We're looking at free agency ahead of the official FA start period (March 13th, kinda officially…but things are happening all week+ prior), going position by position to discuss some of the big names, tour top ranked guys, as well as the sleepers and frauds of the group…and we'll make some throwaway/dart throw predictions on landing spots.
Today's position group: Linebackers (non-EDGE)
The consensus top three LBs available…
1) Patrick Queen, BAL
2) Frankie Luvu, CAR
3) Lavonte David, TB
Imagine my outrage when I saw that the two top-rated linebacker free agents, per the mainstream, are pass rushing linebackers. Uggh. The NFL knows no bounds on their love for players who might get sacks.
We got two pass rushers at the top and a Hall-of-Famer LB entering the finals round of his career.
FFM's top three LBs available (if I were an NFL GM)…
1) Jordyn Brooks, SEA
Why isn’t Brooks the top LB? He likely would’ve been in 2022, before he tore his ACL. He was great in 2021 and 2022...lead the league in solo tackles in 2021, was #3 in solos in 2022. He can tackle and cover...and he had 4.5 sacks in 2023 season, a career high. What’s not to love here from a player in his prime a full year+ removed from his ACL?
PREDICTION: Seattle has a new regime, so they may not get/want him back. He’ll go to the highest bidder. My guess will be Washington with some connection to the Seattle days with Dan Quinn...or could go to Indy to be with former Seattle D-C Gus Bradley, perhaps.
2) Frankie Luvu, CAR
Becoming a more well-rounded LB every season. He will be in demand for sure. 2nd in the NFL in TFLs in 2022. Career high in tackles and QB hits and PDs and Comp. Pct. allowed against him in 2023.
PREDICTION: Carolina should want him back, but I’ll take a pure, wild guess he winds up in Tennessee.
3) Lavonte David, TB
Assuming he still has gas left in the tank...he’s a one-year deal potential at this stage.
PREDICTION: Tampa Bay cannot let him go...they’ll find a way to keep him/he’ll want to stay and finish his career there. Unless he wants to join a team one last time to try and win a title, but he has a title already. He’s gonna retire a Buc.
The fraud LB of free agency 2024: Patrick Queen, BAL
I’m not a fan of interior linebackers who have one particular gift...rushing the passer. I want my ILBs to be run stoppers and able to cover the passing game. If I need a pass rusher, I’ll go get OLBs who can shuffle or rotate.
If you want to move Queen to a more pass rushing OLB...then I don’t want him even more, because I got a million guys that I can work with that can just rush the backfield...and most all of them will be cheaper than Queen’s new deal will be.
PREDICTION: This will be a move by a sucker team led by an ex-defensive coordinator type head coach. Washington is a candidate for sure. New England could go here.
The best value LB in free agency 2024: Kenneth Murray, LAC
I thought he was coming into his own in 2023...career highs in tackles, sacks, PDs, TFLs last season. PFF graded him awful, but I’ve always been interested/a fan...and I don’t trust PFF grades. Murray is a former 1st-round pick who had to deal with strange coaching situations in his career.
PREDICTION: He should take a one-year deal with a team/coach who liked him 4 years ago. I wonder if KC might steal him super cheap. I’d love to see him with DeMeco Ryans. Arizona is in play. A possible return to LAC if Jim Harbaugh likes his interview...and he should.
The deep sleeper LB in free agency 2024: Blake Cashman, HOU
I thought Cashman looked GREAT at times in 2023...a resurrection. He’s always been a guy I liked, back to his Jets days. Not sure why he keeps getting bounced around the league.
PREDICTION: Houston should be the leader for him but if he gets loose, there will be at least one team that faced him last year that had to be impressed. He had 19 tackles and a sack + a PD against Arizona Week 11 last season, so let’s make the Cards and the Falcons the leaders, if Houston ‘passes’...but he wants to go back with the Texans, if they’ll match his best offer.
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