As SB Nation’s Ryan Van Bibber continues his series of columns on the NFL’s best tandems at each position, the linebackers are up today and the Kansas City Chiefs fare quite well in the rankings. Chiefs fans knew this, of course, when the stars of the team are found all along the middle of the defensive unit. The Chiefs end up No. 6 overall in the rankings, and an unexpected player gets a name check.
Van Bibber writes, "You can include Derrick Johnson among the league’s elite inside linebackers, right up there with household names like Willis and Lewis. Tamba Hali deserves similar praise for his work on the outside. Jovan Belcher has been a nice pairing with Johnson in the middle."
The top teams are the San Francisco 49ers, anchored by Patrick Willis, and the Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers, Redskins and Cowboys are also above the Chiefs. After this season and the continued development of Justin Houston, expect the Chiefs to be a top five unit by year’s end.