The NFL1000 Project at Bleacher Report is one of my favorite columns to read every offseason. Some of the best talent evaluators in the business go through and grade every snap of every player in the NFL, and then rank the players by position. Derrik Klassen and Doug Farrar recently took a look at the 4-3 outside linebackers in the NFL, and as expected, both Thomas Davis and Shaq Thompson ranked as one of the best in the league.

We’ll start with Thomas Davis, who ranked as the fifth best outside linebacker in the NFL last season. It’s incredible how the 34-year old Davis still played at a near-elite level despite dealing with broken ribs for most of the season, along with the naturally declining athleticism that occurs when players age:

Minor signs of age have crept into Thomas Davis’ film, but the 34-year-old remained one of the best at his position. Davis was a Tasmanian devil at weak-side linebacker, using his speed and tenacity to win in the run game. Davis’ trigger versus the run was fantastic and maximized the potential of his athletic ability. On passing downs, he took a minor step back, notably in picking up on coverage keys. But he was still a well-above-average pass defender. —NFL1000 LB Scout, Derrik Klassen Though Father Time remains undefeated, Thomas Davis has given him a run for his money after 13 NFL seasons and three ACL surgeries. In his prime, Davis combined with Luke Kuechly to form the most intelligent, aggressive, mobile linebacker duo in the NFL. In 2017 Davis was more a stationary run hitter, though he still had the short-area quickness for certain kinds of coverage. He recently announced that 2018 will be his final year in the NFL, and when he retires, it will be a long time before we see his like again. —NFL1000 Lead Scout Doug Farrar

Both Klassen and Farrar are absolutely correct with their evaluations. Davis is still a strong player in coverage against tight ends and running backs due to his instincts in zone and athletic ability in man coverage. As a pursuit run defender, Davis remains one of the best in the league, as he’s able to use his still-ridiculous short area burst to quickly bring down ball carriers in space.

Next up is Shaq Thompson, who ranked eigth overall among 4-3 outside linebackers:

In a league where fielding three linebackers is increasingly rare, players like Shaq Thompson have diminished value. However, he was a versatile, well-rounded player who could fill into Thomas Davis’ role on the strong side. In base packages, Thompson sometimes played on the edge as a blunt force in the run game and other times as a tight end handler in coverage. He was no star, but he was one of the best third linebackers in the NFL, and would be a starter on many other teams. —NFL1000 LB Scout, Derrik Klassen The Panthers put three linebackers on the field as much as any base 4-3 team, but the responsibilities of those LBs switch frequently. Both Thompson and Luke Kuechly not only defend the curl/flat area from the middle of the field, but both will also be seen taking their coverage responsibilities all the way outside in man coverage. Thompson doesn’t cover and defend the run with Kuechly’s athletic intelligence, but he’s one of the quickest linebackers in the league, essentially playing safety roles at times. —NFL1000 Lead Scout Doug Farrar

Thompson hasn’t seen the field as much as fans would like because the Panthers struggle in pass coverage in their 4-3 base defense when opposing teams go spread, so the Panthers need to replace Thompson with a slot cornerback. Despite not playing many snaps, Thompson still flashed a lot of potential both in the run game and in coverage. He’s also an underrated blitzer with the ability to bend the edge like some of the best pass rushers in the league. Thompson’s promising play means there will be a smooth transition in 2019 when Davis is expected to retire and Thompson will take over as the full-time starter beside Luke Kuechly.

Read the rest of the NFL1000 series here