Inside linebacker
Top 10 UFA ILBs:
1 - Curtis Lofton: explosive, durable,
violent tackler, exceptional in ball pursuit, young (25), intense
team leader. 100+ tackles last 3 seasons; 147 last year. Liability in
pass coverage. (Signed by Saints, 3/24)
2 – David Hawthorne: heavy-hitting
tackling machine. Seattle D didn't miss a beat when he stepped in
after Lofa Tatupu's injury. Can play Mike or Sam LB. (Signed by Saints, 4/3. Also, wow, Saints.)
3 – Stephen Tulloch: hard hitter,
great nose for the ball, 110+ tackles last season, a little behind on
size and speed (Re-signed by Lions 3/20)
4 - E.J. Henderson: athletic and
powerful, good in pass coverage, 100+ tackles, but Vikings only want
him back as a backup. Is he past his prime at 31?
5 - London Fletcher: did I add up
correctly that Fletcher had 165
tackles last season at the age of 36? Why did the Rams ever let him
go? (re-signed by Redskins 4/14)
6 - Joe Mays (re-signed by Broncos 3/20)
7 - Jameel McClain: 3-4 strongside,
attacking LB reaching his peak. Pass coverage liability. (Re-signed by Ravens, 3/23)
8 - Dan Connor (re-signed by
Cowboys 3/16)
9 - Tim Shaw: regarded as a top
special teams player
10 – James Farrior: still an
80-tackle 3-4 ILB last year at 36
11 - Bradie James: has lost (at least)
a step, platooned with Keith Brooking last year (Signed by Texans 4/13)
12 - Marvin Mitchell: situational
rushing-down LB and special teams ace (Signed by Vikings 4/11)
Sleepers: I
might have expected to have heard Tim Shaw's name tossed around at
Rams Park by now. Quite a few teams made locking up their top special
teams players one of their earliest priorities. But Shaw, considered
one of the best special teams players in the league, has hit the
market. And he was a Titan. Played for Jeff Fisher. We'll see.
Wild card:
Jonathan Goff started every game in 2010 and was one of the league's
top run-stopping LBs. His 2011 season ended before it started,
though, due to a torn ACL. The Giants are trying to re-sign him on
the cheap. (Signed by Redskins 5/1)
Tag you're it: no
inside linebackers tagged this year. James Laurinaitis and Chris Long
are major candidates for franchise tags next season. My guess is
it'll go to Laurinaitis.
Out of the running: Lofa
Tatupu (signed by Falcons), Demorrio Williams (signed by Chargers two
days after the Chiefs cut him), Blake Costanzo (signed by Bears),
Tavares Gooden (signed by 49ers), Niko Koutouvides (re-signed by
Patriots)
Voting present: Tim
Dobbins (re-signed by Texans 4/13), Keyaron Fox, Chase Blackburn (re-signed by Redskins 4/14), Na'il Diggs, Brendon
Ayanbadejo (re-signed by Ravens 3/23) , Reggie Walker (re-signed by Big Dead 3/26), Andra Davis, Darryl Blackstock
The doctor will see you now:
Gary Brackett (32 and missed last
season due to torn rotator cuff), Titus Brown (knee), Stephen Cooper
(32, missed most of last season due to torn biceps), Matt McCoy
(knee, re-signed by Seahawks 4/13), Reggie Torbor (chronic shoulder problems)
Gawd no: Barrett
Ruud (signed by Seahawks 4/7). Don't get caught buying the name. The Bucs made one of the best
free agent moves of 2011 when they didn't
sign
Ruud, though he was coming off three very good seasons for them and
seemed in line for a big deal. The rest of the league caught on, too.
Ruud didn't get signed until very late in free agency, by Tennessee,
where he was a total flop and finished the season on the bench.
RamView’s moves:
The Rams have a player on the cusp of the Pro Bowl in James
Laurinaitis. They could look for an upgrade over Josh Hull, who
appears to be the likeliest backup candidate, but he played well as a
rookie (missed all of last season due to an ankle injury).
Laurinaitis has been so reliable, and Hull is still cheap; this looks
like one of the very few positions on the team where the Rams don't
need to make a move.
Shoot the moon: If
the Rams have one last splurge left in the budget, David Hawthorne
would be an awesome pickup. He's in his prime, he makes plays all
over the place, there's a chance he could play outside, you'd be
taking him off a division rival... And if I remember correctly, the
Rams gain a ton of salary cap space next year and can afford to keep
him and Laurinaitis and Chris Long long-term. Then again, I budget
like the Democrats do. But if a signing like this is remotely
feasible, I hope the Rams are at least kicking the idea around.
Prediction: Having
Laurinaitis on the roster is like having a pair of kings at the
blackjack table. You don't split them. You don't take another card.
You stand pat, and much more often than not, you win.
-$-
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