2015 Rank: 17
2014 Rank: 30
Rise: 13 spots

Chalk this one up as a successful year for first-year defensive coordinator Joe Barry. Although injuries saw starters including Stephen Paea, Chris Culliver, and Duke Ihenacho go to Injured Reserve and Ryan Kerrigan, Perry Riley, Keenan Robinson, and DeAngelo Hall be bothered by injuries, Washington still finished 13 places higher than in 2014.

Will Compton stepped up to make 96 tackles, and in-season additions Will Blackmon, Quinton Dunbar, and Mason Foster performed admirably as fill-ins. Offseason acquisition Dashon Goldson led the squad with 110 tackles, and Terrance Knighton and Ricky Jean-Francois joined a deep defensive line that called itself “Capital Punishment”.

Kerrigan, with nine-and-a-half sacks, had his fifth straight season with at least seven-and-a-half takedowns, with rookie Preston Smith and Chris Baker adding eight and six, respectively.