State of the franchise: Linebackers

The Bengals enter the 2013 season with a top 10 defensive unit. The team excels under Defensive Coordinator Mike Zimmer year after year. However, the linebacker position is in a state of flux and is by far the Bengals' weakest position group. With the exception of Vontaze Burfict, the unit heavily underperformed last year and is looking for a massive rebounding campaign. Here is a look at what the position group looks like from top to bottom in 2013:

Starters:
SAM: James Harrison-Harrison will certainly be relied on to upgrade the position from Manny Lawson last season. Harrison is coming off of a 6 sack season with Pittsburgh. He is capable of getting many more sacks this year pass rushing behind a dominant defensive line with Geno Atkins, Michael Johnson, and Carlos Dunlap. Harrison won't be asked to cover as much as he did with the Steelers, but his rushing and leadership abilities will help the unit.

MLB: Rey Maualuga-Mauluga was quite frankly awful last season in the middle. He was second on the team in tackles, but couldn't cover the tight end position at all. He looked slow and out of shape for much of the year, and one could question his hustle on the field. The Bengals re-signed Maualuga to a two year deal, thinking he has a lot to prove this season. He'd better do just that, or the Bengals won't hesitate to move Burfict inside.

WILL: Vontaze Burfict-Burfict was fabulous after being a UDFA last year. He led the team in tackles with 127, and consistently showed up week after week with standout games. Burfict is the most talented player in the group and can be a game changer. He might be the second best young linebacker in the game behind Cincinnati native Luke Kuechly.

Backups: Emmanuel Lamur-Lamur could easily step into a starter role this year. He was another UDFA out of Kansas State, and possesses unbelievable athletic ability. Lamur will see plenty of time on the field this year, especially on 3rd downs. He is so athletic with his 6'4, 240 pound frame, that he is the best coverage backer the Bengals have on their roster. Lamur has bulked up this offseason and could be primed for a breakout year.

Vinny Rey-Rey is a solid special teams man for the Bengals. He is one of the leaders on the special teams unit, and will make the team for that reason. He is a consistent backup linebacker who saw some time on the field last year, even earning a sack.

On the bubble: Jayson DiManche, Brandon Joiner, Aaron Maybin, Dontay Moch, and Sean Porter. These 5 players will likely compete for 2 spots on the team. Sean Porter will probably make it. He was a talented player for Texas A&M and was the team's 4th round pick. Porter has some upside as a potential future WILL starter. I think Moch and Maybin have an outside chance of making the Bengals as backups to Harrison. Maybin was a 1st round pick and has bounced around the league with the Bills and Jets. He has the talent to be a contributor to the team this year after he had a 6 sack season 2 years ago. Moch was a 3rd round pick by the Bengals a couple years ago. He has all the speed in the world to win one on one match ups, but lacks the ability to stay healthy. DiManche and Joiner are 2 other UDFA's with a lot of talent. Joiner has a great success story as a player to overcome a jail sentence and reform to compete for a spot in the NFL. DiManche could be this year's Burfict if he adjusts to the NFL level well.