2026 Position Group Breakdown: Inside Linebackers
June 9, 2026
by Alex Zeese
If there’s one part of the team that’s clearly seeing a major change and upgrade in this offseason, it’s the linebacker group. Given that the team is allegedly changing from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4, it makes a ton of sense that this position would see serious changes in the type of linebackers they’ve brought in, and added some serious depth. We also are likely going to see some changes to how their current roster is utilized, new assignments and duties for some of the established veterans.
In an effort to make sense of this group we are going to really need to split the roster up into three groups, inside linebackers, outside edge rushers and then special teams players. Because we covered edge rushers in a different column, I’m only going to give a brief summary of that group here, but there’s one thing I will say on the subject of pass rushing: I will be very interested to see how some of the inside guys are utilized as pass rushers. I think that both Leo Chenal and Frankie Luvu have a natural talent for going after the quarterback and it would be crazy not to utilize both of them for that role on occasion, weather that is from an inside linebacker spot or an occasional edge spot.
Other than those guys Washington has a number of guys who will be projected as outside linebackers/edge rushers that will be covered elsewhere. Odafe Oweh, K’Lavon Chaisson, Dorance Armstrong, and rookie Joshua Josephs all fit the bill really well in terms of body type, but it will be interesting to see what the team does with guys like Javonte Jean-Baptiste and Drake Jackson, who are a bit bigger and fit a more traditional defensive end body type. We have seen how this transition goes before, while some players adapt well, others do not.
For now though. let’s focus on the inside linebacker position group:
I think this will be one of the more interesting groups to watch early in the season because there could be a fair amount of competition as to who will get the starting gig as well as the question of who ends up being the signal caller. While there’s no doubt in my mind that the plan is for Styles to have that role eventually, it wouldn’t shock me if the staff gave it to another linebacker for this season in order to avoid putting too much on the shoulders of their rookie pick.
Sonny Styles
Age 21
6’4” 243 lbs
Ohio State
The conversation at linebacker really starts with Sonny Styles, the top 10 draft pick and a major acquisition of the offseason. Styles is a big athletic freak of nature type of linebacker, something Washington has not had in a generation. He set some combine records with his overall athleticism – he ran a 4.46 40 yard dash and posted a 43.5 inch vertical leap.
If his talents transitions to the NFL, this could be the best coverage linebacker Washington fans have ever seen, not to mention a capable run stopper and pass rusher.
Leo Chenal
Age 25
6’3” 250 lbs
Wisconsin
Chenal is an interesting addition to the roster at linebacker. He was known in Kansas City as a high end backup with a natural ability to create chaos when rushing the passer. The question is whether will he be a backup on the outside or at inside linebacker. In his last spot he did a bit of everything. ESPN puts him in as an inside linebacker right now.
Jordan Magee
Age 25
6’3” 225 lbs
Temple
If the team had not drafted Styles, Magee would have been slated for a serious increased work load this season. I will put my homerism aside as best I can. I do think Magee would have been a capable league average caliber starting middle linebacker if the opportunity was there and the team was clearly developing him to be the signal caller these last two years. Maybe there’s a role for him beside Styles in that second inside linebacker spot for that reason?
Frankie Luvu
Age 29
6’3” 235 lbs
Washington State
Luvu is going to be the wild card in how this linebacker roster shakes out next season. The 29 year old was brought in two years ago to give some stability to a mess of a linebacker room and has done a fair job. Luvu was a perfect weak side linebacker in the old 4-3 offense that Washington ran, so it will be interesting to see how he’s utilized going forward. His build is small for a 3-4 outside linebacker, so one has to think he will be on the insider. One has to assume he will get the 1st crack at one of the starting spots on this roster. The playing styles of both he and Chenal feel very similar in that they both use their athleticism to just create chaos.
There are a few more guys on the roster right now who last year were special teams guys, and that’s not something to overlook, it’s going to get very interesting when it comes to that back of the roster construction this season, because in an ideal situation you need to keep a few of these guys on the roster. But how many inside linebackers can the team really keep around? 4 would be fairly normal, you maybe can squeeze in a fifth?
Kain Medrano
Age 25
6’3” 230
UCLA
The great Kain Medrano. Many of us were hoping to see him develop into a regular contributor when he was drafted. He finished last season playing in 9 games entirely on special teams.
Ale Kaho
Age 26
6’2” 230 lbs
UCLA
Another returning special teams player. He appeared in 8 games in Washington last season.
Nick Bellore
Age 36
6’ 1” 250 lbs
Central Michigan
Returning for season 3 here in DC and 15th in the NFL, Bellore has been a special teams leader in the Dan Quinn era. Fifteen years of playing almost entirely special teams is quite a rare career in the modern NFL.
Washington added a lot of players to this group, and I think things will get tricky when trying to cut it down to the final roster, because in all likelihood the team will need to keep one or two guys who are good on special teams. Don’t be shocked if one or two of the special teams standouts unexpectedly makes the roster. I would not be shocked to see five or even six linebackers end up on the roster in the final cuts.