Defense
Defensive Line: A quick, young, and talented line, this is where the potential resurgence of the defense in 2006 will start... or come to a crashing halt. Consistency is the name of the game, and this unit struggled with it for much of last season. At end, Kyle Vanden Bosch and Antwan Odom bring a powerful attack from the left side of the line, while Bo Schobel and Travis Laboy bring considerable edge speed from the right. This is a unit that will rotate quite a bit in 2006 to keep the various ends fresh and healthy, and all four could have productive seasons.
At defensive tackle, there's a fair bit of talent, but also a fair number of questions about dedication, consistency, and motor. Albert Haynesworth has occasionally flashed the raw, disruptive talent that made him a first-rounder in 2002, but as often as not, he disappears in plays, not giving a full effort and getting engulfed by linemen that he should be able to toss aside or push back into the pocket if he put his full effort into every play.
His batterymate, Randy Starks, has flashed the potential to be among the best DTs in the league, with a big frame, undeniable quickness off the snap, and hand use that allows him to shuck defenders easily. However, he too has met with consistency and motor issues, as he'll have one tremendous play, and then follow it up with four plays that it seems like he barely gets up off the snap.
The depth shows some intriguing potential. Rien Long was expected to be a big contributor at last, but was shut down with an injury early in camp. Rookie Jesse Mahelona practically lived in opponents' backfields during his collegiate career, and used a rare combination of quickness and strengths to do so. He looks like he could be a disruptive force in the NFL if handled correctly. Jared Clauss looks to be an intriguing prospect, showing a good motor and solid quickness inside to push the pocket and put pressure on the passer.
Linebacker: This is a sorely under-rated unit in the NFL, and deserves a ranking in the top-ten of all linebacking corps in the league. The starters are lead by Keith Bulluck, an All-Pro and Pro Bowl 'backer who can rush the daylights out of the passer as well as run with any running back or tight end with the league and lay a wicked hit on them. Starting across from him is newcomer David Thornton, the unsung hero of the Indianapolis Colts' defense for the past three years. A solid tackler and exceptional cover linebacker, Thornton will fly all over the field making plays. Moving inside from his accustomed outside linebacker job is Peter Sirmon, an aggressive player and hard tackler who should make the transition look easy.
The depth is made up of some intriguing players. Rob Reynolds is a special-teams demon, and looks like he could be a capable inside man at linebacker, with a solid ability to attack the play at the line of scrimmage. Terna Nande is another fly-around-the-field type, and he will knock players flat on their backs when he hits them. Cody Spencer is simply a stud on special teams and is an absolute headhunter on coverage units. As a defender, he has a rare ability to read and diagnose plays for such a young player, and has the speed and quickness to react to plays as they break down.
Secondary: The cornerbacks are a young and raw unit, with nickle-back Andre Woolfork being the old man of the group as a fourth-year veteran. No. 1 cover man Adam “Pac Man” Jones is a former first rounder with a lot of talent. He's surprisingly physical for his size, and has incredible speed and quickness, as well as an undeniable nose for the ball. He also has the ability to be an elite NFL return man.
Starting across from Jones is Reynaldo Hill, who was a very pleasant find for the Titans in the seventh round of the 2005 draft. Starting ten games, Hill led the team in interceptions with three and showed a knack for making big plays when they were needed. He can run with any receiver in the NFL, and can go up to get balls with virtually any of them, too.
In the slot are Woolfork and Rich Gardner, two raw but skilled cover men. Woolfork is a bit bigger than your average nickle corner, but he has tremendous quickness and excellent reactions to the ball, both of which are critical inside. Gardner needs to get quicker overall, but his reactions are superb and has long arms and a good leaping ability to break up passes.
