Seattle Seahawks
Projected starters: DT Jordan Hill, DT Ahtyba Rubin; DE Michael Bennett, DE Cliff Avril; LB K.J. Wright, MLB Bobby Wagner, LB Michael Morgan
Other names to know: DT Jarran Reed, DT Sealver Siliga; DE Frank Clark, DE Chris Clemons; LB Kevin Pierre-Louis
Key stat: Seattle allowed only one breakaway run (15+ yards) in base defense, best in the NFL in 2015.
The Seahawks’ defensive front isn’t quite as strong as it was at its peak, but the combination of a terrifying edge-rush duo and linebackers that can cover still makes it a formidable front. Bennett and Avril are a devastating threat next to each other—or opposite one other—while Wright and Wagner are a match for most nickel-linebacker pairings in the league. Rookie Jarran Reed could revitalize an interior run defense that isn’t as fearsome as it was a couple of years ago.
3. Carolina Panthers
Projected starters: DT Kawann Short, DT Star Lotulelei; DE Kony Ealy, DE Charles Johnson; LB Thomas Davis, MLB Luke Kuechly, LB Shaq Thompson
Other names to know: DT Paul Soliai, DT Vernon Butler; DE Mario Addison, DE Wes Horton, DE Ryan Delaire; LB A.J. Klein
Key stat: Carolina stopped 34.0 percent of runs for no gain or a loss in base defense last season, an NFL-best.
Last year’s NFC champions are led by a linebacker corps that is the spine and the beating heart of their defense. Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis formed the league’s benchmark coverage-linebacker pairing, and Kuechly produced a better all-around season than the one that saw him claim the AP’s Defensive Player of the Year award in 2013. Kawann Short is the new star of a defensive line that needs Kony Ealy to build on his productive Super Bowl showing if the Panthers aren’t to be overly reliant on the former for pass-rush production.
4. Los Angeles Rams
Projected starters: DT Aaron Donald, DT Michael Brockers; DE William Hayes, DE Robert Quinn; LB Mark Barron, MLB Alec Ogletree, LB Akeem Ayers
Other names to know: DT Dominique Easley, DT Cam Thomas; DE Quinton Coples, DE Eugene Sims
Key stat: The Rams recorded a stop on 63.0 percent of run plays in their base defense last year, third-best in the league.
The Rams front seven is a tale of two position groups really, but the quality of their defensive line still pulls them near the top of these rankings. Their defensive line is stacked with Aaron Donald the star of the starting crew and bringing Dominique Easley off the bench will give the Rams quality depth at defensive tackle for a second year in a row. If Robert Quinn can reproduce his 2013 form then this defensive line would boast two of the best players in the entire NFL. The intrigue at linebacker is how Alec Ogletree will fare having finally made the switch to middle linebacker to replace the departed James Laurinaitis.
5. Oakland Raiders
Projected starters: DE Mario Edwards Jr, NT Dan Williams, DE Denico Autry; OLB Khalil Mack, OLB Bruce Irvin; ILB Malcolm Smith, ILB Ben Heeney
Other names to know: NT Justin Ellis, DE Jihad Ward; OLB Aldon Smith, OLB Damontre Moore, OLB Shilique Calhoun
Key stat: Khalil Mack accounted for 28% of pressures by the Raiders front seven in 2015.
In terms of seamless quality and versatility, there may not be a better defensive front in football right now than the Raiders. Khalil Mack provides Oakland with an undeniable star, but the likes of Dan Williams, Mario Edwards Jr., and Bruce Irvin give this front all-around quality and moveable pieces that can produce from a variety of alignments. The play of the Raiders’ off-ball linebackers could be what holds this front—and the defense as a whole—back in 2016