Today 5:00 AM 7-9 minutes Browns
By Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer
ABOUT EXPECTATIONS
Baltimore Coach John Harbaugh may have been close to being honest when he proclaimed the Browns as “the most talented team in the division.”
Certainly the Browns have added the most talent and they also have lost far fewer impact players than AFC North contenders Baltimore and Pittsburgh.
The Browns traded for receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and pass rusher Olivier Vernon. Both can play at a Pro Bowl level when healthy. Defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson should be an upgrade in the middle of the line.
The Browns finished 7-8-1 last season, 3-2-1 in the AFC North. They were learning how to compete in their division.
The one advantage Baltimore and Pittsburgh have over the Browns is continuity. They are used to winning. They expect to win. Most of their players know how to win and the coaching staff has been stable.
Harbaugh praised the Browns to the media at last month’s NFL meetings. He has a 19-3 record vs. Cleveland in 11 years.
This is the first time in his tenure it can clearly be said the Browns open with the superior quarterback when it comes to Baker Mayfield vs. Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson.
As Harbaugh said, “They’ve got a great quarterback now.”
But the Ravens had a 6-1 record after they transformed their offense at mid-season to adapt to the run-first Jackson.
Harbaugh stressed how the Browns and Ravens “have had dogfights over the years” and how they were usually “tight games.”
But a 19-3 record vs. Cleveland is 19-3 – even if many of the games have indeed been close.
The Ravens ranked in the top three in most defensive categories. But they lost defensive standouts C.J. Mosely, Terrell Suggs and Eric Weddle to free agency, so they may not quite as dominating on defense.
“We have to figure out how to defend him (Beckham), Baker and the rest of their offensive weapons, and there are many,” said Harbaugh.
Harbaugh would love the Browns to enter the season thinking they have actually won something, when Browns fans know better – or at least, they should.
On offense, the Browns look very good. And they indeed may be the best team in the AFC North – on offense.
But Baltimore won games with defense. The Browns often lost games when the defense fell apart.
SOME DISTURBING NUMBERS
According to Profootballfocus (PFF), the Browns defense ranked the following:
27th in overall Efficiency.30th vs. the run.32nd in tackling.28th in rushing the passer.16th in pass coverage.
PFF uses it’s own set of analytics, some complicated. To counter that, how about basic stats on defense:
30th in yards allowed per game.28th in rushing yards allowed per game.25th in passing yards allowed per game.22nd in sacks per game.21st in points allowed per game.20th in red zone efficiency.
The one area where the Browns defense excelled was forcing turnovers. They ranked No. 2 with 31.
But overall, the defense was AWFUL!
I know General Manager John Dorsey was livid about the poor tackling. According to PFF, the Browns led the NFL in missed tackles. Linebacker Joe Schobert was No. 1 with 24. Former teammates Jamie Collins was No. 4 with 20. When two of your starting linebackers are among the four worst tacklers in the NFL, the defense is in major trouble.
Next on the Browns’ list of missed tackles: Briean Boddy-Calhoun (12), Damarious Randall (12) and Jabrill Peppers (11).
Myles Garrett had 13.5 of the team’s 37 sacks. Next was defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (5.5). Given the lack of pass-rushing threats other than Garrett, it’s even more impressive to see Garrett reach the quarterback that often.
Overall, the defense is far from playoff caliber.
TAKING SOME STEPS
The Dorsey front office made some moves to help:
1. Before making the Odell Beckham deal with the Giants, the Browns sent guard Kevin Zeitler to New York for Vernon. They now have a viable pass-rushing defensive end to play at the other side of the line from Garrett.
2. But Vernon has to stay healthy. He has missed nine games in the last two seasons to ankle injuries. Last season, Vernon had only one sack in his first six games. In his final five, he had six sacks. In his final game of the season, he had 2.5 sacks and six – that’s right, six – quarterback hits against Dallas.
3. Garrett played 86 percent of snaps on defense last year – far too many. Ideally, the top pass rusher should be under 80 percent to keep him fresh. Along with Garrett, the Browns hope veteran Chris Smith and second-year player Chad Thomas can help at defensive end.
4. The Browns signed Richardson to help fellow tackle Ogunjobi. He’s an upgrade over Trevon Coley, who started 14 games. But the Browns need more depth on the line at end and tackle.
5. Ogunjobi played 79 percent of the snaps, also far too many. This draft is supposed to be rich in defensive tackles and ends. Perhaps the Browns can find more players to help with depth.
6. At linebacker, Collins has been released. If the season opened today, the Browns would start Schobert at middle linebacker, with Genard Avery and Christian Kirksey at the other two spots. Schobert is excellent in pass coverage, weak against the run.
7. Avery was second on the team in QB hits (8), behind Garrett (16). He also was No. 2 in QB hurries (29), behind Garrett (36). That’s good work for a fifth-round rookie from Memphis who played only 58 percent of the snaps.
8. On paper, the linebacker crew of Schobert, Kirksey and Avery needs help. The front office likes veteran Ray-Ray Armstrong. They signed veteran Adarius Taylor from Tampa Bay, who seems to be a role player. This unit lacks a big time, run-stopper.
9. The defensive backfield can use some more talent, but it’s in better than shape than the defensive line or linebackers in terms of depth. That especially is true if safety Denzel Ward can stay healthy.
10. When it comes to the draft, defense has to be the area of concentration. It’s also possible Dorsey could deal for a veteran defensive player on draft day. The man loves to trade.
11. The Browns hope the hiring of Steve Wilks to replace Gregg Williams as defensive coordinator also makes a difference. Wilks will keep the same 4-3 scheme, which is important. Garrett and Vernon are ideal 4-3 defensive ends.
12. New head coach Freddie Kitchens used his Alabama roots to hire Crimson Tide defensive coordinator Tosh Lopoi as defensive line coach. He also has a lot of experience coaching linebackers. The Browns are excited about adding Lopoi.
13. According to a story by John Talty of al.com, Lopoi had the play-calling duties on defense taken away from him last season by head coach Nick Saban. The belief was Lopoi struggled setting up defenses to deal with the passing game, and his strength was as a line coach.
14. The other important hire on defense is Al Holcomb as “run game coordinator/linebackers coach.” He had been a linebackers coach from 2013-17 when Wilks was on the Panthers defensive coaching staff. They also worked together in Arizona, where Wilks was fired after one season as head coach.
15. A mistake made by Wilks and Holcomb last season in Arizona was changing the defense from a 3-4 to 4-3. Wilks is comfortable with the 4-3, and the last thing the Browns need is the new coordinator to switch defensive schemes.
16. We can talk Browns and other sports at the Bay Village Library on May 9 at 7 p.m. It’s free. You can register here.
Pluto is right on re tackling concerning the linebackers and, as I've been commenting now since the earth's crust was cooling; name me the last time the Browns had a dominate All-Pro Linebacker. The last best one that comes to my mind is Jamir Miller who became an All-Pro. Loved to have that kid the Carolina Panthers have by name of LUKE KUECHLY......what a motor and very smart. I feel this should be our target imho to focus on finding that linebacker. Avery, hopefully someday might become another Sam Mills (Saints) and that's not too shabby of a comparison as Sam was albeit short in stature..............one of the best.
ohio.com
Browns draft/linebackers: 99 has been a magic number for Dorsey
Steve Doerschuk 5-7 minutes
John Dorsey’s sweet spot for drafting a LB appears to be in the Rounds 3-5 range. Few GMs know what they are looking at better than Dorsey, who played the position and got drafted at No. 99 overall.
One simply can do the math to ascertain that important linebackers routinely come from spots where John Dorsey is sitting on 2019 picks.
Look no further than the Browns’ spring depth chart, where the current starters in new coordinator Steve Wilks’ 4-3 scheme are:
- Christian Kirksey, who has been chosen to announce Cleveland’s pick at No. 80 overall. He was a No. 71 in 2014.
- Joe Schobert. That he was a No. 99 overall pick in 2016 rings a bell with ex-linebacker Dorsey, a No. 99 in 1984. The Browns’ GM has 99 surrounded, with picks at 80 and 119.
- Genard Avery, who arrived at No. 150 last April in Dorsey’s first Cleveland draft. Dorsey has picks at at 144 and 155 this month.
After cutting pricey starter Jamie Collins, Dorsey moved to bolster linebacker depth by signing sixth-year pro Adarius Taylor, who played in 15 games (10 starts) with the Buccaneers in 2018. Even so, it seems likely Dorsey will spend one of his five picks in Rounds 3-5 on a linebacker, both for current depth and future consideration to start.
The way this draft lines up, it would be a big surprise if Dorsey goes linebacker at No. 49, his top pick in the wake of the Odell Beckham trade. Keep an eye on the defensive backs there.
Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Network’s leading draft analyst now that Mike Mayock has joined Jon Gruden in Oakland, has only two 4-3 linebackers in his top 50, in addition to a handful of edge players who could fill certain linebacker roles.
The linebackers in Jeremiah’s top 50 are at No. 6 (LSU’s Devin White) and No. 9 (Michigan’s Devin Bush Jr.; his father played for the Browns from in 2001-02).
Jememiah’s edge men in the top 50 are at No. 1 (Ohio State’s Joey Bosa); No. 3 (Kentucky’s Josh Allen), No. 10 (Michigan’s Rashan Gary), No. 12 (Mississippi State’s Montez Sweat), No. 22 (Clemson’s Clelin Ferrell ), No. 27 (Florida State’s Brian Burns), No. 45 (Texas Christian’s L.J. Collier) and No. 47 (Louisiana Tech’s Jaylon Ferguson).
With the Bengals, Steelers and Ravens scheduled to draft at No. 11, No. 20 and No. 22, there is a good chance one of these edge men will wind up in the AFC North.
In terms of conventional linebackers, Dorsey thinks he found a good one in Avery, who played 58 percent of the Browns’ defensive snaps in 2018.
Dorsey’s shots at linebacker when he conducted drafts for the Chiefs from 2013-17 were a mixed bag. His LB picks included:
- Alabama’s Nico Johnson (No. 99, 2013). By 2015, he was claimed and cut by the Giants and has since disappeared.
- Georgia’s Ramik Wilson (No. 118, 2015). He appeared in 29 games across three years with the Chiefs. In 2018 with the Rams, he played in 19 games (mostly on special teams), including Super Bowl 53.
- Oregon State’s D.J. Alexander (No. 172, 2015) has been a core special teams player in three postseasons, including 2018 with the Eagles. He made the Pro Bowl as a Chiefs special teamer in 2016.
- Georgia Southern’s Ukeme Eligwe (No. 183, 2017) played special teams as a Chiefs rookie, got cut late in the 2018 preseason, then spent most of last autumn with the Giants.
The consensus favorites in this year’s conventional linebacker draft group are White (going to Pittsburgh at No. 20 in the mock draft of NFL.com’s Chad Reuter) and Bush (Bengals at No. 11 in the mock draft of NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein).
There is a notable dropoff to the next linebacker prospect, Mack Wilson, whose profile is helped by the fact he played at Alabama. But then, so did Ramik Wilson. They are not related. Dorsey will weigh the younger Wilson on his own merits, which include conspicuous athleticism. Like Schobert, Wilson is a basketball dunking artist whose jams have been widely viewed on video.
Analysts see Clemson’s Tre Lamar along the lines of Mack Wilson, perhaps a Round 2 pick, but one who could slide to Round 4. The 6-foot-1 Mack Wilson is better in pass coverage. The 6-3 Lamar is a stronger, faster run-game thumper.
Other potential Dorsey targets ...
- Bobby Okereke, who has size, speed and versatility. He projects as an able cover man against tight ends, a Browns weak spot in recent years.
- Germaine Pratt arrived at North Carolina State as a safety who grew into a 6-foot-2, 240-pound linebacker and still ran as well as many defensive backs.
- Wisconsin’s T.J. Edwards has ordinary speed but might be the most instinctive linebacker in the top cluster.
- Florida’s Vosean Joseph’s speed at closing on the ball help make him an interesting weak-side prospect. Wilks is looking for flexibility and will make his own conclusions as to position fits, in consort with Dorsey.
Others to watch include Notre Dame’s Te’Von Coney and Drue Tranquill, New Mexico State’s Terrill Hanks, West Virginia’s David Long, USC’s Cameron Smith, Florida State’s Brian Burns, Marshall’s Juwon Young, Washington’s Ben Burr-Kirven and Buffalo’s Khalil Hodge.
Analysts’ rankings are all over the place on the second-tier candidates. But then, the analyst who matters is Dorsey, who spent five years as an NFL linebacker and has strong ideas about the position.
Reach Steve at 330-580-8347 or
steve.doerschuk@cantonrep.com
I like Germaine Pratt and Bobby Okereke as my favourites for Dorsey to target on his board. jmho