Patriots Positional Preview: Linebackers

Today we’re breaking down one of the most interesting positional groups on the roster this year, the linebackers.

After Jamie Collins‘ shocking trade last season, the Pats had to manage with in-season acquisition Kyle Van Noy, run stopping rookie Elandon Roberts and free agent acquisition Shea McClellin. After Dont’a Hightower, there just wasn’t a three-down linebacker on the roster.

So Van Noy slipped into a passing down role, where he would cover and occasionally rush the quarterback, while Roberts caught attention for his heavy downhill hits in an early down role. It wasn’t as ideal as the Hightower-Collins duo seemed to be, since they never had to leave the field (at least that’s what we thought in 2014 and 2015), but they got the job done.

While heavy reinforcements didn’t arrive this offseason, the addition of David Harris should take enough pressure off of Hightower to help keep him fresh or keep the boat afloat should the captain miss any time. How the rest of the group plays out will be fascinating to watch in camp.

How much of a second-year jump does Roberts make? Will Belichick-favorite Jonathan Freeny step back into a defensive role despite Roberts’ emergence? Can coveted rookie Harvey Langi show enough versatility to carve out a rookie role? Is McClellin on the bubble?

It’s important to note how fluid the edge and linebacker positions have become. Technically Hightower, Ninkovich and McClellan shift between those roles based on the situation, but for the preview purposes we’ll keep them separated. Just know that nothing is set in stone and the ability to move players all over the formation is what makes the Patriots’ defensive front so potent. Just try not to get caught up in the minutiae of positional labels at this point.

Let’s take a closer look at each linebacker.

 

Dont’a Hightower – Hightower re-signed with the Patriots on a four-year deal and it’s a good thing he did because the linebacker depth alongside and behind him is the only underwhelming part of the roster. I shudder to think how things might play out if/when Hightower misses a few games as he usually does. Still, there hasn’t been a more clutch linebacker in Patriots history than Hightower, whose forced fumble sack of Matt Ryan was the spark that made their incredible Super Bowl comeback possible. Add that to his first down Marshawn Lynch goal line tackle just before Malcolm Butler’s interception and it’s hard to come up with a more decorated “big play” linebacker. Hightower’s best spot is at strongside linebacker on early downs, where he’s a fierce run stopper, but it’s on passing downs where he’s really stood out. The results of him as a pass rusher changed Super Bowl 51 in an instant and his improvement in coverage drops has rounded him into a true three-down linebacker who can do it all. He sets the tone on defense and is their heart and soul.

David Harris – The Patriots signed the longtime Jets defensive leader late in the offseason after he was unceremoniously cut. This was a crucial signing as I see it, with the Pats’ depth at linebacker incredibly thin and specific after Dont’a Hightower. Harris gives them a little more flexibility, especially should Hightower miss any time. Harris might not be a three-down linebacker any more, but he can fill in on any down and the Patriots will manage his snaps to maximize his effectiveness. Most importantly, Harris has missed just one game since 2008. At 33, Harris still has some gas left in the tank and can get by with his experience and smarts to make up for any loss of speed. His two-year, $5 million deal shows just how much the Patriots valued what he can bring to the table.

Kyle Van Noy – After the Patriots traded for Van Noy in late October there was buzz that he’d be the pass rusher they needed, but instead he ended up settling into a coverage linebacker role, effectively making up the difference left by Jamie Collins’ departure. He was still a versatile tool, contributing a half sack in the Super Bowl, showing that he could develop with a full offseason in the system under the watchful eyes of the coaching staff. With limited additions at linebacker this offseason, Van Noy figures to be a significant piece of the puzzle this year, especially on passing downs.

Elandon Roberts – The Patriots quietly drafted Roberts in the sixth round but the rookie was anything but quiet in his first season, displaying consistent punishing hits reminiscent of far bigger and more heralded middle linebackers. It’s not often that a rookie can come in and be a tone setter, but that’s just what Roberts was, using his low center of gravity to get under blockers and fearlessly charging into holes to make plays. He played 14 snaps in the Super Bowl. An effective run stopper, Roberts finished with 25 tackles and will look to improve his play recognition and pass defense in his sophomore season. He should be an effective part of the linebacker rotation, especially on early downs.

Shea McClellin – After signing a three-year, $9 million deal last offseason, McClellin was invisible for most of the season outside of two fumble recoveries, one of which he returned 69 yards, and a blocked kick against the Ravens. He played just eight snaps in the Super Bowl. The Pats started him as a defensive end, a surprise to me, before moving him back to more of an edge linebacker role after Jamie Collins was traded. This is a big summer for McClellin; he might not be flashy or make a lot of plays, but he’s athletic and generally seems in position most of the time. With the Pats limited linebacker depth, there’s no question the opportunity is there for him to play more in 2017, but he’s going to have to make some significant strides in the system. The Patriots have a contract out on him in 2018 so this is a make or break year, if he’s not already broke.

Jonathan Freeny – Freeny signed a two-year contract extension last August, worth $4 million and went on to start four of the first five games before a lingering shoulder problem landed him on injured reserve. The extension was a bit of a surprise, but clearly the Patriots see something in Freeny that was apparent in 2015, when I felt like he was consistently late to diagnose and get into position. The biggest question facing him is how things play out between him and Elandon Roberts at the middle linebacker spot. Roberts is younger, cheaper and already had more impact plays in his rookie season. But you never know with guys who are seemingly random Belichick favorites and Belichick called Freeny a player everyone “looks up to.”

Trevor Bates – A UMaine alum, Bates was drafted by the Colts and started one game on special teams. The Pats signed him to their practice squad and quickly earned a pay raise after a month with the team. With limited proven linebacker depth, Bates should see plenty of preseason action and must carve out a special teams role first to make the roster.

Harvey Langi – An undrafted rookie out of BYU, Langi showed flash as a linebacker in his junior year before regressing as an edge player in his senior year. He’s athletic and runs well, and should benefit from focusing on just the linebacker position. The Patriots showed plenty of interest in him during the scouting process, he’s definitely one to watch.

Brooks Ellis – An undrafted rookie out of Arkansas, Ellis was a team captain as a junior and senior with 41 total starts in college. He was also a two-time academic All American. The college tackling machine should aim to make his mark on special teams if he wants to sneak on the roster.