Will The Defense Reach Average Or Beyond?
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00:00Carson Anderson, 97 won the ticket. Open lines. All right, could this be a great sign? ESPN
00:05did a story about the NFL and team's concerns and team's strengths heading into training
00:13camp and all that. And look, the Lions report tomorrow and practice starts on Wednesday.
00:18Under Nugget to know with the Detroit Lions, they wrote the following. Last season, the
00:22Lions were the fourth youngest defense in the NFL based on snap weighted age.
00:28OK, so I think that is. The guys that are playing the most snaps, what their ages are,
00:36the average is twenty five point five, the fourth youngest defense in the NFL. This year
00:40they project to be the youngest defense based on the average age of their 12 starters, including
00:45both base and nickel defenses at twenty five point three. Linebacker Alex Anzalone is the
00:51only projected starter over twenty eight and four projected starters are still under
00:56twenty four. We're like the Orioles of defense. That's an interesting trend. Now, I don't
01:09know that that means they're going to be better right away. Right. Well, I expect the defense
01:19to be better right away. I do expect it to be better right away. I guess it doesn't mean
01:24they're going to be great right away is a better way to put it. I think there I don't
01:27know how they can't be better. Leave room for great, but good. If you if you think the
01:33defense was below average last year. Sure. Look at the numbers. You can say that. Do
01:39you think they'll be above average this year? And what would make it above average? Because
01:46above average to me says that you've got the solution on the other side of Hutchinson.
01:53That your run defense remains as good as it was last year. And DJ Reader is going to be
01:57good. Broderick Martin, hopefully he plays a role and that helps plug things up the middle.
02:02Your man, Jack Campbell, flat out stud linebacker Derek Barnes, another year improved. Anzalone
02:10great anchor. And then the biggest improvement comes from the secondary. And we all we already
02:15talked about the earlier in the show, how much better we think the secondary should
02:19be and the secondary is better. That makes the defensive line better in the pass rush
02:24better because these guys can cover more. And obviously, if the pass rush is better,
02:28it makes the job in the secondary easier. I don't like conceding anything. So I don't
02:33want to say that now they can't be above average. I think it's unlikely because of where their
02:39starting point is. But I do think they have the nucleus to have an above average defense
02:44eventually. Maybe not this coming season. Really, all that matters to me with a defense
02:53is where they are at the end of the season. You know, because I do think overall it should
02:57be a better defense. OK, and I think the offense should be just as good as it was last year.
03:01And if that's the case and they're on their way to another twelve and five season or thirteen
03:05and four season and they're winning the division and ready to host a playoff game and all that.
03:10What matters to me is how much improved they are come December and January, because that's
03:17where it matters. There's going to be struggles. There's going to be some growing pains. But
03:21in the end, if this team, if these players are as good as you think they are, they should
03:26be even better by the end of the season. Yeah. And a lot of that is because of how young
03:30that they are, particularly in the secondary. Well, a lot is riding on this training camp
03:36and how guys do in terms of their young players right out of the gate. Probably most eyes
03:41as far as young players will be on Terrion Arnold. The first round draft pick the corner
03:47and what he could be. He took first team snaps during OTAs. I don't think it's a given he'll
03:52be a starter, but it sure looks like he has a chance to be a starter and that they expect
03:57him to be a starter and they're going to give him every opportunity to be a starter.