James Francis is a career quality starter — a linebacker whose body of work places Francis in the top quarter of all players at the position historically. The Knox model values sustained contribution over flash, and Francis's career arc reflects exactly that kind of reliable professional-grade performance.
Season totals or exact team stints. Career totals count each season once.
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Defense | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tkl | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBHits | Sk | Dis | Int | PD | FF | FR | TD | Sfty | |||||
| 1990 | 22 | CIN | 16 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 8.0 | 8.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1991 | 23 | CIN | 16 | — | 68 | 0 | — | — | — | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1992 | 24 | CIN | 14 | — | 38 | 35 | — | — | — | 6.0 | 6.0 | 3 | 13 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 1993 | 25 | CIN | 14 | — | 44 | 38 | — | — | — | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1994 | 26 | CIN | 16 | — | 101 | 87 | — | — | — | 4.5 | 4.5 | — | 6 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1995 | 27 | CIN | 11 | — | 64 | 54 | — | — | — | 3.0 | 3.0 | — | 6 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1996 | 28 | CIN | 16 | — | 70 | 62 | — | — | — | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3 | 7 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1997 | 29 | CIN | 16 | — | 55 | 43 | — | — | — | 3.5 | 3.5 | 1 | 6 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 1998 | 30 | CIN | 14 | — | 36 | 31 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 5 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 1999 | 31 | WAS | 2 | — | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Career | — | 135 | — | 480 | 353 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 33.5 | 34.5 | 11 | 55 | 10 | — | 0 | 0 | |
Career Value · VORP
102 career value over replacement — #1131 all-time of 4,695. 11.3/season above a replacement-level LB.
Pick #12 (Rd 1) · CIN · 1990 · -0.5 vs expected KV-H
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9 seasons · peak 9.5 in 1992
VAL (Value Above League) measures each NFL season against that season's league; the dashed line is zero — a season that added nothing above the league's fringe. ● peak · ○ league-best season.
3.3 career wins over 9 seasons · 1 win = 13.08 VAL
Best season · 1992 · +0.7 wins
VAL 3.0 measures each part of a NFL player's game in his sport's own currency against what that season's fringe players produced, converted to team wins with rates fitted from every team-season in the encyclopedia.
#176 of 967 all-time linebackers by KV-H
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Tkl | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBHits | Sk | Dis | Int | PD | FF | FR | TD | Sfty | VAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 22 | CIN | 16 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 8.0 | 8.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 7.7 |
| 1991 | 23 | CIN | 16 | — | 68 | 0 | — | — | — | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 3.5 |
| 1992 | 24 | CIN | 14 | — | 38 | 35 | — | — | — | 6.0 | 6.0 | 3 | 13 | 3 | — | — | — | 9.5 |
| 1993 | 25 | CIN | 14 | — | 44 | 38 | — | — | — | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | 4.6 |
| 1994 | 26 | CIN | 16 | — | 101 | 87 | — | — | — | 4.5 | 4.5 | — | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | 4 |
| 1995 | 27 | CIN | 11 | — | 64 | 54 | — | — | — | 3.0 | 3.0 | — | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | 2.3 |
| 1996 | 28 | CIN | 16 | — | 70 | 62 | — | — | — | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3 | 7 | 1 | — | — | — | 6.5 |
| 1997 | 29 | CIN | 16 | — | 55 | 43 | — | — | — | 3.5 | 3.5 | 1 | 6 | 2 | — | — | — | 5.2 |
| 1998 | 30 | CIN | 14 | — | 36 | 31 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 1999 | 31 | WAS | 2 | — | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Career | 135 | 480 | 353 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 33.5 | 34.5 | 11 | 55 | 10 | — | 0 | 0 | 43.3 |
A strong starter career by KV-H: a peak-driven profile that scores 61 of 100, era-normalized against tackles/g peers across 9 scored seasons.
Blend 60.8 × longevity 1 = KV-H 61· confidence 100%
Season-by-season quality (era-relative tackles/g)
Mo Lewis
OLB
80% match
1990 Draft ClassmatesFull class →