Let's talk linebackers (Rostered, draft, & FA)

[saX man]

Hi folks.  Got my Friday morning joe, it's a bit brisk today, and figured to throw out a topic before I started the day:

We need linebackers!

Some points:

• Shaq is good as gone.  I believe we told him he is.  He's either being negotiated in a trade or out of here.  We will gain $11 mil in cap by cutting him post-June 1st with only incurring a $3.2m dead cap hit for 2021.
• Jermaine Carter Jr. is the one who actually showed some promise last year, and went from being in Rhule's doghouse to being our preferred MLB.  He's the one staying.
• Chinn can play outside but sounds like he'll migrate primarily to nickle/dime box-sleuth and safety
• Whitehead is outta here & that's pretty much it, everyone else was 1-yr or UDFA types

So we've basically got Shaq+Carter at the most, Carter at the least right now.

That's quite a few holes in the smack dab middle of our defense der folkers.

2021 FAs:

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/inside-linebacker/

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/all/outside-linebacker/

(not all apply to our scheme in link 2)

2021 draft prospects:

Quote

1.	Micah Parsons	LB	Penn State
2.	Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah	LB	Notre Dame
3.	Nick Bolton	LB	Missouri
4.	Zaven Collins	LB	Tulsa
5.	Chazz Surratt	LB	North Carolina
6.	Jabril Cox	LB	LSU
7.	Jamin Davis	LB	Kentucky
8.	Baron Browning	LB	Ohio State
9.	Cameron McGrone	LB	Michigan
10.	Pete Werner	LB	Ohio State

https://insidethestar.com/brian-martins-2021-nfl-draft-linebacker-rankings/

A few that stand out to me:

Jabril Cox LSU 6'3 230 - athletic, productive, NFL ready

Baron Browning OSU 6'3 240 - at the WILL, another athletic splashy type. Length, burst, & tackling all check with both dudes.

--

I think an upgrade is warranted and it's one of the gaping holes on this team outside of QB.

Who stands out to y'all?

-Sax

[imminent rogaine]

I like McGrone a lot. Assuming we go line early, he would be my pick. 

[Captroop]

I'm sure I'm in a mega minority here. But LB is my #2 draft need after offensive line. QB is third. Because it wouldn't be exciting, but we could roll with Teddy for another year.

After nearly 2 unbroken decades of stellar MLBs, we're huuuurting without a defensive field general. If Micah Parsons was there at 8, I'd take him. I'd take him over Lance.

[Harbingers]

5 minutes ago, Captroop said:

I'm sure I'm in a mega minority here. But LB is my #2 draft need after offensive line. QB is third. Because it wouldn't be exciting, but we could roll with Teddy for another year.

After nearly 2 unbroken decades of stellar MLBs, we're huuuurting without a defensive field general. If Micah Parsons was there at 8, I'd take him. I'd take him over Lance.

Ditto. This isn't the year to be throwing away all our draft picks. If parsons is there take him at 8 or trade back and accumulate picks.

[Troys99x4]

Not so sure Shaq is actually leaving... But with that said, I wasn't very impressed with what i saw from Browning on tape. Now Pete Werner on the other hand, that dude is a STUD. Always near the ball. Go back and watch that OSU vs. Clemson game, he was everywhere. 

[Waldo]

I don't care about LBer at all. We have Chinn and Carter, I would be cool with some one year fillers. Build a beastly Dline and DBs and get cheap LBers. 

[hepcat]

LB is a huge area of need. Maybe the 2nd biggest on the team behind O-Line. CB is the 3rd biggest need.

I'm not sure Shaq is as good as gone but maybe his contract gets restructured. Way too many other holes on the roster to let go of a decent LB in my opinion. But we'll see I guess.

I think KJ Wright from the Seahawks is a veteran target we could see being signed. Panthers will need to draft LB talent and Parsons could be a target as well.

[CanadianCat]

19 minutes ago, Captroop said:

I'm sure I'm in a mega minority here. But LB is my #2 draft need after offensive line. QB is third. Because it wouldn't be exciting, but we could roll with Teddy for another year.

After nearly 2 unbroken decades of stellar MLBs, we're huuuurting without a defensive field general. If Micah Parsons was there at 8, I'd take him. I'd take him over Lance.

Thats going to be an unpopular opinion on this board but I kind of agree with you. I wouldnt have any issue with Parsons but would prefer we drop back a few spots to do so. 

[LinvilleGorge]

I'm looking at 2nd to 4th rounders at LB. My favorites include Chazz Surratt, Pete Werner, Nick Bolton, and Monty Rice. And honestly, the only way I'm going LB in the 2nd is if there's no one there at CB or OL that I view of worthy of the draft position. 3rd or 4th IMO is the sweet spot for us at LB. I would expect one of the names I listed to be there in the 3rd. Monty Rice could potentially be there in the 4th.

[LinvilleGorge]

6 minutes ago, hepcat said:

LB is a huge area of need. Maybe the 2nd biggest on the team behind O-Line. CB is the 3rd biggest need.

I'm not sure Shaq is as good as gone but maybe his contract gets restructured. Way too many other holes on the roster to let go of a decent LB in my opinion. But we'll see I guess.

I think KJ Wright from the Seahawks is a veteran target we could see being signed. Panthers will need to draft LB talent and Parsons could be a target as well.

CB is definitely higher than LB IMO. If for no other reason than positional value. There's a reason why our 3rd down D was so bad. Our secondary is NOT good.

I agree that OL is a HUGE need, but you seem to have missed our far and away biggest need.

[hepcat]

4 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

CB is definitely higher than LB IMO. If for no other reason than positional value. There's a reason why our 3rd down D was so bad. Our secondary is NOT good.

I agree that OL is a HUGE need, but you seem to have missed our far and away biggest need.

There's needs, and then there's upgrades. CB still has 4-5 rostered players so that's a position that needs some upgrading. O-Line and LB are literally paper thin and might not even be able to fill out a gameday roster, and are thus bigger needs.

[Panthercougar68]

I’m on the Jabril Cox or KJ Britt train in the draft. I want to stay away from Pete Werner, dude looked super unathletic at the senior bowl. Britt looked like a stud on the Panthers team and was commanding the huddle during the senior bowl.

FAs I can see us looking at KJ Wright or Matt Milano from Buffalo.

Edited February 26, 2021 by Panthercougar68

[LinvilleGorge]

4 minutes ago, hepcat said:

There's needs, and then there's upgrades. CB still has 4-5 rostered players so that's a position that needs some upgrading. O-Line and LB are literally paper thin and might not even be able to fill out a gameday roster, and are thus bigger needs.

We're going to sign a lot of mid to low level FAs. LB is a relatively easy position to fill with those types of players. That's one thing we've done wrong throughout our franchise history. Sure, we have a great history at LB but we have always way over-invested at the position. Lots of 1st round picks and lots of cap space. LB is rapidly becoming the RB of the defense. Unless you have a truly elite talent, just churn and burn at that position. You can find mid-round draft picks and mid-level FAs.

[LinvilleGorge]

3 minutes ago, Panthercougar68 said:

I’m on the Jabril Cox or KJ Britt train in the draft. I want to stay away from Pete Werner, dude looked super unathletic at the senior bowl. Britt looked like a stud on the Panthers team and was commanding the huddle during the senior bowl.

FAs I can see us looking at would be KJ Wright or Matt Milano from Buffalo.

Wasn't that Tuf Borland?