The best linebacker room in football?
Later last week, Mike Clay of ESPN published his rankings for each position group in the NFL this season. He looked at each position and ranked teams first through 32nd. In the off-the-ball linebacker group, Clay had your Seahawks at no. 1.
Here is what he had to say about the device:
“The Seattle defense is led by Bobby Wagner, who has managed at least 100 tackles (134.1 average) each of the past eight seasons,” Clay wrote. “Wagner is now 30, and his opponent KJ Wright is 31, but Seattle cemented their strong LB room when it grabbed a first-round pick over Jordyn Brooks in the April draft. Add 2019 mid-round picks to Cody Barton and Ben Burr-Kirven to the mix, and you have both quality and depth. “
When you explain it, it’s hard to argue that any linebacker group is better than Seattle. Wagner has made the Pro Bowl in six straight seasons and has been named First-Team All-Pro for the past four seasons. He led the NFL with 159 combined tackles last season.
Wright has been a base spot for Seattle his entire career, playing 13 or more games in eight of his nine seasons. No. 31, Wright only gets better with age. In 2019, he had a career-high 132 combined tackles and three interceptions.
In addition to the two star veterans, the unit is supported by promising youngsters Cody Barton, Ben Burr-Kirven and Jordyn Brooks. Barton and Burr-Kirven will each play 16 games as rookies in 2019, albeit for a limited time. Barton, a third-round pick, and Burr-Kirven, a fifth-round pick, are expected to step down with Mychal Kendricks this season.
Brooks, the no. 27 general choice in the concept of April, enters his rookie season with a lot of hype. His coach at Texas Tech, Matt Wells, also coached Wagner at Utah State. Around the time of the concept Wells called Brooks “the next Bobby Wagner.” Now Brooks gets to learn from the man himself.
This unit has all the tools to govern the NFL now and in the future. And on Sunday, the Seahawks posted an amazing adaptation of the old guard with the new era.
