ESPN Insiders' UFA OLB/ILB Ratings

[Mitch]

1. Dwight Freeney, OLB/DE, Colts

5---Diagnostic Skills; Tackling; Rush Skills; Durability
4---Run Support; Coverage Skills

"He has solid leadership skills on and off the field and brings a lot to the table despite his age."

Grade: 83

2. Rey Maualuga, ILB, Bengals

5---Diagnostic Skills; Tackling; Run Support
4---Rush Skills; Coverage Skills; Durability

"He is a physical presence and sets the tone defensively."

Grade: 83

3. Nick Barnett, ILB, Bills

5---Diagnostic Skills; Run Support
4---Tackling; Rush Skills; Coverage Skils; Durability

"He shows great instincts to leverage the ball whether defending the run or pass."

Grade: 81

4. Daryl Smith, OLB, Jaggiwires

5---Reads; Tackling; Run Support; Coverage
4---Rush; Durability

"He is consistently a high-level producer who gives the Jags a solid run defender and good cover LB."

Grade: 81

6. Connor Barwin, OLB/DE, Texans

5---Reads; Tackling; Durability
4---Run Supports; Rush
3---Coverage

"He is a much better going forward as a blitzing edge rusher than he is dropping into space, and he plays with a lot of attitude and hustle."

Grade: 79

7. Justin Durant, OLB, Lions

5---Reads; Tackling; Run Support
4---Durability
3---Rush; Coverage

"He is a solid tackler in the open field and understands angles to leverage the ball---brings consistency and leadership."

Grade: 77

8. Shaun Phillips, OLB/DE, Chargers

5---Reads; Tackling; Rush; Durability
4---Run Support
3---Coverage

"He is a big, explosive LB who has excelled as a pass-rushing specialist."

Grade: 77

9. Jasper Brinkley, ILB, Vikings

5---Tackling; Run Support
4---Reads; Durability
3---Rush
2---Coverage

"He made great progress coming back from injury and is an excellent young player."

Grade: 75

10. Dannell Ellerbe, ILB, Ravens

5---Tackling; Run Support
4---Reads; Rush; Durability
3---Coverage

"He has good size and athleticism and he has good strength to take on blockers."

Grade: 75

11. Larry Foote, ILB, Steelers

5---Reads; Tackling; Run Support
4---Rush; Durability
3---Coverage

"The veteran continues to show athleticism, toughness, technique and instincts."

Grade: 75

12. Paul Kruger, OLB/DE, Ravens

5---Tackling; Rush
4---Reads; Run Support; Durability
3---Coverage

"He is a big, strong LB with good athleticism who reads and reacts quickly and has shown improved hand use as a pass-rusher."

Grade: 75

13. Takeo Spikes, ILB, Chargers

"He is a seasoned veteran that still manages to be a producer in spite of diminishing skills."

Grade: 75

14. Nick Roach, OLB/ILB, Bears

5---Reads; Tackling; Run Support; Durability
3---Rush; Coverage

"He takes on blockers with deceptive power and has the ability to be physical as a tackler in space."

Grade: 74

15. Akeem Jordan, OLB/ILB, Eagles

"He has excellent speed and range inside out to the ball."

Grade: 70

16. Erik Walden, OLB/DE, Packers

"He has good size and athleticism and excellent functional strength to set the edge as a run defender...and has developed effective counters as an edge pass-rusher."

Grade: 70

Best Fit at OLB, imo: Connor Barwin
Wild Card at OLB: Shaun Phillips

Best Fit at ILB, imo: Jasper Brinkley
Wild Card at ILB: Nick Roach; Akeem Jordan

 

[MadCardDisease]

Sign Dannell Ellerbe to play next to Washington and Shaun Phillips to rotate with Schofield and you are set at LB.

 

[Mitch]

Sign Dannell Ellerbe to play next to Washington and Shaun Phillips to rotate with Schofield and you are set at LB.

Would like that a lot...but Ellerby may command too high a price tag, which is why I think Jasper Brinkley is a better fit, money-wise.

 

[Chopper0080]

Nick Barnett being rated #3 totally discounts this list. Same with Maualuga being rated #2 and Larry Foote being rated #11 when Paul Kruger is rated #12.

Pure research free fluff.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

I will say it again.

Would love to see Justin Durant come in and try at ILB.

I like his speed, and his tackling ability.

Unfortunately, it doesn't make sense since he is a "light" LB at 240lbs.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

They are missing the hype guys on this list:

Brad Jones, ILB - Green Bay
Larry Grant, ILB - SF

The Packers are on the fence on whether to keep Jones or AJ Hawk.

The "whispers" that I have read and heard is Larry Grant is a really good ILB trapped behind Bowman and Willis.

 

[Buckybird]

Give me Victor Butler over any OLB on that list for the price.

 

[MadCardDisease]

Give me Victor Butler over any OLB on that list for the price.

Yeah I like Butler as well. Ton of potential, just entering his prime and could be had for fairly cheap.

 

[Russ Smith]

They are missing the hype guys on this list:

Brad Jones, ILB - Green Bay
Larry Grant, ILB - SF

The Packers are on the fence on whether to keep Jones or AJ Hawk.

The "whispers" that I have read and heard is Larry Grant is a really good ILB trapped behind Bowman and Willis.

Grant played pretty well when he had to play 2 years ago but he's been in the NFL 5 years, 3 with the Rams. He's never won a starting job in 5 years so not sure how good he is. Tough player though.

 

[Dr. Jones]

Maualuga is my hope. Then focus on protecting the QB and pass rush in the draft.

 

[joeshmo]

The list is automatically put in the trash bin the very moment they gave Freeney a 5 for tackling and a 4 for run support.

 

[Chopper0080]

Grant played pretty well when he had to play 2 years ago but he's been in the NFL 5 years, 3 with the Rams. He's never won a starting job in 5 years so not sure how good he is. Tough player though.

Could be a "Paris Lenon" type? Who knows.

 

[GatorAZ]

Maualuga is my hope. Then focus on protecting the QB and pass rush in the draft.

He's horrendous at thy game of pigskin.

 

[CtCardinals78]

I'm really hoping for Ellerbee.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Nick Barnett being rated #3 totally discounts this list. Same with Maualuga being rated #2 and Larry Foote being rated #11 when Paul Kruger is rated #12.

Pure research free fluff.

I agree, totally ridiculous. He may be the #1 targeted FA out there.

 

[BW52]

I don`t want anymore FA screwups.Would rather see the team build thru the draft.If Cards sign anyone i would rather see cheaper younger players with upsides instead of guys living on big names and reputations.

 

[Dr. Jones]

He's horrendous at thy game of pigskin.

I do not agree. He is the thumper we need IMO to replace Lenon.

 

[JeffGollin]

I don`t want anymore FA screwups.Would rather see the team build thru the draft.If Cards sign anyone i would rather see cheaper younger players with upsides instead of guys living on big names and reputations.

Following that logic - If we didn't want any more draft screwups, we shouldn't bother to draft.

We'd all like to have cheaper younger players with upsides instead of guys living on big names and reputations, but the problem is that, if you're too rigid in that approach, your "upside" players evolve into big name guys so you have to ditch them. So what you wind up doing is "chasing your upside" but never catching up because as soon as those guys get good, you have to dump them.

 

[BW52]

Following that logic - If we didn't want any more draft screwups, we shouldn't bother to draft.

We'd all like to have cheaper younger players with upsides instead of guys living on big names and reputations, but the problem is that, if you're too rigid in that approach, your "upside" players evolve into big name guys so you have to ditch them. So what you wind up doing is "chasing your upside" but never catching up because as soon as those guys get good, you have to dump them.

How many free agents have come to AZ and had good or as good as before signing as FA`s?

Seth Joyner was okay.Almost every other FA has failed to meet expectations.
Kurt Warner was the exception.

How many CB`s have been signed as FA`s and then are gone soon after?
William Gay
McFadden
etc

Too much money for too little results.

 

[JeffGollin]

How many free agents have come to AZ and had good or as good as before signing as FA`s?

Seth Joyner was okay.Almost every other FA has failed to meet expectations.
Kurt Warner was the exception.

How many CB`s have been signed as FA`s and then are gone soon after?
William Gay
McFadden
etc

Too much money for too little results.

But the answer isn't to give up on signing FA's but to do it smarter and better.

BTW - Weren't Chike, B-Train and Edge FA's?

 

[BW52]

But the answer isn't to give up on signing FA's but to do it smarter and better.

BTW - Weren't Chike, B-Train and Edge FA's?

Chike was overpaid and average.Edge was overpaid and nearly washed up.Faneca and Duval Love,Al Johnson all OLINE failure.Pete Kendall was okay and overpaid.Butch Rolle,Pat Carter all underperformed.

 

[MWOOD92]

Rey Maualuga

 

[GatorAZ]

Rey Maualuga

Unfortunately he can't tackle or cover, and is slow, and got benched for Vontaze Burfuct. Don't let the big hits fool you my man. He got targeted every game and destroyed to the point of being benched for an undrafted rookie.

Watch Manti Te'o vs Alabama. That's what he is.

 

[MWOOD92]

Unfortunately he can't tackle or cover, and is slow, and got benched for Vontaze Burfuct. Don't let the big hits fool you my man. He got targeted every game and destroyed to the point of being benched for an undrafted rookie.

Watch Manti Te'o vs Alabama. That's what he is.

Sometimes players need a change of scenery/scheme, and Burfict was a projected 1st round prospect at one point. On and off field issues are why he became an UDFA.

Maualuga > Lenon

 

[GatorAZ]

I'll take Walker at a million bucks over both and another ILB in the 3-5 round. With the rumored interest at Safety we might not have any cap space to address either LB unit