The linebacking corps is the heart of any defense, and it’s a position that struggled to make a lot of impact plays for the Detroit Lions in 2016.
No sacks, interceptions or forced fumbles from Detroit’s linebackers in 2016, which is kind of hard to believe.
Tahir Whitehead finished in the Top 10 in total tackles (132), but the loss of DeAndre Levy for 10 games to a knee injury had a negative impact on the defense overall. When Levy returned at the end of the year, he wasn’t the same player.
What kind of player the Lions expect him to be in 2017, after back-to-back injury-riddled seasons, will go a long way in determining how big of a need the position is in free agency and the draft.