Antwan Peek Correction

"Antwan Peek will be used as a situational pass-rusher".

CORRECTION:

Antwan Peek was the fourth-ranked outside linebacker in the 2003 draft. He alternated between playing DE and linebacker in college, and had only two years starting experience when drafted by the Texans for their 3-4 defense.

A new regime converted ro a 4-3, and Peek was injured. He played in that 4-3 as a situational passrusher--and a pretty good one.

In the Browns THREE-FOUR DEFENSE, Peek (called by several scouts the most underrated of all the free agents) will be a situational player in any given damn situation as an outside linebacker dammit.

McKinnest is old, and if retained will be a part-time fill-in guy and on-field de-facto coach. McMillan, the DE 'tweener drafted low in Savage's first draft, may or may not contend for a starting role, but lacks Peek's experience, athleticism, and speed. HE might be a situational passrusher and back-up.

The 3-4 defense is most effective when BOTH the outside linebackers are DE/LB 'tweeners. It can instantly transform itself into a 5-2, Bear defense, etc. with a variety of monkey wrenches for an offense. DE's have different skill-sets than normal linebackers, and can defeat offensive tackles where normal linebackers, relying more on finesse and speed, could not. (Clay Matthews was an exception).

Leon Williams, currently listed as the second weak inside linebacker, is the only other certain contender for the slot opposite Wimbley. Williams may actually be too talented in every phase of the game to leave off the field, and might force a change to the base scheme. Williams is a true linebacker, different that Peek. More capable in coverage, changes directions better, faster.

But Williams can play any of the four linebacker slots here, and might do exactly that, while Peek is the predominant OLB opposite Wimbley. Williams might be used more vs. a faster pass-catching TE.

A rotation of OLB's is most likely, with Peek on the field about half the time; more vs. some offenses and less vs. others. But he is a quite capable 3-4 OLB who should be integral to any such rotation, if not the main bookend for Wimbley.

You ASSume too much. Because there were no trumpets and you saw no confetti when he was signed, you yawned and said "another depth guy". If he can play a few games before he falls down the stairs and gets a staph infection, you'll hear his name a lot and wonder who he is.

Who he is is one of the better 3-4 OLB's in the NFL, and who he isn't is a situational pass-rusher.

YOU STAND CORRECTED.

OOPS! Sorry, Chaun Thompson! Ok Chaun can play outside on either side, but was drafted for, and is better suited to, a 4-3 defense. He's become a damn-good all-around linebacker, especially in coverage.

It's just that here, Williams has his abilties, plus more muscle and a better use of leverage. While Thompson (trade-bait hint-hint) could start outside in many 4-3 defenses, or inside in a cover 2, in this 3-4 which now includes Williams, he'll be a coverage guy and rotational player.

But Peek is the only true protopypical 3-4 OLB here. So there!