Again, I think the defense is going to turn over quite a bit.
Some of it is expiring one year contracts for 30 plus year old guys that probably going to retire.
The other is moving on from guys like Lattimore and Jones whose bodies have simply broken down due to the wear and tear of an NFL career and are no longer the players they were 3 or 4 years ago.
To me 2026 is a put up or shut up season for Johnny Newton and Quan Martin. Are these guys legit NFL defenders and part of the solution here or are they part of the problem?
We have some younger guys in Owens, Aho, and high pick like Trey Amos that look to be players that can grow and become real contributors here.
Whitt to me is not a great coordinator by any stretch. But he has not been given elite or even solid talent across the board to work with either.
One thing I would criticize is the 2 linebacker standard set. It almost guarantees that Washington in its base defense is outmanned at the line of scrimmage and at a disadvantage stopping the run.
Most teams go to a 2 linebacker set in long yardage passing downs but not as a regular look.
As I mentioned in another thread - I think we need more DAWGS on this team. More players that are aggressive on the field and show visible fight.
Outside of Tunsil and a few others I see chirping away during games and pushing guys, we have a LOT of quiet players that just go on the field and come off and you barely notice them.
I saw Tunsil talking to Conerly Jr. on the sideline a couple of weeks ago.
Amusing - he took Conerly away from the coach and talked to him alone.
Evidently the coaches here are not looked to for leadership.