DBs

The two new guys brougt in are interesting. They've been sort of utility guys who played both safety and cornerback. They have experience in ZONE coverage, and are good candidates to be ZONE cornerbacks.

The PD seemed most interested in Travis Key. Key is the size of the young contenders, and shows some stuff to which everybody but Phil and I seem oblivious: His 40 times are just adequate, but he was a track star in longer sprints--meaning he can run with NFL recievers, at least on a straight line, and can fly to the ball.

Scouting reports saw him as a solid zone cornerback prospect; probably hidden in there is some lack of flexibility in his hips, cramping his change-of-direction, and a lack of explosion to catch up to a guy once he's shaken off. (These are "man" cover traits).

This is in-line with what I...and I believe ONLY I...have been saying about the cornerback situation all along: Last season, the Browns played mostly a zone scheme. This season, they are using Wright and (to my own surprise) McDonald in man-coverage more, partly so that the new cornerbacks wouldn't have so much to learn, should they be forced in by injury.

Key is a former safety--he is more familiar with zone coverage. He may well not make the final roster, but if he does, he will enable the Browns to sort of "platoon" with one of the young "man" guys should McDonald or Wright get hurt. One guy for zone, one guy for man.

By the way: the two 70-yard "burns" last thursday? That was zone coverage. The cornerbacks were looking for a lateral cut, and failed to turn in time--Clowney blew their doors off before they could get their hips around. This sort of "reading" and recognition takes time to learn. And then, they WERE expecting help--which wasn't there. This is why Cargile is gone.

Also, I should point out again: The Browns went to a soft zone with their second and third teams--it was press/man with McDonald, Wright, Pool, Jones, and THE STARTING FRONT SEVEN.

The guy who interests ME more is Brandon Mitchell, who was released by Houston. Houston is just LOADED with safeties, and his release from this team isn't as significant as it might seem. In college, he played every secondary position. He sounds sort of like our Mike Adams-except that this guy is 6'3", 215. (I've heard 205, too--but suspect that this was his entry-level weight; he's 6'3", and was groomed as a safety on an NFL practice squad).

His college carreer at Ohio State was undistinguished, and he wasn't drafted. But Gary Kubiak and co. did see enough in him to use one of their valuable practice squad slots to retain him, and he does now have that year in the NFL to go with his five years at Ohio State.

He's very intelligent, too. I can't find anything on his speed yet, but at 6'3", he is a potential role-player who could match up with tight ends, fullbacks, and Jurevicious-types in man. He also fits the physical mold of a cover-two safety. But please note: I don't know how fast he is.

Mitchell is more interesting to me because of his versatility.

Chicken Little, for the last several weeks, has hallucinated an urgent need for a vedderrrunnn cornerback to take over for one of the starters if they're hurt. Niether of these players is that guy, but one could be 20%, and another 30%--like that.

Here's where I tie it together: If McDonald or Wright go down, but the front seven and safeties remain intact, the predominant man/press scheme will not change, and a rookie cornerback can play that. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?

Zone cornerbacks (or safeties) can come in on the outside on running downs, or against certain teams situationally. AJ Davis and M'ilvon James have demonstrated some ability, and the sky is not falling because they each got toasted once, in the first preseason game, in a more sophisticated coverage scheme than that which will be the base for the regular defense.

We are NOT all gonna die, and Phil is NOT gonna trade the future for a cornerback.

I do still think, however, that Andra Davis, Darnell Dinkens, or even Steve Heiden could be converted into a pretty good one (if he isn't released--as several will be).

This running back stuff never stops. When did anybody get the idea that Chud's system requires a big running back? How do you make that Olympic-calibre conclusion-leap? Because he inheritted Jamal Lewis?

Try to comprehend this: This is a two-tight end base offense which also features a fullback. Based on it's personnel, it will use zone-blocking, traps, etc. Any tight end can turn into a lead-blocker out of motion. This is a massive amount of highly mobile blocking, in a scheme designed to allow the back to find his own weak spots and shoot through them ASAP.

So where does the big back come in? How, then, is it possible for Jason Wright to do as well as he does in short yardage, and for Rodney Harrisonfield to have the highest yards-per-carry on the team?

Chud's system does NOT require a big running back. It requires a patient, instinctive running back with a quick burst...who can catch well, and pass-protect.

I really wish people would think for themselves more.

YOU STAND CORRECTED.