I've scoured the web for Browns dumbassitude, and couldn't find much this time. Sorry, cuz I know you like that vivisection stuff I do.
Here is a pretty good article on why Gregg Williams wants each defender to play two spots.
Williams said it best himself: (no quotes here, because I can't recall his exact words): When somebody gets hurt, the next best player steps in, but it doesn't neccessarily go by position.
My army of crickets already know all about this. MKC, Pluto, and Grossi will realize it tomorrow or the next day...Redundancy Alert:
Williams also said that he tends to run five or more defensive backs in response to modern offenses. He also said that opposing offenses are hesitant to try two-back sets against "that" because of how he can crowd the line and overwhelm the blockers.
Zinggg! Right over almost everybody else's heads! Most DC's jump at the chance to use a 4-3 or 3-4 base defense vs two running backs, but not Williamss.
This is partly the whole point of the linebacker/safety hybrid player, see? This player is not a "sub", but just a guy who will line up at either position, depending on how the offense sets up.
It should surprise none of my crickets that Rodney Campbellfield and Rodney Kindredfield were playing both safety slots with the ones and twos. Just like Pryor and Peppers (with the twos and threes so far), ALL have the physical tools Gregg wants to fill the SS or "linebacker" role (and that's four, for those who can't count).
Most fans are too stuck on "labels" to understand this. Please pretend there are no labels. Just players, ok?
Well, Derrick Kindred, for example, is an aggressive, hard-hitting tackler vs the run, with terrific range. He was inconsistent in coverage in Ray Horton's scheme, which ***uses more man coverage vs tight ends than Williams defenses do...ahem...as a ROOKIE.
Here's a tough, hard-nosed player with agressiveness and speed. He's overmatched by most tight ends in man (too short), but excels in zone (can jump routes, knock balls loose, or at least prevent YAC). No match for offensive linemen or some tight ends who block him--
This matches the description of many 3-4 inside, and 4-3 WIL linebackers; all "run-and-hit" linebackers, ok?
Well, Gregg Williams just realized that, per those specs, it hardly matters if a guy is 240 or 220 lbs, and that a "strong safety" could do that job BETTER than the bigger guy, because he is quicker and faster, and usually hits harder TOO!
So Derrick Kindred is very much in the mix to be one of Gregg Williams' top 7-8 defensive backs, even assuming that Jabrill Peppers, and maybe Pryor, pass him up on the depth chart.
Campbell is very similar, but is slightly taller and faster. He has played free as well as strong (and two-deep) safety. Kindred does not project well as a free safety, but Campbell has a shot there.
While Williams wants everybody to play two positions, Campbell can probably play three, and Williams will value this.
Going back to why Gregg Williams tends to stick with five "defensive backs" vs two running backs: He can cover the sneaky bastard who lines up in the slot, or can key the fullback and swarm the power-run...his guys are faster than the offense's guys.
Naturally, Gregg said that if the offense gets big, he has to get big (matchups), but he generally prefers a combination of speed and agressiveness over trying to slug it out.
What Gregg didn't say was that, given his current personnel, he's got to run a four-man defensive front on almost every down. His four-man front will tie up the five offensive linemen, and often a tight end or running back, on every single down (pass and run).
Then there's big Jamie Collins, and let's toss Kirksey in there, so who's going to block Kindred, Peppers, Pryor, Campbell, or whoever?
See?
I'm thrilled that my man Rodney Shobertfield is getting his props and reps from the assistant coaches. My crickets are not surprised. However even I am a little surprised by how smart they're saying he is; ie not just calling the defense, but individually correcting linemen and defensive backs pre-snap.
This is a second-year player, already doing this, and it's exceptionally rare, even among old veterans.
It's also critical for a Gregg Williams defense, which delegates massively to one linebacker as a defensive quarterback.
It's going to be fun to watch how Williams fits Shobert in with Collins and Kirksey.
Well, Collins wants to play free safety, right?
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