The San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets' defense is vying for recognition as the best in the NFL.
The writers at Pro Football Focus (PFF) rate the Jets' defense No. 1 and the Niners' defense No. 2. When isolating their analysis by position group, they reach the same conclusion: Jets have the best defensive front, best linebacker corps, and best secondary, with San Francisco coming in second in each position grouping.
PFF based its analysis on the teams that will likely take the field this season rather than the units that finished last year. It reached its conclusion despite the Niners losing defensive lineman Arik Armstead and Chase Young this offseason and the full recognition that linebacker Dre Greenlaw and safety Talanoa Hufanga may be sidelined and still recovering from injury when the new season begins.
PFF reasons the 49ers would have a case for the best linebacking corps if not for Dre Greenlaw's injury in the Super Bowl. All-Pro middle linebacker Fred Warner is the emotional leader and focal point of the Niners' defense.
PFF's 2024 Top Five Linebacking Corp
1. New York Jets
2. San Francisco 49ers
3. Chicago Bears
4. New England Patriots
5. New York Giants
2024 NFL linebacker unit rankings: Jets and 49ers take the top spots
The performance evaluators at Pro Football Focus contend that nothing on the defensive side of the football translates better to points allowed than a secondary's performance in coverage.
The Jets feature the return of four starters from last year's secondary, headlined by Sauce Gardner, the league's top-rated cover corner.
NFL analyst Bucky Brooks predicts a breakout year from the 49ers' second-year safety Ji'Ayir Brown. Last year, Charvarius Ward led the NFL in passes defended and was considered one of the league's best cover corners. Plus, PFF is impressed with the Niners' depth in their secondary and the addition of free agent Isaac Yiadom, who may start in the slot.
PFF's 2024 top five ranked secondaries
1. New York Jets
2. San Francisco 49ers
3. Buffalo Bills
4. Baltimore Ravens
5. Miami Dolphins
2024 NFL secondary rankings: New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers take top spots
The Jets boast a young and talented defensive line. PFF rightly notes that New York Jets' interior lineman Quinnen Williams is one of the game's best and most disruptive defensive linemen. The addition of Hassan Reddick from the Eagles may be an upgrade over Bryce Huff, who left in free agency.
Conversely, San Francisco remains loaded up front despite a wholesale turnover on the defensive line. With the addition of Malik Collins and Jordan Elliott, talent evaluators believe the Niners' 2024 interior defensive line will be stronger against the run than last year's unit. Edge rusher Nick Bosa remains a perennial candidate for Defensive Player of the Year. Yetur Gross-Matos is expected to do a better job of setting the edge on running-downs than Clelin Ferrell and Chase Young did. In contrast, Leonard Floyd, who has collected nine or more sacks each of the past four seasons, should dramatically improve the pass rush opposite Bosa.
PFF's 2024 top-rated defensive lines
1. New York Jets
2. San Francisco 49ers
3. Philadelphia Eagles
4. Detroit Lions
5. Cleveland Browns
2024 NFL defensive line rankings: New York Jets take the top spot
The Jets and Niners will compete for the title of NFL's best defense when the teams meet at Levi's Stadium on September 9 in a nationally televised Monday night contest.