How good is Karlos Dansby really?
Posted by Andy Benoit

Dolphins inside linebacker Karlos Dansby was asked to rank himself among the game’s playmaking linebackers. "The best,'' he said. "The best in the game, by far, man. By far, the best in the game.''

You have to admire the bravado…maybe. Josh Katzowitz and I ranked the top five inside linebackers in football over the offseason. Dansby did not factor into the discussion.

To be fair, had we been talking strictly about “playmaking”, perhaps Dansby’s name would have come up. The 28-year-old sealed Arizona’s epic Wild Card victory over the Packers in January with his fumble return touchdown. Dansby also forced a fumble earlier in that game.

During the regular season, Dansby had just one forced fumble and one interception, but in his six-year career he’s recorded 25.5 sacks, 10 interceptions and 12 forced fumbles.

But by classifying himself as a playmaker, Dansby is inviting people to overlook his greatest attribute: consistent tackling. There might not be a better finisher in the game when it comes to breaking down and wrapping up an opponent at the point of contact. Dansby is an effective tackler in traffic or in space.

Is Dansby the best playmaking linebacker in the game (by far)? Of course not. But that doesn’t mean he’s not worth the $22 million in guarantees Miami gave him.

But by classifying himself as a playmaker, Dansby is inviting people to overlook his greatest attribute: consistent tackling. There might not be a better finisher in the game when it comes to breaking down and wrapping up an opponent at the point of contact. Dansby is an effective tackler in traffic or in space.

When I watched him get blown out of the hole by a FB tonight I had to wonder.