Former NFL player and scout Bucky Brooks knows the ins and outs of this league, providing keen insight in his notebook. In today's installment, he concentrates on the defensive side of the ball, spotlighting the most talented groups up front and in the back end ...
What's more crucial to defensive success: a game-wrecking D-line or a sticky coverage unit? It's a topic of eternal debate in football circles, but the truth is that the front and back of a defense exist in a symbiotic relationship -- both are necessary. That said, it certainly helps if you have a truly elite group in one or the other. With that in mind, I wanted to spotlight the best of each world heading into the 2025 NFL season.
Here are my top three defensive lines and top three secondaries -- with one team making both lists.
TOP DEFENSIVE FRONTS
Credit the Giants for reinstalling a blueprint that helped the franchise capture four Super Bowls under Bill Parcells and Tom Coughlin. The team has built the best front line in football, with a spectacularly disruptive defensive tackle (Dexter Lawrence) surrounded by three pass rushers (Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux and No. 3 overall pick Abdul Carter) with the burst, agility and power to make life miserable for edge blockers. Carter made quite an impression during his brief preseason debut against the Bills, racking up three pressures on three pass-rushing snaps, demoralizing Pro Bowl LT Dion Dawkins in the process. As defensive coordinator Shane Bowen tweaks the game plan and personnel packages to maximize the individual and collective talents of a unit that displays the potential to overwhelm opponents utilizing finesse or force, general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll could earn rave reviews for reviving Big Blue with a throwback approach.
Brian Flores' creative schemes perfectly mesh with a disruptive front that boasts playmakers at every spot. The Vikings have carefully assembled a pass-rushing group that features a pair of crafty sack artists (Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel) who accounted for 23.5 sacks and five forced fumbles in 2024, with both making the Pro Bowl. After signing Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave this offseason to upgrade the defensive interior around Harrison Phillips, the Vikings can impose their will on opponents with a group of bullies poised to dominate overmatched opponents. And don't forget about Dallas Turner. The No. 17 overall pick in last year's draft didn't provide much in Year 1, but he could take a step forward with a full offseason under his belt. With Flores itching to bring more creative pressures designed to exploit favorable one-on-one matchups, Minnesota's front could vault to the top of this list by season's end.
If a team is a reflection of its coach, it is not surprising to see the Texans near the top of this list, given head coach DeMeco Ryans' aggressive on-field persona. With Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter relentlessly hunting quarterbacks off the edges, Houston routinely forces passers off their spot within the pocket. Anderson and Hunter combined for 23 sacks a season ago, but if the C.J. Stroud-led offense bounces back from a disappointing 2024 campaign, the dynamic edge-rushing duo could push that number far higher with more pass-rush opportunities against opponents chasing points. With Sheldon Rankins, Denico Autry and Mario Edwards Jr. pitching in as interior pass rushers, the Texans have the depth and talent to outwork and outlast opponents in the trenches. Houston tied for fourth in the league with 49 sacks last season, but I expect even more quarterback terrorizing in 2025.
TOP DEFENSIVE BACKFIELDS
General manager Eric DeCosta and head coach John Harbaugh have assembled the best back end in football, featuring a collection of playmakers who can counter the AFC's litany of high-profile quarterbacks and big-play receivers. In Zachary Orr's first season as defensive coordinator, the unit took its lumps early before he made necessary adjustments down the stretch in 2024, ranking dead last in pass yards allowed (294.9) in Weeks 1-10 and first (171.6) in Weeks 11-18. This year, the cornerback trio of two-time Pro Bowler Jaire Alexander, who signed in June after being released by Green Bay, two-time All-Pro Marlon Humphrey and 2024 first-rounder Nate Wiggins will force opponents to consistently win one-on-ones against polished technicians with speed, skill and savvy. Given the threesome’s instincts, awareness and versatility, Orr can deploy various schemes to neutralize opponents without compromising the back end. Emerging superstar Kyle Hamilton and first-round rookie Malaki Starks provide the unit with "rock and roll" flexibility at the safety position, with each defender comfortable playing near the line of scrimmage or in center field. Given the Ravens’ superior talent, adaptability and physicality, it will be challenging for opponents to rely on the passing game.
Yup, Houston's defense makes both lists. Do not let the spotlight on the Texans’ pass-rushing tandem of Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter overshadow the excellent work of a defensive backfield loaded with talent. Derek Stingley Jr. has developed into a first-team All-Pro cover corner with elite skills on the island, leading Houston to sign him to a lucrative three-year extension this offseason. In 2024, he allowed the fewest yards per target (4.9) and lowest passer rating (56.9) as the nearest defender in coverage among cornerbacks with a minimum of 25 targets, per Next Gen Stats. And although Jalen Pitre has not yet earned Pro Bowl honors, he is on the verge of landing on the VIP list as a playmaker with positional flexibility. As a hybrid safety, nickel corner and linebacker, the fourth-year pro is the Swiss Army knife defensive coordinators covet in the secondary. If cornerback Kamari Lassiter and safety Calen Bullock continue to impress as second-year starters, and if veteran safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson recovers from a lower leg injury suffered in training camp, the Texans have a group of salty defenders with the skills, intelligence and versatility to give opposing quarterbacks headaches for 60 minutes.
The arrivals of Jalen Ramsey (traded from Miami) and Darius Slay (free-agent signee) -- who bring a combined 13 Pro Bowls to Pittsburgh -- upgrade a secondary with an emerging CB1 in Joey Porter Jr. The third-year pro can take on opponents’ No. 1 receivers at times, but Ramsey and Slay provide head coach Mike Tomlin with multiple options when playing the matchup game against high-powered offenses. With Ramsey assuming myriad responsibilities as a hybrid defender with the potential to align at cornerback, slot corner and free safety, the Steelers' defensive backfield can muddy the picture for quarterbacks unable to decipher the unit’s pre-snap disguises and designated matchups. With Juan Thornhill and DeShon Elliott locked in as deep defenders, the secondary's experience, expertise and execution could overwhelm opponents unable to handle a defense that plays an old-school brand of football built on physicality and toughness.
