Quote
RFL
I have said that I value AD very, very highly

Others ... question the value of a superlative DT. (Huh?)

he plays a position of great importance for which real talent is rare, surpassingly hard to replace.

Yes of course as you know full well, you are right to value AD and right to extol the value of an elite DT.

What baffles me is those in the debate who question or do not get those things. Or imagine that it's replaceable.

Fwiw here is my own definition of an elite DT.

A good or even very good DT automatically draws attention at the gameplan level and requires the offense to commit resources to him. Why? Cause you cannot allow a defender who starts the play that close to the ball to be disruptive. And you can't just run the ball the other way or roll out the way you can against edge defenders. You don't account for him, and he is right there at the center of every play. So, you account for him.

That;s a good DT. He forces the offense to commit resources to control him.

With an elite DT, all that happens, and he makes plays anyway.

You add a good edge rusher to that and you have a lethal combination.

BUT it is far easier to find a good edge rusher than it is to find an elite DT. That means if you have the elite DT it is easier to complement him with a good edge rusher, than it is the other way around. (Out of 35 defenders with 8 or more sacks last year, 4 were DTs).