SB Nation - Quinton Culberson

Reading between the lines of the Rams' decision to release LB Chris Draft

VanRam — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:08:33 -0000

St. Louis Rams linebacker David Vobora becomes the team's starting SLB after the sudden release of Chris Draft.

Wow. The St. Louis Rams have released LB Chris Draft. This is a head-scratcher for me.

Draft was tentatively scheduled to be the starting strongside LB, but his real value was the fact that he could play all three linebacker positions. Depth, something we still need to see whether or not the Rams have enough of at LB.

Of course, the critic could look at the situation and say that Draft didn't make the Rams linebackers any better last season or the season before when he was getting plenty of playing time. The real upgrades to the Rams linebacking unit is the addition of a true MLB in James Laurinaitis and moving Will Witherspoon back to his natural fit on the weakside. You've got to honestly ask yourself what the dropoff is between Draft and Vobora and Grant.

The move makes David Vobora, the 2008 draft's Mr. Irrelevant because he was the final overall selection, the starting SLB. However, I would expect Larry Grant to either take that mantle or get something close to a 50-50 time share at SLB given his ability as a blitzer. Grant, out for now with a knee injury, would probably be the primary backup at MLB, should Laurinaitis miss time. Or even Vobora. Chris Chamberlain is the primary backup to Witherspoon. Quinton Culberson, brought in to replace Draft, will mostly be a special teams guy, but profiles as an outside LB.

Salary drove the decision to release Draft, specifically his reported unwillingness to take a $300K pay cut. You can look at that from either side. From Draft's side, why take a pay cut when you've been identified as a contritbuting member of the team. From the organizational standpoint, a pay cut gives the team the flexibility it needs to field the best team they can. Veteran players agree to have their contracts restructured all the time, usually it's the big contracts we think of though.

What it most immediately indicates to me is that the Rams are finding every inch of salary space they can in order to make further additions to the roster, whether those additions are planned or on an as-needed basis remains to be seen.

Poll

Do you agree or disagree with Chris Draft's unwillingness to take a pay cut?

Agree

231 votes

Disagree

183 votes

414 votes | Poll has closed

NFC West Roundtable: Outside Linebacker

John Morgan — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 17:33:36 -0000

More photos » by Ted S. Warren - AP

Browse more photos »

The easy answer is "A". A sub-Pro Bowl starter in his prime, Leroy Hill, and a once in a generation talent at linebacker, Aaron Curry – that’s got to be an "A".

Leroy Hill struggles in zone coverage. He’s an after the fact tackler that is lucky to track down whatever receiver just blew by him. He hasn’t has been a consistent pass rusher since his rookie season, and though that might be because boneheadedness on John Marshall’s part, it might be that like Lofa Tatupu, he can’t find gaping inside rush lanes absent monstrous Marcus Tubbs. Hill has missed time every season since his rookie season with injuries.

Aaron Curry is a rookie. Even given the better than average success NFL GM’s enjoy drafting linebackers, first overall linebackers have less than a 60% chance of ever making a Pro Bowl. They have a less than 40% chance of ever making two Pro Bowls. Curry wasn’t highly recruited out of high school and wasn’t a standout throughout his college career. He was an amazing senior and his stock exploded after an amazing Combine. He was never a great pass rusher at Wake Forest. Curry is projected to be a good pass rusher, but projections that don’t accord with reality have a way of disappointing. He’s a little stiff in his swivel and though much younger, probably less agile than departed Seahawk Julian Peterson.

So, then…

Both are monster run stoppers. Not tackle – tackle – tackle run stoppers, but jam the fullback into his locker, atomic wedgie the tight end and rip through the ball for a loss of four…teeth, run stoppers.

Both shutdown the screen pass and make a fumble as likely as a completion.

Both have rare closing speed, good agility, sound and sometimes punishing tackling technique and good field awareness.

Curry has the skills and tools to be a Lance Briggs caliber pass defender.

Hill has the skills and tools to be a Chad Brown caliber pass rusher.

But there’s still too much locked into potential and not enough known about how they will be played and how they will develop, so though Hill and Curry comprise the most talented duo of outside linebackers in the entire NFL, they are not yet an "A", they are a "B" with crazy upside.

D.D. Lewis, David Hawthorne, Will Herring and Lance Laury make up the depth we know. I’ve spoken of Lewis and Hawthorne. Herring is a former safety that’s a linebacker electron. His speed and agility give him potential as a coverage specialist, but he needs to add bulk and strength to not be a liability against the run. I’m not sure Laury makes the team.

Turf Show Times
Blogger: VanRam

In a division trademarked for its linebackers, the St. Louis Rams were embarrassingly substandard last year, thanks to poor decision making that left Will Witherspoon in the middle and arrogantly allowed an emerging Brandon Chillar to flee for greener, more frozen pastures. Addressing the situation at linebacker has been a top offseason priority for the defensive-minded new regime led by head coach Steve Spagnuolo and defensive coordinator Ken Flajole.

The Rams made their first big move of the offseason when they announced that Will Witherspoon would be moved back to his natural position on the weakside. That move was deemed so important, it happened before the free agent free for all and well ahead of the draft. The move will free up the athletic Witherspoon from having to take on huskier linemen and lead blockers in the middle, where he was long miscast with the Rams. Besides giving the team a more effective LB in coverage and pursuit, Witherspoon's presence on the outside gives them another threat to rush the passer. He won't likely top his career high 7 sacks from 2007, but he'll get plenty of work in the attack-first system. He's also being reunited with Ken Flajole, his linebackers coach with the Panthers.

The Rams have desperately needed a true middle linebacker and snagged their man, James Laurinaitis, with their second round pick. He has the size and ability to read and react well to action in the gaps in front of him, and displayed real talent against the run and in coverage. Most importantly, Little Animal has the intelligence and football acumen to be the "field general" that Spagnuolo has traditionally asked his middle linebackers to play. Laurinaitis won't be known for bone crushing hits like Rey Maualuga, the other top MLB in this year's draft, but he's a solid tackler and a tough player. Lots of draft pundits felt like NFL success early on was a realistic expectation for Laurinaitis. He's currently working out with the second team, but no one expects him to stay there. Early reports have been very positive.

On the strongside, the picture gets muddled after the release of Pisa Tinoisamoa, deemed a less-than-perfect fit for the new defensive scheme. Though Pisa was a contributor, it's easy to forget that he battled consistency from week to week and often had trouble with blown gap assignments and bigger, more physical blockers. Right now, three players are vying for the SLB spot in the starting lineup. Veteran Chris Draft tops the list at the moment, but his ability to play all three positions likely keeps him in the all-important utility role. Larry Grant, a 49ers cast off picked up to bolster special teams last year, is another candidate for the job thanks to an impressive work ethic (a commodity valued immensely by the new coaching staff), a good spring and strong, yet unheralded performances with the team last year. Don't discount the something-to-prove factor at play here as Grant gets the chance to see the 49ers twice a year. He was also a teammate of Laurinaitis at Ohio State. The third entrant in the SLB sweepstakes is last year's Mr. Irrelevant, David Vobora. The former Idaho Vandal saw action on special teams last year and in the LB rotation for 8 games. He ended up starting a game down the stretch - partly for an audition, partly out of need - and racked up 5 tackles, 4 solo, in a tight game against the Dolphins.

Vobora and Grant should both make the roster, regardless of who gets the starting job. After those five, the depth chart is rounded out by Quinton Culberson and Chris Chamberlain. Culberson was tapped to start on the strongside at the beginning of last year, but was promptly replaced. He has talent that needs to be honed into a more consistent product. He'll have the chance to do that in camp this year, but if he can't put it together Culberson will be another casualty of regime change. Chamberlain is another seventh round pick from last year. He may get some work in the rotation given his play in coverage, but he'll be counted on to step up his strong special teams play from last year. There are a couple of other names in the mix from undrafted rookie pool, the most intriguing among them being Mississippi State's Dominic Douglas, who led the SEC in tackles last season.

The Rams are in a much better place with their linebackers than they have been in a long, long time, thanks mostly to the addition of Laurinaitis and Witherspoon's move back to his natural spot. There are still very real concerns about depth here, and it would surprise no one to see the team pluck a roster casualty when teams start making cuts this fall. Spagnuolo and Flajole have reputations for finding diamonds in the rough among defensive players and their success with linebackers is being counted upon here.

San Francisco 49ers
Blogger: Fooch

49ers Outside Linebackers

Whereas the 49ers have established, proven talent at inside linebacker, the outside linebackers bring a mix of production and question marks. I would argue the 49ers outside linebackers could end up just about anywhere on the spectrum from crap to great and it wouldn't surprise me at this point.

Parys Haralson was by far the most productive OLB for the 49ers last season, leading the team with 8 sacks. While Nolan was running things Haralson would get jerked on and off the field and was not getting consistent playing time until Singletary took over. The question surrounding Haralson is what kind of development the 49ers will see in 2009. Haralson is entering his 4th season and has shown continued improvement each year as a pass rusher. If he continues to improve the 49ers will move towards a more consistent overall pass rush. Part of that of course depends on the development of....

Manny Lawson. I would not categorize Manny Lawson as a bust or even a disappointment at this point. Drafted the same year as Haralson, only as a first round pick, Lawson has had a rather tumultuous first three seasons. He had a decent enough first year before getting knocked out for the season with a nasty knee injury in practice after week 2 of the 2007 campaign. He was back last season but lacked some of the burst and athleticism fans were expecting. And of course there was Mike Nolan's ridiculous use of the Big Sub defense that sometimes involved Manny Lawson spending most of a game on special teams. Up to this point Lawson has shown he can handle the coverage duties of a linebacker, usually ending up covering the opposing tight end. He has not been given nearly as much responsibility in the pass rush game. Mike Singletary has said that will change this season and Lawson get his chance to rush the passer. The ball is officially in Lawson's court to make something happen. I think no matter what Lawson's numbers will go up simply because of increased opportunities. The question is whether he will become the second pass rusher the 49ers need.

The 49ers depth at outside linebacker is a mix of production and potential. The three primary backups competing for roster spots are Marques Harris, Ahmad Brooks and Jay Moore. Harris played in San Diego under then linebackers coach Greg Manusky (now 49ers DC). He's a pass rush specialist who will get a long look given the fact that Manusky was comfortable bringing him up here. Brooks is a guy most agree is immensely talented, but also a head case of sorts. He can play some as an ILB, but will get his chance at legit playing time as an OLB. Moore is a guy the 49ers drafted in 2006 as a defensive end out of Nebraska that they intended to convert to a pass rushing OLB. Unfortunately he's gotten hurt in the preseason each of the last two seasons and spent the seasons on injured reserve. I have an affinity for Moore that really has no basis in reality, so I'm rooting for him. Due to practice squad eligibility, I wouldn't be surprised to see him end up there.

As I mentioned initially, the 49ers could run the spectrum of production this season at outside linebacker. They've had production from Haralson, but how this unit grades out at the end of the season will depend a lot on what Manny Lawson brings to the table in the pass rush. Accordingly, I'm splitting the difference for now and giving the unit a C, but expecting so much more.

Arizona Cardinals
Blogger: cgolden

Much like the Niners, the Arizona Cardinals boast above average starters at inside linebackers and meagerly mention their outside linebackers. The Cardinals OLB's certainly have experience on their side but that also means that the clock is ticking against these 30-something's.

The projected starters are 33 year old Chike Okeafor and 32 year Clark Haggans. Together they've appeared in 255 games in this league and recorded 82 sacks but Okeafor spent the entire 2007 season on the IR and Haggans finished the 2007 season on the IR. In the 2008 season the two combined for a grand total of 5.5 sacks which is not exactly what you're looking for in a pair of OLB's in a 3-4. The Cardinals hope is that a return to the aggressive, attacking style particularly with Okeafor will result in an uptick in his sack totals. If both Okeafor and Haggans can stay healthy, the hope is that they can approach 15 sacks combined with guys like Darnell Docket, Karlos Dansby, Adrian Wilson and the backups (conveniently listed below) picking up the slack.

The primary backup should be second round pick Cody Brown, formerly of the University of Connecticut. Few question Brown's ability to rush the passer, but it's pretty universally accepted that it takes a full year to grasp the responsibilities of the position as a whole. That should leave Brown in the same boat as veteran pass rusher Bertrand Berry. Both excel at rushing the passer but would appear to have a hard time playing a complete OLB this season. The result, at least right now, appears to be two players who are basically situational pass rushers, but in that role could rack up between four and six sacks. Further down the depth chart is sixth round selection Will Davis who has proven to be quite an interesting prospect. A former wide receiver turned defensive end turned defensive tackle (after injuries by others at Illinois), Davis has the physical ability to play almost anywhere on the field but he's raw and would most likely need a solid camp to make the roster.

Sadly that's the entirety of the depth at outside linebacker, Three veterans trying avoid the 'washed up' label and two rookies hoping that potential isn't the only thing in their bag of tricks. Maybe the Cardinals strike gold and their veterans stay healthy while Brown and Davis come along slowly or maybe the kids get thrust into the fire before they are ready. I could easily see the Cardinals out performing this grade by a mile but realistically, I can't go much higher than D.

NFC West Position-by-Position: Outside Linebackers

Hawkwind — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 17:17:46 -0000

Our division preview moves to the outside linebackers today and after seeing how strong the division was at inside linebacker with the likes of Lofa Tatupa, Patrick Willis and Karlos Dansby, we were expecting big things. The Cardinals outside linebackers are tough to analyze because this should be the first year in a true 3-4 defense, meaning that guys like Chike Okeafor, Bertrand Berry and a couple of rookies will be learning on the fly. Still though there is quite a bit of experience talent at the position but how do they measure up to their NFC West rivals?

Arizona Cardinals

Much like the Niners, the Arizona Cardinals boast above average starts at inside linebackers and meagerly mention their outside linebackers. The Cardinals OLB's certainly have experience on their side but that also means that the clock is ticking against these 30-something's.

The projected starters are 33 year old Chike Okeafor and 32 year Clark Haggans. Together they've appeared in 255 games in this league and recorded 82 sacks but Okeafor spent the entire 2007 season on the IR and Haggans finished the 2007 season on the IR. In the 2008 season the two combined for a grand total of 5.5 sacks which is not exactly what you're looking for in a pair of OLB's in a 3-4. The Cardinals hope is that a return the aggressive, attacking style particularly with Okeafor will result in an uptick in his sack totals. If both Okeafor and Haggans can stay healthy, the hope is that they can approach 15 sacks combined with guys like Darnell Docket, Karlos Dansby, Adrian Wilson and the backups (conveniently listed below) picking up the slack.

The primary backup should be second round pick Cody Brown, formerly of the University of Connecticut. Few question Brown's ability to rush the passer, but it's pretty universally accepted that it takes a full year to grasp the responsibilities of the position as a whole. That should leave Brown in the same boat as veteran pass rusher Bertrand Berry. Both excel at rushing the passer but would appear to have a hard time playing a complete OLB this season. The result, at least right now, appears to be two players who are basically situational pass rushers, but in that role could rack up between four and six sacks. Further down the depth chart is sixth round selection Will Davis who has proven to be quite an interesting prospect. A former wide receiver turned defensive end turned defensive tackle (after injuries by others at Illinois), Davis has the physical ability to play almost anywhere on the field but he's raw and would most likely need a solid camp to make the roster.

Sadly that's the entirety of the depth at outside linebacker, Three veterans trying avoid the 'washed up' label and two rookies hoping that potential isn't the only thing in their bag of tricks. Maybe the Cardinals strike gold and their veterans stay healthy while Brown and Davis come along slowly or maybe the kids get thrust into the fire before they are ready. I could easily see the Cardinals out preforming this grade by a mile but realistically, I can't go much higher than D.

San Francisco 49ers - Niners Nation

Whereas the 49ers have established, proven talent at inside linebacker, the outside linebackers bring a mix of production and question marks. I would argue the 49ers outside linebackers could end up just about anywhere on the spectrum from crap to great and it wouldn't surprise me at this point.

Parys Haralson was by far the most productive OLB for the 49ers last season, leading the team with 8 sacks. While Nolan was running things Haralson would get jerked on and off the field and was not getting consistent playing time until Singletary took over. The question surrounding Haralson is what kind of development the 49ers will see in 2009. Haralson is entering his 4th season and has shown continued improvement each year as a pass rusher. If he continues to improve the 49ers will move towards a more consistent overall pass rush. Part of that of course depends on the development of....

Manny Lawson. I would not categorize Manny Lawson as a bust or even a disappointment at this point. Drafted the same year as Haralson, only as a first round pick, Lawson has had a rather tumultuous first three seasons. He had a decent enough first year before getting knocked out for the season with a nasty knee injury in practice after week 2 of the 2007 campaign. He was back last season but lacked some of the burst and athleticism fans were expecting. And of course there was Mike Nolan's ridiculous use of the Big Sub defense that sometimes involved Manny Lawson spending most of a game on special teams. Up to this point Lawson has shown he can handle the coverage duties of a linebacker, usually ending up covering the opposing tight end. He has not been given nearly as much responsibility in the pass rush game. Mike Singletary has said that will change this season and Lawson get his chance to rush the passer. The ball is officially in Lawson's court to make something happen. I think no matter what Lawson's numbers will go up simply because of increased opportunities. The question is whether he will become the second pass rusher the 49ers need.

The 49ers depth at outside linebacker is a mix of production and potential. The three primary backups competing for roster spots are Marques Harris, Ahmad Brooks and Jay Moore. Harris played in San Diego under then linebackers coach Greg Manusky (now 49ers DC). He's a pass rush specialist who will get a long look given the fact that Manusky was comfortable bringing him up here. Brooks is a guy most agree is immensely talented, but also a head case of sorts. He can play some as an ILB, but will get his chance at legit playing time as an OLB. Moore is a guy the 49ers drafted in 2006 as a defensive end out of Nebraska that they intended to convert to a pass rushing OLB. Unfortunately he's gotten hurt in the preseason each of the last two seasons and spent the seasons on injured reserve. I have an affinity for Moore that really has no basis in reality, so I'm rooting for him. Due to practice squad eligibility, I wouldn't be surprised to see him end up there.

As I mentioned initially, the 49ers could run the spectrum of production this season at outside linebacker. They've had production from Haralson, but how this unit grades out at the end of the season will depend a lot on what Manny Lawson brings to the table in the pass rush. Accordingly, I'm splitting the difference for now and giving the unit a C, but expecting so much more.

St. Louis Rams - Turf Show Times

In a division trademarked for its linebackers, the St. Louis Rams were embarrassingly substandard last year, thanks to poor decision making that left Will Witherspoon in the middle and arrogantly allowed an emerging Brandon Chillar to flee for greener, more frozen pastures. Addressing the situation at linebacker has been a top off season priority for the defensive-minded new regime led by head coach Steve Spagnuolo and defensive coordinator Ken Flajole.

The Rams made their first big move of the off season when they announced that Will Witherspoon would be moved back to his natural position on the weak side. That move was deemed so important, it happened before the free agent free for all and well ahead of the draft. The move will free up the athletic Witherspoon from having to take on huskier linemen and lead blockers in the middle, where he was long miscast with the Rams. Besides giving the team a more effective LB in coverage and pursuit, Witherspoon's presence on the outside gives them another threat to rush the passer. He won't likely top his career high 7 sacks from 2007, but he'll get plenty of work in the attack-first system. He's also being reunited with Ken Flajole, his linebackers coach with the Panthers.

The Rams have desperately needed a true middle linebacker and snagged their man, James Laurinaitis, with their second round pick. He has the size and ability to read and react well to action in the gaps in front of him, and displayed real talent against the run and in coverage. Most importantly, Little Animal has the intelligence and football acumen to be the "field general" that Spagnuolo has traditionally asked his middle linebackers to play. Laurinaitis won't be known for bone crushing hits like Rey Maualuga, the other top MLB in this year's draft, but he's a solid tackler and a tough player. Lots of draft pundits felt like NFL success early on was a realistic expectation for Laurinaitis. He's currently working out with the second team, but no one expects him to stay there. Early reports have been very positive.

On the strong side, the picture gets muddled after the release of Pisa Tinoisamoa, deemed a less-than-perfect fit for the new defensive scheme. Though Pisa was a contributor, it's easy to forget that he battled consistency from week to week and often had trouble with blown gap assignments and bigger, more physical blockers. Right now, three players are vying for the SLB spot in the starting lineup. Veteran Chris Draft tops the list at the moment, but his ability to play all three positions likely keeps him in the all-important utility role. Larry Grant, a 49ers cast off picked up to bolster special teams last year, is another candidate for the job thanks to an impressive work ethic (a commodity valued immensely by the new coaching staff), a good spring and strong, yet unheralded performances with the team last year. Don't discount the something-to-prove factor at play here as Grant gets the chance to see the 49ers twice a year. He was also a teammate of Laurinaitis at Ohio State. The third entrant in the SLB sweepstakes is last year's Mr. Irrelevant, David Vobora. The former Idaho Vandal saw action on special teams last year and in the LB rotation for 8 games. He ended up starting a game down the stretch - partly for an audition, partly out of need - and racked up 5 tackles, 4 solo, in a tight game against the Dolphins.

Vobora and Grant should both make the roster, regardless of who gets the starting job. After those five, the depth chart is rounded out by Quinton Culberson and Chris Chamberlain. Culberson was tapped to start on the strongside at the beginning of last year, but was promptly replaced. He has talent that needs to be honed into a more consistent product. He'll have the chance to do that in camp this year, but if he can't put it together Culberson will be another casualty of regime change. Chamberlain is another seventh round pick from last year. He may get some work in the rotation given his play in coverage, but he'll be counted on to step up his strong special teams play from last year. There are a couple of other names in the mix from undrafted rookie pool, the most intriguing among them being Mississippi State's Dominic Douglas, who led the SEC in tackles last season.

The Rams are in a much better place with their linebackers than they have been in a long, long time, thanks mostly to the addition of Laurinaitis and Witherspoon's move back to his natural spot. There are still very real concerns about depth here, and it would surprise no one to see the team pluck a roster casualty when teams start making cuts this fall. Spagnuolo and Flajole have reputations for finding diamonds in the rough among defensive players and their success with linebackers is being counted upon here.

Seattle Seahawks - Field Gulls

The easy answer is "A". A sub-Pro Bowl starter in his prime, Leroy Hill, and a once in a generation talent at linebacker, Aaron Curry - that's got to be an "A".

Leroy Hill struggles in zone coverage. He's an after the fact tackler that is lucky to track down whatever receiver just blew by him. He hasn't has been a consistent pass rusher since his rookie season, and though that might be because boneheadedness on John Marshall's part, it might be that like Lofa Tatupu, he can't find gaping inside rush lanes absent monstrous Marcus Tubbs. Hill has missed time every season since his rookie season with injuries.

Aaron Curry is a rookie. Even given the better than average success NFL GM's enjoy drafting linebackers, first overall linebackers have less than a 60% chance of ever making a Pro Bowl (http://www.advancednflstats.com/2009/04/drafting-linebackers.html). They have a less than 40% chance of ever making two Pro Bowls. Curry wasn't highly recruited out of high school and wasn't a standout throughout his college career. He was an amazing senior and his stock exploded after an amazing Combine. He was never a great pass rusher at Wake Forest. Curry is projected to be a good pass rusher, but projections that don't accord with reality have a way of disappointing. He's a little stiff in his swivel and though much younger, probably less agile than departed Seahawk Julian Peterson.

So, then...

Both are monster run stoppers. Not tackle - tackle - tackle run stoppers, but jam the fullback into his locker, atomic wedgie the tight end and rip through the ball for a loss of four...teeth, run stoppers.

Both shutdown the screen pass and make a fumble as likely as a completion.

Both have rare closing speed, good agility, sound and sometimes punishing tackling technique and good field awareness.

Curry has the skills and tools to be Lance Briggs caliber pass defender.

Hill has the skills and tools to be a Chad Brown caliber pass rusher.

But there's still too much locked into potential and not enough known about how they will be played and how they will develop, so though Hill and Curry comprise the most talented duo of outside linebackers in the entire NFL, they are not yet an "A", they are a "B" with crazy upside.

D.D. Lewis, David Hawthorne, Will Herring and Lance Laury make up the depth we know. I've spoken of Lewis and Hawthorne. Herring is a former safety that's a linebacker electron. His speed and agility give him potential as a coverage specialist, but he needs to add bulk and strength to not be a liability against the run. I'm not sure Laury makes the team.

-------------------------------------------------------

After seeing how strong the division was at inside backer, it's surprising to see how many question marks each team has at outside linebacker. The Niners and Cardinals are making the 3-4 transition, the Hawks are counting on an awful lot from a rookie and the Rams are playing musical chairs. Where would you rank the Cardinals OLB's and how good do you think they can be?

NFC West Position-by-Position: Outside Linebacker

Fooch — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:00:12 -0000

Today we move to the outside linebackers. To date, we've addressed inside/middle linebacker, defensive end, defensive/nose tackle, quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, centers, offensive tackles, guards and total offense. While every team will usually roll out two OLBs, the 3-4/4-3 difference still has an effect on things. For the 49ers, the outside linebackers are a mix of production and potential. And yet, even that production comes with question marks. As my rundown shows, I think at the end of the 2009 season the results could end up anywhere on the spectrum from great to blah. For the rankings, the Rams description is the same from last week (combining all LBs), so without a grade I went with 3rd for now.

1. Seattle Seahawks
2. San Francisco 49ers
3. St. Louis Rams
4. Arizona Cardinals

Seattle Seahawks
Blogger: John Morgan
The easy answer is "A". A sub-Pro Bowl starter in his prime, Leroy Hill, and a once in a generation talent at linebacker, Aaron Curry – that’s got to be an "A".

Leroy Hill struggles in zone coverage. He’s an after the fact tackler that is lucky to track down whatever receiver just blew by him. He hasn’t has been a consistent pass rusher since his rookie season, and though that might be because boneheadedness on John Marshall’s part, it might be that like Lofa Tatupu, he can’t find gaping inside rush lanes absent monstrous Marcus Tubbs. Hill has missed time every season since his rookie season with injuries.

Aaron Curry is a rookie. Even given the better than average success NFL GM’s enjoy drafting linebackers, first overall linebackers have less than a 60% chance of ever making a Pro Bowl (http://www.advancednflstats.com/2009/04/drafting-linebackers.html). They have a less than 40% chance of ever making two Pro Bowls. Curry wasn’t highly recruited out of high school and wasn’t a standout throughout his college career. He was an amazing senior and his stock exploded after an amazing Combine. He was never a great pass rusher at Wake Forest. Curry is projected to be a good pass rusher, but projections that don’t accord with reality have a way of disappointing. He’s a little stiff in his swivel and though much younger, probably less agile than departed Seahawk Julian Peterson.

So, then…

Both are monster run stoppers. Not tackle – tackle – tackle run stoppers, but jam the fullback into his locker, atomic wedgie the tight end and rip through the ball for a loss of four…teeth, run stoppers.

Both shutdown the screen pass and make a fumble as likely as a completion.

Both have rare closing speed, good agility, sound and sometimes punishing tackling technique and good field awareness.

Curry has the skills and tools to be Lance Briggs caliber pass defender.

Hill has the skills and tools to be a Chad Brown caliber pass rusher.

But there’s still too much locked into potential and not enough known about how they will be played and how they will develop, so though Hill and Curry comprise the most talented duo of outside linebackers in the entire NFL, they are not yet an "A", they are a "B" with crazy upside.

D.D. Lewis, David Hawthorne, Will Herring and Lance Laury make up the depth we know. I’ve spoken of Lewis and Hawthorne. Herring is a former safety that’s a linebacker electron. His speed and agility give him potential as a coverage specialist, but he needs to add bulk and strength to not be a liability against the run. I’m not sure Laury makes the team.

San Francisco 49ers
Blogger: Fooch

St. Louis Rams

Blogger: VanRam
In a division trademarked for its linebackers, the St. Louis Rams were embarrassingly substandard last year, thanks to poor decision making that left Will Witherspoon in the middle and arrogantly allowed an emerging Brandon Chillar to flee for greener, more frozen pastures. Addressing the situation at linebacker has been a top offseason priority for the defensive-minded new regime led by head coach Steve Spagnuolo and defensive coordinator Ken Flajole.

Arizona Cardinals
Blogger: cgolden
Much like the Niners, the Arizona Cardinals boast above average starts at inside linebackers and meagerly mention their outside linebackers. The Cardinals OLB's certainly have experience on their side but that also means that the clock is ticking against these 30-something's.

The projected starters are 33 year old Chike Okeafor and 32 year Clark Haggans. Together they've appeared in 255 games in this league and recorded 82 sacks but Okeafor spent the entire 2007 season on the IR and Haggans finished the 2007 season on the IR. In the 2008 season the two combined for a grand total of 5.5 sacks which is not exactly what you're looking for in a pair of OLB's in a 3-4. The Cardinals hope is that a return the aggressive, attacking style particulary with Okeafor will result in an uptick in his sack totals. If both Okeafor and Haggans can stay healthy, the hope is that they can approach 15 sacks combined with guys like Darnell Docket, Karlos Dansby, Adrian Wilson and the backups (conviently listed below) picking up the slack.

The primary backup should be second round pick Cody Brown, formerly of the University of Connecticut. Few question Brown's abilty to rush the passer, but it's pretty universally accepted that it takes a full year to grasp the responsibilities of the position as a whole. That should leave Brown in the same boat as veteran pass rusher Bertrand Berry. Both excel at rushing the passer but would appear to have a hard time playing a complete OLB this season. The result, at least right now, appears to be two players who are basically situational pass rushers, but in that role could rack up between four and six sacks. Further down the depth chart is sixth round selection Will Davis who has proven to be quite an interesting prospect. A former wide receiver turned defensive end turned defensive tackle (after injuries by others at Illionos), Davis has the physical ability to play almost anywhere on the field but he's raw and would most likely need a solid camp to make the roster.

Sadly thats the entirety of the depth at outside linebacker, Three veterans trying avoid the 'washed up' label and two rookies hoping that potential isn't the only thing in their bag of tricks. Maybe the Cardinals strike gold and their veterans stay healthy while Brown and Davis come along slowly or maybe the kids get thrust into the fire before they are ready. I could easily see the Cardinals outpeforming this grade by a mile but realistically, I can't go much higher than D.

NFC West Position-by-Position: Inside Linebackers

Hawkwind — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 20:28:48 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

Arizona Cardinals' Karlos Dansby (front) warms up with teammate Ali Highsmith (left)before practice. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Browse more photos »

Our weekly breakdown of the NFC West moves to the inside linebackers today where the Arizona Cardinals boast two of their most experience and accomplished defenders. Karlos Dansby and Gerald Hayes have combined to start 124 games for the Cardinals in the past three seasons and they will be a huge key to this defense being an improved unit in 2009. With the loss of Monty Beisel to the Chiefs in the off season, the Red Birds are left without a veteran backup but there is some youth in the pipeline, but how do they compare to the rest of the NFC West?

Arizona Cardinals

For at least one more season the Arizona Cardinals should boast an inside linebacking crew that well above average, at least as far as the starters are concerned. I say for at least one more season because it's pretty clear that Karlos Dansby is ready and waiting to jump into what he hopes is a very lucrative free agent pool in next year's uncapped NFL. He's quietly become one of the better inside linebackers in the league and there's no reason to think that this season couldn't be his best yet. As you'd expect from an inside backer, Dansby is capable of making plays from sideline to sideline and he can deliver a significant blow once he reaches the ball carrier. What sets him apart from many backers though is his ability to rush the pass just as well as he plays the run or drops into coverage. There are a certain faction of fans that even champion moving him to the OLB spot in the Cardinals new 3-4 defense since he'd likely be the pass rusher on the team from the outside. Despite the backwoods campaign though Dansby isn't moving and the Cardinals are expecting big things out of the 27 year old backer, especially considering that they're paying him almost ten million dollars this season.

The unsung hero of the Cardinals defense for the past several years is Gerald Hayes. Since missing the entire 2005 season with in injury, he's played in 46 of 48 games and averaged 93 tackles per season. He isn't flashy or dynamic but he's the proverbial 'thumper' in the middle of the Cards defense and he'll jar a couple of fumbles loose every season with his punishing hits. He's at his best when he can diagnose a play in front of him and move downhill towards the ball and along the same lines he's a decent pass rusher, although he'll prefer to run over a defender as opposed to running around or spinning around them. He's not necessarily a 'two down' backer but the Cardinals use Adrian Wilson like a linebacker on passing downs so Hayes will come off field at times in those situations. You won't find Hayes on Sportscenter but he's one of the 'glue' guys that hold this defense together.

The Cardinals lost their top backup LB, Monty Beisel, to the Chiefs in free agency so their depth is a bit thin. Ali Highsmith and/or Victor Hobson should get the first shot at backing up Dansby and Hayes. Highsmith, an undrafted rookie last year, showed promise during the preseason last year and was making a name for himself on special teams before a torn ACL ended his season prematurely. The biggest question for him will be his health and how much size he's put on during his first season of professional ball. Hobson is a veteran of the 3-4 defense and had a 100 tackle, six sack season in 2006, but since then he's been cut by the Jets, Patriots and Bengals. He played on the outside in 2006 but the Cardinals think that with his size (6-0, 254) he'll be better utilized on the inside. Also on the radar is Pago Togafua but his lack of size (5-10, 240) suggests that he's nothing more than a special team's contributor. Two undrafted free agents are also in the picture, Reggie Walker and Chase Bullock, but it's hard to tell how much of an impact they will make. With the lack of quality depth anything is possible though.

Overall the Cardinals have a very solid starting duo (dare I say A-range) but the depth leaves quite a bit to be desired. Taking that into consideration I can't go any higher than a grade of B.

San Francisco 49ers - Niners Nation

The 49ers probably don't have a ton of depth at inside linebacker. However, the players they go with put them in a great position to succeed. The 49ers start Patrick Willis and Takeo Spikes at the two inside linebacker positions. If you don't know what Patrick Willis brings to the table, you've missed out on some impressive football. Bamm Bamm (labeled by pre-Ocho Cinco Chad Johnson) is a tackling machine. Obviously he's played with some sorry talent at times, but even still, he set the single season record for tackles as a rookie (since tackles have been recorded). He seems to have a nose for the ball combined with great closing ability. There have been countless instances of Willis tracking down a running back just as they're about to turn the corner for a big gain. That closing ability (and never say die attitude) was shown on a national stage his rookie season when he ran down Cardinals WR Sean Morey in overtime to save a touchdown (leading to a missed Rackers FG). The one area he can improve on is his pass coverage, but even that has been improving. I could write for days about the greatness that is Bamm Bamm, but I'll just leave it with that.

Takeo Spikes was signed at the beginning of training camp last season to compete for the Ted position in the 3-4. The previous Ted had been Derek Smith who put up decent tackling numbers, but was clearly running out of gas when the team drafted Willis. Spikes was coming off a season-ending injury in Philadelphia, but you never would have guessed it by the end of 2008. Spikes tied for second on the team in tackles and was tied for the lead in interceptions (probably not a good thing). He's brought an outspoken veteran leadership to the defense that complements the blue collar quiet leader Justin Smith. Spikes will eventually lose a step or two, but at this point, at the age of 32, he's still running strong. It probably helps that he doesn't have to be the key playmaker. Defenses will game-plan around Willis, leaving Spikes to continue making plays.

There is a significant drop-off after the starters, at least for now. The team drafted Scott McKillop in the fifth round out of Pitt to basically be the Ted linebacker of the future, once Spikes is put out to pasture. I'd imagine 2009 will see McKillop get a lot of time on special teams, and the occasional bit of mop-up duty (hopefully the good kind) on defense. He's a tough tackler who would seem to eventually fit in nicely next to Patrick Willis.

Jeff Ulbrich was going to be given a chance to compete for the starting Ted position last season but never really had the chance once Spikes was brought in. Ulbrich is a senior 49er, entering his 10th season with the team. He actually took a pay cut to avoid getting released, which is important because of his special teams prowess. He's a blue collar linebacker who does the little things for the team. He'll never be a flashy stand-out, but the 49ers don't really need that at this point. Aside from Ulbrich, Ahmad Brooks has spent some time as an inside linebacker, but will likely have his best crack of joining the roster as an outside linebacker. Beyond that, the 49ers have some roster fodder in guys like Mark Washington and Justin Roland; guys who might have a chance at the practice squad, but likely not much else.

The 49ers don't have a ton of depth at inside linebacker. If Patrick Willis were to go down, the team would be in a whole heap load of trouble. Nonetheless, Willis is a tough guy who has played through pain in the past. Additionally, guys like Ulbrich and McKillop will be able to spell an older veteran like Takeo Spikes. That helps the grade, but the talent that is starting for the 49ers alone gives me sufficient reason to grade them out as an A unit.

St. Louis Rams - Turf Show Times

In a division trademarked for its linebackers, the St. Louis Rams were embarrassingly substandard last year, thanks to poor decision making that left Will Witherspoon in the middle and arrogantly allowed an emerging Brandon Chillar to flee for greener, more frozen pastures. Addressing the situation at linebacker has been a top off season priority for the defensive-minded new regime led by head coach Steve Spagnuolo and defensive coordinator Ken Flajole.

The Rams made their first big move of the off season when they announced that Will Witherspoon would be moved back to his natural position on the weak side. That move was deemed so important, it happened before the free agent free for all and well ahead of the draft. The move will free up the athletic Witherspoon from having to take on huskier linemen and lead blockers in the middle, where he was long miscast with the Rams. Besides giving the team a more effective LB in coverage and pursuit, Witherspoon's presence on the outside gives them another threat to rush the passer. He won't likely top his career high 7 sacks from 2007, but he'll get plenty of work in the attack-first system. He's also being reunited with Ken Flajole, his linebackers coach with the Panthers.

The Rams have desperately needed a true middle linebacker and snagged their man, James Laurinaitis, with their second round pick. He has the size and ability to read and react well to action in the gaps in front of him, and displayed real talent against the run and in coverage. Most importantly, Little Animal has the intelligence and football acumen to be the "field general" that Spagnuolo has traditionally asked his middle linebackers to play. Laurinaitis won't be known for bone crushing hits like Rey Maualuga, the other top MLB in this year's draft, but he's a solid tackler and a tough player. Lots of draft pundits felt like NFL success early on was a realistic expectation for Laurinaitis. He's currently working out with the second team, but no one expects him to stay there. Early reports have been very positive.

On the strong side, the picture gets muddled after the release of Pisa Tinoisamoa, deemed a less-than-perfect fit for the new defensive scheme. Though Pisa was a contributor, it's easy to forget that he battled consistency from week to week and often had trouble with blown gap assignments and bigger, more physical blockers. Right now, three players are vying for the SLB spot in the starting lineup. Veteran Chris Draft tops the list at the moment, but his ability to play all three positions likely keeps him in the all-important utility role. Larry Grant, a 49ers cast off picked up to bolster special teams last year, is another candidate for the job thanks to an impressive work ethic (a commodity valued immensely by the new coaching staff), a good spring and strong, yet unheralded performances with the team last year. Don't discount the something-to-prove factor at play here as Grant gets the chance to see the 49ers twice a year. He was also a teammate of Laurinaitis at Ohio State. The third entrant in the SLB sweepstakes is last year's Mr. Irrelevant, David Vobora. The former Idaho Vandal saw action on special teams last year and in the LB rotation for 8 games. He ended up starting a game down the stretch - partly for an audition, partly out of need - and racked up 5 tackles, 4 solo, in a tight game against the Dolphins.

Vobora and Grant should both make the roster, regardless of who gets the starting job. After those five, the depth chart is rounded out by Quinton Culberson and Chris Chamberlain. Culberson was tapped to start on the strongside at the beginning of last year, but was promptly replaced. He has talent that needs to be honed into a more consistent product. He'll have the chance to do that in camp this year, but if he can't put it together Culberson will be another casualty of regime change. Chamberlain is another seventh round pick from last year. He may get some work in the rotation given his play in coverage, but he'll be counted on to step up his strong special teams play from last year. There are a couple of other names in the mix from undrafted rookie pool, the most intriguing among them being Mississippi State's Dominic Douglas, who led the SEC in tackles last season.

The Rams are in a much better place with their linebackers than they have been in a long, long time, thanks mostly to the addition of Laurinaitis and Witherspoon's move back to his natural spot. There are still very real concerns about depth here, and it would surprise no one to see the team pluck a roster casualty when teams start making cuts this fall. Spagnuolo and Flajole have reputations for finding diamonds in the rough among defensive players and their success with linebackers is being counted upon here.

Seattle Seahawks - Field Gulls

Middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu started his career with three consecutive Pro Bowl appearances. His fourth season was shot to s--t to by injuries. Tatupu badly bruised his knee in week three of the preseason. At the time the diagnosis was a relief, but a bone bruise is painful and can linger for months. Tatupu was listed as probable for the first two weeks of the season. He broke his thumb against Buffalo and didn't have surgery to repair it until January. As of April 9, 2009, he was still wearing a cast. In week seven at Tampa Bay, Tatupu suffered a concussion in the second quarter and missed the remainder of the game. He played in week eight against San Francisco, but was again forced out of action in the first half. This time Tatupu suffered a strained groin. Tatupu appeared as "questionable" in week nine and didn't play against the Philadelphia Eagles. It was the first missed game of his career.

To some-and most confoundingly so-that validated their belief that Tatupu is overrated. It's a label that started at the 2005 NFL Combine. Tatupu measured an eighth of an inch shorter than six feet and weighed a stocky, but small for a linebacker, 238. His forty time, 4.83, is surpassed by some linemen. That led Tim Ruskell's decision to trade up to acquire Lofa Tatupu in the middle of the second round to be widely criticized by draft pundits and those that ape their opinions. His early success and quick fame fueled the backlash.

Now, Pro Bowls are not a particularly keen measure of talent. Many scouts are dubious that Tatupu is an elite middle linebacker. His range isn't exceptional. Even in his better seasons, his tackle numbers are pedestrian and that's always going to be the money number for linebackers. It shouldn't be.

Some players produce tackles all over the field. Others are just cleaning up. Oakland Raiders Kirk Morrison and Gibril Wilson ranked fifth and sixth in total tackles for 2008. Their team ranked first in opponent rushing attempts and 27th in rushing yards allowed per attempt. Their run defense sucked. Morrison and Wilson converted the tackles others didn't.

Tatupu makes productive tackles. He doesn't get too far outside the tackles box, but the ball carrier doesn't get too far from the line of scrimmage either. In 2007, he was involved in 63 fewer plays, but had the same number of defeats* as Patrick Willis: 30. He stopped 66 runs and those runs averaged just 2.2 yards.

Tatupu also excels against the pass. He has nine interceptions and 29 passes defended over four seasons. He is smart and disciplined in a zone and makes up for his average speed with great decision making and precise angles. Tatupu is mostly a support blitzer: Bating the lead blocker or pressuring and sometimes hitting, but rarely converting the sack.

What makes Tatupu special though is his leadership. I shy from celebrating what is often a media creation, but Tatupu isn't a presence or a legend, he's player that smartly audibles stunts, picks out routes and points out plays before they happen. That is, he isn't the kind of leader that contributes swagger, he's the kind that teaches, directs and maximizes the talent around him. Kind of like Mike Singletary...

Mike Singletary the player, that is.

Seattle's depth is debatable. D.D. Lewis is a serviceable starter at all three linebacker positions that has improved as a run stopper and is capable enough in pass pro. David Hawthorne is a hard hitting run stopper that's not yet ready for Sunday. The wild card is Aaron Curry. A player that probably could play middle linebacker in a pinch, and like almost everything football related, would be damn good at it. But no one expects Tatupu to miss time, and so because Seattle is starting a Hall of Fame-potential middle linebacker in his prime, I'm giving the Seahawks an A+ -- rules be damned.

The rankings were tough, as you could imagine, with several high quality linebackers in the division but in the end it came down a neck and neck top two, a close third and a distant fourth.

Seattle
San Francisco
Arizona
St. Louis

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's a tough competition with Tatupa, Willis and Dansby in the middle but all three are very good linebackers and should have their best days ahead of them. The Cardinals were hurt by a lack up depth but hopefully someone like Highsmith or Hobson can step up and become a dependable third option. How would you have ranked the units? How far would the Cardinals fall without Dansby?

NFC West Position-by-Position: Inside/Middle Linebacker

Fooch — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:30:09 -0000

This week we move on to one of my favorite positions on the 49ers roster: the inside linebacker. Given the mix of 3-4 and 4-3 defenses it's a mix of inside linebackers and middle linebackers. To date, we've addressed defensive end, defensive/nose tackle, quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, centers, offensive tackles, guards and total offense. Now we get to look at the dynamic duo of Patrick WIllis and Takeo Spikes. Yes there's also Scott McKillop and Jeff Ulbrich, among others, but let's be honest. We know why we're all here when it comes to inside linebackers. Also, the Rams did a look at all of their linebackers, as opposed to just middle, so we'll be using their write-up this week and next week.

1. Seattle Seahawks
1. San Francisco 49ers
3. Arizona Cardinals
4. St. Louis Rams

Seattle Seahawks
Blogger: John Morgan
Middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu started his career with three consecutive Pro Bowl appearances. His fourth season was shot to [site decorum] to by injuries. Tatupu badly bruised his knee in week three of the preseason. At the time the diagnosis was a relief, but a bone bruise is painful and can linger for months. Tatupu was listed as probable for the first two weeks of the season. He broke his thumb against Buffalo and didn't have surgery to repair it until January. As of April 9, 2009, he was still wearing a cast. In week seven at Tampa Bay, Tatupu suffered a concussion in the second quarter and missed the remainder of the game. He played in week eight against San Francisco, but was again forced out of action in the first half. This time Tatupu suffered a strained groin. Tatupu appeared as "questionable" in week nine and didn't play against the Philadelphia Eagles. It was the first missed game of his career.

To some—and most confoundingly so—that validated their belief that Tatupu is overrated. It’s a label that started at the 2005 NFL Combine. Tatupu measured an eighth of an inch shorter than six feet and weighed a stocky, but small for a linebacker, 238. His forty time, 4.83, is surpassed by some linemen. That led Tim Ruskell’s decision to trade up to acquire Lofa Tatupu in the middle of the second round to be widely criticized by draft pundits and those that ape their opinions. His early success and quick fame fueled the backlash.

Now, Pro Bowls are not a particularly keen measure of talent. Many scouts are dubious that Tatupu is an elite middle linebacker. His range isn’t exceptional. Even in his better seasons, his tackle numbers are pedestrian and that’s always going to be the money number for linebackers. It shouldn’t be.

Some players produce tackles all over the field. Others are just cleaning up. Oakland Raiders Kirk Morrison and Gibril Wilson ranked fifth and sixth in total tackles for 2008. Their team ranked first in opponent rushing attempts and 27th in rushing yards allowed per attempt. Their run defense sucked. Morrison and Wilson converted the tackles others didn’t.

Tatupu makes productive tackles. He doesn’t get too far outside the tackles box, but the ball carrier doesn’t get too far from the line of scrimmage either. In 2007, he was involved in 63 fewer plays, but had the same number of defeats* as Patrick Willis: 30. He stopped 66 runs and those runs averaged just 2.2 yards.

Tatupu also excels against the pass. He has nine interceptions and 29 passes defended over four seasons. He is smart and disciplined in a zone and makes up for his average speed with great decision making and precise angles. Tatupu is mostly a support blitzer: Bating the lead blocker or pressuring and sometimes hitting, but rarely converting the sack.

What makes Tatupu special though is his leadership. I shy from celebrating what is often a media creation, but Tatupu isn’t a presence or a legend, he’s player that smartly audibles stunts, picks out routes and points out plays before they happen. That is, he isn’t the kind of leader that contributes swagger, he’s the kind that teaches, directs and maximizes the talent around him. Kind of like Mike Singletary…

Mike Singletary the player, that is.

Seattle’s depth is debatable. D.D. Lewis is a serviceable starter at all three linebacker positions that has improved as a run stopper and is capable enough in pass pro. David Hawthorne is a hard hitting run stopper that’s not yet ready for Sunday. The wildcard is Aaron Curry. A player that probably could play middle linebacker in a pinch, and like almost everything football related, would be damn good at it. But no one expects Tatupu to miss time, and so because Seattle is starting a Hall of Fame-potential middle linebacker in his prime, I’m giving the Seahawks an A+ -- rules be damned.

San Francisco 49ers
Blogger: Fooch
The 49ers probably don't have a ton of depth at inside linebacker. However, the players they go with put them in a great position to succeed. The 49ers start Patrick Willis and Takeo Spikes at the two inside linebacker positions. If you don't know what Patrick Willis brings to the table, you've missed out on some impressive football. Bamm Bamm (labeled by pre-Ocho Cinco Chad Johnson) is a tackling machine. Obviously he's played with some sorry talent at times, but even still, he set the single season record for tackles as a rookie (since tackles have been recorded). He seems to have a nose for the ball combined with great closing ability. There have been countless instances of Willis tracking down a running back just as they're about to turn the corner for a big gain. That closing ability (and never say die attitude) was shown on a national stage his rookie season when he ran down Cardinals WR Sean Morey in overtime to save a touchdown (leading to a missed Rackers FG). The one area he can improve on is his pass coverage, but even that has been improving. I could write for days about the greatness that is Bamm Bamm, but I'll just leave it with that.

Takeo Spikes was signed at the beginning of training camp last season to compete for the Ted position in the 3-4. The previous Ted had been Derek Smith who put up decent tackling numbers, but was clearly running out of gas when the team drafted Willis. Spikes was coming off a season-ending injury in Philadelphia, but you never would have guessed it by the end of 2008. Spikes tied for second on the team in tackles and was tied for the lead in interceptions (probably not a good thing). He's brought an outspoken veteran leadership to the defense that complements the blue collar quiet leader Justin Smith. Spikes will eventually lose a step or two, but at this point, at the age of 32, he's still running strong. It probably helps that he doesn't have to be the key playmaker. Defenses will game-plan around Willis, leaving Spikes to continue making plays.

There is a significant drop-off after the starters, at least for now. The team drafted Scott McKillop in the fifth round out of Pitt to basically be the Ted linebacker of the future, once Spikes is put out to pasture. I'd imagine 2009 will see McKillop get a lot of time on special teams, and the occasional bit of mop-up duty (hopefully the good kind) on defense. He's a tough tackler who would seem to eventually fit in nicely next to Patrick Willis.

Jeff Ulbrich was going to be given a chance to compete for the starting Ted position last season but never really had the chance once Spikes was brought in. Ulbrich is a senior 49er, entering his 10th season with the team. He actually took a pay cut to avoid getting released, which is important because of his special teams prowess. He's a blue collar linebacker who does the little things for the team. He'll never be a flashy stand-out, but the 49ers don't really need that at this point. Aside from Ulbrich, Ahmad Brooks has spent some time as an inside linebacker, but will likely have his best crack of joining the roster as an outside linebacker. Beyond that, the 49ers have some roster fodder in guys like Mark Washington and Justin Roland; guys who might have a chance at the practice squad, but likely not much else.

The 49ers don't have a ton of depth at inside linebacker. If Patrick Willis were to go down, the team would be in a whole heapload of trouble. Nonetheless, Willis is a tough guy who has played through pain in the past. Additionally, guys like Ulbrich and McKillop will be able to spell an older veteran like Takeo Spikes. That helps the grade, but the talent that is starting for the 49ers alone gives me sufficient reason to grade them out as an A unit.

Arizona Cardinals
Blogger: cgolden
For at least one more season the Arizona Cardinals should boast an inside linebacking crew that well above average, at least as far as the starters are concerned. I say for at least one more season because it's pretty clear that Karlos Dansby is ready and waiting to jump into what he hopes is a very lucrative free agent pool in next year's uncapped NFL. He's quietly become one of the better inside linebackers in the league and there's no reason to think that this season couldn't be his best yet. As you'd expect from an inside backer, Dansby is capable of making plays from sideline to sideline and he can deliver a significant blow once he reaches the ball carrier. What sets him apart from many backers though is his ability to rush the pass just as well as he plays the run or drops into coverage. There are a certain faction of fans that even champion moving him to the OLB spot in the Cardinals new 3-4 defense since he'd likely be the pass rusher on the team from the outside. Despite the backwoods campaign though Dansby isn't moving and the Cardinals are expecting big things out of the 27 year old backer, especially considering that they're paying him almost ten million dollars this season.

The unsung hero of the Cardinals defense for the past several years is Gerald Hayes. Since missing the entire 2005 season with in injury, he's played in 46 of 48 games and averaged 93 tackles per season. He isn't flashy or dynamic but he's the perverbial 'thumper' in the middle of the Cards defense and he'll jar a couple of fumbles loose every season with his punishing hits. He's at his best when he can diagnose a play in front of him and move downhill towards the ball and along the same lines he's a decent pass rusher, although he'll prefer to run over a defender as opposed to running around or spinning around them. He's not necessarily a 'two down' backer but the Cardinals use Adrian Wilson like a linebacker on passing downs so Hayes will come off field at times in those situations. You won't find Hayes on Sportscenter but he's one of the 'glue' guys that hold this defense together.

The Cardinals lost their top backup LB, Monty Beisel, to the Chiefs in free agency so their depth is a bit thin. Ali Highsmith and/or Victor Hobson should get the first shot at backing up Dansby and Hayes. Highsmith, an undrafted rookie last year, showed promise during the preseason last year and was making a name for himself on special teams before a torn ACL ended his season prematurely. The biggest question for him will be his health and how much size he's put on during his first season of professional ball. Hobson is a veteran of the 3-4 defense and had a 100 tackle, six sack season in 2006, but since then he's been cut by the Jets, Patriots and Bengals. He played on the outside in 2006 but the Cardinals think that with his size (6-0, 254) he'll be better utilized on the inside. Also on the radar is Pago Togafua but his lack of size (5-10, 240) suggests that he's nothing more than a special team's contributor. Two undrafted free agents are also in the picture, Reggie Walker and Chase Bullock, but it's hard to tell how much of an impact they will make. With the lack of quality depth anything is possible though.

Overall the Cardinals have a very solid starting duo (dare I say A-range) but the depth leaves quite a bit to be desired. Taking that into consideration I can't go any higher than a grade of B.

St. Louis Rams
Blogger: VanRam
In a division trademarked for its linebackers, the St. Louis Rams were embarrassingly substandard last year, thanks to poor decision making that left Will Witherspoon in the middle and arrogantly allowed an emerging Brandon Chillar to flee for greener, more frozen pastures. Addressing the situation at linebacker has been a top offseason priority for the defensive-minded new regime led by head coach Steve Spagnuolo and defensive coordinator Ken Flajole.

NFC West Roundtable: Inside Linebacker

John Morgan — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:15:51 -0000

Middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu started his career with three consecutive Pro Bowl appearances. His fourth season was shot to shit to by injuries. Tatupu badly bruised his knee in week three of the preseason. At the time the diagnosis was a relief, but a bone bruise is painful and can linger for months. Tatupu was listed as probable for the first two weeks of the season. He broke his thumb against Buffalo and didn't have surgery to repair it until January. As of April 9, 2009, he was still wearing a cast. In week seven at Tampa Bay, Tatupu suffered a concussion in the second quarter and missed the remainder of the game. He played in week eight against San Francisco, but was again forced out of action in the first half. This time Tatupu suffered a strained groin. Tatupu appeared as "questionable" in week nine and didn't play against the Philadelphia Eagles. It was the first missed game of his career.

To some—and most confoundingly so—that validated their belief that Tatupu is overrated. It’s a label that started at the 2005 NFL Combine. Tatupu measured an eighth of an inch shorter than six feet and weighed a stocky, but small for a linebacker, 238. His forty time, 4.83, is surpassed by some linemen. That led Tim Ruskell’s decision to trade up to acquire Lofa Tatupu in the middle of the second round to be widely criticized by draft pundits and those that ape their opinions. His early success and quick fame fueled the backlash.

Now, Pro Bowls are not a particularly keen measure of talent. Many scouts are dubious that Tatupu is an elite middle linebacker. His range isn’t exceptional. Even in his better seasons, his tackle numbers are pedestrian and that’s always going to be the money number for linebackers. It shouldn’t be.

Some players produce tackles all over the field. Others are just cleaning up. Oakland Raiders Kirk Morrison and Gibril Wilson ranked fifth and sixth in total tackles for 2008. Their team ranked first in opponent rushing attempts and 27th in rushing yards allowed per attempt. Their run defense sucked. Morrison and Wilson converted the tackles others didn’t.

Tatupu makes productive tackles. He doesn’t get too far outside the tackles box, but the ball carrier doesn’t get too far from the line of scrimmage either. In 2007, he was involved in 63 fewer plays, but had the same number of defeats* as Patrick Willis: 30. He stopped 66 runs and those runs averaged just 2.2 yards.

Tatupu also excels against the pass. He has nine interceptions and 29 passes defended over four seasons. He is smart and disciplined in a zone and makes up for his average speed with great decision making and precise angles. Tatupu is mostly a support blitzer: Bating the lead blocker or pressuring and sometimes hitting, but rarely converting the sack.

What makes Tatupu special though is his leadership. I shy from celebrating what is often a media creation, but Tatupu isn’t a presence or a legend, he’s player that smartly audibles stunts, picks out routes and points out plays before they happen. That is, he isn’t the kind of leader that contributes swagger, he’s the kind that teaches, directs and maximizes the talent around him. Kind of like Mike Singletary…

Mike Singletary the player, that is.

Seattle’s depth is debatable. D.D. Lewis is a serviceable starter at all three linebacker positions that has improved as a run stopper and is capable enough in pass pro. David Hawthorne is a hard hitting run stopper that’s not yet ready for Sunday. The wildcard is Aaron Curry. A player that probably could play middle linebacker in a pinch, and like almost everything football related, would be damn good at it. But no one expects Tatupu to miss time, and so because Seattle is starting a Hall of Fame-potential middle linebacker in his prime, I’m giving the Seahawks an A+ -- rules be damned.

San Francisco 49ers
Blogger: Fooch

The 49ers probably don't have a ton of depth at inside linebacker. However, the players they go with put them in a great position to succeed. The 49ers start Patrick Willis and Takeo Spikes at the two inside linebacker positions. If you don't know what Patrick Willis brings to the table, you've missed out on some impressive football. Bamm Bamm (labeled by pre-Ocho Cinco Chad Johnson) is a tackling machine. Obviously he's played with some sorry talent at times, but even still, he set the single season record for tackles as a rookie (since tackles have been recorded). He seems to have a nose for the ball combined with great closing ability. There have been countless instances of Willis tracking down a running back just as they're about to turn the corner for a big gain. That closing ability (and never say die attitude) was shown on a national stage his rookie season when he ran down Cardinals WR Sean Morey in overtime to save a touchdown (leading to a missed Rackers FG). The one area he can improve on is his pass coverage, but even that has been improving. I could write for days about the greatness that is Bamm Bamm, but I'll just leave it with that.

Arizona Cardinals
Blogger: cgolden

For at least one more season the Arizona Cardinals should boast an inside linebacking crew that well above average, at least as far as the starters are concerned. I say for at least one more season because it's pretty clear that Karlos Dansby is ready and waiting to jump into what he hopes is a very lucrative free agent pool in next year's uncapped NFL. He's quietly become one of the better inside linebackers in the league and there's no reason to think that this season couldn't be his best yet. As you'd expect from an inside backer, Dansby is capable of making plays from sideline to sideline and he can deliver a significant blow once he reaches the ball carrier. What sets him apart from many backers though is his ability to rush the pass just as well as he plays the run or drops into coverage. There are a certain faction of fans that even champion moving him to the OLB spot in the Cardinals new 3-4 defense since he'd likely be the pass rusher on the team from the outside. Despite the backwoods campaign though Dansby isn't moving and the Cardinals are expecting big things out of the 27 year old backer, especially considering that they're paying him almost ten million dollars this season.

The unsung hero of the Cardinals defense for the past several years is Gerald Hayes. Since missing the entire 2005 season with in injury, he's played in 46 of 48 games and averaged 93 tackles per season. He isn't flashy or dynamic but he's the perverbial 'thumper' in the middle of the Cards defense and he'll jar a couple of fumbles loose every season with his punishing hits. He's at his best when he can diagnose a play in front of him and move downhill towards the ball and along the same lines he's a decent pass rusher, although he'll prefer to run over a defender as opposed to running around or spinning around them. He's not necessarily a 'two down' backer but the Cardinals use Adrian Wilson like a linebacker on passing downs so Hayes will come off field at times in those situations. You won't find Hayes on Sportscenter but he's one of the 'glue' guys that hold this defense together.

The Cardinals lost their top backup LB, Monty Beisel, to the Chiefs in free agency so their depth is a bit thin. Ali Highsmith and/or Victor Hobson should get the first shot at backing up Dansby and Hayes. Highsmith, an undrafted rookie last year, showed promise during the preseason last year and was making a name for himself on special teams before a torn ACL ended his season prematurely. The biggest question for him will be his health and how much size he's put on during his first season of professional ball. Hobson is a veteran of the 3-4 defense and had a 100 tackle, six sack season in 2006, but since then he's been cut by the Jets, Patriots and Bengals. He played on the outside in 2006 but the Cardinals think that with his size (6-0, 254) he'll be better utilized on the inside. Also on the radar is Pago Togafua but his lack of size (5-10, 240) suggests that he's nothing more than a special team's contributor. Two undrafted free agents are also in the picture, Reggie Walker and Chase Bullock, but it's hard to tell how much of an impact they will make. With the lack of quality depth anything is possible though.

Overall the Cardinals have a very solid starting duo (dare I say A-range) but the depth leaves quite a bit to be desired. Taking that into consideration I can't go any higher than a grade of B.

Turf Show Times
Blogger: VanRam

Predicting the St. Louis Rams final roster: defense & special teams

VanRam — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:03:21 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

St. Louis Rams rookie DT Darell Scott is part of a defensive line being asked to lead the Rams to better fortunes this season and beyond. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

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Continuing the prediction game, this morning seems like a natural fit to follow up on yesterday's post predicting the offensive roster by throwing out our predictions for the defensive side of the ball.

Predicting the defense is much trickier than the offense. The offense is wide open at backup running back, wide receiver depth, and offensive line depth - all important questions. However, on the other side of the ball there are some big unresolved issues at a couple of key starting spots, second starting CB & SLB, as well as depth issues, and that's not even touching on the expectations for key players like DT Adam Carriker, rookie MLB James Laurinaitis, etc. The preferences and stlye of the new coaching staff will go a long way toward dictating how the final roster looks, their preference for more physical corners for example.

So, let's jump right in.

DE: Chris Long, Leonard Little, James Hall, Victor Adeyanju
These guys seem like locks. I don't know about Eric Moore, but he's a useful role player that contributes on special teams. He could easily get bumped with a good camp from one of the undrafted free agent rookies, particularly former Kansas State DL Ian Campbell.

DT: Clifton Ryan, Adam Carriker, Darell Scott, Orien Harris
This is another position where I think we could see a fifth player, either here, DE, or both, the d-line is kind of Spagnuolo's thing, in case you haven't heard. If that's the case, I'd be watching Antwan Burton...and of course, Harris' spot on the roster is far from guaranteed just because they traded Brian Leonard for him.

LB: Will Witherspoon, James Laurinaitis, Quinton Culberson, Chris Draft, Larry Grant, David Vobora, Chris Chamberlain
Here's the question, do the Rams keep seven LBs and just 8 total DLs, or switch which unit has teh extra player? Grant and Vobora have both had spring's that pleased the coaches, but they'll have to battle it out in camp to earn spots on the roster. Much of the decision will come down to what Spagnuolo and Flajole want out of their linebackers and who fits that profiles. It's likely to be much different than what previous administrations wanted.

S: James Butler, Oshiomogho Atogwe, Todd Johnson, Craig Dahl
Dahl and Spagnuolo have a history, and I think he'll be on for ST play and depth at safety, where Spags has used him before. The rest are pretty cut and dried.

CB: Ron Bartell, Tye Hill, Bradley Fletcher, Justin King
This is a tough one to call too. After Bartell, some of the names in the mix are obvious, but who starts? Right now, the difference between the three guys behind Bartell is pretty minimal. Hill and Jonathan Wade might get a little boost because of their NFL experience. However, I think that a healthy King can have a strong camp and beat out Wade for the fourth spot, as long as he proves he can play press coverage. With Hill, given the ups and downs that have marked Hill's experience, is he really that far ahead of the rookies?

Special Teams

Pretty cut and dried here.

K: Josh Brown
P: Donnie Jones
LS: Chris Massey

If they can get good blocking and stopping from the rest of the ST players, the Rams could have a solid unit since they have two of the best legs in the league kicking for them.

Thoughts?

Rams likely not done adding to their roster

VanRam — Wed, 27 May 2009 12:55:15 -0000

Fifty years ago, the beleaguered outpost waiting for the cavalry's inevitable arrival was a staple of the studio Westerns. The Rams are still waiting, still needing - beleaguered might be a stretch in this case - some additional help to round out a couple key positions on their roster. Though it's entirely possible Spagnuolo's bunch will make their stand with the players already in house, I'd be surprised if the Rams were done adding to their roster. The team won't be handing out any more big contracts, the kind you'd see in March, but when teams around the league start making the tough decisions to trim their rosters in the days before the season starts they'll most likely find a player or two to round out the team.

Wide receiver - Not so long ago, few fans would have batted an eye about the Rams parting ways with Dane Looker, but when concern about a lack of veterans at WR has dominated the conversation since the release of Torry Holt, concern about not re-signing Looker points to the degree that this need has sunk-in. The 49ers might be one team that's forced to part with some talent at WR when August rolls around. Two receivers that could be casualties by the Bay are Arnaz Battle and Dominique Zeigler. Battle, 29, is on the frail side, but is a good blocker, run some routes in traffic and return punts. Zeigler, just entering his third year, is an intriguing possibility, but not quite the veteran that some might be looking for. Anyway, those are just two examples of the kind of possibilities the Rams could find later in the year.

Running back - Specifically, a backup runner. Unless one of the guys on the roster already has a breakthrough camp this summer, the Rams will most likely pickup somebody to backup Steven Jackson. This report says the Patriots may have some tough decisions to make at RB.

Cornerback - I would have liked to see the Rams sign Rod Hood. I realize he's not exactly the second coming of Champ Bailey, I have more faith in him than I do Tye Hill or one of the other youngsters starting opposite Bartell. Sure, I hope like hell those guys emerge, but I'm too cynical to count on it. Jason Craft is one possibility, but there may be some other option come August/September.

Strongside LB - Right now they've got some combo of Chris Draft and Quinton Culberson to replace Tinoisamoa, with Larry Grant a dark horse candidate that the team reportedly likes. There are still some decent options out there for depth or starters and likely to be more as the summer heads toward fall.

It's a long time between now and when roster purges start in full, so a lot of story lines have to play out and the names will certainly change. Whoever does emerge, don't be surprised if a new name or two doesn't find a home with the Rams...not so much cavalry, but certainly needed reinforcements.

Pisa the Pat?

VanRam — Sat, 09 May 2009 14:23:26 -0000

Man, turn-about is a strange mistress...or something like that. Not even 24 hours after his release from the Rams, there are reports that LB Pisa Tinoisamoa is on the radar for the New England Patriots.

The main criticism of the Rams decision to release Pisa, hasn't been actually releasing "Hawaii 5-0" it's really been more concern about the Rams depth at the position - remember how thin they proved to be at LB last year after letting Brandon Chillar walk? - and specifically the lack of experienced depth. Some thoughts...

Had the Rams of yesterday made a serious effort to hang onto Brandon Chillar, they could have released Pisa without much concern. The youngster they felt could replace Chillar, Quentin Culberson, got off to a bad start and lost his starting job last season. The new regime has to get Culberson up to par, playing at a starting level. Fortunately, the Rams new coaches, particularly head coach Steve Spagnuolo and Ken Flajole, have loads of experience coaching, successfully coaching, linebackers. That's a huge plus, but no guarantee. If they can coax quality out of Culberson, the Rams could have a decent group of LBs, with Witherspoon, Laurinaitis, and Draft rounding out the top four.

That said, they still have some options on the free agent market, and will likely have more options available as teams make roster cuts in the days before the season starts. Now, realize that any of the Rams' options via this route will not be household names, just role players, but sometimes that's enough.

One name that might be of interest in Rocky Boiman. The 6'4" 236 lbs LB has starting experience on the strong side, with the Colts in 2007, and he became a serviceable starter as a mid-season acquisition for Kansas City last year, piling up 32 tackles in the month of November.

Paris Lenon, 31, hasn't missed a game in three seasons, spending the last three toiling with the Lions. He has starting experience at all three 4-3 LB positions.

Shantee Orr, 27, is another option with experience on the outside, and has some size at 6'0" 246 lbs.

Like I said, none of these names are going to blow anyone away, but they could be useful role players adding depth to the Rams LB corps.