[Jun 8th] John Norton says: Lauriniatis is dependable as they come and can be counted on for triple digit solo tackles and a few big plays, but his low assist totals drop him a slot or two for me. (hide this)

[Jun 8th] John Norton says: As a rookie last season David was second in the league with 112 solo tackles, and averaged over 17 points a game which left him tied with Navarro Bowman. (hide this)

[Jun 8th] John Norton says: Willis is a perennial top 10 linebacker with top 5 potential. Navarro Bowman will likely have a few more tackles but Willis will make up for much of that with big play production and a high number of passes defended. (hide this)

[Jun 8th] John Norton says: Greenway is not much of a threat to break the top 5 but he is dependable, consistent and a very safe pick as your LB1. (hide this)

[Jun 8th] John Norton says: There is a bit of injury risk with Lee but he has top 5 potential if healthy. (hide this)

[Jun 9th] John Norton says: We had grand expectations for McCarthy heading into last season. He battled the ankle injury all season and may not yet be completely healthy. If he can get to 100% by week one McCarthy could be a 100+ solo guy. (hide this)

[Jun 8th] John Norton says: Timmons has big potential but has been inconsistent throughout his career. He could be anything from a strong LB1 to a low end LB2. (hide this)

[Jun 9th] John Norton says: When Curtis Lofton left before the 2012 season, Weatherspoon was expected to step up big. He took over a leadership role for the Falcons but it failed to translate to his box score production. I see him as a solid and safe LB2. (hide this)

[Jun 12th] John Norton says: Between the addition of Manti Te'o and the fact that Butler averaged just over 4 tackles a game last season, I am not as optimistic as some of my peers. (hide this)

[Jun 9th] John Norton says: Brian Cushing has missed time in two of the last three seasons including 11 games last year. The one time he played a full schedule, his numbers were not impressive. Granted that was a different position and scheme, but Cushing was on pace for only 70 solo tackles before the injury last year. (hide this)

[Jun 12th] John Norton says: I am a bit concerned with the scheme change in Atlanta but believe Lofton will ultimately be a solid LB2 for us. (hide this)

[Jun 11th] John Norton says: Ellerbe is in a good situation and will be productive. I am just not convinced that he is an upgrade over Karlos Dansby. If the Ravens though Ellerbe was that good he would still be in Baltimore. (hide this)

[Jun 12th] John Norton says: I am much higher on Te'o than my peers because I believe he will soon be the center piece of the Chargers defense. Donald Butler has not been particularly impressive in that role and NFL teams simply do not use first round picks on two down middle linebackers. I believe they will tilt the scheme to fit what Te'o does well in the passing game, which is zone coverage, and will find a way to cover/mask his deficiencies. (hide this)

[Jun 9th] John Norton says: Dansby will have the lead role for at least the first four games and will continue to have a significant role even when Daryl Washington returns. Keep in mind that Paris Lenon gave us decent production playing next to Washington over the past couple of seasons. Dansby is much more talented and productive than Lenon. (hide this)

[Jun 12th] John Norton says: Ryans had a good year in 2012 but was not a good fit in the 3-4 when Houston made the switch a couple of years back. While they are both 3-4 fronts, there are some significant differences between the scheme run by Wade Phillips in Houston and that of Bill Davis in Philadelphia. In the right system Ryans can still be a highly productive player. It remains to be seen if the Eagles new scheme will be a fit. (hide this)

[Jun 12th] John Norton says: Few people realize that Allen totaled 108 solo tackles last season. Even with his glarring lack of big play production he has to be considered a quality LB3. (hide this)

[Jun 12th] John Norton says: I have been pessimistic about Freeman since he took over as a starter but am starting to warm to him. He reminds me of an old favorite (Gary Brackett) who consistently gave us 85-90 tackles a season during his five year run as the Colts starter. (hide this)

[Jun 12th] John Norton says: WE have seen much less talented players than Ogletree post decent numbers from the Rams weak side linebacker position. So long as he has to compete with James Laurinaitis, Ogletree's production is going to be limited. That said, he could still produce quality LB3 numbers. (hide this)

[Jun 12th] John Norton says: Foster was bumped from the passing down sub packages late last season. As much as I like him (which is a lot)until/unless we see that he has regained those duties, I have to seriously temper my expectations. (hide this)