As the NFL offseason continues to roll along, we're taking a look at the top defenses in the NFL. The NFC has the reigning #1 defense, but the AFC might have a little more depth at the top end.
This offseason has been all about continuity for some of the top defenses in the AFC, and teams in need of a splash made some big splashes. We've got a number of new coordinators and coaches who could pay off in a big way for a handful of defenses around the AFC.
How do each of these teams stack up after all of their free agency moves, trades, NFL Draft picks, and coaching changes? Our newest NFL Power Rankings are going to take a look at the entire AFC landscape and rank every defense worst to best on paper.
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16. Miami Dolphins
Just like every other aspect of their roster, the Miami Dolphins are rebuilding and reloading defensively. Jeff Hafley's background is obviously on the defensive side of the ball, so perhaps this will be the first area of the team to really turn things around.
Miami used the top pick they got from the Broncos in the Jaylen Waddle trade to select San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson as a centerpiece of their new-look secondary, but this defense is really going to be relying on the investments they've made in recent years on players up front (Kenneth Grant, Chop Robinson) taking the proverbial next step.
The Dolphins have one of my favorite players in this entire class -- Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez -- as a potential Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate.
15. New York Jets
Although they might have preferred a franchise quarterback, the New York Jets got the next best thing in the NFL Draft with a highly disruptive pass rusher in the 2nd overall pick slot. David Bailey had high expectations coming over to Texas Tech from Stanford, and he vastly exceeded those expectations.
Few players at the college level were as consistently disruptive as Bailey this past year, and few have been as disruptive even in recent years. Bailey is the total package off the edge, and the Jets desperately need him. If it weren't for the 49ers losing Nick Bosa to a season-ending injury, the Jets probably would have been dead last in the NFL in sacks last season.
The arrival of David Bailey gives the Jets another weapon up front, along with a really smart trade for defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat. The Jets also got one of the best defensive backs in the class with 2nd-round pick D'Angelo Ponds.
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