Whenever I think of Seattle Seahawks football, I think of a team that plays with an old-school approach. They want to dominate in the trenches up front, they want to run the football and then turn around and punish you with a physical defense. The Legion of Boom was always what highlighted their defense. Now, it’s been dismantled. Sherman was released and now plays in San Francisco; Earl Thomas plays in Baltimore and Kam Chancellor was released due to a string of injuries. Despite all of that, they have one consistent piece to their puzzle that’s been in the middle of it all, no pun intended. Today, the Seahawks decided to keep him for the long haul by extending his contract. A three-year, $54 million extension with $40.2 million guaranteed which makes him the highest paid linebacker in the league.
He’s the second-best middle linebacker behind Luke Kuechly without question. Every defense has that one guy who serves as that piece that holds it all together. That’s exactly what number 54 does for this Seattle defense. A middle linebacker serves as the quarterback of the defense. Every time I watch him play, he’s either in the backfield, he’s coming up the middle for a blitz or he’s making a tackle for a loss of yards. He’s so aware of his surroundings on the field. He can see the screen play unfold before it happens. He watches, then makes his move to attack. He can cover and lay a hit on the tight end. From sideline to sideline, he’s one of the best in the league. He always wants to make a play who happens to be in the right spot at the right time. In one on one situations, he wins those battles because he always stays low and centered. Even when you’re in good position against him, he finds a way to shed the blocks. He plays with balance. That’s exactly what you need to be a successful linebacker at any level. He has the mindset of a pass rusher meaning he can get in the backfield and disrupt the pocket; he can drop back in coverage to cover and get you that much needed interception and he’s a ballhawk. He has such a strong nose for the football and wherever the ball is, he is. He just has that knack for the football.
In a short period of time, he’s become their best defensive player. At times, he may have been overshadowed by their secondary during the LOB days, but Bobby was just as important to their defense as those guys were. Now, this is his defense. They go as he goes.
