Justin Rogers' final Lions grades: Defense

DE Ziggy Ansah - It feels unfair to grade Ansah this harshly, since his effectiveness was sapped by a lingering ankle injury. He looked closer to the dominant player from 2015 at the year of the year, but nine tackles for loss was disappointing. GRADE: D

DE Kerry Hyder - A breath of fresh air, Hyder went from practice squad to team sack leader. He showed prowess as a pass rusher, but his run defense was slower to develop. GRADE: B+

DE Devin Taylor - The Lions will tell you Taylor was a more consistent run defender, but he had almost no impact as a pass rusher, recording 4.5 sacks and 10 hurries in his first season as a starter. GRADE: D

DE Armonty Bryant - A mid-season waiver claim, Bryant made had an instant impact as a pass rusher, recording three sacks in five games. Unfortunately, his momentum was derailed by suspension, then injury. GRADE: C+

DE Anthony Zettel - Zettel plays with a high motor, but his technique and awareness are still developing. He finished with 13 tackles (none for a loss) and one sack. GRADE: D+

DT Haloti Ngata - Ngata is still disruptive, but he doesn’t make plays anywhere near the same rate he did in his prime. He had no tackles for loss against the run, 1.5 sacks and three batted down passes. GRADE: B-

DT A’Shawn Robinson - Robinson led the defensive tackles in tackles (30), sacks (two) and batted down passes (six). He’s still a better run defender than pass rusher, but he made positive growth in both areas as a rookie. GRADE: B+

DT Tyrunn Walker - Walker had a disappointing season on a one-year prove-it contract, even getting benched for a game in the second half. He finished with 26 tackles (four for a loss), no sacks and a blocked field goal. GRADE: D+

DT Khyri Thornton - Thornton showed some flashes, but wasn’t consistently disruptive. He had one of the most impressive plays from a lineman, blowing up the guard to force a fumble vs. Washington, but efforts like that were few are far between. GRADE: C-

DT Stefan Charles - Charles took a while to get acclimated, but once he got involved he was more often than not an effective run stuffer. He offered little as a pass rusher. GRADE: C-

LB Tahir Whitehead - Pro Football Focus ranked Whitehead second to last among all linebackers. That’s a bit harsh, but he’s not as good as his high tackle numbers. He struggled, particularly in coverage, when injuries surrounded him with backups. GRADE: C-

LB DeAndre Levy - Levy’s instincts haven’t faded, but he didn’t look anywhere near the same player he was in 2013-14, physically. For the second straight offseason, Lions will have to hope his body fully heals. GRADE: D+

LB Josh Bynes - Bynes missed most of the first half of the season after suffering a training camp injury, but returned to bring stability to Detroit’s linebacking corps. He was the team’s best cover linebacker. GRADE: B-

LB Antwione Williams - Williams was probably forced into action earlier than the team wanted, but the rookie held his own with 27 tackles (two for a loss) and a fumble recovery. He also served as a four-phase special teams player. GRADE: C-

CB Darius Slay - Slay continues to be strong in man coverage, breaking up 13 passes. He still isn’t coming up with many interceptions, but the two he snagged this year, plus a forced fumble, helped seal comeback wins. GRADE: B+

CB Nevin Lawson - Lawson made major improvements in coverage in his first full season as a starter, breaking up nine throws while trimming penalties. He was hit with just five pass interference calls and one holding call. GRADE: B-

CB Quandre Diggs - Diggs struggled in coverage, giving up receptions at an unsustainable rate and breaking up only one pass. He’s a good tackler coming downhill, but that’s enough to guarantee the same role in 2017. GRADE: D+

CB Johnson Bademosi - Bademosi was asked to step in for Slay, and largely held his own in those games, although he struggled in Dallas against Dez Bryant. On special teams, Bademosi set the tone with speed and athleticism on coverage units. GRADE: C

S Glover Quin - The ever-steady Quin continued to be a rock in Detroit’s secondary. He was the only defensive player in the NFL to play every snap. He recorded 68 stops, five pass breakups, two interceptions and a forced fumble. GRADE: A-

S Tavon Wilson - Wilson, a former third-round pick, proved to a versatile tool in the backend, playing along the line, in the box and deep, both in man and zone coverage. He came up with 89 tackles and two picks in his first year as a starter. GRADE: B+

S Rafael Bush - Bush also showed versatility, playing plenty of nickel corner and helping slow the bleeding with some of the team’s early-season coverage woes. He finished with 53 tackles and two interceptions. GRADE: B-

S Don Carey - Carey played more defense than expected, as an emergency option as injuries mounted, but his primary role was on special teams, where he led the team with 11 tackles. GRADE: B