The LB's with the benefit of Draft Hindsight...

[Chadman]

Ok, going into the draft the Steelers essentially had:

ROLB- Jarvis Jones
RILB- Vince Williams
LILB- Lawrence Timmons
LOLB- Jason Worilds

With OLB/ILB Arthur Moats on a 1 year deal, OLB Chris Carter in his last year & ILB Sean Spence coming back from injury. Garvin is long-odds to make the roster.

Shazier is touted as another ILB, as is Zumwaldt. That makes it...7 ILB's & 3 OLB's?

Here's what I'm thinking- Moats has 'position flexibility' and can play both. He's on a 1 year deal, he isn't the future.

Worilds has not been extended, and isn't a 'guarenteed success' yet.

The team is 'high' on Spence if he can come back from his injury.

What if....Shazier is a hedged bet?

If Spence comes back & plays well, could the Steelers just not re-sign Worilds & push Shazier to LOLB where his speed is still an asset? Or if Spence doesn't cut it, Shazier stays inside & Worilds gets extended?

And Zumwaldt is "hedged bet 2"- if Spence fails, and Worilds can't be re-signed, Shazier moves outside & Zumwaldt plays ILB?

[SteelerOfDeVille]

Pretty much agree there. Shazier looks like a young Timmons, who was also loved for position flexibility. I suspect, we'll see a really good competition there (as well as on the d-line) this offseason. I'm excited about the front 7.

[SteelerOfDeVille]

Probably why they had shazier ahead of Mosely... Position flexibility...

[SS Laser]

Ok even I have said this before that some of these guys have and can play OLB and ILB. But I just had this thought. When Shazier, Zumwalt, maybe even Moats are talked about being OLB capable is that 3-4 OLB or really 4-3 OLB? Have any of them played 3-4 OLB? Heck that might even fit for Timmons who has never showed he can be above average at 3-4 OLB. I love the IDEA of position flexibility and running some interesting schemes with a extra fast LB on the field. But can these guys really be moved around from ILB to OLB? I guess we might see if there are injuries or bad play from some LB's.

[papillon]

The Steelers have signed Howard Jones, OLB, from Shepard University in West Virginia, that adds to the intrigue at linebacker.

Pappy