Offenses in today's NFL are forcing defenses to make adjustments to the way they do things. As the offseason begins to heat up, and we start to move into the draft, and free agency, NFL teams are now looking to fill a new role on their team. Like the "slot" receiver, "slot" corner, or "receiving" tight end, the hybrid inside linebacker is a position NFL teams are starting value more and more.
These "hybrid" linebackers are really just bigger, physical, safeties. When you are talking about these players you are usually going to see a player in the 6'2/6'3 range that weighs about 220lbs that would be considered "big", and "slow" for a safety. Players like Deone Bucannon, Mark Barron, Thomas Davis, all played safety in college, but essentially now play inside linebacker in the NFL. A player Bronco fans might remember who played this role extremely well was TJ Ward. When Denver would go into the nickel formation they would move Ward up to an inside linebacker role. From there he could cover the tight end, running back, or in Super Bowl 50 even shadow Cam Newton.
It use to be that you could more or less "hide" a bigger, run stuffing linebacker in pass coverage. Those days are over. Unless you are a pass rushing specialist, if you want to play linebacker in the NFL you have to be able to run and cover like a safety while still being able fill holes like a run stuffing linebacker. Teams that are unable to put out linebackers who can cover will find themselves being taken advantage of by the new wave of running backs, and tight ends who run routes like wide receivers. As I mentioned in a previous post, players who can do multiple things at well are becoming more and more valuable. Linebackers who play like safeties, safeties who play like cornerbacks, and running backs that play like wide receivers are just a few of the "unique" types of players teams will have to utilize be successful in the NFL.
A player in this years draft who fits this role, who I think would fit well on the Broncos is a guy named Kyle Dugger from the tiny Lenoir-Rhyne University. Dugger is 6'2 and 220lbs, plays safety, inside linebacker, running back, and he also returns kicks and punts for the Bears. He is a physical, sure tackler, but also possesses the athletic ability to play safety, cover the tight end, back out of the backfield, and occasional wide receiver. I believe that Dugger, and players like him will one day be the "usual" inside linebacker. Teams that take advantage of players like Dugger will be able to have more flexibility on defense, and make it tougher for offenses to create mismatches.
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