Ranking The Inside Linebackers

I figured since there are so many great LBs in the league right now, I would rank the insides and outsides separate.
PS: The Brett Favre saga gets worse. Favre said he would report to training camp, but has yet to do this. The Packers have asked Favre not to come to camp, so the plot thickens.
But, inside linebackers are the focus today.

U means upside...D means decline...I means Injury prone...R means Retire

1. Brian Urlacher, Chicago Bears --- Got some bad press due to a contract dispute, but is the best in the business in the middle. Didn't reach the 100 tackle mark last year, but tallied 5 sacks and 5 INTs. Urlacher is in the prime of his career.
2. Patrick Willis, San Francisco 49ers (U) --- Don't question this guy. Has amazing speed for a LB, and led the league in tackles as a rookie with 174. The future looks bright for Willis, and his stats could rise even more with better D-line play. That's scary.
3. Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens (D/I) --- He is not the player he once was, but he still among the league's best. Lewis is a ballhawk who can make all the tackles. Plays in a 3-4 defence, but still manages to free himself to make tackles. His INT totals have dropped, but he is still a force.
4. DeMeco Ryans, Houston Texans (U) --- Led the league in tackles his rookie year, and didn't drop off that much last season. Ryans has become the leader of his defence already, and with better D-line play, he could be a force for 10 years.
5. Will Witherspoon, St Louis Rams --- Underrated player who led all ILBs with 7 sacks a season ago. Great speed to go with good strength, Witherspoon has been a consist ant 100-tackle player throughout his career.
6. Kirk Morrison, Oakland Raiders (U) --- Morrison is developing into one of the better LBs in the NFL. He has great speed and size, and used it to notch 120 tackles a year ago. He also has good hands, as displayed by his 4 INTs.
7. London Fletcher-Baker, Washington Redskins --- Fletcher-Baker has notched 100 or more tackles in 7 consecutive seasons, and doesn't appear to be slowing down. He is a great leader both on-and-off the field, and his play improves everyone around him.
8. Jonathan Vilma, New Orleans Saints (U/I) --- A great player who consistently will give you 100+ tackles. Vilma got hurt last year, which sent him from New York to New Orleans. When healthy, he can be a great anchor and leader in any defence.
9. Lofa Tatupu, Seattle Seahawks (U) --- Got into some off-the-field trouble, but Tatupu is a solid force on it. He is a sure tackler, but needs to get to the QB more. Tatupu has developed into the leader of the defence in Seattle, and has three straight 100+ tackle seasons.
10. Nick Barnett, Green Bay Packers --- Five straight 100+ tackle seasons, and Barnett notched a career-high 3.5 sacks a season ago. Has become the focus of the Packers defence, and should remain a force for many years.
11. E.J. Henderson, Minnesota Vikings --- Notched career highs in both tackles and sacks, with 118 and 4.5, respectively. Henderson is finally starting to reach his potential, and the Vikings defence is much more potent with him in the lineup.
12. Jon Beason, Carolina Panthers (U) --- The "other" rookie LB from a year ago, Beason notched 140 tackles to rank third in the league. Has great speed for a ILB, and should use this to get after the QB as he develops. Did a great job replacing Dan Morgan in the middle.
13. Keith Brooking, Atlanta Falcons (D) --- Starting to get up there in years, and is much better on the outside, but Brooking is still a very solid starter in the middle. Brooking is not the fastest player, but makes up for it with his sure tackling skills.
14. Mike Peterson, Jacksonville Jaguars (D/I) --- Needs to stay healthy, but is great when he is. Led the Jags in tackles four years in a row, but has missed 17 games over the past two seasons. A sure tackler with ball-hawking skills, Peterson is a gem...when he plays.
15. Paul Posluszny, Buffalo Bills (U/I) --- Posluszny missed all but three games with injuries during his rookie year, and looks to step up this year. He could be a great in this defence, but needs to prove he can stay on the field to be successful.
16. Antonio Pierce, New York Giants
17. Zach Thomas, Dallas Cowboys (D/R/I)
18. James Farrior, Pittsburgh Steelers
19 Jerad Mayo, New England Patriots (U)
20. Andra Davis, Cleveland Browns
21. Bradie James, Dallas Cowboys
22. Matt Wilhelm, San Diego Chargers (U)
23. Donnie Edwards, Kansas City Chiefs (D)
24. Napolean Harris, Kansas City Chiefs
25. Channing Crowder, Miami Dolphins (U)
26. Tedy Brushchi, New England Patriots (D/R)
27. Gerald Hayes, Arizona Cardinals
28. Keith Rivers, Cincinnati Bengals (U)
29. Bart Scott, Baltimore Ravens
30. Derek Smith, San Diego Chargers