LB rankings2

 Kansas City: If the new Chiefs jerseysever become a really good team under the stewardship of GM Scott Pioli, it's a fair bet that, at best, only one of the current four linebackers slated to start this year will still be in the lineup. Mike Vrabel has had a great career, but he's very close to the end. Tamba Hali(notes)  is a nice pass rusher, but when he's the best you've got, your team is in trouble. Hali is better suited to be a complementary pass rusher. The inside linebackers are Demorrio Williams(notes)  and Corey Mays(notes).  Both are average players, which makes you wonder about former first-round pick Derrick Johnson.

 Cleveland: D'Qwell Jackson(notes) is really a terrific inside linebacker, but he's a step below the really great guys at that spot, like Patrick Willis. Sadly, there isn't much growth potential in Jackson's game because he's somewhat limited as an athlete. As for the rest, the Browns jerseysare much like Kansas City in that most of these guys will probably be gone by the time the team becomes good again. Scott Fujita has the best long-term chance, but he's somewhat miscast as an outside linebacker in a 3-4. Matt Roth(notes) had six sacks in six games, but that was an aberration. Finally, Eric Barton(notes) is a solid inside linebacker, but much closer to the end than the beginning of his career.

Detroit: new Lions jerseyshead coach Jim Schwartz, who's as good a defensive mind as you'll find, is hoping to milk two more good seasons out of outside linebacker Julian Peterson(notes), figuring the upgrades Detroit made on the defensive line will free Peterson for more sacks. That's entirely plausible. DeAndre Levy(notes) is a middle linebacker comparable to London Fletcher: He'll make all the tackles he's supposed to make, but he won't make a lot of game-changing plays. The rest of the group is a JAG-fest, with the likes of Landon Johnson(notes), Zack Follett(notes), Jordon Dizon(notes) and Ashlee Palmer(notes). But at least Follett, Dizon and Palmer are all young, giving them some growth potential.

Jacksonville: The Jaguars jerseys made a really nice move to pick up middle linebacker Kirk Morrison(notes) in a draft-day trade with Oakland. Morrison solidifies what had been a problematic spot for the Jags the past two years. That said, there's nothing about this linebacking corps that jumps off the page. Justin Durant(notes) and Daryl Smith(notes) are solid, but there's not a single guy in the group who projects to have game-changing ability.