Free Agency 2020: Outside Linebackers

Posted on February 13, 2020 by Steve Thomas

by Steve Thomas

February 13, 2020

This is part 3 of our ongoing 2020 free agency preview series. Thusfar, we’ve covered the following positions:

Running backs: click here

Wide receivers: click here

Middle linebackers: click here

Next up is outside linebackers. The Redskins, who are transitioning to the 4 – 3 this year, are in a somewhat better position on the outside than they are for their middle linebacker group, which currently consists of just Shaun Dion Hamilton. In a vacuum, 49ers refugee Reuben Foster and soon-to-be second year player Cole Holcomb are most likely in the lead to be the starters next season. The bad news, though, is that Foster is still in the process of overcoming a devastating knee injury in which he tore three knee ligaments on the first day of OTAs last year and has only recently regained feeling in his foot; therefore, the Redskins probably aren’t wise to count on him next season. In fact, Foster’s agent recently put his participation in training camp in doubt[1]. The only other outside linebackers on the roster are Josh Harvey Clemons, who almost no non-special teams playing time last year, and (maybe) Ryan Anderson. If Foster can actually play, he’s definitely the most talented linebacker on the roster and will be the starting strongside backer (the SAM). Holcomb is better in coverage and probably isn’t strong enough to play the SAM, but is better in coverage and therefore is probably the starting weakside backer (the WILL). Anderson’s best position is a bit unclear, as he may either end up at defensive end or as Foster’s back up. Harvey Clemons will most likely be the #2 on the weak side. However, particularly given Foster’s questionable status, it’s possible that the new Redskins’ coaching staff may want to bring in a free agent or two.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at available outside linebackers. My ground rules for this exercise are that I’ve automatically discounted anyone age 32 or over, and I’ve separated out players who are more suited to the 3 – 4 system.

Potential 4 – 3 starters:

Kyle Van Noy (Patriots), 29 in March, 6’3” / 250: The Detroit Lions drafted Van Noy (29 in March) out of BYU in the second round of the 2014 draft. He ran the 40 yard dash in 4.71 seconds and did 21 bench press reps at the 2014 Combine. The Lions traded him to the Patriots early in the 2016 season. Van Noy has played in both the 4 – 3 in Detroit and in New England’s modified 3 – 4 system that often sees only two linebackers on the field. He’s has been embedded as the strongside starter since he arrived in New England, but is versatile enough to be able to fill a variety of roles for the Redskins linebacker corps. In his career, he has played in 81 games, starting 52, and has 289 tackles, 17.5 sacks, and 2 interceptions. He would be a fine addition to the Redskins linebacker group. He’s coming off of a 2 year, $11.75M deal with over $5.5M guaranteed, so he’s unlikely to come cheap.

Jamie Collins (Patriots), 30, 6’3” / 255: Collins was drafted in the second round of the 2013 draft by the Patriots out of Southern Miss. At the 2013 NFL Combine, he ran the 40 yard dash in 4.64 seconds and bench pressed 225 pounds 19 times. Collins has played a total of 96 games in his NFL career, starting 86, and has 574 tackles, 24.5 sacks, and 10 interceptions. The Patriots traded him to the Cleveland Browns in 2016, where he started as the strongside linebacker until he was released after the 2018 season. Collins then re-signed a one year contract with the Patriots in 2019. Last season, Collins played 16 games, starting 15, where he played on the weak side in the Patriots 3 – 4 system, making 80 tackles, 7 sacks, and 3 interceptions. Collins has experience in a wide range of defensive systems and could be useful in DC as either the SAM or the WILL. He has obviously been highly productive throughout his career but is thought of as being better in coverage than in run defense, so it’s possible that he’d be better on the weakside. According to Spotrac, Collins’ market value is $8.8M in average annual value.

De’Vondre Campbell (Falcons), 26, 6’4” / 232: Campbell was the 2016 fourth round pick out of Minnesota by the Atlanta Falcons. He ran the 40 yard dash in 4.58 seconds and did 16 bench press reps at the 2016 Combine. Campbell has played in 59 games in his career, starting 54, with 363 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and 3 interceptions. He’s been the Falcons’ starting weakside backer, racks up high tackle numbers, and has had his playmaking moments, but is also not known for his coverage abilities. Given his skillset, Campbell may actually be better suited for the strongside, but is yet another player who could probably fill multiple roles if necessary. I also briefly mentioned Campbell as an “Other possibility” in my middle linebacker column.

Nick Vigil (Bengals), 26, 6’2” / 235: Vigil was the Bengals’ third round pick out of Utah St. in 2016. He ran the 40 yard dash in 4.72 seconds and bench pressed 225 pounds 15 times at the 2016 NFL Combine. In his NFL career, Vigil has played in 54 games, starting 37, with 295 tackles, 2 sacks, and 2 interceptions. He has been a starter since the 2017 season and posted 111 tackles, 1 sacks, and 1 interception at the SAM position in the Bengals’ 4 – 3 defense last season, but he started at the WILL position in 2017. Vigil is known more for his coverage ability than his tackling, so he might fit in better at the weakside should the Redskins choose to bring him to DC.

Potential 3 – 4 starters

Shaq Barrett (Buccaneers), 27, 6’2” / 250: Barrett is the biggest name right now on the linebacker market. He was signed in 2014 by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado St. He spent the first 16 weeks of the 2014 season on the Broncos’ practice squad before he was promoted to the active roster for good. Barrett has played 77 games in his career, starting 31, with 209 tackles, 33.5 sacks, and 1 interception. Despite never being a full-time starter in Denver, he signed with Tampa Bay for the 2019 season and started every game, getting 19.5 sacks and earning a Pro Bowl nomination. He played outside linebacker in the Buccaneers’ 3 – 4 system last season, but lacks the size of a true 4 – 3 defensive end. Barrett seems perfectly suited for the pass rushing 3 – 4 outside linebacker and thus may not be right for the Redskins despite his incredible sack numbers, at least not at outside linebacker.

Yannick Ngakoue (Jaguars), 25 in March, 6’2” / 246: Ngakoue was the Jaguars’ third round pick out of Maryland in 2016. He ran the 40 yard dash in 4.75 seconds at the 2016 Combine. Over his 4 years in Jacksonville, he’s played 63 games, starting 62, and has 122 sacks, 37.5 sacks, and 2 interceptions. He had 9.5 sacks in 2018 and 8 in 2019. Ngakoue has served as a defensive end in the Jags’ 4 – 3 scheme, but his size and measurables are more akin to a traditional 3 – 4 outside linebacker, so it’s not impossible to think that a team may sign him with that in mind.

NOTE: There are also a whole host of other 3 – 4 outside linebackers who are edge rushers, so I’ll leave them to a separate column.

Please dear God don’t do it

Vontaze Burfict (Raiders), 29, 6’1” / 255: If one ignores the myriad of problems that Burfict has left in his wake over the course of his 8 year career, at cursory glance it seems like he’s a viable starting linebacker option. Unfortunately, during his NFL experience, Burfict has been suspended 4 times and fined 8 times. He only managed to make it to week 4 last season before he incurred a record-setting 12 game suspension (which cost him over $1.1M) for a helmet-to-helmet hit against the Colts. He also reportedly failed his drug test at the 2012 Combine, which is the ultimate idiot test. If he could ever actually stay on the field, he could be a solid starter as a strongside 4 – 3 linebacker, but he’s known as a dirty player and is clearly at the leading edge of the NFL’s disciplinary radarscope. There’s a 0.0000001% chance this guy will be able to get through 16 games, which is something he’s only managed twice so far, in the first two years of his career. Burfict is the last guy a team like Washington needs to let in the building. Run away, Redskins, far away.

Mychal Kendricks (Seahawks), 29, 5’11”, 240: Kendricks, the Eagles’ 2012 second round pick out of Cal, was the starting weakside linebacker in Seattle’s 4 – 3 system in 2019. He’s played in 103 games, starting 91, and has made 548 tackles, 19 sacks, and 4 interceptions in his 8 year career. Sounds like a perfect candidate for a stopgap starting outside linebacker, right? Well, he’s unfortunately had a string of problems and injuries that make him the ideal candidate . . . to stay away from. He’s been chronically unhappy, requesting a trade from the Eagles in the 2017 offseason because of playing time that was initially refused. He continued to whine and eventually was released prior to the 2018 offseason. Kendricks then signed a one year deal with the Browns, only to be charged with insider trading by federal prosecutors just days before the season, causing Cleveland to release him. The Seahawks signed him shortly thereafter, but then he had to sit out 8 games of the 2018 season due to an NFL suspension for the insider trading charge. He eventually pled guilty to the charges and is scheduled to be sentenced this month. Oh yeah, and he also tore his ACL in week 17. If there’s an outside linebacker the Redskins need less than Vontaze Burfict, it’s Kendricks.

[1] http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001097530/article/reuben-foster-regains-feeling-in-foot-months-after-knee-injury