Buffalo appears to have a young, talented but anonymous defense. What is its potential and who are its stars?
That's a very fair assessment. My problem with this defense is that I think they're young at the wrong positions - their defensive line is very veteran, with only a few young players with potential. They're not very fast, either, which is a necessity in a Cover 2 defense. As they stand right now as a unit, however, this defense is playoff caliber. They've got a deep nine-man rotation on the defensive line, big, tough, active linebackers, and a heck of a young secondary. This unit has the potential to be a Top 10 unit in 2008, and could be dominant in another year or two if, unlike 2007, they can stay healthy.

The biggest defensive star right now is obviously Marcus Stroud, the elite defensive tackle the team acquired from Jacksonville via trade in March. His impact has been immediate, as Buffalo's first-team run defense was superb during the pre-season. Buffalo hasn't ever had a defensive tackle of his caliber or type - he's in the best shape of his life, and it's showed. But as you alluded to, Buffalo has a young defense, and young defenses generally produce stars. The guy on the cusp of becoming elite is strong safety Donte Whitner. Built in the same mold as Bob Sanders, he's not as physical, but can still lay a hit. He's versatile, with the ability to play either safety position or line up in the slot, and he's without doubt the leader of not just this defense, but the entire team. He's a good young player who hasn't produced much in his first two seasons. I expect that to change in a big way in 2008. - Brian Galliford, Buffalo Rumblings