Browns Might Have Best Front Three in the NFL

I might have been more thrilled with the signing of Desmond Bryant than I was with Paul Kruger.

Bryant has been playing DT in a 4-3 scheme, but has great length and speed (for that position/his size).  As an inside player going against guards who are usually shorter than he is, he's mastered leverage.

On passing downs in Horton's defense, Bryant will set up somewhere inside the tackle (as he has every down with the Raiders) and penetrate.  Very effectively, especially when flanked by Rueben or Taylor...who do you double-team NOW?

But on normal downs, now Bryant should be shaded to the tackle's outside shoulder, making any double-team a big problem.  I believe he'll be mostly on the weak side, one-on-one with the left tackle.

Here, he has the height and reach to keep that skyscraper from getting his hands on him, and won't let the tackle push him anywhere.  With his arms extended keeping that guy at bay, he'll see everything in the backfield, and react.  It's a beautiful thing.  He will also sometimes stunt, or cross the tackle's face and shoot inside.

Quentin Groves is a good player who can start, and is partly here to school the other guys in Horton's system.  He has surprising speed.

Kruger relies more on power and technique than on speed.  Assertions that he's weak against the run are rediculous.  This is what you get when somebody sees that until this season he was a passrushing specialist, and leaps to conclusions.

Now, when Gocong returns, he'll most likely be the favorite at ILB as the thumper.  When he was injured last season, he had emerged as a force, with tackles for losses and big hits in specialized defenses.  (Oh yeah.  Cocong is a Cleveland Browns linebacker.  We got him from the Eagles...any of it coming back to you?)

Now Bub wants them to take Warmack at 6.  I initially flinched at the notion of taking a road-grading guard that high, but he's persuading me.  That would make this the best offensive line in football!  Warmack would be slotted at a number six salary for four years, and if he performed at an all-pro level, that's a bargain.

I knocked Warmack before because he's not an athlete who can pull, but that might not be so bad if he's as dominating as he is against any defender.

On the other hand, Browns fans bashed Shurmer for not running more screen passes.  Well, with Warmack they'll get to bash Norv and Chud for not running more screens, because Warmack doesn't run.  He lumbers.  The screens were blown to hell because the screen hadn't arrived yet, and that wouldn't change.

I'm wobbling on this.  With TRich healthy and this guy blasting tackles on his way to linebackers ahead of him, the dude might average 5 YPC.  Warmack isn't fast, but does have good feet and can't be bull-rushed.  He might not pull well, but does get to linebackers at the second level.

If they drafted Warmack, they'd ideally also get a FA or drafted left guard who's more athletic and can pull, and this would also make the lead-blocking fullback mandatory...

I don't know.  Certainly, Warmack would instantly start and play at a high level.  Certainly, he would open holes and enhance the inside running game.  Make a difference on third and shorts and the goal line.  Wear defenders down by beating on them all game.

What other options are there at 6?  Geno Smith is one.  Even still Ansah or another one of those OLB's.  Better is better right?  More is better too.  Could still trade Sheard, ya know (and actually get something for him too).  (I like Sheard but this is business see?)

Damn...as it stands, unless they secretly want Smith and/or can trade down, Warmack looks like the default pick.

And I could be wrong about his mobility, time to do more research okbye.

UPDATE:  This just in: I was wrong.  Warmack can pull.  SOLD!