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Top 10: Linebackers in Bears history
With the Bears spending their first-round draft pick Roquan Smith, senior writer Larry Mayer ranks the top 10 linebackers in franchise history.

1 / 10
- Doug Buffone Often overshadowed by teammate Dick Butkus, Buffone was a key contributor and longtime team leader while playing 14 seasons with the Bears from 1966-79.

2 / 10
- Clyde "Bulldog" Turner Turner was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame primarily due to his play at center, but he doubled as a linebacker who led the NFL with eight interceptions in 1942.

3 / 10
- Wilber Marshall A devastating hitter—just ask Joe Ferguson—Marshall played only four seasons with the Bears, but he was voted to two Pro Bowls and was selected first-team All-Pro in 1986.

4 / 10
- Otis Wilson Wilson was a key member of the 1985 Super Bowl XX championship team, recording 10.5 sacks. But he was dominant for nearly a decade, playing eight seasons with the Bears.

5 / 10
- Joe Fortunato Selected to five Pro Bowls, Fortunato was named to the All-NFL Team of the Decade for the 1950s and helped the Bears win the 1963 NFL Championship.

6 / 10
- Lance Briggs A seven-time Pro Bowl who was often overshadowed by Brian Urlacher, Briggs was an instinctive tackling machine who is arguably the best outside linebacker in Bears history.

7 / 10
- Mike Singletary Singletary was selected to a Bears record 10 Pro Bowls and was voted All-Pro eight times while captaining one of the best defenses in NFL history for more than a decade.

8 / 10
- Bill George George, who invented the middle linebacker position when he dropped off the line in 1954, was voted to nine Pro Bowls and was an eight-time All-Pro in 14 seasons with the Bears.

9 / 10
- Brian Urlacher With a freakish combination of speed, size and athleticism, Urlacher was voted to eight Pro Bowls while patrolling the middle of the Bears defense for more than a decade.

10 / 10
- Dick Butkus Arguably the most ferocious defensive player in NFL history, Butkus was voted to eight Pro Bowls and was a six-time All-Pro in nine seasons with the Bears.
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