Is the D actually BETTER than last year?

-Aldon 2015 should be way better than last year. No distractions, healthy, and playing to get paid. I think he will be a monster
-D-Line has Williams and Dorsey healthy, Dockett for Cowboy, and the young guys have another year of experience and need to prove themselves to stay
-Linebackers - are Bowman / Wilhoite better than injured Willis/Borland/Wilhoite last year? Could make a case
-Aaron Lynch with another year of experience, and Ahmad Brooks in shape and motivated
-Secondary - Cornerbacks may be a drop, we have no idea, but Reid should get another year better and Bethea more comfortable. Ward gets to show what he was drafted for and I assume he has the talent to justify the pick, cross our fingers
-Coaching - Fangio did some great things, but had never been special before he had this talent. Maybe Mangenius will get to look just as smart

Overall, I know there were some major losses, but I don't see a drop off anywhere except for depth, which admittedly can kill a team, but they need to get some good luck after last year

I'll comment on this after the 4th preseason game.

If the DL doesn't stink it up, the we should be a top 10 defense

I believe the team as a whole maybe better (accounting for depth and lack if injuries) and the absence of HaRoman. However, a couple of injuries and replicated play on the o line will put this team at the three spot in this division.

Originally posted by 49AllTheTime:
If the DL doesn't stink it up, the we should be a top 10 defense

Pretty big if.

Ray and Cowboy were top 15 last year.

Dockett is simply not a replacement for Cowboy, or even Ray for that matter. Nice depth and solid vet presence, but he's not a replacement.

Excited to see Williams back and what Lynch and Aldon can do together.

Let's be real here...our defense will only be as good as our pass rush.

I'm confident we'll be able to stop the run. We may not be the dominant run D we were in 2012 but we won't be getting gashed in the running game either. Our secondary is a big question mark and the DL has a long of young but talented kids who have to prove they can replace the consistent vets. But the corners need the pass rush to be on point, especially if we're going to be more aggressive this year.

Maybe

Lots of ?????????????????????????????????

We will be a top 5 defense

I think that they can be better than last year but there is a lot of question marks on this defense. *crosses fingers*

Originally posted by BodhiPaddlesOut:

Originally posted by 49AllTheTime:
If the DL doesn't stink it up, the we should be a top 10 defense

Pretty big if.

Ray and Cowboy were top 15 last year.

not that big of an if

Tank and Dial and Lynch showed they can get pressure last year, combine that with a healthy Dorsey/Williams and a full time lynch..the outcome looks good

the if was more about not getting the injury bug

If reasonably healthy yes. Pass rush quite a bit better. Cb play worse. Overall close to the same ranking. More sacks. Less ints. More points given up per game by a little. Still top 5 to 10.

I am certainly not saying they WILL be better...but it's possible.

While the media, opposing fans, and nihilistic Niner fans would have you believe that all the wheels have fallen off, they often forget a few things...

1) "OMG, Patrick Willis retired!!". Right..I love the guy, but Pat missed 10.5 games last year.
2) "OMG, Borland Retired!!!". Right, Borland only started 7 games last year...and he only played because Pat was hurt. These "two" losses are only one position.
3) Oh yeah, and Bowman didn't play a single down last year. He's back now.
4) WIlhoite quietly played very well last year.
5) "OMG, Justin Smith retired!!!". Just like Pat, I loved the guy, but can we stop pretending he was the same guy he was in 2011? He wasn't. He knew it. THAT's why he retired. New Blood there is needed in a big way. Will they be just like Justin? Of course not. However, neither was Justin last year.
6) "OMG, they lost both starting corners!!!". This one cracks me up the most. Two starting corners? By starting corners do you mean 1 guy in his first year as a starter and another guy claimed off the scrapheap that was replacing an injured starter? When did Parrish Cox become irreplaceable? Brock is back and they have a number of young guys to compete on the other side. Hell, the Niners lost both starting corners LAST year too (Rogers and Brown)...and that seems to have worked out OK.
7) Barring injuries and new stupidity, Aldon will play 16 games for the 1st time since the 2012 season. Nuff said.

Originally posted by ninerfan4life:

We will be a top 5 defense

This all the way BayBay!

Originally posted by Marvin49:

I am certainly not saying they WILL be better...but it's possible.

While the media, opposing fans, and nihilistic Niner fans would have you believe that all the wheels have fallen off, they often forget a few things...

1) "OMG, Patrick Willis retired!!". Right..I love the guy, but Pat missed 10.5 games last year.
2) "OMG, Borland Retired!!!". Right, Borland only started 7 games last year...and he only played because Pat was hurt. These "two" losses are only one position.
3) Oh yeah, and Bowman didn't play a single down last year. He's back now.
4) WIlhoite quietly played very well last year.
5) "OMG, Justin Smith retired!!!". Just like Pat, I loved the guy, but can we stop pretending he was the same guy he was in 2011? He wasn't. He knew it. THAT's why he retired. New Blood there is needed in a big way. Will they be just like Justin? Of course not. However, neither was Justin last year.
6) "OMG, they lost both starting corners!!!". This one cracks me up the most. Two starting corners? By starting corners do you mean 1 guy in his first year as a starter and another guy claimed off the scrapheap that was replacing an injured starter? When did Parrish Cox become irreplaceable? Brock is back and they have a number of young guys to compete on the other side. Hell, the Niners lost both starting corners LAST year too (Rogers and Brown)...and that seems to have worked out OK.
7) Barring injuries and new stupidity, Aldon will play 16 games for the 1st time since the 2012 season. Nuff said.

Always like your take on things Marvin, you can see the light starting to peak through the clouds. Can't wait for the season!