[tps_title]Linebackers[/tps_title]
2014 Linebackers |
VS |
2016 |
| Rolando McClain (MLB) Bruce Carter (WLB) Anthony Hitchens (SLB) Kyle Wilber Cameron Lawrence Keith Smith James Anderson |
Sean Lee (WLB) Anthony Hitchens (MLB) Damien Wilson (SLB) Justin Durant Kyle Wilber Andrew Gachkar Mark Nzeocha |
This year’s team has Sean Lee and the 2014 team didn’t. Need I say more?
Truly, Lee’s presence alone is an incredible difference-maker. He is an elite player and that is worth more than any number of moving parts. Imagine being Aaron Rodgers or Matt Ryan and having to worry about where Lee is in the middle of the field as opposed to not?
The 2014 squad still had some talent, of course. When he was at his best, Rolando McClain was a better player than Anthony Hitchens. Bruce Carter had five interceptions that year but was also prone to mental errors in coverage. Damien Wilson isn’t as dynamic but is more fundamentally solid.
Overall, Sean Lee tips the scales for the 2016 linebackers. He makes Hitchens and Wilson better just by sharing the field with them. You also have to like the veteran depth with Durant, Gachkar, and Wilber this season.
