In 1999, only 12 of the 27 players selected to Pro Football Weekly's midseason All-Pro Team also made PFW's All-NFL squad at the end of the season.

If we were to make an educated guess, we'd have to say it's highly likely the names and faces will also be a lot different a couple months from now when we present our 2000 postseason honors.

Like a person going through a mid-life crisis, you just never know what to expect from a league that changes dramatically from week to week. For the time being, though, PFW's 2000 midseason All-Pro Team delivers all the goods. PFW's defensive All-Pro team is below. For the offensive All-Pro team, click here.

Defensive All-Pro Team
DE Hugh Douglas, Eagles

	Douglas

The Eagles' defense has really come on strong, and Douglas, with a havoc-wreaking 12 sacks, is one of the key reasons. Douglas added 20 pounds of muscle this offseason in the hopes of improving his defense against the run, and he has succeeded without losing any speed. About those sacks? They look even more impressive when you consider how many of them have come in crucial situations.

DE Rob Burnett, Ravens

	Burnett

Burnett is a solid veteran who has been a dominating force from the get-go this season. "The biggest reason is the fact they kept most of us together," Burnett says of a Baltimore defense that is especially ravenous against the run. "We have a lot of heart and pride. We take it personally. That brings a little attitude to it. We're like Cognac; we're a year older and a year better."

DT Warren Sapp, Buccaneers

	Sapp

A team leader who continues to excel against both the pass and the run, Sapp hasn't missed a beat on a defensive line that no longer includes Brad Culpepper, considered one of the unit's key cogs. The Buccaneers' front-line depth allows Sapp to stay fresh, which means don't be surprised if he has an outstanding second half.

DT La'Roi Glover, Saints

	Glover

As the Saints' nose tackle last year, Glover was forced to take on two blockers on almost every play and still registered 8½ sacks. With free-agent addition Norman Hand taking over the team's nose tackle duties this season, Glover is usually dealing with just one blocker and playing like a house on fire. The team's strongest player (he can bench-press over 500 pounds), Glover has tremendous quickness, allowing him to slip by blockers before they have a chance to make any kind of real contact.

MLB Sam Cowart, Bills

	Cowart

It's hard to argue with the Bills' assertion that Cowart should have made the Pro Bowl last year after leading the team with 186 tackles. He has picked up right where he left off, making tackle after tackle. And he has become even more of a force this season, putting in double time in Buffalo's dime defense. "Instead of maybe playing 30 to 40 plays, I might be in there for 50 or 60," says Cowart, whose tremendous range and athleticism have allowed him to become a force in passing situations, as well as one of the league's top run defenders. "It's a challenge playing in coverage, but it's something that I want to do. The coaches do a great job putting me in the right position. I'm just trying to go out there, execute and make plays."

OLB Derrick Brooks, Buccaneers

	Brooks

A great all-around linebacker who's like an extra defensive back because of his tremendous speed, Brooks is always around the ball. Not only does he cover like a blanket, he's a bone-rattling tackler who enjoys hitting people.

OLB Donnie Edwards, Chiefs

	Edwards

Like Cowart, Edwards has become a tackle machine. He's a complete linebacker who can rush the quarterback and play in coverage, and he has fantastic instincts. At the start of the season, the Chiefs planned on making Edwards a pure pass-rush specialist in the mold of the late Derrick Thomas. Once they saw they had the makings of a pretty solid line that could generate steady pressure, they allowed Edwards to expand his role and start dropping back. As a result, he's become a terror with great speed from sideline to sideline.

CB Champ Bailey, Redskins
Bailey has more than lived up to the potential the Redskins expected when they made him their first pick in the '99 draft. Just how good has Bailey become? Opposing offenses now shy away from him, preferring to take their chances with Deion Sanders.

CB Sam Madison, Dolphins

	Madison

Madison, who received a seven-year contract extension this offseason that made him the highest-paid player in team history, has earned every penny so far. "He has a great work ethic, and he's as good a leader as we have on this team," says Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt.

S Robert Griffith, Vikings

	Griffith

According to Packers general manager Ron Wolf, last season's Pro Bowl became a sham the moment he heard the hard-hitting Griffith didn't receive an invitation. Griffith does a great job in coverage and can be a ferocious run defender. He also is an excellent leader in the secondary.

S John Lynch, Buccaneers

	Lynch

PFW personnel expert Joel Buchsbaum calls Lynch, "the most dominating safety against the run in the league." Lynch is an extremely physical, old-school safety who has improved his coverage skills. Nobody in the game hits any harder.

Dan Arkush is the Executive editor for Pro Football Weekly.

Material from Pro Football Weekly.
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