Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
NFL Network analyst Bucky Brooks recently ranked his
top five off-ball linebackers in the league, and San Francisco 49ers fans may be disappointed to learn that the team's star defender,
Fred Warner, was not at the top of the list. He wasn't at No. 2 either.
Warner, who signed a five-year, $95 million contract extension last week, came in at No. 3, behind Bobby Wagner of the Seattle Seahawks and Darius Leonard of the Indianapolis Colts.
Maybe that will be further motivation for the 24-year-old linebacker, who has many years in front of him.
"The All-Pro has become one of the league's most disruptive players as an off-ball playmaker," wrote Brooks. "Warner has tallied at least 118 tackles in each of his three seasons, including a 2020 campaign in which he registered 125 stops with five tackles for loss, one sack and two interceptions. As a crafty ballhawk with outstanding instincts and awareness, the 49ers' designated disruptor is quickly challenging his fellow all-stars for the top spot on the list."
Warner has led the 49ers in tackles during each of his three NFL seasons. He has racked up 367 tackles, 15 tackles for a loss, 14 quarterback hits, three interceptions, a touchdown, four sacks, 21 passes defensed, and five forced fumbles over his brief career so far, earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors this past season. And he did all of that while starting every game over those three seasons.
So why is Warner third on the list?
"The six-time All-Pro (Wagner) continues to fend off challengers as the undisputed champ at the position," explained Brooks while defending the Seahawks linebacker's spot at the top of his list. "Wagner is a stat stuffer with a strong nose for the ball and a knack for playmaking. ... As the ultimate disruptor in the middle of the field, Wagner is the prototypical off-ball linebacker that every defensive coordinator covets between the tackles."
Warner is currently the highest-paid linebacker. However, that could change soon. Leonard is the next one in line for a massive contract. The Colts star has produced ridiculous statistics on his way to two Pro Bowl selections and is a two-time first-team All-Pro.
"The ultra-athletic playmaker is a tackling machine with sideline-to-sideline range," Brooks wrote of Leonard. "The two-time All-Pro is a destructive force whose ability to produce highlight plays is a game-changer for the Colts -- and the reason why he's expected to cash in soon."
What do you think of the order of Brooks' ranking? Leave a comment below.
San Francisco's star wide receiver Deebo Samuel had himself another very impressive game in last week's close competition with the Philadelphia Eagles. Even more promising for the 49ers is the fact that the third year wideout had a good performance against Eagles secondary and Darius Slay in the low scoring, grit and grind game. The final score ended up being a 17-11 win, but the Niners had an otherwise stagnant offense for most of the game, being shut down by Philadephia's strong run defense.
The 49ers receiver did it all on the field as he even had a critical pass breakup to prevent a potentially costly mistake by quarterback Jimmy Garappolo. Shanahan had this to say about the potential game-altering play: "I thought he [Garappolo] did miss a little one on that out throw on
The San Francisco 49ers have released the list of inactive players for their Week 1 matchup on the road against the Detroit Lions. These players will not suit up for Sunday's game.
Inactives:
OG Aaron Banks
DT Javon Kinlaw
CB Emmanuel Moseley
CB Josh Norman
RB Trey Sermon
Saturday's roster moves involved activating cornerback Dontae Johnson from the practice squad and placing wide receiver Jalen Hurd on injured reserve. The former was a sign that the team's starting cornerback, Moseley (knee), would not suit up this morning.
Kinlaw has been dealing with a knee injury. Norman was signed a week ago. Sermon, a rookie, was expected to be the first running back in the game when starter Raheem
The San Francisco 49ers have released the list of inactive players for their Week 2 matchup on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles. These players will not suit up for Sunday's game.
Inactives:
OG Aaron Banks
DE Zach Kerr
CB Emmanuel Moseley
CB Ambry Thomas
Moseley will miss another game as he continues to recover from a knee injury. It was reported this morning that Josh Norman and Deommodore Lenoir will start at cornerback for the 49ers.
The good news is that defensive linemen Arik Armstead and Javon Kinlaw are active. Both were listed as "questionable" heading into this game. Also active
It's shocking to fans that San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis is still waiting to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Defensive tackle Bryant Young is still waiting too. Both Bay Area icons were among the list of 122 modern-era nominees eligible for the Class of 2022.
The other former 49ers players who were part of Wednesday's announced nominees are listed below.
K Gary Anderson
WR Anquan Boldin
QB Jeff Garcia
S Merton Hanks
TE Brent Jones
S Tim McDonald
P Reggie Roby
OL Jesse Sapolu
DE Justin Smith
LB Takeo
