[R_Swag_49_TE]

Who do you think is the best Linebacker based on these attributes, Leadership (Notice most good linebackers are great leaders), Speed, Strength, explosiveness, Power, instinct and coverage. Make a list of your top 5 in order.

[seanbrock]

Patrick Willis
DeMarcus Ware
Daryl Smith
Derrick Johnson
Von Miller

[R_Swag_49_TE]

seanbrock, on 12 June 2012 - 08:26 PM, said:

Patrick Willis
DeMarcus Ware
Daryl Smith
Derrick Johnson
Von Miller

Why?

[.AirMcNair.]

seanbrock, on 12 June 2012 - 08:26 PM, said:

Patrick Willis
DeMarcus Ware
Daryl Smith
Derrick Johnson
Von Miller

Does Ray Lewis need to choke a bitch?

[Ngata_Chance]

When it comes to leadership, power (hit power I am assuming), and instincts Ray is number one. Strength I dont know they all are but if Ray Lewis isnt top 2 I am not sure who would be.

As of now

Patrick Willis
Ray Lewis ( Ray Lewis 2000-2004 beats all of them)
James Harrison
Karlos Dansby
Brian Cushing.

This post has been edited by Ngata_Chance: 12 June 2012 - 09:24 PM

[Julio4Ever]

Jon Beason deserves an honorable mention.

[Thanatos19]

Assuming Beason is back in his normal form, he is top-3: Willis, Beason, and Lewis.

The other two are interesting.

Desmond Bishop of the Packers is someone I look to really show what he can do, he was great for much of last year.

Sean Weatherspoon of the Falcons as well.

Sean Lee down in Dallas, Von Miller, Brian Cushing, Brian Urlacher, James Harrison, Karlos Dansby and of course London Fletcher, probably the most consistently underrated player in the NFL, are all in the conversation.

If I had to rank top-5 it'd probably be:

1. Patrick Willis
2. Ray Lewis
3. Jon Beason
4. London Fletcher
5. Brian Cushing

Miller and Lee might be on this list next year, but I need to see more than one year from them to rank them in the top-5.

This post has been edited by Thanatos19: 12 June 2012 - 09:54 PM

[seanbrock]

.AirMcNair., on 12 June 2012 - 08:56 PM, said:

Does Ray Lewis need to choke a bitch?

I don't see Ray Lewis as being as good in coverage as the other guys aside from DeMarcus Ware. He's 6th on my list but I think the young guys are slowly passing Ray Ray by.

[monstersofthemidway]

Patrick Willis obviously d ware. No love for Briggs anyone? He should be on anybodys top five. Also no love for lauranits (sp)? The lone bright spot last year on a Rams team with horrible linebackers and secondary and he still made plays.

[Favre4Ever]

In no particular order.

Derrick Johnson - Underrated. Extremely So. All around, hard nosed player who is growing and developing every year. He just gets better and better and better.

Patrick Willis - All around great player. Leader, playmaker. Not really anything you can say badly about him.

Von Miller - I normally hate putting guys this young on these types of lists. However, I will make this ONE rare exception. This kid is absolutely stunning. He does everything and does it extremely well. If... If... He can play like he did in his rookie year for the next decade... We are looking at one of the best of an era... and maybe ever. He's that good. But I also don't like jumping to conclusions... So we'll see on the whole next decade stuff.

DeMarcus Ware - All around player.. Always an over achiever. Regardless of his coach or the talent level of the guys around him... He's going to do his job and then some. I honestly can't believe he's going to be 30 this year.

Clay Matthews - Last offseason, I called Clay overrated. He was a glorified pass rusher who didn't deserve half the credit he got. (Even though he was still a very good player in his own right). I don't know what it is, but something happened over the lockout shortened offseason and he changed for the better. No longer is he 100% engaged in going after the QB every single play. No longer does he give up his man in coverage and risk a big play into the flat to get a cheap sack instead.

His sack numbers were way down, and honestly... kind of a disappointment.. But he was not any worse of a pass rusher. He still got after QBs... He still created pressures and bad throws. But he finally became that all around player I expected him to be... He was ELITE in coverage last year. I can not recall a single time he got burned in coverage. Not saying it didn't happen... Just that nothing pops out at me immediately. He stopped over-pursuing in the run game.. He hit the holes, was more patient, and made more big time plays in the backfield that he didn't make in his first couple years.

I am still not 100% sold... But if this is the new Clay Matthews, he absolutely belongs on the list. If he goes back to being a pass rusher only.. I will be the first to amend this list.

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

6 - 10, also in no order

James Harrison - He's in the same bracket as Ware and Clay, IMO. Probably deserves the spot over Clay in the Top 5 because he plays at the same level, but has been doing it for longer... but you can call me a homer, that's okay. lol

Ray Lewis - You can say what you want... The guy is old. And to be fair, his age actually is playing in part of my decision to drop him out of the Top 5, but I mean no disrespect. He plays with so much heart... So much passion. He is still playing at an extremely high level, even if he is physically losing a step because of his age.

London Fletcher - He never gets the credit he deserves. It's been that way for as long as a I can remember, but London Fletcher is a rock. He's just so dependable. He will never let you down.

Lamarr Woodley - Dude is a Pittsburgh LB. Do I really need to say anything else?

Daryl Smith - Another guy very similar to London Fletcher except some years younger. Very underrated and overlooked. Extremely dependable. My type of player.


----------------------------------------
Missed the Cut:

Jonathan Beason, CAR - Injury worries me. Even if he was completely healthy, I don't really want to move anyone out of my top 10.

Desmond Bishop, GB - Really good all-around guy. Could and probably will be in the Top 10 in a couple years when some of these oldies but goodies hang em up.

Chad Greenway, MIN - Kind of a down year last season but most Vikings did. I feel his name deserves a mention.

Tamba Hali, KC - Elite Pass Rusher. I wanted to fit him into the Top 10 very badly.

Cameron Wake, MIA - See Tamba Hali

Brian Cushing - I don't want to hold it against him that he has arguably a defensive genius at DC but the descrepency in play does have me playing skeptic.... But while he was an OK - Good player before... He really fit well into what Wade was doing and exploded. Maybe that is just his natural development? I dunno. But he isn't in my Top 10 with or without Wade.

Brian Urlacher - Lost a step in recent years but still way above average. He gives opposing offense headaches. My top 5 is filled with players who can do everything, anything.... While I understand that his scheme and position don't really allow him to rush the passer... It's hard for me to put him above other guys who do everything else just as well as him if not better AND add a dimension as a pass rusher when asked.

Sean Lee - He will be on the list eventually. Give it time.

Sean Weatherspoon - I hate the Falcons.... but the guy can play. Always has been able to. I left him off completely originally, then I felt bad.

This post has been edited by Favre4Ever: 12 June 2012 - 10:44 PM

[BC]

Clay Mathews should go back to being the pass rusher he was. The Packers do great in coverage without him. The sacks is where you get your money's worth out of him. The Packers were a top defense when thats what he primarily did. It's a 3-4 defense. You don't get any pressure at all if you don't send him.

[Favre4Ever]

BC, on 12 June 2012 - 10:58 PM, said:

Clay Mathews should go back to being the pass rusher he was. The Packers do great in coverage without him. The sacks is where you get your money's worth out of him. The Packers were a top defense when thats what he primarily did. It's a 3-4 defense. You don't get any pressure at all if you don't send him.

You are simplifying the situation... A lot. lol

But I agree with you in that we need more pass rush. I do not agree that Clay Matthews should revert to a lesser player.

[BenJarvus Green-Ellis]

Favre4Ever, on 12 June 2012 - 10:41 PM, said:

Brian Cushing - I don't want to hold it against him that he has arguably a defensive genius at DC but the descrepency in play does have me playing skeptic.... But while he was an OK - Good player before... He really fit well into what Wade was doing and exploded. Maybe that is just his natural development? I dunno. But he isn't in my Top 10 with or without Wade.

His best year was his rookie season, without Wade.

[Favre4Ever]

BenJarvus Green-Ellis, on 12 June 2012 - 11:07 PM, said:

His best year was his rookie season, without Wade.

Because he had more sacks? Nope. I'd take Brian Cushing of 2011 over Brian Cushing of 2009 any day.

[BenJarvus Green-Ellis]

Favre4Ever, on 12 June 2012 - 11:10 PM, said:

Because he had more sacks? Nope. I'd take Brian Cushing of 2011 over Brian Cushing of 2009 any day.

Think he had the same amount of sacks in '11 that he did in '09. Just thought he was an absolute monster in '09. Slightly better than he was in '11. My point is, that he's a damn near elite linebacker regardless of whether Wade is the DC or not.

[Favre4Ever]

BenJarvus Green-Ellis, on 12 June 2012 - 11:17 PM, said:

Think he had the same amount of sacks in '11 that he did in '09. Just thought he was an absolute monster in '09. Slightly better than he was in '11. My point is, that he's a damn near elite linebacker regardless of whether Wade is the DC or not.

Absolutely. He's a great LB either way.. But being in the Top 15-20 is nothing to scoff at when there are well over 100 guys to pick from.

[badgers]

BC, on 12 June 2012 - 10:58 PM, said:

Clay Mathews should go back to being the pass rusher he was. The Packers do great in coverage without him. The sacks is where you get your money's worth out of him. The Packers were a top defense when thats what he primarily did. It's a 3-4 defense. You don't get any pressure at all if you don't send him.

That's why we drafted Nick Perry, Jerel Worthy, and Mike Daniels. So we don't have to rely on him to provide pass rush every time.

[RogerGoodellSucks]

1. Patrick Willis
2. DeMarcus Ware
3. Ray Lewis
4. James Harrison
5. Jon Beason

In no particular order.

[butta55]

WARNING PASS RUSHERS GET NO SPECIAL TREATMENT FROM ME!

I'm going to do my best at going strictly by the attributes mentioned. However, I don't see power and strength being different so I will combine those. Leadership will be broken in half 5 points for leading by example and 5 points for vocal leadership. Strength I will take to mean the ability to defeat blockers and power as hitting power. Instincts and Coverage will each have 5 points. I have to look most importantly at last season and only as far back as two years so no career awards here. With all that in mind this would be my list....

Top 5:
1.)London Fletcher
-Leadership: 10
-Speed: 8
-Strength/Power: 7
-Explosion: 9
-Instincts/Coverage: 9

2.)Patrick Willis
-Leadership: 8
-Speed: 9
-Strength/Power: 7
-Explosion: 9
-Instinct/Coverage: 9

3.)Clay Matthews
-Leadership: 7
-Speed: 8
-Strength/Power: 9
-Explosion: 10
-Instincts/Coverage: 7

4.)James Harrison
-Leadership: 7
-Speed: 7
-Strength/Power: 10
-Explosion: 9
-Instincts/Coverage: 8

5.)Derrick Johnson
-Leadership: 7
-Speed: 7
-Strength/Power: 7
-Explosion: 9
-Derrick Johnson: 10

Next 5:
6.)Brian Urlacher
-Leadership: 9
-Speed: 7
-Strength/Power: 8
-Explosion: 7
-Instincts/Coverage: 9

7.)Jon Beason
-Leadership: 8
-Speed: 7
-Strength/Power: 7
-Explosion: 9
-Instincts/Coverage: 9


8.)LaMarr Woodley
-Leadership: 6
-Speed: 7
-Strength/Power: 8
-Explosion: 10
-Instincts/Coverage: 8

9.)Brian Cushing
-Leadership: 7
-Speed: 7
-Strength/Power: 8
-Explosion: 9
-Instincts/Coverage: 7

10.)James Laurinaitis
-Leadership: 7
-Speed: 7
-Strength/Power: 7
-Explosion: 8
-Instincts/Coverage: 9

Next 5:
11.)Ray Lewis
-Leadership: 10
-Speed: 5
-Strength/Power: 10
-Explosion: 6
-Instincts/Coverage: 7

12.)Lance Briggs
-Leadership: 8
-Speed: 6
-Strength/Power: 7
-Explosion: 8
-Instincts/Coverage: 8

13.)Chad Greenway
-Leadership: 7
-Speed: 7
-Strength/Power: 7
-Explosion: 8
-Instincts/Coverage: 7

14.)DeMarcus Ware
-Leadership: 6
-Speed: 6
-Strength/Power: 7
-Explosion: 10
-Instincts/Coverage: 6

15.)Terrell Suggs
-Leadership: 8
-Speed: 6
-Strength/Power: 5
-Explosion: 9
-Instincts/Coverage: 6

Just Missed:

Von Miller:
-Leadership:6
-Speed: 7
-Strength/Power: 5
-Explosion: 8
-Instincts/Coverage: 7


I did 15 guys and threw in Von Miller since everyone was mentioning him, but he didn't really stack up. I went by the attributes listed on a 10pt scale. All ties were decided by the production of the past season.

[Doc Holliday904]

Wow Daryl Smith getting some love.

He is one of the most underrated players in the league.