Hue and Ray's Swiss Army Knives

All NFL coaches love versatile players, and this goes double for Ray Horton and Hue Jackson.  Fortunately, the current Browns roster has a bunch of Swiss army knives.

As I predicted 😉, Pierre Desir is being tried at safety.  What that really means is that he may be used as a utility guy and play in some nickels and dimes.

While most fans have been sleeping, the Browns have loaded up on true safeties, and despite moving on from the venerable Whitten, this is a strong and deep position overall.

Desir is the tallest back end player.  Though he was up and down as a second year spot starter, he did show enough as a pure corner to indicate that he can do a good job against bigger receivers who rely more on muscle than quickness.

Ogbah might not belong on this list, since it's standard procedure for an outside linebacker in this defense to sometimes put his hand on the ground.

Still, Ogbah is bigger and (especially) stronger than most, and as a defensive end needs less space.

Mingo tops this list defensively, as for now I seem to have nailed his role again.  He will again cover more than the other linebackers, and might also be shifted around to rush from different angles.

Ogbah probably has this in his future, but as a rookie will probably be asked to master one position.

Schobert can play inside or outside, and early indications say that the predraft scouting reports sold him short.  He has excelled in coverage.

He won't compete with the big guys at outside linebacker, but can be used all over the place and do everything.

Horton has to love this, because with these players he can screw with offenses and be unpredictable.

Offensively, it naturally starts with Duke.  Nuff said.

Corey Coleman is the wide receiver version of Duke Johnson.  Because of his "less than ideal" height, explosive cuts, and decent size, he can do everything a running back does.

If you peel another layer off this onion, there could be situations where Coleman will set up in the backfield while Duke lines up wide.  I know that sounds stupid, but the two players are not identical, and the defender who matches up with one might not be so hot against the other.  Coleman is also faster, so certain overall defenses aren't built to stop a running back with his flat-out speed.

Coleman is a freak.  He happens to be a wide receiver, but could as well have played running back and been the second one off the board in his draft class.

EJ Bibbs is a Swiss army knife too.  He was more or less a true tight end and H-back in college.  Bad scouting aside, he was a decent in-line blocker, but primarily was a receiver who caught and ran with mostly short passes.

The undrafted free agent made the team last season off an impressive pre-season, but wasn't used much as a rookie.

Now with a season under his belt, he will again be tried at fullback.

Those who tell you that Hue Jackson wants a blocking fullback haven't done their homework or learned anything from who the Browns drafted or signed.

Like me, Hue doesn't like the idea of a one-dimensional lead-blocker.  Mike Pettine tried to use Malcolm Johnson in this role.

I'm not here to inter any talented player off a poor rookie season (or because of who drafted him), but this did not work.

The defense keys a blocking fullback.  He tells you where the ball is going.  If he gets knocked down or stonewalled, it's over.

If an EJ Bibbs happens to line up in the backfield, they can't key him.  In fact, he is more likely to be a receiver than a blocker.

He may well charge forward at the snap, but the safeties can't assume it's a run until they actually see it.  That's because it might be a pass.  And Bibbs will be uncovered.

When a defense sees Bibbs on the field, they have to consider him a big receiver and substitute on that basis.

Lead-blocking isn't as simple as it seems.  Hue Jackson hopes he can do this, on top of everything else.  If he can, he not only makes this team, but plays.

Notable: Bibbs is under 6'3".  He's not like Seth Devalve.  He is a compact 258 lbs, and not as fast.  His size and stature are why some scouts projected him as a fullback.

Lots of people seem to think Terrell Pryor is a gimmick waiting to happen.

In reality, he's not a guy you want lining up at running back.  As coaches have pointed out, it's not easy for skyscrapers like him to make hard cuts, and he's too big a target.

He can run a wildcat, or something else we can count on Hue Jackson to invent, as a quarterback.  He can take an end-around and turn into an option passer.  He can line up in the slot.

...okay, that will do!

Seth Devalve can play some H-Back and line up outside, so he's sort of a cut-down Swiss army knife too.

RG3 is dangerous with his legs, and Hue will exploit this, so we have to include him.

With all these tools, the Browns can be unpredictable, extra-deep, retain better special teams players, and force favorable matchups almost all the time.

Even if it were true (and it's not) that the current roster is a black hole, this team can still be insidiously diabolical and sneaky.

Sneaky, well-coached teams can beat more talented teams, especially when they can force a matchup the other team doesn't want.

Defenses are stuck with the people they have on the field in the huddle.  They can adjust to a Pryor setting up in the slot and DeValve outside by simply switching where their coverage guys line up.

But this forces man instead of zone or vice-versa, puts defenders in spots where they're not experienced or comfortable, and tells the offense what they're up to.

If they don't adjust, they have a 5'8" cornerback on Terrell Pryor.

Just an example.  Hue will be doing this a lot, because he has a bunch of Swiss army knives.  I don't know how many games they'll win this season, but it will be fun to watch.