What stands out about the matchup between the Bears and Chargers is this game features some of the finest linebackers who walk God’s green football fields.
Shawne Merriman, the game’s best defensive player.
Brian Urlacher, six time Pro Bowler, former NFL defensive player of the year and the best middle linebacker in the NFL.
Lance Briggs, two time Pro Bowler.
Shaun Phillips, double digit sacks last season and on the verge of a Pro Bowl himself.
The linebackers should dominate Sunday in San Diego, as they should in many, many games this year. More and more, linebackers are leaving large cleat marks all over the NFL.
This is a golden era of linebackers. The last three drafts have been linebacker rich. Among the stars they have produced are Merriman, Dallas’ DeMarcus Ware, Kansas City’s Derrick Johnson, Seattle’s Lofa Tatupu, Miami’s Channing Crowder, Green Bay’s A.J. Hawk, Detroit’s Ernie Sims, Cleveland’s Kamerion Wimbley and Houston’s DeMeco Ryans.
Other projected starters this season from those drafts include Tampa Bay’s Barrett Ruud, Oakland’s Kirk Morrison, Seattle’s Leroy Hill, Green Bay’s Brady Poppinga, Minnesota’s Chad Greenway, San Francisco’s Manny Lawson, the Giants’ Mathias Kiwanuka, Cleveland’s D’Qwell Jackson, Washington’s Rocky McIntosh, Oakland’s Thomas Howard, Philadelphia’s Chris Gocong, Indianapolis’ Freddie Keiaho, Philadelphia’s Omar Gaither, San Francisco’s Patrick Willis, Carolina’s Jon Beason, Dallas’ Anthony Spencer and Buffalo’s Paul Posluszny.
The Cowboys have needs elsewhere, but they keep picking linebackers the way many of us eat potato chips. In the last three years they have chosen three in the first round and one in the second.
“There is definitely more talent at linebacker,” says former Bears middle line- backer Mike Singletary, now an assistant head coach of the 49ers. “It’s mind-boggling the ability that’s out there. I’m very thankful to be able to get a guy like Patrick Willis and work with him and see what he can do with all that God-given talent.”
And the next draft promises more of the same. Among the players in the NFL pipeline are Southern California’s Keith Rivers, Penn State’s Dan Connor, UNLV’s Beau Bell, Virginia Tech’s Chris Ellis and Florida State’s Geno Hayes.
Not overpaying for a linebacker, even an outstanding one like Briggs, makes complete sense in this climate. A replacement, and a good one, should be as easy to find as a good apple in Michigan.
It wasn’t always this way. Over a 10-year period between 1995 and 2004, on average only 2.9 linebackers were taken in the first round. In the last three drafts, an average of five were taken in the first round.
One of the reasons there are more very good linebackers is the NFL’s parameters for a linebacker have expanded in both directions. On the one hand, there are linebackers who have played at less than 210 pounds in Demorrio Williams of Atlanta and Cato June of Tampa Bay. On the other, there are linebackers who weigh 270 but still run a 4.61 40-yard dash like Merriman.
“Teams have stopped worrying about getting the guy who is 250 pounds,” says Seahawks general manager Tim Ruskell, who has assembled one of the finest linebacker groups in football in Tatupu, Hill and Julian Peterson. “We’re going with the smaller speed guy who can rush. The pool has opened up.”
In another era, June would have been a safety and Merriman would have been a defensive end. And neither would have been as effective.
Former Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer came into the NFL as a linebacker. He worked out with Dick Butkus and later coached Derrick Thomas and Merriman. He says he never has seen a player with the combination of speed and power that Merriman has. When Merriman was a child, he used to watch tapes of Butkus. So it makes sense that Schottenheimer sees a similarity.
“Dick ran a 5 flat, so he was a totally different style of player, but he would just as soon knock you out of a game when he tackled you,” Schottenheimer said. “And that’s the way Shawne plays the game.”
Merriman reminds Singletary and others of Lawrence Taylor, and their impacts on games are similar. The difference between them is Merriman outweighs Taylor by about 30 pounds. And there are others with similar size/speed as Merriman — Urlacher, Wimbley and Ware.
“Now when a 6-4, 275-pounder runs a 4.6, you almost say the woods are full of them,” says Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome, who has found Pro Bowl linebackers in the fourth round (Adalius Thomas) and in the undrafted free-agent pool (Bart Scott). “Put it this way — it doesn’t catch you off guard.”
Because there is more talent at the position, that talent also is being asked to do more.
“Coaches are giving linebackers a chance to make more plays so we’re noticing them more,” Ruskell says. “We’re not just asking them to cover the tight end or play tackle to tackle anymore. They’re getting more responsibility.”
The result is a lot of linebackers making a lot of plays.
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dpompei@tribune.com
