Top LBs all time - by franchise

[R. Rich]

Lambert & Greene set the tone for those D's. The other players were very good to very great, but I think those 2 deserve the most credit. As great as Jack Ham was, I would have to put Lambert as the Steelers #1 LB.

 

Lambert would have the edge in his athleticism, but Ham was the best 'backer that team has ever had. Both were outstanding though.

[Rico]

Lambert would have the edge in his athleticism, but Ham was the best 'backer that team has ever had. Both were outstanding though.

Can't really argue that, it's more personal preference with me than anything. Ham was tremendous, the definition of rock-solid.

[R. Rich]

Can't really argue that, it's more personal preference with me than anything. Ham was tremendous, the definition of rock-solid.

 

The closest I've seen in recent years to Ham's ability to diagnose plays and get there consistantly in time to disrupt things is Ray Lewis, and even he isn't as good @ it as Ham was.

[Fewell733]

Typos fixed.

 

And Conlan was extremely overrated IMO, don't think he'd make my top 10 Bills LBs. He wasn't even the best Shane, Nelson was far better.

 

agree about Conlan. I don't recall a single memorable play for his entire pro career. then again i was pretty young at the time, but I do remember his contemporaries making plays.

[BuffaloBlood]

The TSN Preview guide selected the top three LBs of all time for each franchise. They didn't do any other position.

 

AFC

Baltimore Ravens - 1.Ray Lewis, 2. Jamie Sharper, 3. Peter Boulware

Buffalo Bills - 1. Cornelius Bennett, 2. Darryl Talley, 3. Mike Stratton

Cincinnati Bengals - 1. Bill Bergey, 2. Jim LeClair, 3. Reggie Williams

Cleveland Browns - 1. Clay Matthews, 2. Walt Michaels, 3. Jim Houston

Denver Broncos - 1. Tom Jackson, 2. Randy Gradishar, 3. Karl Mecklenberg

Houston Texans - 1. DeMeco Ryans, 2. Jamie Sharper, 3. Kailee Wong

Indianapolis Colts - 1. Mike Curtis, 2. Ted Hendricks, 3. Don Shinnick

Jacksonville Jaguars - 1. Kevin Hardy, 2. Mike Peterson, 3. Daryl Smith

Kansas City Chiefs - 1. Willie Lanier, 2. Bobby Bell, 3. Derrick Thomas

Miami Dolphins - 1. Zach Thomas, 2. Nick Buonicontti, Bryan Cox

New England Patriots - 1. Andre Tippett, 2. Steve Nelson, 3. Ted Johnson

New York Jets - 1. Mo Lewis, 2. Larry Grantham, 3. Greg Buttle

Oakland Raiders - 1. Matt Millen, 2. Ted Hendricks, 3. Dan Conners

Pittsburgh Steelers - 1. Jack Ham, 2. Jack Lambert, 3. Greg Lloyd

San Diego Chargers - 1. Junior Seau, 2. Shawne Merriman, 3. Donnie Edwards

Tennessee Titans - 1. George Webster, 2. Robert Brazille, 3. Keith Bulluck

 

NFC

Arizona Cardinals - 1. Dale Meinert, 2. Bill Koman, 3. Eric Hill

Atlanta Falcons - 1. Tommy Nobis, 2. Jessie Tuggle, 3. Keith Brooking

Carolina Panthers - 1. Sam Mills, 2. Kevin Greene, Mark Fields

Chicago Bears - 1. Dick Butkus, 2. Mike Singletary, 3. Brian Urlacher

Dallas Cowboys - 1. Lee Roy Jordan, 2. Chuck Howley, 3. DeMarcus Ware

Detroit Lions - 1. Joe Schmidt, 2. Wayne Walker, 3. Chris Spielman

Green Bay Packers - 1. Ray Nitschke, 2. Dave Robinson, 3. Fred Carr

Minnesota Vikings - 1. Scott Studwell, 2. Matt Blair, 3. Jeff Sielman

New Orleans Saints - 1. Rickey Jackson, 2. Sam Mills, 3. Vaughan Johnson

New York Giants - 1. Lawrence Taylor, 2. Sam Huff, 3. Harry Carson

Philadelphia Eagles - 1. Chuck Bednarik, 2. Bill Bergey, 3. Seth Joyner

St. Louis Rams - 1. Les Richter, 2. Isiah Reynolds, 3. Jack Reynolds

San Francisco 49ers - 1. Dave Wilcox, 2. Ken Norton Jr., 3. Patrick Willis

Seattle Seahawks - 1. Lofa Tatupu, 2. Julian Peterson, 3. Chad Brown

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 1. Derrick Brooks, 2. Richard "Batman" Wood, 3. Hardy Nickerson

Washington Redskins - 1. Chris Hamburger, 2. Sam Huff, 3. LaVar Arrington

 

I know the Steelers have a long history of great LBs but to have Kevin Greene on the list as a Panther is just plain wrong. That would be like making a list for the NHL and listing Gretzky as a member of the St. Louis Blues.

[Buftex]

I think the top 3 on this list is about right...

I would then add (not in any particular order)

TKO

Fletcher

Cowart

Spielman

Paup

Haslett

Nelson (Shane, not Bob)

 

before I would list Conlan. He'd be just on the outside of my top 10 with Lucious Sanford & Isiah Robertson... I used to also like Paul Guidry too when I was a kid. As for Conlan's 'greatness', the only time I ever saw that was when he was playing for Jopa. Outstanding college player, decent (not great) pro.

 

 

Conlan was a better Buffalo Bill than either Isiah Robertson or Chris Spielman. Both were a shell of their former selves, by the time they were playing in Orchard Park.

 

For me, I think Paup is a bit more overrated than Conlan. Cowart was one too, who could have/should have been great, but he was injured almost as much as he was healthy. It is kind of hard to judge who was better. Conlans' teams were definitely better than Cowarts.

 

I loved Fletcher, but he wasn't better than Conlan, when healthy. We all know Fletcher was a hell of a player, but he was a liability in pass coverage...not so with Conlan.

[Buftex]

agree about Conlan. I don't recall a single memorable play for his entire pro career. then again i was pretty young at the time, but I do remember his contemporaries making plays.

 

 

That is the difference between Conlan and Bennett...Conlan stabalized the LB unit, while Bennett was a bit of a rover, and a gambler. Conlan and Talley's stability allowed Bennett to take more chances, and make bigger, more memorable plays. I think people are forgetting that Conlan was a terrific tackler, amazingly quick from sideline to sideline, and great in pass coverage.

 

 

Maybe not a flashy guy, but stone solid...took years off his career....a referesher course in Shane Conlan:

 

 

I really can't fathom that anyone would not include Conlan on any list of top 10 linebackers in Bills history.

[olivier in france]

Sure he was. He was certainly better than:

 

Derrick Brooks

Kevin Greene

Ray Lewis

Junior Seau

Derrick Thomas (RIP)

Zach Thomas

 

 

All of those guys were in the league from 98-02, the years TKO was in Cincinnati.

 

sarcasm sarcasm maybe but don't forget TKO was playing in the middle of an awful D and doing it all by himself... His tackles totals during his Bengals years were insane if i remember well while guys like Brooks, Lewis, Greene or Thomas were playing in very good Ds and could focus on more visible tasks like INT or sacks...

[olivier in france]

People forget how good Cowart was pre-injury. The guy was begining to dominate like Ray Lewis and imo would have been mentioned in the same breath had he not got hurt. Of course, I'm not sure he played enough games to warrent being on any all time "best" lists. His best was better than Conlan's best - WAY better - but he didn't sustain that level for long enough. The others you list - namely Paup, Speilman and TKO didn't really have a long enough tenure with the Bills to be considered "better." Again, their best was better than Conlan's best but Conlan was with the Bills for 6-7 years while Speilman and Paup were only around for what, 2 each? TKO was around longer than that but he only had 2 great years before his injury.

 

I can't say I saw Haslett or Nelson play.

 

totally agree with you about Cowart.

[Bill from NYC]

I guess I'm not old enough, but damn...Willie Lanier and Bobby Bell must have been super human. Not too bad for your team when one of the most dominant pass rushers of all time is ranked 3rd.

 

If only tragedy hadn't struck him. I wonder how many sacks he would have ended up with.

 

They were. I think that Lanier was every bit as good as Butkis. Bell was superb as well.

[Bill from NYC]

Sure he was. He was certainly better than:

 

Derrick Brooks

Kevin Greene

Ray Lewis

Junior Seau

Derrick Thomas (RIP)

Zach Thomas

 

 

All of those guys were in the league from 98-02, the years TKO was in Cincinnati.

 

Different positions, but I would take a healthy TKO over Zach Thomas, and by a lot.

[stuckincincy]

Couldn't cover the pass? The guy has 28 career INTs, which would tie him w/ Charlie Romes for 4th in Bills history. He had awesome range and was a textbook drop back LB in pass coverage, much like Ted Hendricks was.

 

His supporting cast was...salutary.

[bartshan-83]

Actually, Bart, that list in regard to the Chiefs is very accurate.

They were. I think that Lanier was every bit as good as Butkis. Bell was superb as well.

I don't doubt it. It just surprised me that DT could be 3rd on a list. I wish I had seen them play.

[Rico]

Lanier and Bell showed up in big games, while IIRC Thomas quite noticeably tended to disappear. For that reason, he's not HOF-worthy IMO... great regular season player though.

[Chandler#81]

QUOTE (bartshan-83 @ Jul 3 2008, 09:51 AM)

I guess I'm not old enough, but damn...Willie Lanier and Bobby Bell must have been super human. Not too bad for your team when one of the most dominant pass rushers of all time is ranked 3rd.

 

If only tragedy hadn't struck him. I wonder how many sacks he would have ended up with.

 

 

 

 

 

They were. I think that Lanier was every bit as good as Butkis. Bell was superb as well.

 

Agreed. I think Jim Lynch may have been better than D. Thomas. Better all around, anyway. What a defense that was, with Culp, Aaron Brown, Big Buck Buchanon, Johnny Robinson, Jim Marsaillis, Emmit Thomas -damn!