re: How is this defense this bad?

Anytime you look as bad as we looked tonight it’s a combination of coaching and talent.

But the issue really with talent is a lack of depth, which is what it has been the last few years. We just haven’t had the cap space to accumulate any depth and so one or two injuries fricks us.

Biggest issue is the interior DL. Sheperd and Godchaux aren’t good enough. Miller is a rookie, Broughton is essentially a rookie too. Bresee has his issues, but he’s a quality NFL DT, losing him hurts.

Young is awesome. Granderson is probably above average. The rest of the DEs are rotation players at best.

Werner is just okay. Been hoping for a leap from him and it hasn’t happened. He’s been solid this season but his ceiling is probably middle of the road starter. Stutsman hasn’t taken the leap either. Elliss being out hurts. Jaylan Ford hasn’t panned out. Stalbird is a special teamer.

We took a risk with Riley and McKinstry as starting CBs and that’s been a bust. Riley showed promise last season but he’s not a playoff team starting CB. McKinstry, I think we were all high on. Again, not a CB1 on a playoff team. Depth behind them is nonexistent.

At safety, we replaced Taylor with Jonas Sanker. Sanker was really good last season and hasn’t been as good at a new position. Reid and Blackmon are just meh. I suspect Sanker will be a good player when he actually plays safety again.

So basically it’s a combination of lesser talent, injuries, and zero depth.

I think they knew the defense would be bad this year.

Honestly I think they kind of sacrificed the defense to put weapons around Shough to have him progress and prove he’s a legit QB1 and then go all out in the draft and FA to improve the defense in 27.

Which could still work, but ultimately is why the concerns about Moore and the inability to design a functioning run offense and the overall slow starts are more worrisome.

Run D was already bad and we had Granderson and Ellis out.