Lorenzo Alexander: WFT will have NFL's top D-line in 2021 originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
With serious burst on the edge thanks to Chase Young and Montez Sweat, and plenty of depth in the middle in Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, Matt Ioannidis and Tim Settle, many are — not shockingly — predicting that Washington's defensive line will be among the NFL's best in 2021.
But Lorenzo Alexander — who played for the Burgundy and Gold from 2006 to 2012 — took things a step further when he declared that the group will be the best throughout the season.
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"They're going to be the most dominant defensive line this year," Alexander said in this video while serving as an analyst for NFL Network.
In the segment, Alexander was asked to rank his top five fronts. He slotted Washington ahead of, among others, the Aaron Donald-led Rams as well as the bunch that the Bucs employ, which famously took over in the most recent Super Bowl.
Even in that lofty company, what WFT coach Ron Rivera and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio have at their disposal stands out.
"These dudes are loaded. They're young, scrappy and hungry, baby," Alexander said. "Because they haven't won one yet, they're just hungry in trying to chase after it."
So, can Washington actually prove Alexander right?
Umm... is drinking a cold beer after mowing the grass fun?
The answer to that pair of questions is the same: Hell yes.
The sport's most devastating pass rushers tend to really improve in their second pro campaign, meaning Young could be in for an exciting few months. Sweat's supreme talents are evident, too, and the whole collection of linemen should be wholly comfortable in Del Rio's scheme after experiencing some early struggles in their first go-round in it.
And as Alexander correctly pointed out, what makes Young and Co. truly exceptional is that, amazingly, their effort matches up with their skills.
"These guys not only play the run and the pass well," he said. "These guys are flying down on screens, passes downfield, getting some big-time hits."
Washington being in any conversation about having the best anything in the NFL has been quite rare for quite some time. When it comes to their defensive line, however, the talk about them is becoming louder and louder — and it feels totally justified.
