Miami Dolphins

But the Dolphins started slow in 2011 with just eight sacks in their first five games (1.6 per game) and quickly fell out of contention.

In the old 3-4 scheme, the primary objective for defensive linemen such as Randy Starks and Jared Odrick were to occupy blockers so the outside linebackers- Cameron Wake and Jason Taylor – could put pressure the quarterback. In any 3-4, size on the defensive line is more important than speed and elusiveness.

Before installation, they needed to move some personnel around. Miami will move Jared Odrick to left defensive end.Odrick played right end in the old 3-4. Coyle will try to get their best four defensive linemen on the field. Odrick figures to play end on all running downs, kicking inside to tackle in passing situations with rookie Olivier Vernon replacing him on the edge.

RE Cameron Wake to be the biggest beneficiary of the 4-3 and is “going back home” to his natural position as a Dwight Freeney-style right defensive end. Randy Starks and Tony McDaniels are moving inside to defensive tackle.

Karlos Dansby will be the 4-3 starting middle linebacker. Dansby was an early-career SAM ‘backer in the Cardinals’ old 4-3, but he’s been playing inside since arriving in Miami two years ago. Kevin Burnett and Koa Misi are currently working on the outside. Dansby could be an IDP monster in Kevin Coyle’s scheme, which coaxed annual 110-plus tackle seasons out of Dhani Jones 2008-2010. Dansby is a much more effective player than Jones was.

Dansby said Hard Knocks has already improved “swager”in the defensvie unit in practice and weight room.

CB Jimmy Wilson has been moved to safety. A hard-hitting corner out of Montana, Wilson saw reps at safety last training camp. Coyle has the 2011 seventh-rounder working with the second team, behind Reshad Jones and Chris Clemons.

In free agency, the Dolphins signed cornerback Richard Marshall, linebacker Jamaal Westerman, linebacker Gary Guyton and safety Tyrell Johnson, formerly of the Vikings. Johnson underachieved in Minnesota, starting just 27 of 49 games over four seasons. He was primarily a special teamer last year, playing roughly 30 percent of the defensive snaps. A liability in deep coverage, Johnson is a candidate to replace Yeremiah Bell as the Dolphins’ in-the-box safety.

Miami took care of some of their own free agents by re-signing nose tackle Paul Soliai, tackle Lydon Murtha and extending defensive end Cameron Wake.

In the draft, the Dolphins added to their defense with Miami defensive end Olivier Vernon and the Dolphins plan to use him as an edge rusher in nickel situations. They also added some depth with Oregon linebacker Josh Kaddu and Texas defensive tackle Kheeston Randall.

Last season the Dolphins defense faced top 10 producers in every opposing skill player categry, except WRs (12th ranked opponents). This year they not only swiwtch to the 4-3 to get soem more pressure on QBs, but also no longer have to face the 3rd ranked set of QBs like they did in 2011.

This year they face middle of the pack opponents at every category. The switch to 4-3 “should” help them get a little more pressure on QBs, but the personnel they have this year grades out slightly worse in pass rush scores.

Their run defense should pick up a but now that they face the 19th ranked RBs rather than the 7th, and their personnel this year grades out a bit higher.

New England Patriots

The Patriots also brought in a number of new players to upgrade their team defense (No. 31 overall in the NFL in 2011) and succeeded.

At the draft, the Patriots’ first six draft picks were all on defense. They added defensive end Chandler Jones from Syracuse, who is the Pats’ “elephant” rusher of the future, Jones is incredibly long with impressive short-area explosion and a relentless motor. While free agent Andre Carter may return on a short-term contract once he gets healthy, Jones is viewed as a Willie McGinest-type project for Bill Belichick’s defense. If the season began today, Jones would be New England’s starting right end. Jonathan Fanene would be the left end with Vince Wilfork and Kyle Love in the middle.

The Pats surrendered the No. 31 and No. 126 (fourth round) picks to move up for the second time in four selections to pick linebacker Dont’a Hightower from Alabama. Opinions are split on whether or not Hightower is a talented enough pass rusher to be a three-down player, but the Pats clearly believe he is. He should be primarily used as a run stopper as a rookie, but has just enough speed (4.68 Combine 40) to drop back into coverage. His selection isn’t good news for Rob Ninkovich’s IDP value.

They added some depth to their secondary with safety Tavon Wilson from Illinois, a rotational defensive end in Jake Bequette from Arkansas and cornerback Nate Ebner from Ohio State. Ebner won’t play on defense, but the Pats hope to turn him into an impact special teamer. A former rugby player, Ebner’s best asset is his ability to run down kicks. If his NFL career falls through, Ebner intends to return to rugby.

The pats drafted cornerback Alfonzo Dennard from Nebraska, but Dennard is accused of punching a police officer in the face as he attempted to break up a fight. Dennard was arraigned on May 30 on charges that he assaulted a police officer. “The Patriots are probably more concerned about Dennard’s straight-line speed and relatively stiff hips, though he faces up to five years in prison if convicted.

The defensive makeover continued in free agency, when the Patriots signed defensive end Jonathan Fanene, defensive end/outside linebacker Trevor Scott, formerly of the Raiders. Greg A. Bedard of the Boston Globe suggests Scott could have a ”big impact” this season. Early predictions are notoriously unreliable, but Scott has been working in the end/outside linebacker hybrid role during OTAs. Scott has a total of 13.5 sacks in four seasons and could start opposite rookie Chandler Jones, while also serving as depth behind LB Dont’a Hightower.

Free agency also brought in safety Steve Gregory, cornerback Will Allen, linebacker Bobby Carpenter and cornerback Marquice Cole. Lots of new bodies in the secondary that was decimated by injury last year. Devin McCourty started at safety at the end of last season. He projects as New England’s starting left corner. Steve Gregory and Patrick Chung currently project as the Patriots’ starting safeties, though Tavon Wilson will push Gregory.

As for their own free agents, the Pats re-signed linebacker Tracy White, linebacker Niko Koutouvides, defensive tackle Kyle Love, defensive tackle Marcus Harrison and defensive tackle Gerard Warren.

You can assume that Belichick wasn’t satisfied with how the team’s 2011 season ended, so he went out and did something about it. With the sheer volume of transactions, it is clear not all of the new additions will make the final roster cut, but quantity should ultimately be whittled down to quality. The Patriots front 7 will look fairly different in 2011. NE defense just got faster and better in their front seven.

Last season they got torched by the no better than average sets of fantasy QBs and WRs. This season they face talent in the bottom 12 of each category. This should help them finish slightly higher than worst. However, their pass coverage personnel grades out a lot worse in pass coverage this season.

New York Jets

As for the Jets’ 2012 offseason, the most interesting development is the publicity surrounding the Jets’ acquisition of quarterback Tim Tebow from the Denver Broncos.

However, they didn’t do much to help the defense.

Prior to free agency the Jets re-signed linebacker Aaron Maybin. When free agency rolled around, they signed safety LaRon Landry and Yeremiah Bell. Coach Rex Ryan is “hopeful” that S LaRon Landry (Achilles) will be medically cleared by training camp.

The Jets aren’t ruling out re-signing free agent Jim Leonhard. At this point, Ryan claims to be “really happy” with the underwhelming combo of Yeremiah Bell and Laron Landry at safety. Beat writer Rich Cimini expects the Jets to enter Week 1 with a starting safety tandem of Bell and LaRon Landry. We expect Landry to man free safety with Bell slotting in at strong. That presumes Landry (Achilles) will make it onto the field, of course. Eric Smith will be first in line if/when Bell or Landry falter.

The Jets still have disgruntled linebacker Bart Scott, as the team has not been able to find a trade partner for Scott’s services. The team also restructured the contract for defensive end Mike DeVito to save some salary cap space.

In reviewing the Jets 2012 draft class, they took some calculated risks with their first two picks, which is why their draft was not very well received. Jets selected North Carolina DE Quinton Coples with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft. Coples is one of the draft’s true boom-or-bust prospects, Coples will be paired with one of the league’s top defensive minds in Rex Ryan after mailing in his senior year at North Carolina. Accused of playing more not to get hurt than anything else, Coples saw his numbers fall across the board before turning in a dominant Senior Bowl performance. Despite being a mammoth 6-foot-6, 284 pounds, Coples ran a 4.72 40 at the Combine in addition to an eye-popping 1.63 ten-yard split. If Ryan’s motivating powers are successful, Coples could immediately emerge as one of the league’s top young pass rushers. Coples can play DE in 3-4 and you can move him inside or outside. he had more success inside. maybe a 3 technique guy as a result

The rest of the draft class consisted of Arkansas State linebacker Demario Davis, Wake Forest safety Josh Bush and South Carolina safety Antonio Allen.

Their personnel in 2012 is pretty much the same. They will face significantly less productive RBs this year so they should be stout. They should be top ten against fantasy WRs once their new safety tandem gels.

Buffalo Bills

“It’s going to be a defensive-line friendly scheme, and by that I mean we’ll be as good as our guys up front play,” says Wannstedt. “That’s how it was at Dallas, at Miami, every place where we’ve run this scheme. The guys up front, it all starts there. If we can get a good rotation going, keep some guys healthy, you know that kind of sets the foundation for what we’re trying to get done here.”

In an effort to improve the team’s pass rush, Wannstedt switched the team’s defensive scheme back to a 4-3. In accordance with this shift, the Bills flew in free-agent defensive end Mario Williams and managed to sign him to a six-year deal worth $96 million. Williams is expected to line up primarily at left end this season, but the Bills apparently see value in getting him some reps at his old position. GM Buddy Nix has insisted the Bills have “no plans” to use Williams at outside linebacker. Williams occasionally dropped back into coverage in the Texans’ 3-4 defense last season, but he will stick at his natural position of end with the Bills. Nix says the Bills want Williams to play “with his hair swooped back and in a three-point stance and chasing the quarterback.” That’s why they’re paying him $100 million. Williams is also seeing some action at right end in OTAs.

Later that month, the Bills signed another strong pass-rusher in free-agent defensive end Mark Anderson. Anderson is a one-trick pony pass rusher, but he will add explosiveness off the edge in Buffalo’s nickel package. The 29-year-old racked up 12.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in New England last season, including 2.5 playoff sacks. With Mario Williams set to play left end, Anderson figures to be the Bills’ primary right defensive end, rushing off the weak side.

They also have a potentially dominant tackles tandem of Kyle Williams and Marcell Dareus.  ”Kyle Williams might be the beneficiary of this scheme in a positive way as much as anybody because he’s not a 320-pounder, but he is as athletic as anybody we have on the defensive line and I’m excited to see him once we get going,” Wannstedt said. With stud tackles Dareus and Williams plugging the interior, you can make a good argument that Buffalo now has a top-five defensive line in terms of sheer talent. We projected them accordingly.

The Bills addressed their linebacker corps by bringing back Kirk Morrison and drafting Nigel Bradham from Florida State and Tank Carder from TCU.

As for the secondary, the Bills released Drayton Florence, restructured Terrence McGee’s deal and drafted two promising corners in first-round pick Stephon Gilmore from South Carolina and Ron Brooks from LSU. Stephon Gilmore started at left cornerback. Although Aaron Williams could push Leodis McKelvin in training camp, but the depth chart during OTA’s suggests McKelvin’s roster spot is safe after all entering a contract year.

Joe Buscaglia of WGR 550 Buffalo believes FS Jairus Byrd emerged as the Bills’ “best defensive player” in 2011. Buscaglia, a trustworthy beat writer, calls Byrd a “complete NFL safety” and a priority for the team to lock up long term. Owed just $615,000 in the last year of his rookie deal, the 25-year-old Byrd recorded 98 tackles, three forced fumbles, and three interceptions in 2011 while starting all 16 games.

Buffalo finally has depth up and down its roster, and combine that with a much weaker set of WR opponents this season. So expect their secondary to stiffen up in the rankings. They do face tougher TEs this season, though.