D'Qwell Jackson: Predicting Potential Landing Spots for Free-Agent LB

D'Qwell Jackson is a 30-year-old linebacker with experience in 4-3 and 3-4 alignments and who's coming off a down year. 

Does that make him a viable free-agent target or a player many teams will view as old and well past his prime? 

After he was released Feb. 26 by the Cleveland Browns, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweeted: 

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Seven teams -1/4 of the NFL -reached out to D'Qwell Jackson following his release by Browns. Deciding which free-agent visits to take first

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Let's identify Jackson's most logical landing spots. 

Tennessee Titans

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The Tennessee Titans appear to be the most likely landing spot for Jackson because 2013 Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Ray Horton now holds the same position on Ken Whisenhunt's staff. 

Sure, Horton coached Jackson for only a season, but that's long enough for the two to be familiar with each other. 

At the outside linebacker spot, the Titans have two relatively young stars in the making—Akeem Ayers and Zach Brown. 

On the inside, Colin McCarthy has been a serviceable 'backer, but he could use a capable running mate, especially if Horton implements more 3-4 looks in 2014. 

No, Jackson isn't a long-term solution for a relatively young Tennessee roster, but with a sound quartet of Jurrell Casey, Karl Klug, Derrick Morgan and Mike Martin up front, the Titans could look to add experienced linebackers to make plays coming downhill from the second level. 

With Jackson, they wouldn't have to teach him a new defensive system or take the time to explain new terminology. 

Denver Broncos

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With Paris Lenon and Wesley Woodyard free agents, the Denver Broncos will almost assuredly look for linebackers this offseason. 

Sure, they probably will address the position in the draft, but Jackson would be a plug-and-play starter in Week 1 as they slowly bring along a rookie. 

If the Broncos choose to add Jackson instead of re-signing the 26-year-old Woodyard, both of whom aren't coming off particularly impactful seasons, they'd actually get older at the linebacker spot. 

But Jackson might be more cost-effective than Woodyard, and if Lenon departs, there'd be a glaring hole at middle linebacker. 

Also, Denver's director of pro personnel is Tom Heckert, who was the Cleveland Browns general manager when the team signed Jackson to a contract extension just two years ago. 

Jackson to the Broncos would be very logical. 

Chicago Bears

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The Chicago Bears selected linebackers Jonathan Bostic and Khaseem Greene in Rounds 2 and 3 of the 2013 draft with the idea to inject youth into the second line of defense, which needed fresh blood after Brian Urlacher retired. 

Veteran Lance Briggs is still going strong as the "quarterback" of the Bears' famed 4-3 alignment, but he's a weak-side linebacker and is nearing the end of his career. He could use an established guy in the middle to keep him relatively free of stretching and pulling offensive linemen. 

Jackson would be the ideal addition in the middle to allow Chicago to not have to force either of the second-year linebackers into prominent starting roles before they're ready to be impact players on the defense. 

In a year or two, Bostic or Greene will likely be fully acclimated to the NFL game and can step into full-time roles occupied by Jackson and Briggs. 

Buffalo Bills

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The Buffalo Bills have one special linebacker in Kiko Alonso. Although he played every defensive snap for Doug Marrone's team as the middle linebacker in 2013, his speed, coverage abilities and size make him an exquisite fit as a weak-side 'backer. 

Buffalo's defense was sound this past season, especially rushing the passer and locking down receivers. 

However, cracks were occasionally shown in the run game. 

More than anything else on that side of the football, the Bills need a downhill linebacker to man the middle and allow Alonso to kick outside where he'd have much more freedom. 

Arthur Moats, who had a respectable year despite not playing a high percentage of snaps, is a free agent. Although 2012 fourth-round pick Nigel Bradham looks the part of a solidly built middle linebacker, he's routinely shown an inability to read plays quickly enough to be an assertive defender. 

Jackson would help Buffalo bridge a gap to the rookie linebacker they very well could select in the upcoming draft and provide some experience next to Alonso. 

New Orleans Saints

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Rob Ryan was the Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator during the 2009 and 2010 campaigns, but Jackson suffered a season-ending injury in Ryan's first year and didn't play again until 2011. 

The connection's there, as Ryan and Jackson definitely know each other, but the current New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator didn't necessarily get the opportunity to utilize Jackson during his stay in Cleveland.

Soon-to-be 32-year-old Jonathan Vilma, who's played only 12 games over the past two seasons, will probably be let go in free agency, which would create a vacancy at the middle linebacker spot. 

Jackson is only a year younger than Vilma, but he's played in every game since the beginning of 2011.

Ryan's 3-4 needs viable linebacking play, and even if the Saints address that position in the draft, Jackson, as he would with most teams, could serve as a two-year stopgap. 

Houston Texans

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The Houston Texans already have their thumping, do-it-all linebacker in Brian Cushing. But he's suffered two major injuries the past two seasons, and the team could use some reinforcements behind him on the depth chart or next to him on the inside. 

Darryl Sharpton and Joe Mays aren't legitimate liabilities at linebacker, but Houston could stand to make an upgrade, even if it's simply injury insurance more than anything else. 

At the initial stages of a mini-rebuilding process, the Texans defense needs considerable work. 

J.J. Watt looks to be bound for multiple All-Pro distinctions up front, yet Houston needs more productive linebackers to make plays at the second level. 

Like many franchises on the list, the Texans could look to add a linebacker in the draft but would utilize Jackson as a 2014 starter during the youngster's developmental process. 

San Francisco 49ers

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The San Francisco 49ers are fortunate enough to have two of the NFL's best inside linebackers—Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman. 

They've astutely invested large sums of money in those two cornerstone defenders, but the latter suffered a gruesome knee injury in the NFC title game loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. 

Per Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee, 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh said this regarding Bowman's rehabilitation timeline and when he could return to the field: "Halfway through the season (or) something like that would be more realistic."

If San Francisco truly believes it'll be without Bowman until Week 8 or 9, Jackson could serve as a cheap stand-in next to Willis on the inside of its 3-4 defensive alignment. There's a coaching connection, too. Eric Mangini, now the 49ers tight ends coach, was Jackson's head coach in Cleveland in 2009 and 2010.