The Defenders is such a great name for a team but it's never really worked.
The name "defenders" can conjure up people who directly interact with the people they protect.
As such, way back when, Marvel should have used that name for a group of "street level" heroes, for example: Spiderman, Daredevil, Black Widow, Power Man, Iron Fist, Tigra Moon Knight, etc. Maybe even Wolverine.
That would have differentiated the team from the Avengers, who'd be more in charge of "cosmic" menaces, etc.
Of course, at this point, Spidey and Wolverine are Avengers and some of the other "street level" heroes have been as well, so I don't know if the distinction would work.
