As we inch closer to training camp and the unveiling of the final 53-man roster, we have decided to create a roster of our own. We will look into the Steelers of years past and put together an All-Time Pittsburgh Steelers depth chart. It has proven to be a fun exercise to heat up debate and compare how the game has evolved over the years. For this edition, we look at the linebackers.

Inside Linebackers

1. Jack Lambert

Lambert is one of the greatest linebackers of all-time. When you think of old-school, hard-nosed football, it is a picture of Lambert, without his two front teeth and his Steelers helmet on that comes to mind.

He made nine Pro Bowls, and six All-Pro teams while helping the Steelers win their first four Super Bowls. Lambert is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and an icon in Steelers history.

2. Jack Ham

Ham was technically an outside linebacker in the 4-3 defense, but his best play was making tackles off of the ball and in space. He recorded 32 interceptions in his career, and had a career high of seven. Ham was drafted three years before Lambert, but the two played beside each other from 1974 all the way through 1982.

With eight Pro Bowls and six All-Pros for Ham, the duo of linebackers could easily be argued as the best in history.

3. James Farrior

Farrior was the one time the Steelers went out and spent in free agency and it was a major pay off. He only finished his career with one All-Pro and two Pro Bowls, and probably will not end up in the Hall of Fame like the names above him.

Still, he leads the Steelers for his career in tackles. Farrior only missed six games from his signing into 2002 to 2011, and two of them came in his last season. He also has two Super Bowl rings and is the lead middle linebacker when looking at the Steelers most recent all-time great defense.

4. Levon Kirkland

Kirkland rounds out an All-Time great group of linebackers that easily has snubs. Kirkland was a member of the All-Decade team in the 1990s. From 1993 to 2000 he only missed three starts as a Steeler and was a key piece to the team that made the 1995 Super Bowl. He is fifth on the franchise list in tackles and made two Pro Bowls and an All-Pro during his time with the black and gold making him an easy All-Time great.

Outside Linebacker

1.James Harrison

James Harrison has the resume to make him the Steelers best All-Time outside linebacker. Harrison has five All-Pro awards, and four Pro Bowl teams to go with a Defensive MVP award. He has two of the Steelers most recent Super Bowl rings, and has arguably the greatest play in Super Bowl history. He is only three sacks away from leading the team All-Time and should be able to do it as he is still on the roster and entering his 13th year in the NFL.

2. Joey Porter

Porter has everything you want from a great all-time Steelers linebacker. He has four Pro Bowl appearances and made the All-Pro team four times. He is third on the career list in sacks for a Steeler. And of course, he has the ring in the 2005-06 run. That came with a memorable game against the Indianapolis Colts in which Porter inspired the team with a sack and a half to help close out a win. He is now on the Steelers coaching staff, and will go down as one of most memorable Steelers in recent history.

3. Greg Lloyd

Greg Lloyd was a nasty hitter and had a memorable career as a Steeler who brought the tenacity of the 1970’s back. Injury sped up Lloyd’s career a bit, but before going down in the 1996 season Lloyd was coming off of 5 straight Pro Bowl seasons and three straight All-Pro years. He averaged 7 sacks per season in his first seven years, and was a key piece to the Steelers making Super Bowl XXX.

4. Jason Gildon

Gildon is still the current leader in sacks in Steelers history. His 2000 and 2001 seasons featured 25.5 sacks, two Pro Bowls, and an All-Pro nod. He only had three total Pro Bowl years and did not record seven sacks in four seasons with the Steelers, but he was consistent from 1996-2003 for the Steelers.

Kevin Greene and Andy Russell could be arguing their case to make list, and both have a good case. However, Russell was more of an off-ball player, and Greene did not have the longevity with the Steelers that these other names had.