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[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(03-23-2020, 03:44 PM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: This may be an extreme take and may be biased based on our situation, but I think off ball linebackers are the least important position on the defense.

Obviously, you want competent linebackers and you'll suffer if you lack them. But the linebackers' main duties are plugging holes in run defense and offering modest coverage over the middle of the field and occasionally man coverage on a TE or RB.

To me, linebackers are the running backs of the defense.
There are some linebackers that are so good, they create for themselves. Just like there are some running backs that are so good they create for themselves.
But, by and large, the success of your Linebackers is dependent on the success of your Dline, and the success of your running backs is dependent on the success of your Oline.

You could have the best RB in the world, but if the Oline doesn't open holes for him, he'll never truly lead your team to wins. Same with linebackers and the Dline.

If your Dline can't occupy blockers and keep Olinemen off the linebackers, it doesn't matter how well those Linebackers can shed blocks or tackle.

So having a NT that can legitimately and consistently occupy the Center and the Guard in all run plays really frees up your linebackers to flow to the ball. Whereas, if you have, say, Schobert and Billings, Billings may not be able to contain the guard, allowing him into the second level where he takes Schobert out of the play anyway.
In the former situation, who is playing LB isn't all that important, as long as they are competent enough to make the tackle. In the latter, it doesn't matter who is playing LB, as they're being wiped by the guard.

So...LB as a position relies on the defensive line to be effective. There's a reason linebackers never go in the top 5 anymore, unless they are pass rushers.

Now, linebackers also have the responsibility to defend in the pass, which is important, but with the way the NFL is trending today, a lot of teams run a 4-2-5 set or sometimes even a 4-1-6 set on passing downs (or, in our case even on normal down situations). That makes the slot cornerback almost as important as your 2nd linebacker.

We have Shawn Williams to play that hybrid role in these nickel and dime looks and Pratt as the main linebacker in the set. So we really only NEED one more good linebacker in order to have a functional and competent defense.

I think we can find one in the first three rounds of the draft. If we can get Murray in the 2nd round, that would be the dream, but I also really like Willie Gay Jr or Malik Harrison in the 3rd round. Even Aeem Davis-Gaither can fill that role very well coming in the 3rd or 4th round.

I imagine the Bengals made this same evaluation of the position and deemed the Dline and CB position more important than LB when it comes to shoring up the defense. 

Or maybe I'm biased because we didn't get a good linebacker in FA .

You are on fire today CJD, great post man.