OFF-BALL LINEBACKERS
By Joey Esquire
Leaguewide, teams played with 3+ receivers about 65% of plays in 2016, and as a result most teams now play from nickel as a de facto base defense. In the NFCE, no team had three linebackers play more than 50% of snaps, and only the Giants had more than two LBs play more than 30% of snaps. Unlike some other groups we have looked at, none of the four teams can say their LB group is a total catastrophe, and while some are better than others, I don’t think any team is really upset with its LB group. The order is:
1. Philadelphia Eagles
2. Dallas Cowboys
3. Washington Redskins
4. New York Giants
4. NEW YORK GIANTS
Depth Chart: Jonathan Casillas, JT Thomas, Keenan Robinson, BJ Goodson, Devon Kennard, Mark Herzlich
2016 STATS:
When you look at the names on that depth chart it’s almost surprising the Giants LBs held up as well as they did. The Giants ranked 4th in the NFL in rushing defense and 2nd in second-level yards. They alsodid an outstanding job covering RBs out of the backfield, ranking 4th, but struggled to cover TEs, ranking 26th. The LBs were buffered by a strong DL in front of them and a strong secondary over the top, so they were set up to be successful and didn’t disappoint.
That said, it’s tough to see anyone in this group as an impact player. The starting LBs will likely be Jonathan Casillas and either BJ Goodson or Keenan Robinson. If it’s Goodson, a 4th round pick from 2016 who barely played as a rookie, Robinson will still likely get plenty of snaps as a pass coverage specialist. JT Thomas started 11 games for the Giants in 2015, but missed almost all of 2016 with injuries and isn’t a lock to make the 53-man roster.
As far as depth goes, the Giants have some experienced players, but not all of that is good experience. Mark Herzlich (who seems to have been around forever) is probably their primary backup and he has shown he’s a below average NFL LB at best. Look for this group to continue to be unremarkable, but also not a huge liability in 2017.
3. WASHINGTON REDSKINS
Depth Chart: Zach Brown, Mason Foster, Will Compton, Matrell Speight, Josh Harvey-Clemons
2016 Stats:
2016 was not a good year for Redskins inside linebackers. Foster and Compton combined to rack up a bunch of tackles, but the Redskins were weak all season defending the middle of the field against both the run and the pass. They ranked 25th in overall run defense, 29th in allowing 2nd level yards, 25th covering TEs and 30th covering passes to the underneath middle. Those are some brutal numbers, and this was a critical area for the Redskins to address via the draft and/or free agency.
Fortunately for the Redskins, they did address inside LB, signing Zach Brown to a one-year deal. Brown had a career year in Buffalo last season and I think he will be a good fit attacking the A-gaps in Greg Manusky’s defense. Foster figures to occupy the other ILB spot for the Redskins, and he’s really just a guy. It’s difficult to see this unit as a real strength for the Redskins heading into 2017, but the addition of a dynamic player should definitely help them be better than they were in 2016.
The Brown addition also pushes Compton (likely) down the depth chart, which gives this group some depth it didn’t have last year. Greg Manusky says he wants to attack opposing offensive lines, and his track record suggests he likes to do that up the middle, so Brown will help this group put some more pressure on opposing offenses, which could make a huge difference for the Redskins, who were especially bad on third down in 2016.
2. DALLAS COWBOYS
Depth Chart: Sean Lee, Anthony Hitchens, Damien Wilson, Kyle Wilber, Jaylon Smith, Mark Nzeocha
2016 Stats:
The numbers in 2016 are not kind to the Cowboys linebackers. They ranked 8th overall against the run, but that was due largely to good tackling by the front four and good tackling by the secondary; they ranked 25th in limiting 2nd level yards. This group also struggled in coverage, ranking 18th against RBs and 30th against TEs (which, for the Cowboys, can mostly be blamed on safeties).
The Cowboys ranking 2nd on this list is due almost exclusively to the consistent great play from Sean Lee. Lee turned 30 before last season and has a spotty injury history, but showed he still has a nose for the ball, is an outstanding tackler and can chase down the play as well as anybody, racking up 93 solo tackles. That said, Lee is showing signs of slowing down in coverage, and he can’t do it all by himself. No other LB on the Cowboys roster played more than 55% of defensive snaps, and the other nominal starters Anthony Hitchens and Damien Wilson are really just guys.
If this unit is going to improve in 2017 they’ll have to hope they can get lucky with Jaylon Smith, but I’m not counting on him coming back and being effective. I expect this group will continue to go as far as Lee can carry them, and if Lee does get injured, watch out. The depth is pretty brutal.
1. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Depth Chart: Jordan Hicks, Nigel Bradham, Mychal Kendricks, Nate Gerry, Najee Goode, Joe Walker
2016 Stats:
Very quietly, Jordan Hicks is making a case for being among the best coverage linebackers in football. In 2016 he had 5 interceptions (most among LBs) and 11 passes defensed (tied for most among LBs). Per PFF, he not only allowed the lowest passer rating in the NFL for LBs, it wasn’t even close. He allowed a passer rating of 53.7 on plays in which he was targeted; the next closest LB was Wesley Woodyard at 76.8. Hicks and Nigel Bradham combined for the best coverage against TEs in the NFL (again, by a huge margin) and the 9th best coverage against RBs.
The achilles heel for the Eagles in 2017 was the long run. Hicks and Bradham are decent tacklers, but not great, and in 2016 the Eagles got gashed for some long runs. The problem is exacerbated by Jim Schwartz’s defense, which can leave LBs exposed if the DL is unable to make a play in the backfield. As a result, the Eagles LBs ranked 19th in defending second-level yards, which is obviously not impressive but still 2nd-best in the division.
Heading into 2017, the this group really revolves around Jordan Hicks. If he misses significant time, this unit will go from a strength in 2017 to a pretty glaring weakness. Mychal Kendricks is a nominal starter but only saw 25% of snaps in 2016. If either Hicks or Bradham get injured, that number would probably go up (and I suppose you could do worse for depth than Kendricks), but he’s not a legitimate replacement for Hicks; he just doesn’t have the coverage skills or the ability to diagnose a play. The Eagles added Nate Gerry in the 5th round, a safety they will look to convert to a WIL linebacker, but don’t expect much from him in 2017 either.
Up Next: Cowboys Sux
