Who is the 3rd Greatest Linebacker of All Time?

[ZB9]

I think Derrick Brooks was one of the best linebackers to ever lace them up. He was a main key to that dominant cover 2 the Bucs had all of those years

I might be in the minority, but id put Brooks up with almost any linebacker to ever play

[bkrich83]

Quote: Originally Posted by shotgun styles

Butkus was not fast by today's standards, sorry.

And? A football player is a football player. 40 times are overrated.

[bkrich83]

Quote: Originally Posted by ZB9

I think Derrick Brooks was one of the best linebackers to ever lace them up. He was a main key to that dominant cover 2 the Bucs had all of those years I might be in the minority, but id put Brooks up with almost any linebacker to ever play

Absolutely he never gets mentioned, I think probably because he played in Tampa and wasn't particularly flashy, but I'd put Brooks up against just about anyone.

[shnuskis]

I'd put Brooks up with anyone too. He was awesome.

[ZB9]

Quote: Originally Posted by bkrich83

Absolutely he never gets mentioned, I think probably because he played in Tampa and wasn't particularly flashy, but I'd put Brooks up against just about anyone.

I agree. Playing in Tampa and being more low key in the media has a lot to do with it

yall think he will make the HOF? He certainly should imo

[wwharton]

Quote: Originally Posted by deaduck

It isn't exactly a knock on Ray Lewis to say he has/had other great players on those D's as much as it's a fact that can't be argued away. If it helps you to think of it not just a attack on Ray, Urlacher has had better numbers/stats when big noseguards/DT jam up the guards from reaching the second level as well. There is a logic in the scheme of current D's that other players (namely linemen) sacrafice individual achievment for the good of the "Star".

Actually it is a knock on Ray. It's not saying he sucked by any means but if he's moving down in rankings because of this perception then it's a knock on him. And actually it can be argued away also. The Ravens have had 3 different D coordinators and changes at every position around him. The D has remained at a high level when he's been healthy, which is most of the time. So far all of the D coordinators and players that have moved on to other teams haven't looked nearly as good (besides Adalius Thomas). I'm going to assume that Reed, Suggs and Ngata go on to have HOF careers or close to it, but name any other players that will even get mentioned. Woodson and Deion earned their stripes and came to the Ravens on the downside of their careers. Goose, Adams, Pryce, CMac... all nice players but nothing to write home about in the grand scheme of things. And his numbers have been pretty consistent even as he ages, despite who's been around him.

Even Urlacher has seemed to slip a bit without the same players around him. Many in Chicago will argue he wasn't the best LB on the field even at the height of his hype.

[shotgun styles]

Quote: Originally Posted by bkrich83

And? A football player is a football player. 40 times are overrated.

I said, and I quote "playing speed".

Nowhere, ANYWHERE, did I say anything about 40 times.

[shotgun styles]

Quote: Originally Posted by wwharton

Actually it is a knock on Ray. It's not saying he sucked by any means but if he's moving down in rankings because of this perception then it's a knock on him. And actually it can be argued away also. The Ravens have had 3 different D coordinators and changes at every position around him. The D has remained at a high level when he's been healthy, which is most of the time. So far all of the D coordinators and players that have moved on to other teams haven't looked nearly as good (besides Adalius Thomas). I'm going to assume that Reed, Suggs and Ngata go on to have HOF careers or close to it, but name any other players that will even get mentioned. Woodson and Deion earned their stripes and came to the Ravens on the downside of their careers. Goose, Adams, Pryce, CMac... all nice players but nothing to write home about in the grand scheme of things. And his numbers have been pretty consistent even as he ages, despite who's been around him. Even Urlacher has seemed to slip a bit without the same players around him. Many in Chicago will argue he wasn't the best LB on the field even at the height of his hype.

Oh I call BS on this one. Goose and Adams were BEASTS and made Ray a much better player. They were one of the most disruptive DT tandems in the history of this game.

They did not play together long enough to be all-time greats, but for that 2 or 3 years they were easily the best pair in the league. I should know, the gave Kordell and Bettis all kinds of hell.