How easily we forget, one down year does not kill a career's worth of production grasshopper. Vilma is a terrific linebacker, one of the smartest linebackers in the league. He had a down year coming off of a knee injury and was still in and out of the line up when he was in. BTW the people we picked up to protect our linebacking core Rodgers, Franklin did not pan out. Rodgers won't be back, Franklin may get another shot, but it's unlikely. Shanle on the other hand, should have been released when Fujita left.

Will Smith has been a mainstay on that D line almost since SP got here and as long as he is willing to take a cut he ain't going nowhere. I do see youth taking over in 2012-2013 with players like Romeus, Jordan, Wilson but you just can't disreguard a player like Smith.