FanPost

Position Outlook- Inside Linebacker

Well here we are again. This is my latest installment of my series called Position Outlook, where I will be profiling each position and the players that Dallas has for that position. I will be giving MY opinion on the relative strength of the position, and how likely I think Dallas will be drafting that position in the 2012 NFL Draft. I will include All current players+ practice squad in this evaluation.

Now I will be using Stats from NFL.com(where applicable) and NFLDraftScout.com(where applicable) as the basis for my Evaluation. I will also be giving the Contract Info via Rotoworld.com. Once I have shown the players, I will rank them using the 5 star method as Follows:

5 Stars- Minimum Amount of Quality Starters at Position and At least one quality Backup for Position= BPA only if player is ranked significantly higher than any other player, and would not be a factor in FA

4 Stars- Minimum amount of Quality Starters at position, Unproven Depth = Address as BPA and FA for Depth

3 Stars- Minimum of one Quality player at starter, young, but unproven Depth=slight need, BPA in rounds 4-7 preferably, look to fill need in FA

2 Stars-Serviceable Starter(s), No Depth = solid need, BPA if within rounds 1-3 if not taken care of in Free Agency

1 Star- No Quality players at starter nor in depth= major need, Draft no later than 2nd round, would take precedence over BPA if Gap is close enough, and is a must target in Free Agency

The series so far:


QB position 3 stars

Offensive Tackle position 4 stars

Offensive Guard position 3 stars

Offensive Center position 5 stars

Cornerback position 2 stars

Safety position 3 stars

Defensive Line 3 stars

It seems that there is some confusion to the rankings. The grade is merely what I think the relative strength of the position itself is. I am not saying that any one group is "better than another" To Illustrate: I gave the Tackle position 4 stars, yet I gave the center position 5 stars. This is not to say that Costa and Kowalski are more talented than Doug Free, Tyron Smith and Jeremy Parnell. What the Rankings signify is the combination of TOTAL talent, age, and Contract status of ALL rostered players+Practice squad player FOR EACH Position. I am grading as a Group not individuality. While the Individual grades do impact the overall ranking, a "higher" ranking does not mean "better" or more talented. I hope that this clears up any confusion.

So with that out of the Way let us Look at the Inside Linebackers:

Sean Lee
Height: 6-2 Weight: 245
Age: 25
College: Penn State
Experience: 2nd season

Combine Invite: Yes
Height: 6021
Weight: 236
40 Yrd Dash: 4.71
20 Yrd Dash: 2.63
10 Yrd Dash: 1.61
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 24
Vertical Jump: 37 1/2
Broad Jump: 10'00"
20 Yrd Shuttle:
3-Cone Drill:
No shuttles or 3-cone, back - 40 Time Range: 4.71-4.80

Dates: 03/17/10
Height: 6021
Weight: 236
40 Yrd Dash: 4.60
20 Yrd Dash: 2.63
10 Yrd Dash: 1.54
225 Lb. Bench Reps:
Vertical Jump:
Broad Jump:
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.16
3-Cone Drill: 6.89

CAREER STATSMORE
Season Team Tackles Interceptions Fumbles
G GS Comb Total Ast Sck SFTY PDef Int Yds Avg Lng TDs FF
2011 Dallas Cowboys 15 15 105 71 34 0.0 -- 7 4 87 21.8 37 0 0
2010 Dallas Cowboys 14 0 32 27 5 0.0 0 2 2 44 22.0 31T 1 1
TOTAL 137 98 39 0.0 0 9 6 131 -- 37 1 1

Contract Information: 7/23/10 signed 4- year 3.46 million dollar deal 1.7 million guaranteed, with a 1.2 million signing bonus

Bruce Carter
Height: 6-3 Weight: 233
Age: 23
College: North Carolina
Experience: Rookie

Combine Invite: Yes
Height: 6014
Weight: 243
40 Yrd Dash:
20 Yrd Dash:
10 Yrd Dash:
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 25
Vertical Jump:
Broad Jump:
20 Yrd Shuttle:
3-Cone Drill:


Dates: 03/31/11
Height: 6014
Weight: 243
40 Yrd Dash:
20 Yrd Dash:
10 Yrd Dash:
225 Lb. Bench Reps:
Vertical Jump:
Broad Jump:
20 Yrd Shuttle:
3-Cone Drill:

No workout, Coming off 12/14/10 Knee surgery

REGULAR SEASON GAMES TACKLES INTERCEPTIONS FUMBLES
WK Game Date Opp Result G GS Comb Total Ast Sck SFTY PDef Int Yds Avg Lng TDs FF
8 10/30 @ PHI L 7-34 1 0 1 1 0 0.0 -- 0 -- -- 0.0 -- -- 0
9 11/06 SEA W 23-13 1 0 0 0 0 0.0 -- 1 -- -- 0.0 -- -- 0
10 11/13 BUF W 44-7 1 0 2 2 0 0.0 -- 0 -- -- 0.0 -- -- 0
11 11/20 @ WAS W 27-24 1 0 1 1 0 0.0 -- 0 -- -- 0.0 -- -- 0
12 11/24 MIA W 20-19 1 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 0.0 -- -- --
13 12/04 @ ARI L 13-19 1 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 0.0 -- -- --
14 12/11 NYG L 34-37 1 0 1 0 1 0.0 -- 0 -- -- 0.0 -- -- 0
15 12/17 @ TB W 31-15 1 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 0.0 -- -- --
16 12/24 PHI L 7-20 1 0 1 0 1 0.0 -- 0 -- -- 0.0 -- -- 0
17 01/01 @ NYG L 14-31 1 0 2 1 1 0.0 -- 0 -- -- 0.0 -- -- 0
TOTAL 10 0 8 5 3 0.0 0 1 0 0 -- 0 0 0

Contract Information: Signed a 4 year 4.85 million dollar deal with a 2.03 million signing bonus.

Orie Lemon

Height: 6-1 Weight: 244

Age: 24

College: Oklahoma State

Experience: Rookie

Combine Invite: Yes
Height: 6006
Weight: 242
40 Yrd Dash: 4.87
20 Yrd Dash: 2.73
10 Yrd Dash: 1.68
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 27
Vertical Jump: 30
Broad Jump: 09'05"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.40
3-Cone Drill: 7.45


Dates: 03/09/11
Height: 6006
Weight: 242
40 Yrd Dash: 4.87
20 Yrd Dash: 2.84
10 Yrd Dash: 1.73
225 Lb. Bench Reps:
Vertical Jump: 31
Broad Jump: 09'05"
20 Yrd Shuttle:
3-Cone Drill:

CAREER STATSMORE
This player does not have any statistics...

Contract Information: Signed a Future Reserve contract

Now for those that are worried about Bruce Carter not breaking into the starting rotation by the end of the season, let me point something out:

Here is Sean Lee's "first" ten games( the same number that Carter has played:

REGULAR SEASON GAMES TACKLES INTERCEPTIONS FUMBLES
WK Game Date Opp Result G GS Comb Total Ast Sck SFTY PDef Int Yds Avg Lng TDs FF
1 09/12 @ WAS L 7-13 1 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 0.0 -- -- --
2 09/19 CHI L 20-27 0 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 0.0 -- -- --
3 09/26 @ HOU W 27-13 0 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 0.0 -- -- --
4 Bye -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
5 10/10 TEN L 27-34 1 0 3 3 0 0.0 -- 0 -- -- 0.0 -- -- 0
6 10/17 @ MIN L 21-24 1 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 0.0 -- -- --
7 10/25 NYG L 35-41 1 0 5 4 1 0.0 -- 0 -- -- 0.0 -- -- 0
8 10/31 JAC L 17-35 1 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 0.0 -- -- --
9 11/07 @ GB L 7-45 1 0 2 2 0 0.0 -- 0 -- -- 0.0 -- -- 0
10 11/14 @ NYG W 33-20 1 0 2 1 1 0.0 -- 0 -- -- 0.0 -- -- 0
11 11/21 DET W 35-19 1 0 4 4 0 0.0 -- 0 -- -- 0.0 -- -- 1
12 11/25 NO L 27-30 1 0 3 3 0 0.0 -- 0 -- -- 0.0 -- -- 0

Amazingly similar wouldn't you agree? Just saying..... Also there is a reason I like Lemon. When you click the link you will notice that Lemon compares favorably with Bradie James out of College, and might actually be a little better, at least as a Short area cover guy. He likely will be backing up Lee and Carter( not to much of a stretch as they are the only the "True" ILB's on the roster. Given that, despite the fact that Carter was drafted in the second round last year to be the starter this year, I will have to give this position 3 Stars- Minimum of one Quality player at starter, young, but unproven Depth=slight need, BPA in rounds 4-7 preferably, look to fill need in FA

This is mostly due to the fact that both Carter and Lemon are basically complete unknowns at this point. Now If Dallas where to sign a FA LB to either start or be a backup then this ranking would go to 4 stars. and if Carter pans out the way I think we hope he will then this ranking immediately becomes a 5 star position....

So let me know what you all think in the Comments.....As Always I welcome any Comments or Critiques, and I just so you all know I did leave off Bradie James and Keith Brooking because for all intents an purposes they are no longer on the team. While their Contracts aren't "officially" up until March they were not extended and may not be. I wouldn't mind James coming back as a backup though. This will be the case with the rest of the "Position Outlook Series".

Another user-created commentary provided by a BTB reader.