When San Francisco 49ers outstanding linebacker Navorro Bowman suffered a gruesome knee injury in the NFC Championship game it was the beginning of a rough stretch of months for players at the position. From sad to possibly selfish reasons, talented linebackers started falling around the league. Injuries have always been an unfortunate part of football. The risk is always there but it's always sad to see. Injuries may be even more sad to see during the offseason. Maybe it's pride but getting injured in a game is always easier to handle than getting injured in practice. Dallas Cowboys middle linebacker Sean Lee is one of the best in the league at his position. He might even be the best if he can just find a way to stay on the field. It's been one injury after another since he entered the league in 2010. He tore his ACL at the start of offseason workouts. He's out for the season. Atlanta Falcons linebacker Sean Weapherspoon has had injury issues of his own. He tore his achilles tendon this time. He's out for the season. Buffalo Bills lineabcker Kiko Alonso was one of the best rookies in the league last year. He also tore his ACL. He was working out on his own at home in Oregon between team workouts. He's also out for the season. Injuries knocked out four of the best linebackers in the game. Just being stupid knocked out two others. Indianapolis Colts pass rusher Robert Mathis may or may not have been taking an infertility drug to get past some fertility issues. For whatever reason, he took a substance he wasn't supposed to take. As a result, he won't be playing in the Colts first four games of the season. There is little doubt about Arizona Cardinals excellent linebacker Daryl Washington's stupidity. He chose marijuana over football. Again. He'll be skipping the entire season. That's six impact players at the linebacker position that have fallen. Lee, Weatherspoon, Alonso, and Washington will miss the entire season. Bowman and Mathis will be back this season. Mathis is already out for the first four games. There's a chance that Bowman could be back for the start of the season. After seeing Bowman's leg bend like it shouldn't, it would be something of a miracle for him to not miss a game that counts.
As always, it's next man up in the NFL. There will be football players that step up for these fallen linebackers.
San Francisco: Bowman should be back early in the season, if not opening day. If he isn't ready, the 49ers should be able to get by for a game or two with either Michael Wilhoite or rookie Chris Borland.
Dallas: Lee's leadership and quarterbacking of the defense might be the most difficult aspect of his game to replace. The Cowboys recently traded for Oakland Raiders 2010 top-10 draft pick Rolando McClain. He has, or had, the talent to be drafted high. He's been pretty much a disaster ever since. McClain was most recently with the Baltimore Ravens. He signed with them in 2013 but has never played a snap. He hasn't even come close to playing a snap. He signed on April 10, 2013. Retired about a month later. He came back this spring. He retired again. He's about a wink away from being labeled a bust for about the fifth time. The Cowboys are probably better off looking at one of their in-house, younger options.
Atlanta: The Falcons have had to manage without Weatherspoon often enough that they should be fine.
Buffalo: Alonso played in the middle last year. New defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz likely had Alonso playing on the outside. The Bills brought in veteran linebackers Keith Rivers and Brandon Spikes this offseason. It's more likely that third-year Nigel Bradham will get the first shot at replacing Alonso.
Arizona: Although nowhere near as talented as Washington, second-year Kevin Minter and veteran Larry Foote gives the Cardinals talent and some options. If Washington could ever get out of his own way, he could become one of best football players in the league.
Indianapolis: With Mathis out for four games, 2013 top pick Bjoern Werner will have a chance to make an impact.
Hopefully, the linebackers have stopped falling.
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