Buccaneers: Ranking the defensive line against NFC South opponents
Final Rankings
So, we’ve considered the starters and key depth players for not only the Bucs, but each of the NFC South competitors.
The Bucs won best defensive end group and best depth.
Carolina ranked at the top for their interior linemen and came in second for defensive ends with their seasoned, but perhaps over-seasoned pair.
Atlanta staked a claim for having one of the more exciting depth players in Takk McKinley, but outside of him and Dontari Poe don’t have much to show us.
New Orleans may not be happy with their final standings of this pre-season, but they have to look at it as a better start than what they had in 2016.
How does it all look at the end?
4. Atlanta Falcons
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Like I said, beyond Dontari Poe and Takk McKinley there just isn’t much to get excited about on the Falcons’ defensive line.
Lucky for them, they have some strong athletic presences behind them like Deion Jones and Keanu Neal.
Fans of the team should be happy the franchise addressed what is easily their weakest unit, but they’re not quite there yet.
3. New Orleans Saints
A repeat performance by Nick Fairley and better health for Sheldon Rankins could make the Saints’ defensive line look like strong contenders to crack the top two here.
Cameron Jordan should continue to be what he is, and maybe Alex Okafor can prove he was the right guy for the job.
If he does, feel free to throw it in my face.
2. Carolina Panthers
I know Panthers fans are excited to see Julius Peppers come back, and for what it’s worth, so am I.
Still, he isn’t what he once was, and while his numbers may look good coming back I’ll hold some reservations about just how effective he’ll be in this division.
It’s not the same NFC South as it was when he left it, and beyond some fanfare, his welcome back won’t be filled with balloons and fireworks.
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Bucs fans have been waiting to see a defense they could compare to the Super Bowl winning staff led by the likes of Warren Sapp.
The current defense may not be all the way there yet, but this defensive line looks primed to lead the way.
Hard Knocks is going to show us more of the personalities we don’t quite know, but getting a glimpse at Gerald McCoy, Chris Baker, Robert Ayers and William Gholston is must-see TV anytime.
Noah Spence providing some stellar supporting role tape just make it that much better.
So there we have it.
How do you feel about the rankings, and where do you see things differently?
If you’re a fan of one of the teams who maybe didn’t rank as high as you think they should, let me know where I’m wrong!
Next: Early roster predictions
Give me a shout in the comments, on Facebook, on Twitter or email your thoughts to walkingtheplankpodcast@gmail.com!