Ok first a primer:
Gregg Williams runs a FOUR-THREE defense ok? The defensive line in general, and defensive ends in particular, are the primary passrushers...not the outside linebackers ok?
Williams' ideal defense, when he has the people to run it, includes a safety who does a bunch of linebacker stuff, and when he has that guy (it was Derrick Kindred last season), he tends to blitze more often than anybody else.
With Gregg Williams, there's some bleedover into the front seven from the secondary.
The linebackers are there to be linebackers, if you can understand that. Linebackers tackle people and cover people first, and getting sacks is a nice bonus.
In general, Williams blitzes everybody (and blitzes a lot), but seems to like sending the fast little guys more than the linebackers. He is not upset when his linebackers don't get a bunch of sacks ok?
Another point I haven't belabored for awhile is the fact that in today's NFL, some type of nickel defense is the real base defense for all teams, since they have to run it (or a dime) on two out of three downs.
Williams runs every front in the book in these situations, but when he has Peppers and Kindred both available, he'll go to a dime in situations where most other teams play nickel.
That makes the front seven a front five.
Got all that?
Ok! The linebackers are fine if you are sentient. In only his second NFL season, MLB Joe Schobert made it to the Pro Bowl due to Shazier's injury (by the way if you don't root for him to recover because he's a Steeler you need therapy).
Schobert is a better athlete than he looks like on paper. He's very smart and has great instincts. He'll only get better going forward, especially at setting up the defense presnap (he's the defensive "quarterback"...already!)
Oh yeah see Gregg Williams delegates a LOT of authority to his "field general". Most defensive coordinators won't do that. But Schobert is expected to set everybody up and call stuff on the field.
This makes Williams' defenses more adaptable than other defenses, provided he has a smart enough guy to do that. I myself am kinda shocked that Schobert skipped all those grades and became that guy in season two.
Kirksey is obviously really good.
Jamie Collins is a freak.
Burgess started a bunch of games as an undrafted Sashi Brown rookie, and did a great job overall (could start for some teams). Prior to that, Special Teams stud Tank Carder (IR) had challenged Schobert at MLB, and if healthy can back him up in 2018.
As a unit, these guys were much better vs the run than they were in coverage. I can't afford PFF insider stats, so I can't give you numbers...
I do know that Schobert rarely matched up, but just sorta backed up a little and hoped somebody would come his way so he could blast him or pick him up with a head start (slants/crosses, of course).
Kirksey might have been below average; ditto Burgess. I'd be surprised if Collins didn't do well, but it's possible...he should match up with any tight end in the NFL.
Overall, this is a very solid crew of real linebackers, for those of us who comprehend what real linebackers do.
The defensive line is just like that. PFF was extremely impressed with rookie Myles Garrett when healthy (and dinged but still playing). I have zero doubt that Joe Thomas helped him out a lot, but this guy came to the NFL already pretty refined.
Rodney Ogbahfield was moved to the strong side (played where Garrett is now last season) and in reality (axe PFF) did a great overall job in his own second season.
Ogbah is excellent vs the run. His passrush numbers went down somewhat, but were still respectable. Ogbah can't do everything Garrett can do, but it's rediculous to even think about replacing him. He's entering his third season--give him a freaking chance, ok?
Carl Nassib has not turned into the passrusher I expected he would, but is a good player overall, with upside just like Ogbah.
Dorsey will try to add at least one edge-rusher this offseason. He/they can be situational (and perhaps cheap). He/they don't neccessarily have to be good vs the run (like the starters Ogbah and Garrett are).
Anybody who says the Browns need a defensive tackle is mentally impaired. Ogunjobi and Brantley showed great promise. Both are one-gap penetrators who can also two-gap who I guess the clueless Sashi Brown just accidentally lucked out on.
I'm not as big a fan of Danny Shelton as most of you are, because I expect him to break down physically unless he loses a lot of weight. And even now, that extra weight saps his endurance, quickness, speed, etc., and it will only get worse as he ages.
Some idiot said the Browns need a defensive tackle next to Danny Shelton...my God these people are allowed to vote!
Don't count Jamie Meder (IR) out here either, because he does what Shelton does in the Williams defense, and I saw Gregg use him on the right side too. Meder is short, light, and slow, but somehow just does the job anyway, all the time. Williams clearly noticed.
I'm leaving guys out here, like linebacker Dominique Alexander, who is pretty damn good, by the way:
Now, what about nickel-dime?
Well, you let Danny go suck oxygen for one thing.
Beyond that, it gets complex. Gregg might still want four down linemen in a "Nascar" package (and let one of the linebackers take a break as well).
Nassib has been part of this at defensive tackle, and Garrett can move inside too...and there's the problem: Gregg needs another edge-rusher (or two) to pull this off!
As it stands, why bother moving Garrett inside if the guy who replaces him at RDE is just a guy? And aside from Garrett, who on the current roster is a better edge-rusher than Ogbah?
As it stands, no "Nascar" 4-2 or 4-1 or whatever. So yes, the Browns need at least one more edge-rusher, and preferably two.
Now understand this: A "Nascar Package" is four quick/fast passrushers (usually all defensive ends). Teams with Garretts and Ogbahs can run this only if they have scary edge-rushers ready to come in and do their part outside.
John Dorsey will probably target edge-rushers this offseason, and bring in at least two or three. They can suck at everything except sacking quarterbacks from the edge, so he can probably get them cheap, and not worry about possibly having to cut one of them.
Overall for the defense, Dorsey will want (outside) cornerbacks first, edge-rushers second, free safeties third, and...well that's about it.
Not that he won't take best availables and try to upgrade positions of strength too. If you have a first round grade on a strong safety or linebacker and see him again in the third round, you have to consider drafting him.
Hey, I never said Kirksey was an All-Pro, or Schobert was great in coverage, or that Meder was on his way to the Hall of Fame. Good is good. Better is better.
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