Much like the fullback, the strongside linebacker (SAM) has become somewhat obsolete in the NFL, mostly replaced by the nickel in many packages. As offenses have evolved into horizontal stretch and 11 personnel-heavy attacks, the need for three Ray Lewis, Dick Butkus and Brian Urlacher archetypes manning the middle of the defense has become a vestige. The bygone days of smash-mouth, downhill football where power backs pushed the pile forward has evolved into a spatial game, requiring linebackers who can cover underneath, tackle on the perimeter and blitz. Big, bruising backs are no longer the archangel of the gridiron as teams are now deploying their tight ends and running backs as makeshift pass-catchers, creating a mismatch scenario for the relic three-linebacker base packages in a 4-3. In the modern era, a defensive back has replaced the previous strongside linebacker in three linebacker sets (Sam, Mike, Will) to counter offensive formations with three receivers on the field.
As the game transitioned, defensive coordinators began seeking leaner, athletic linebackers to keep pace with the spread-out offensive alignments. A new protype was created to fulfill the demands of the modern game and its perimeter-ranged fixation. Taking on a fullback at the point of attack used to be the Mike linebacker's trademark, but now, coverage capability often usurps. Linebackers who can stay on the field for all three downs and mirror tight ends on short-to-intermediate routes on third down are a commodity.
"There is more required of the position," said Buccaneers' Pass Game Coordinator and Outside Linebackers Coach Larry Foote. "You have to have the ability to play in space. You have to transition from the middle backer, who is typically 240-250 pounds, to now maybe 230-220. You see a lot of linebackers now that are in the 220s. When I was playing, I was one of the few, me and my partner James Farrior, we were not that big. Towards the late-2000s, you started seeing smaller linebackers get drafted for their speed.
"The game has changed and it is more spaced out. Now it is a game about space and how you can play in space. Back in the 90s, the neck roll took off - the college boy collar. You do not see that anymore. In college if you caught a stinger, it was required and we had to wear it. But it was uncomfortable and did not help you play in space and stiffens you up. You look in the 90s and they all had that, even in the early 2000s but you rarely see those now because you have to play in space. Not only do they have to stop the run and play in the box, they also have to cover the receiver in space, so it is normal now."
The neck roll becoming extinct is a microcosm of the X's and O's revolution. The Buccaneers found uncommon success in two players that served as a blueprint to the rest of the NFL on the reconfigured mold: Derrick Brooks and Lavonte David. When Brooks was drafted in 1995, he was listed at 6-0, 229. The franchise traded up to take the "undersized" linebacker that made an indelible imprint in the team's lore and the NFL. Tony Dungy and Monte Kiffin were not deterred by Brooks' supposedly smaller frame, knowing he would be an ideal fit for their Tampa 2 defense that required coverage drops.
Brooks is immortalized in Canton and was followed by another legend in Lavonte David. At 6-foot-1, 233 pounds, David did not meet the measurables criteria for some teams, but the Bucs were captivated by his tape at Nebraska. Tampa Bay moved up 10 spots to take David, who was deemed one of the top pass-coverage linebackers of the draft class, in the second round. Tampa Bay coveted his sideline-to-sideline range, instinctual play and understanding of leverage/angles. As offensive trends changed throughout his tenure, David adjusted his game, drawing from the internal store that fueled his competitiveness.
"He can play in any era," noted Foote. "He can play in the box; he also excels playing in space. It just speaks to his athleticism and being able to adapt. A lot of it though is mental too, technique and knowing how to play. Take Fred Warner, that is what makes him great and they put a lot on his plate as far as covering wide receivers in space and he does a good job. The more you can do the better. On third-and-seven, third-and-medium, typically you are going to get underneath routes but if a linebacker can stick with you, you are going to get paid and you are going to bring a lot of value."
David developed into one of the best off-ball linebackers in the game and built a Hall of Fame-caliber career in Tampa Bay, embodying both the past and present in his craft. Brooks and David were the original prototype of what teams now salivate over. What was once considered a gamble on two small linebackers, turned into a near supernatural roll of production from both in the team's annals.
The 2026 draft class is a representation of the shift. Ohio State's Arvell Reese is the top-prospect with the flexibility to align off the ball, off the edge and has the fluidity to blanket tight ends and running backs in coverage. Sonny Styles, another Buckeyes' star, converted from safety to linebacker in 2024 and can leverage run fits. He is adept at filtering motions pre-snap and has the short-area quickness to get to the flat. Positionless players deployed as chess pieces are now the norm, but the Buccaneers helped pioneer the linebacker evolution.
