Linebacker

ravidubey

ravidubey

DCC 4Life
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
23,603
Seriously, what the fuck? How do you 'build' such a collection of C-grade talent whose best players are recovering from multiple knee injuries or are overachieving backups or scrap heap pickups?

Sight unseen, this is the anchor lowering Dallas' 2026 defensive ceiling. The more I think about it, even more than an elite player in the secondary, we are measurably far away from a good target like Seattle or an outstanding target like Philadelphia, and another clear stud is definitely missing. That trade for Brooks would have made a huge difference.

Even our churn doesn't look serious by comparison, with Seattle at least.

It's like the new DT, we're not serious about ILB at all when it's so essential to stopping the run. We're gambling and I hate that.

I included PFF ratings as a comparison point, nothing more, and the ratings for the young prospects are pedigree-based projections relative to other prospects.

Cowboys
DeMarvion Overshown - 67.4 - Injured, missed some games - A- - Elite traits, injury risk
Dee Winters - 60.4 - Projected starter - B+ - Ascending NFL starter
Curtis Robinson - 52.2 - Veteran depth / ST - C+ - Reliable veteran depth
Jaishawn Barham - N/A - Rookie - A - High-upside Day 2 pick
Shemar James - 39.9 - Reserve- C - SEC-tested, but struggled under Flus
Justin Barron - N/A - 2025 UDFA Reserve - C+ project
Langston Patterson - N/A - UDFA Rookie - C - project

Seahawks
Ernest Jones IV - 58.8 - Defensive captain (Green Dot) - A - Proven leader, 96 on emerging NFL 100 list, 2nd team AP
Tyrice Knight - 76.3 - Breakout starter - A- - Solid NFL starter
Drake Thomas - 73.0 - Rotational linebacker - B - Productive rotational defender
Patrick O'Connell - 72.6 - Top reserve / ST - B - Reliable backup linebacker
Chazz Surratt - 50.5 - Core special teamer - B- - Elite athletic convert
Chris Paul Jr. - N/A - Young reserve - A- - Day 2 starter upside
Jalan Gaines - N/A - Reserve - B - Athletic project
Jamie Sheriff - N/A - Reserve / ST - B- - Special teams contributor
Ja'Markis Weston - N/A - Reserve - C+ - Practice squad candidate

Philadelphia
Zack Baun - 90.1 - All-Pro starter - A+ - Elite NFL linebacker
Jihaad Campbell - 76.2- Rotational - A+ - Blue-chip first-round talent
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. - 63.5 - 2nd year - A- - Legacy with starter upside
Smael Mondon Jr. - 34 - Rookie - B+ - Key contributor, yet another Bulldog
Deontae Lawson - N/A - Rookie - A - Proven Alabama leader
Chance Campbell - N/A - Reserve / ST - B- - Athletic project
 
The Seahawks have a bunch of JAG's at LB, Knight and Thomas in particular, who were enhanced by their genius DC and the fact that Emmanwori basically functions as an extra LB, like Downs will.

Baun was also a complete JAG until he got into Fangio's scheme.

Dee Winters is more proven right now than Baun, Knight or Thomas were before linking up with their current defensive play callers.
 
Genghis Khan said:
I kind of don't get the consternation here. Yeah it's not a perfect roster and there are some questions at LB. It's a work in progress.
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Yea there are at least reasonable hopes of competence. Overshown is a good starter if healthy, Winters has plenty of starting experience on decent defenses, Barham is a guy who could easily develop into a starting level player, and even James looked like he might turn into a serviceable rotation piece.

When you add in that Downs will be operating as a pseudo LB in some formations I'm not that worried about the position.
 
I think the problem is what are the odds Overshown stays healthy? So then it's Winters and what, hoping Barham gets it right away?

And Downs may be a good box player but he's like 5-10, 205. Not a LB.
 
Genghis Khan said:
I kind of don't get the consternation here. Yeah it's not a perfect roster and there are some questions at LB. It's a work in progress.
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Exactly… we don’t need a stud at LB .. would be nice but not needed… as long as they work together as one cohesive unit and get the job done is all we should be worried about .
 
Simpleton said:
Winters and some sort of platoon between Barham and James probably.
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Yeah, it would be amazing if Barham gets it quickly and can play. Kind of a lot to put on a rookie, though.

And I don't have the highest of hopes for James, but maybe he can add some good weight and be decent this year.
 
Chocolate Lab said:
Yeah, it would be amazing if Barham gets it quickly and can play. Kind of a lot to put on a rookie, though.

And I don't have the highest of hopes for James, but maybe he can add some good weight and be decent this year.
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I think Broaddus (I know I know) said James has been looking good this offseason.

I don't know what you can actually tell this time of year but...for the record anyway.
 
Genghis Khan said:
Who?
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The lack of a instant-impact ILB draftee is directly because we traded for QW, who is a foundational player for our second round pick and also not trading out of the shot at Caleb Downs, which would have likely netted an extra 2nd. I do not regret acquiring either player.

But the draft, fringe churn, and fringe trades should not have been our only options as the position has been neglected in general for years.

I can picture a world where Overshown returns to elite status, Winters continues his climb to the top of second tier players, and Barham becomes an enforcer and selective blitzing specialist.

A strong front can help enable that development, but it's going to take a while.

Murray made a Mazi-level negative impact last year and was one of the main reasons we landed so historically bad, so I'm super glad he's gone. But for such an 'actively churning' team we're still bad there. I just can't understand how we let it get this way.
 
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