I was just looking on the injured reserve list for the Saints. Between Injured Reserve, Reserved-Unable to Perform, Reserve-Non Football Injury, and the Reserved-Suspended by Commissioner List, Saints have 17 players (half of them starters or serious playing time) not playing this year.
I know some participated some of the year or most of the year, but that seems like a lot of people to finish the season not playing. 13 of the 17 are on defense. And yet the defense is playing the best it has played all year. Dennis Allen was a huge pick up or return (depending how you want to look at it.)
Next year (injuries with standing) should be a very interesting year for the defense. Players have had to really step it up, so with the returning injured, plus the ones that have contributed severely at the end of the year, defense should be loaded.