Well, per PFF, Adarius Taylor is even worse than Christian Kirksey. Both players rank below 45 overall, and against the pass, and the run. That's why John Dorsey was able to sign Taylor for peanuts.
Taylor can play any linebacker position, and may be good on special teams...move along, nothing to see here. Cheap veteran depth.
Demetrius Thomas is very similar to Darren Fells, except much younger, and I assume cheaper. Dorsey may have had him in the bag when he released Fells.
Thomas excels on special teams, playing on every unit, so he does represent an upgrade there, as Taylor is a depth upgrade.
I already addressed the two defensive linemen, each of which rank in the top third of players at their respective positions overall and as passrushers.
These two are obviously significant upgrades. That's why even before OBJ was secured, we were feeling dangerous around here.
But some of you people need to back it up on this "urgent need" at safety that losing Peppers creates.
Steve Wilks will lean heavily to off-man and zone coverages (often 3-deep) at least between the edges. While Rodney Kindredfield's 2018 PFF grades were much lower than they were in 2017, in 2017 he was playing the hybrid linebacker/strong safety role in the Williams defense, while Peppers was at free.
Kindred was one of the better "safeties" in the NFL in 2017, especially vs the run.
Steve Wilks is a DB coach first, and (screw the "labels"), will have no problem putting Kindred in places where he can succeed.
Having said that, Dorsey does need another safety, and sure: he could find somebody better in coverage than Kindred.
Hmm...the Chiefs just released Eric Berry.
Berry is a geezer (30) and has been injured the last couple seasons. He should be fine off his achilles injury, but in 2018 it was bone spurs, and he refused surgery.
All of this will drive his price down; no team can afford to pay him like the player he was prior to these injuries, bet on his skills not having diminished (sound familiar?), or even count on him in general.
All of this is music to John Dorsey's ears. He can ruthlessly exploit Berry's lack of leverage and sign him dirt cheap.
Maybe Berry returns 100%, and can stay healthy. If so, Wilks would be in heaven. Maybe he's not as good as he was three years ago, and/or misses more time. Still, he was so good before that, he could certainly help in 2019, even in a part-time role.
Berry is really a Free (not strong) safety, so at the very least he could back up Damarius Randall. But he's also good as a cover two safety, and Wilks would have no problem using the both of them, if Berry comes out near his cieling.
Dan Justik lists his version of the Browns remaining needs in the wake of the OBJ blockbuster, and it was pretty sharp:
From lowest to highest, Dan says Offensive Line Depth, Cornerback, Linebacker, and Safety.
With Corbett stepping up to replace Zeitler, Dan is right about Offensive Line depth. Dan is one of the few analysts smart enough to acknowlege the existance of Rodney Harrisonfield at Tackle, but for the moment, there's no "utility" guy.
If one of the inside three guys bites the dust, that's a problem as it is.
You do need that "utility" guy. If you don't have him, you have to move your starting guard to center, because your top interior backup can't play center, for example, and you blow all the communication and chemistry to hell by switching two positions to replace one injured player.
Cornerback, I'm not so sure about, but Dan makes a good case. Mitchell got hurt, and so did everybody else, and TJ Gaines looks like a GMF.
However Boddy-Calhoun, and TJ Carrie should prosper under Wilks, as their skill-sets fit his scheme.
But you can never have enough corners, so I can't call Dan a dumbass for this.
He's right about linebacker, too, but for the wrong reasons: Based on his rookie season, Dan has decided that, despite his exceptional speed, quickness, and agility, that Genard Avery is not a real linebacker, and a permanent "liability" in coverage.
Dan is wrong about this. First, Avery was a rookie, and, much like pass-protection and pass-catching is commonly "taught" to unpolished rookie running backs in the NFL, coverage is taught to fast, quick, agile but unpolished linebackers.
Dan shouldn't assume that Genard Avery won't improve in year two. In fact, he should assume the contrary.
Second, Wilks probably won't have linebackers trying to man-cover tight ends or running backs anyway.
The Steelers used to "drop" a slower, less agile James Harrison to a spot, where he would "plug up" several routes, and could react to the ball in the air...
I've addressed this before. Suffice it to say that Genard Avery will be a starting linebacker in 2019, and not a "designated edge-rusher".
It's actually Christian Kirksey who needs to be replaced.
Joe Schobert, who LED THE NFL IN MISSED TACKLES, was also one of the best coverage linebackers in the NFL in 2018, so Dan can say what he wants about...
Nevermind if I get started on that I can't stop, and will put you in a coma. Suffice it to say that Schobert excels in coverage, Avery will be fine in zone, and the SYSTEM MATTERS DO YOU UNDERSTAND?
But hell yes Jordan Hicks or even one of those 30 year old stud linebackers would come in mighty handy for what is now unmistakeably a Superbowl attempt by John Dorsey.
The bar is raised now, so Dan is right about a "need" at safety too, despite the fact that Derrick Kindred is being massively underrated.
And yeah, that's correct: Despite what John Dorsey said earlier ("We're not there yet"), he has obviously decided that the Browns are "there", right tf now.
As you guys know, I've been all but dismissing these OBJ trade rumors, but that was because I thought it would cost too much for this hugely talented flake.
But 17 overall, a third round pick, and Peppers was NOT too much to pay. In fact, for the
But this trade looks even better, the deeper you look:
Beckham fits the KitchensMonken scheme perfectly. He fits Baker Mayfield perfectly, too (better than a skyscraper "go-doo" receiver the majority of you people thought Mayfield "needed").
He reunites with Jarvis Landry, who is an "alpha dog" who might just be able to keep OBJ's head out of his ass.
Current Browns Wide Receiver Coach Adam Henry coached Beckham and Landry for two years in college in the same role.
We can hope that the change of scenery, these factors, and simply growing a year older will help OBJ perform a successful head-extraction, but even if that operation is unsuccessful, he's still one of the most lethal weapons in the NFL.
Note: Ebineezer Bell is signing with the Jets for less than the Steelers offered him two years ago. Congratulations, Ebineezer! I can't wait to see you discover that your offensive line makes a difference! (Not bad for the Jets, though. They didn't overpay too much.)
But I digress: As everybody both locally and nationally has been saying (except no doubt Pat Kirwan and our home-grown permabashers), the Cleveland Browns are now the consensus favorites to (at least) win the AFC North.
...W O W.
But ok: Baker Mayfield, as a ROOKIE, did what he did last season.
NOW, he has OBJ in addition to Callaway, Landry, Njoku (Higgins etc) and (so far) Duke.
Look back to Nick Chubb's rookie season in college (and last four games of his NFL rookie season) and you will comprehend why I compare him to Todd Gurley.
Add to that the EXTANT Defensive Line upgrades (rendering it at least in the top 7 in the NFL), John Dorsey not being "done" in free agency yet, and how well he drafts--oh hell yes be unafraid. Be very unafraid!
Dorsey doesn't have 17 overall now, but has his mid-second and (I think) mid third-round pick (I think he traded the "Shelton" pick).
...anyway, regardless of what further havoc John Dorsey can be counted on to wreak in free agency, it's likely that he will add two new major 2019 contributors (unless one of the two top picks is an offensive lineman).
Anyway, the rest of the AFC North is already in trouble. Amazing work by John Dorsey and (ahem): Paul DePodestađź–•.
DEAL with it!
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