You've always got a better chance to win if you can stop someone as means your offense has to do less. It's why the old adage is that defense wins championships exists. Never truer than the year the Baltimore Ravens won with Dilfer at QB. I think the same as true today, only difference is most games now are usually won or lost by two or three plays in a given game.
The reason for more athletic LBs is because the TE position has evolved too, as now it seems like every good team has a TE that can find a seem in the middle of a defense and move the chains. I mean look at our game we were struggling when we let Smythe beat us early on but once we covered him we did better on D. Toss in on the other side Kincaid was a threat against the Dolphins.
It was Gailey as recall he also compared Spiller to a water bug. Dumbest draft pick ever, should have used it on Dez Bryant and kept Fred and Lynch together.
Think the Jags are liking Heath now? https://www.si.com/nfl/jaguars/news/what-caused-the-jaguars-special-teams-meltdown-vs-texans-brandon-mcmanus-will-anderson
Toss in Leonard Floyd a much better player than Boogie Basham.
I'm sure he got the same box that any other alumnus got and yet he's the only one to complain. I admit liked TKO when he was here but eh what the heck man? You got a free box and ticket to a game that most of us would love. Chose your battles, this one seems petty.
Take a look at other starting right OTs in the league, Spencer's penalties and sack against are better/comparable than those of the Chiefs, 49ers, Dolphins just to name teams in the discussion as leagues best.