Being a Western NY sports guy, the arrival of Shawne Merriman in Buffalo intrigued me quite a bit. Although the Bills are notorious for acquiring players 3 years after their prime (Terrell Owens, Lawyer Milloy, Drew Bledsoe), the team has nothing to lose at this point (actually at 0-7, they still have 9 games to lose).
Even a modest contribution from Merriman would be an improvement over most of the Bills current defensive players. Don't get me wrong, I'm not expecting big things from Mr. "Lights Out", but I'd at least like to see what this guy can do in a Buffalo unifrom when healthy. Remember, this is the same player who finished 3rd in the AP Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2006 (finishing behind Jason Taylor and Champ Bailey).
If you're thinking Merriman can't contribute on the field without steroids, let me just remind you that #56 was suspended for steroid use prior to his 3rd place finish in the 2006 Defensive Player of the Year voting. In just 12 games after the suspension, Merriman tallied a league-leading 17 sacks as well as 4 forced fumbles. Knee and calf injuries have plagued Merriman since 2008. Up until that point, Merriman had made the Pro Bowl in all three seasons, including 2 First-Team All-Pro selections and 1 Second-Team All-Pro selection. If Merriman's legs can hold up, Buffalo will be getting an All-Pro linebacker whose still only 26 years old. For a team lacking a dominant pass rusher, this just might be what the doctor ordered.
Since I've already given you a little blast from the recent past, I thought why not come up with a list of the 10 Best Linebackers from 2005-2010. I guess this list is tailored to put Merriman on it at some point (because Merriman was drafted by the Chargers in 05') but I carefully constructed it to be as fair as possible.
1. Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens. The guy has been selected to eleven Pro Bowls in fourteen seasons. He doesn't every seem to fade away either. His Week 2 tackle against Darren Sproles in 2009 epitomized Lewis' career: always knowing where to make the right play at the right time. His technique is flawless.
2. Patrick Willis, San Francisco 49ers. Has made the Pro Bowl in every year since he was drafted in 2007. Also won Defensive Rookie of the Year. In his rookie season, Willis record 20 total tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble and 1 pass deflection against the Bucs in Week 16.
3. Brian Urlacher, Chicago Bears. Until injuries started to derail him midway through the 2008 season, a case could be made for Urlacher as the best linebacker from 2005 up until mid-2008. Urlacher won Defensive Player of the Year in 2005 and led his team to the Super Bowl in 2006. One play that will always endure in my mind is a play Urlacher chased down Michael Vick from behind in a primetime game in 2005.
4. Demeco Ryans, Houston Texans. With Brian Cushing's controversial and explosive year in 2009, many forgot about Ryans, the heart and soul of the Texans defense. Ryans was named 2007 Defensive Rookie of the Year and has made two Pro Bowls in four seasons.
5. Joey Porter, Arizona Cardinals. If you asked Porter, he would be #1 on this list. A four-time Pro Bowler with 92 sacks in 11 seasons, Porter certainly deserves to be on this list.
6. James Harrison, Pittsburgh Steelers. Didn't see much playing time until 2007. From that point on, Harrison has made a major impact on Mike Tomlin's defense. Harrison won Defensive Player of the Year in 2009 and made the game-changing play in the Steelers Super Bowl win against the Cardinals the same year.
7. Lofa Tatupu, Seattle Seahawks. He made the Pro Bowl his first three years in the league. After missing all of 2009, Tatupu is looking like his usual self again this year.
8. Shawne Merriman, Buffalo Bills. Back in his "Lights Out" days, he left nothing on the field.
9. Mike Vrabel, Kansas City Chiefs. A versatile linebacker who was an integral part of the Patriots dynasty in the 2000's. Maybe his name looks like it shouldn't be on this list, but Vrabel was one of the constants on a defense that won 3 Super Bowls.
10. Jon Beason, Carolina Panthers. Because he came out the same year Willis did (see #2) Beason is often overshadowed when people discuss talented young linebackers. Beason has played in two Pro Bowls in three years and finished runner-up to Willis in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2007.
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