NFC East Linebacking Corps Led by DeMarcus Ware, Cowboys

The NFC East has been home to some outstanding linebackers: Dallas' Bob Breunig, Chuck Howley and Lee Roy Jordan; New York's Jessie Armstead, Harry Carson and Brad Van Pelt; Philadelphia's Bill Bergey, Seth Joyner and Jeremiah Trotter and Washington's Chris Hanburger, Ken Harvey and LaVar Arrington.

And of course, the prototype for the modern-day outside linebacker, Lawrence Taylor, spent his entire 13-year career with the Giants.

However, big changes have taken place in the heart of NFC East defenses this year. While the Cowboys' quartet is unchanged, the Eagles have two starters who weren't on their roster last season and a third who has switched positions. The Giants lost Antonio Pierce, the lifeblood of their defense for five years, to a career-ending injury and Danny Clark to free agency.

The Redskins return their starting trio but have added converted end Andre Carter to their linebacking corps as they switch to a 3-4 defense.

So which of the division's four teams stacks up the best at linebacker, a multi-faceted position that often combines the pass rushing prowess of a defensive lineman, the coverage skills of a defensive back and the spot's traditional signal-calling duties and heavy tackling workload?

1. Cowboys -- Dallas edges Washington because DeMarcus Ware outside and Bradie James inside are heading into their sixth year in the 3-4 scheme that former coach Bill Parcells installed in 2003. Keith Brooking, a Pro Bowl pick from 2001-05, arrived from Atlanta last year to start inside just as 2007 first-round draft choice Anthony Spencer was promoted to start outside. Ware, who had a Dallas-record 20 sacks in 2008, has averaged 13 since being drafted in the first round in 2005.

James has led the Cowboys in tackles five years in a row, the longest streak since the stat became official in Big D in 1979. Brooking will be 35 next month, but he showed no signs of slowing down last season when he and Spencer helped the Cowboys finish ninth on defense. Leon Williams, who started seven games for Cleveland in 2007, is the only leading reserve with more than a year of experience.

2. Washington -- The Redskins might have been first if they had already made a smooth transition from the 4-3 alignment to new coordinator Jim Haslett's 3-4 scheme and if Carter, who struggled at linebacker for San Francisco in 2005, had shown that he could play the position. Washington certainly has talent with tackling machine London Fletcher, the longtime middle linebacker and captain who's still in top form at 35, and Brian Orakpo, who had 11 sacks as a rookie outside backer in 2009 and joined Fletcher in the Pro Bowl.

Carter also had 11 sacks as an end last season. Rocky McIntosh, who moves from the weak side to the inside, quietly averages eight tackles a game. Versatile Lorenzo Alexander, undersized H.B. Blades, fourth-rounder Perry Riley and pass rusher Chris Wilson are quality backups.

3. Philadelphia -- The trio of Ernie Sims on the weak side, Stewart Bradley in the middle and Akeem Jordan on the strong side could be very good. Trouble is that: Sims slipped to just 49 tackles in 2009, his fourth season in Detroit; Bradley missed all of last year following knee surgery; and none of Jordan's 16 career starts have come on the strong side.

Bradley has made a full recovery while Sims and Jordan seem well-acclimated, too. Their adjustments will be crucial for an Eagles defense that ranked 12th last year but might be called upon to do more in 2010 with the unproven Kevin Kolb quarterbacking the offense. Omar Gaither, a starter in 2007-08, journeyman Tracy White and second-year man Moise Fokou are the top reserves.

4. New York -- New strong side starter Keith Bulluck, 33, wasn't retained after a decade in Tennessee because of doubts about his surgically repaired knee. He was out of the NFL until the Giants signed him just before the start of camp. Weak side backer Michael Boley heads into his sixth year as a starter without having achieved any notable success. Jonathan Goff, who takes over for Pierce in the middle, has four NFL starts on his resume.

Taylor, Carson, Carl Banks and Gary Reasons, they're not. New York tied for 13th on defense last year under ousted coordinator Bill Sheridan. Maybe replacement Perry Fewell can get more out of the linebackers who also include second-year man Clint Sintim, deposed by Bulluck, special teams ace Chase Blackburn and Gerris Wilkinson, who didn't fare well as a starter for five games in 2008.