By the numbers:
Jamie Collins — 6 games, 6 starts; 31 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT
How was 2017? Schobert and Kirksey were two of the NFL’s most productive linebackers, racking up 144 and 138 tackles, respectively. Those figures were the first and fourth best in the league. And when Pro Bowler Jamie Collins Sr. went down — undoubtedly a significant blow to a defense counting on his playmaking ability — former practice squad member James Burgess Jr. stepped up in a big way with 75 tackles and four sacks. Cleveland’s linebackers, of course, also played a huge role in what was one of the league’s best run defenses.