There is talent on the defense but there are big gaps and MP didn't do a great job of working around the gaps.
I'd argue that Clark, ZSmith, Alexander, and Amos are better than average talents. I think Savage and Gary are on the rise and could be included in that group as well next season. That's six pretty solid to really good players. The problem is that ILB x 2, King, Lancaster and Lowry are all below average. If they were at least average at a couple of those spots things might be different, but they're not. To compound that, the DC was OK with leaving King on an island and letting him get burned multiple times. You lack talent at some spots and then don't coach around your deficiencies.
You can't fix all the problems this year, but you need to fix a couple and coach smarter and maybe this could be a solid defense. You need at least one ILB this year no matter how the scheme ends up looking. You absolutely need another CB opposite Alexander. If you could get those 2 things done who knows how much better the defense could be. Getting Gute to draft the right guys . . . well, that a whole other story.