I would classify last years problems more on lack of pressure than lack of coverage.
Probably 2 to 1.
Sure guys broke down in coverage, but when the QB has 4 plus seconds every snap to allow plays to develop, for patterns to attack the coverage, for guys to free themselves.. it really would not matter if the inside backers are locking guys down. They, by design, are not guys built to play in open space.. asking them to cover for extended beats on a route is a recipe for completions.
IMO, I would put safety play ahead of the defenses issues over Backer coverage last season. It has been a problem for a couple of years, see Winston Moss tenure, so this is nothing new.
Many point to a guy opposite of Clay, while that is important, IMO it was and is the interior pressure that cooked our goose last season in terms of pass rush.
I when you have offensive lineman looking for someone to block because the rest of the line is stonewalling our linemen in one on ones.. it completely defines that problem.
A 3-4 works best when the line can force double teams and chips in pass protection.. creating angles for the second wave to exploit. Simply put, rarely did a lineman beat a block last season and either breakdown the pass protection or apply interior pressure.
Most guys in any level of football throwing the ball are much more accurate and comfortable patting the ball in the pocket and stepping into their throw. There are guys that can be deadly on the run.. but not many. Interior pressure more times than not disrupts an offense.. more effectively than a edge pressure.
I will concede that the numbers, sacks, come primarily from the edge.. but true disruption and consistent disruption comes from the inside out. Most blocking schemes are designed from the inside out.. lock up the inside and flood the outside if needed with chips or backs.
That stated... I will say this, the combination of Worthy, Raji and a rotation of guys there after will have a more impacting year then Perry or a shifting of a Jones inside. Or we better hope I should say.
Our coverage is going to look better as well.
"The oranges are dry; the apples are mealy; and the papayas... I don't know what's going on with the papayas!"