What makes you think the defense will improve? You lost two of your best players. Wagner was the heart and soul of your whole team. Reed was your best corner. Adams is injured right now? Young guys will take some time to step up. Even IF Lock/Geno can provide average QB play this unit is going to have to step up. It's tough for the offense to score points if they are on the sidelines
Appreciate your posts, but Bobby Wagner was not our best player on defense last year. IMHO, Quandre Diggs was.
Dave Wyman noted all season long that Bobby was "Catching Blocks" instead of getting aggressive. To me that says "Player well past his prime." I think Bobby was doing it because he knew his body, and couldn't afford to get injured. He got a lot of tackles, but most of them were after positive gains. Very few TFL.
There's going to be growing pains for Jordyn Brooks and Cody Barton, but they'll come around.
I really wish we had Ben Burr-Kirven back though. That dude is a damn good LB, that led college football in tackles in his final year.