Just like the AFC North has been known historically for its running backs and pass rushers, off-ball linebackers also fit right into that mix, thanks to previous names like Ray Lewis, James Farrior, Andra Davis, and Takeo Spikes holding down the middle of AFC North defenses in the early 2000s.
Now, that trend seems to be slowly returning in the tough AFC North, albeit with a different breed of linebackers to meet today’s wide-open, fast-paced offenses.
In today’s edition of the Ranking the Rooms: AFC North series here at Steelers Depot, I’ll dive into off-ball linebackers, focusing mainly on middle linebackers and those that live off the ball (hence the name).