Top 10 Linebackers in Free Agency Jarrett Johnson, OLB (last team: BAL, 31 years old) People in N.F.L. circles love this guy. One of the best playside run-defenders in the league and versatile enough to rush the passer or even drop back and cover the flats. London Fletcher, MLB (WAS, 37) Ancient by N.F.L. standards, but has shown little to no sign of slowing down. There are plenty of younger long-term free agent options for teams to go with, but none of them are guys you'd build your defense around. Free agency is often about short-term fixes anyway; if you want to get good middle linebacking in 2012, sign London Fletcher. Curtis Lofton, MLB (ATL, 26) Has overachieved simply by being a three-down player. But the tight hips that he had coming out of college have indeed been a little problematic for him in coverage. Plays fundamentally sound sideline-to-sideline football on first and second down but is clearly a puzzle piece, not a building block. David Hawthorne, ILB (SEA, 27) Phenomenal when playing strictly downhill, but doesn't quite do that enough to classify as upper echelon. Still, the epitome of a solid inside/4-3 linebacker. Stephen Tulloch, MLB (DET, 27) Effective in a Cover 2 where he can use his speed to hunt down ballcarriers. Capable of handling nickel linebacker duties on passing downs. His best bet for continued success is to re-sign in Detroit. People just assumed that he'd never be the same after his horrific leg injury a few years ago. Watch the film, though, and you'll still see a ferocious downhill player. True, he gets exposed in coverage at times and he's 32. But he can be had at a good price; whatever team gets him will have an aggressive, instinctive middle linebacker for presumably the next 2-3 years. Curtis Lofton, only without the ability to play on third down. Manny Lawson, OLB (CIN, 28) Agile player who is physically built to rush the passer but is hardly effective in doing so. Covers well and astutely diagnoses run play designs, but isn't dynamic in the facets that command big bucks. Stout and steady inside; not fast enough to make plays sideline to sideline. But flanked by a quality outside linebacker or two, he can be a solid starter. Phillip Wheeler, OLB (IND, 27) Has just enough speed to be an adequate outside "backer in a zone-based scheme. Bradie James, ILB, DAL - Slowed down considerably in all phases last season (and played as if he knew it). Erik Walden, OLB, GB - Started on a Super Bowl defense but too often made little to no impact. Chase Blackburn, ILB, NYG - Let's just enjoy his feel-good story from last year's Super Bowl run. Leroy Hill, OLB, SEA - Physical player; a marijuana possession charge against him was dropped.