It's been YEARS since I've started a new post over here at TGG.com, but after watching and thinking about football for some time, I have to wonder, what exactly is the value of LB'ers in today's NFL? The basis of my question is the evolution of this league into a pass happy circus. On the flip side of the ball, it's obvious that defenses need to be built to stop the pass first to stand any chance to win. Therefore, I'm not questioning the value of pass rushing OLB's. The value a Von Miller or Aldon Smith or Terrell Suggs bring to their respective teams is undeniable. Why? Becuase they limit the passing game by reducing the amount of time QB's have to throw. (I'm know I'm not dropping any new knowledge on folks by saying this!) However, I've watched "the best ILB duo" of Willis & Bowman get picked apart in the SB - and to some extent during other games of the playoffs, and it makes me wonder, if the best ILB's in the game are such a vulnerability in the passing game (the heart and sole of today's NFL) then what's the value of them? I get it. You can't put 7 DB's on the field because then you're vulnerable to the run game. But why would any team devote precious cap space & high draft picks on LB's when the very best in the game can't hang against the pass? Perhaps the answer is in the proliferation of "specialists". You put your big 250LB ILB on the field on first down to stop the run, but he never sees the field on 3rd downs. But is this a player worth all that much?
