One could also make the case that Hightower should have anywhere from one to three Super Bowl MVP trophies on his mantle. No, he was not going to retire and he addressed those rumors on Tuesday.ĭont’a Hightower did opt-out last season, and one could make the case that the regression we saw from the Patriots’ defense a year ago was due in large part to his absence. I’m guessing the initial reactions to this ranking will be as follows: “He did not play at all last season!?” “Didn’t I read that he was going to retire!?” This is just a New England homer pick, isn’t it!?” While we wait for that day, here’s a look at the best in the game today. Which could see the importance of the off-ball linebacker increase in the years to come, as defenses adjust once more. And as coordinators from those organizations move on to new teams - such as Arthur Smith now moving to Atlanta - that philosophy could spread. Minnesota, New England, San Francisco, Cleveland and Tennessee are such examples. Some offenses have started moving in a different direction, relying more on 12 or 21 personnel. That has led to a rise of sub packages on the defensive side of the football, as defensive coordinators turn to nickel and dime packages to get more defensive backs onto the field.īut history has told us that football is a game of cycles, and often what is old becomes new again. Last season, like other seasons before it, 11 offensive personnel was the predominant offensive package, as teams combined to run with three wide receivers on 60% of all offensive snaps in 2020. The role of the off-ball linebacker in the modern NFL is one of the more fascinating positions to contemplate.Īre they a dying breed? At first blush one might think so.

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