Former Alabama assistant coach Robert Bala hired as Washington ILBs coach

Former Alabama linebackers coach Robert Bala will join the Washington staff as their new inside linebackers coach. Bala spent one season in Tuscaloosa as a part of Nick Saban’s staff.

One former Alabama assistant coach will be headed to the Pacific Northwest to continue his coaching career. Several days ago, former Alabama linebackers coach Robert Bala was hired to be the next inside linebackers coach at Washington.

Previously, Bala was hired to be the defensive coordinator at Western Michigan. However, he will now head to the Big Ten to join Jedd Fisch’s staff at Washington.

Bala joined the Alabama coaching staff in 2023 after serving as a defensive assistant at Liberty for one year. He spent one season with the Crimson Tide.

It will be interesting to see how Bala fairs in the Big Ten. In one season at Alabama, he helped develop some of the Tide’s linebackers like Jihaad Campbell and Deontae Lawson. Both of which will return for the 2024-25 season.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the latest regarding the Alabama football program.

Projecting UGA football’s starting inside linebackers

The Georgia Bulldogs have an absolutely stacked inside linebackers room entering the 2023 college football season.

The Georgia Bulldogs have a deep and talented inside linebackers room entering the 2023 college football season. Georgia returns its two leading tacklers, Jamon Dumas-Johnson and Smael Mondon, from last season.

Georgia’s linebackers room is extremely strong because of the Bulldogs’ recruiting prowess. Georgia lost two key contributors from the 2022 season to the transfer portal, but should still have solid depth.

The question is who would start in the event Mondon or Dumas-Johnson miss some time? We think Jalon Walker or Xavian Sorey Jr. would be the top candidates to step in.

Who do we project to be Georgia’s top inside linebackers for the 2023 season?

Nick Bolton focusing on stopping the run in Chiefs’ preseason opener

Linebacker Nick Bolton is focusing on stopping the run in the #Chiefs’ preseason opener against the New Orleans #Saints on Sunday. | from: @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs linebackers have substantially improved their reputation over the past few seasons. They are a young group, led by Nick Bolton and Willie Gay Jr., and have begun to establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with for opposing offenses.

Bolton, in particular, has quickly become a consistent defensive presence with his stellar play that some believed should have earned him a Pro Bowl selection in 2022. The former Missouri standout led the Chiefs in tackles last year and has preached the importance of the defense being respected around the league. Bolton revealed his desire for the defense to focus more on stopping opposing running games while speaking with the media after Tuesday’s practice.

“I think we can come in and get a lot out of it,” Bolton explained of Kansas City’s first preseason matchup against the New Orleans Saints. “Tackling, for one, stopping the run, [the] run game hasn’t really been a huge thing in this training camp, we’re more pass-oriented. So, getting an opportunity to see how we compare against the run, get [defensive] linemen inside blocks, linebackers stack and shed getting off of blocks and tackling on the perimeter. I feel like those are big things, especially Weeks 1 through 5. As a defense, the kind of things we want to be on top of to help us out.”

The Chiefs’ defense ranked tenth against the run in 2022 after beginning the first four weeks on top in that category. Bolton sees potential for more as the team continues to build until the start of the new year.

4 or 5 linebackers: How many will the Packers keep on 53-man roster?

Breaking down the most likely number of linebackers on the Packers 53-man roster to start the 2023 season.

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The inside linebacker position seems pretty well set on this Green Bay Packers team. However, if they find themselves with a number crunch as they put together their 53-man roster, one decision that could have to be made is whether they keep four linebackers or five.

For reference, since Matt LaFleur took over as the Packers’ head coach in 2019, Green Bay has rostered four inside linebackers in three of the previous four seasons.

In total, there are only six linebackers on the 90-man roster currently, which includes De’Vondre Campbell, Quay Walker, Isaiah McDuffie, Tariq Carpenter, Eric Wilson, and undrafted rookie Jimmy Phillips. Excluding Phillips, the first five players listed all had defined roles on this Packers team in 2022, which is why, as I initially mentioned, this position group seems pretty well set.

Campbell and Walker will take the bulk, if not all, of the defensive snaps, while McDuffie, Wilson, and Carpenter all finished top three on the team in special teams tackles last season. But, potentially, there are other crowded position groups like receiver, edge rusher, and safety, that could lead to a difficult decision as the Packers are forced to go light elsewhere.

At the linebacker position, we know that Campbell and Walker are roster locks, and I would put McDuffie into that category as well, with him emerging as the third linebacker option defensively late last season and throughout this year’s offseason programs, not to mention his contributions on special teams. This would then leave either Wilson or Carpenter on the outside looking in.

Wilson is 29 years old and back in Green Bay on a one-year deal. Although there is not a huge amount of cap savings that comes with moving on from him, if the Packers were to release Wilson, they would save almost $1 million in cap space, which they could always use more of. Similarly to Dallin Leavitt at safety, Wilson is here to play special teams, where in addition to leading the team in tackles last season, he was also PFF’s highest-graded player across the NFL.

Carpenter, meanwhile, is only in the second year of his inexpensive rookie contract, and there is value in that, especially for a Packers team trying to get their salary cap situation back in good order. He is new to the linebacker position but brings a lot more upside in comparison to Wilson as a defensive player, given his athleticism, skill set, and the stages that each player is at in their respective careers.

In terms of immediate impact, specifically on special teams, keeping Wilson over Carpenter for the 2023 season probably makes more sense. But for a Packers team in the midst of a transition, in terms of his contract and potential future impact, keeping Carpenter would be the prudent move. And when it comes to making some of these final roster decisions, where playing time is most likely going to be minimal, teams should feel that they have the freedom to take some risk in choosing upside over the possible stability that a veteran can provide.

As we’ve seen in the past, when the Packers put together their initial 53-man rosters, there is always a surprise or two. But with that said, as of right now, I’d guess that Green Bay does keep five linebackers. Rich Bisaccia clearly has a voice within the building when it comes to the roster construction, as there has been a newfound emphasis put on the special teams unit. With Wilson and Carpenter playing key special teams roles last season, keeping both to maintain continuity and build off of last year’s performance is what I imagine the preferred route for the Packers.

PFF says the Saints have built a top-5 linebacker corps

The New Orleans Saints’ linebacker corps is highly regarded at Pro Football Focus, whose rankings put them inside the top-five for 2023:

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We’ve talked a lot about how the New Orleans Saints have built the strength of their defense in the secondary, but they’ve also invested a ton of resources to improve their defensive line. If you look at each position group on its own merits, though, it’s impossible to overlook the linebacker corps as one of the Saints’ best position groups — even if it’s heavier at the top that they would maybe prefer.

Demario Davis and Pete Werner are a terrific tandem, and their unit clocked in at No. 4 overall in this ranking from Pro Football Focus contributing writer David Wasserman, who wrote:

Demario Davis has graded above 75.0 in all five of his seasons in New Orleans, with his 82.7 overall grade good for fourth at the position in 2022. He’s also as durable as they come, as he has played the fourth-most snaps of any linebacker over the last five years. He was well up to standard in coverage last season and added a career-high nine sacks to his ledger, as well. He is the most indispensable player in New Orleans’ defense.

The Saints may have ranked even higher had they been able to hold on to Kaden Elliss, but his departure to Atlanta likely leaves the starting role opposite Davis to third-year man Pete Werner.

Back in 2021, Werner had a tremendous rookie season that included an elite 91.0 run-defense grade. His performance fell off a bit in 2022, and Elliss’ breakout cut into his playing time. The 2021 version of Werner would have the Saints challenging for the top spot on this list. The 2022 version is more of a serviceable contributor than a star. His play will be worth watching this coming season.

So which teams are ahead of New Orleans? Two NFC rivals are just in front of them in the San Francisco 49ers (returning to the top spot) and the rebuilt Chicago Bears unit (built around big-time free agent pickup Tremaine Edmunds), with the Baltimore Ravens in third-place after a stunning trade with Chicago brought them Roquan Smith to pair with Patrick Queen.

But how much value do linebackers have to defenses in the modern NFL? The Saints are one of many teams that run more nickel and dime personnel than base sets, taking a linebacker off the field so they can play more defensive backs. It’s a move that’s become necessary in the pass-first league. Werner has developed into a strong coverage linebacker but Davis has remained one of the NFL’s best blitzing linebackers with 3 or more sacks every year he’s played in New Orleans.

Hopefully some quality depth can emerge behind them. Davis turned 34 this offseason and Werner has missed seven games through his first two years with injuries. Whether it’s fourth-year pro Zack Baun or second-year draft pick D’Marco Jackson (or another backup like Nephi Sewell or undrafted rookies Anfernee Orji and Nick Anderson), the Saints need another player to develop into a long-term solution in order to maintain the linebacker corps as a strength of their team.

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Clemson gets commitment from top-ranked 2024 linebacker

247Sports has Brown ranked No. 1 among linebackers in the class of 2024

Off-ball linebackers may not be as vital as they used to be. However, it never hurts to score an elite talent at any position. Clemson can attest to that, as yesterday they got a commitment from Jefferson (Ga.) five-star linebacker Sammy Brown.

Brown (6-foot-2, 230 pounds) announced the news on his Twitter account with the following graphic and statement

via @sammybrown_

“For the last two and a half years, I have been blessed with the privilege of building relationships with the finest men in college football. I’ve taken dozens of visits to great campuses across the country, spent many nights in conversation, and watched some incredible football games along the way. To all of you that have shared your lives with me, I am forever grateful and I will always cherish the opportunities you afforded me. Specifically to the head coaches and staffs, I appreciate everything y’all have done for me through this whole process. To choose one school from among the final 5 was a nearly impossible task as they are all top notch programs headed by incredible men. My family and I have spent many months in prayer, seeking God’s will for my life. With that being said, I know God’s plan for my life takes me to Clemson, South Carolina!! 100% COMMITTED TO TIGERS”

247Sports has Brown ranked No. 1 among linebackers in the class of 2024, as well as first overall in the state of Georgia and No. 5 nationally. He also had offers from 27 other programs, including Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Tennessee.

Clemson’s class of 2024 now has nine hard commits and ranks No. 17 in the nation.

More football stories

Recruiting Roundup: 4-star QB to Texas among latest commitments

The composite top 10 quarterback recruits in the class of 2024

Chargers begin 2023 offseason workout program

The Chargers began their offseason training program on Monday.

The Chargers’ 2023 offseason program is officially underway in Costa Mesa, CA.

Phase 1 of the nine-week voluntary offseason program is two weeks, with the activities strictly meetings, strength and conditioning and rehab work.

Players are not required to attend this portion of the program.

While the team isn’t yet in its final form, these workouts will provide invaluable experience for the players participating in it and should foster unit cohesion as the offseason progresses.

A more complete picture of what the team might look like at the start of the regular season will come into view after the NFL draft as the Chargers look to get their rookies in the fold on both sides of the ball during minicamp and training camp.

3 linebackers to watch for Chiefs at 2023 NFL Scouting Combine

Here are three linebacker prospects the #Chiefs should be keeping an eye on when on-field drills and testing kicks off on Thursday.

The 2023 NFL Scouting Combine is well underway, but prospects will take the field for the first time on Thursday for on-field drills and workouts. You can watch the edge rushers, interior defensive linemen and linebackers workout from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET on NFL Network.

The Kansas City Chiefs added a number of young contributors to the team via the draft just a season ago. Several of those players posted impressive performances at the combine. The team will look to follow up its standout 2022 draft class by adding even more instant-impact players in 2023.

Keep an eye on the following three linebackers working out on Thursday. A head-turning performance could put any number of the players squarely on the radar for Brett Veach and company.

Bears 2023 offseason preview: Where does Chicago stand at linebacker?

Jack Sanborn burst onto the scene with the Bears linebackers last season, but what will the rest of the group look like in 2023?

The 2023 offseason is officially in full swing, and the Chicago Bears are gearing up for what should be one of the busiest springs in recent memory.

Armed with $98.6 million in cap space, general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus will have plenty of opportunities to improve the team roster in free agency, while also needing to make key decisions on which players they should let walk.

Here at Bears Wire, we’re going position by position to break down where Chicago stands entering the 2023 offseason. Next up on defense is the linebacker position, which could look a lot different from last season.