But Dan Justik still hasn't got it quite right: Dan points out that since the Browns are unlikely to field their base defense more than 20% of the time, Avery will probably get most of his reps off the edge.
Everybody seems to assume that the four-man defensive line is mandatory. Even with these 4 starters, that's not the case.
Garrett, Smith, and Thomas can play inside, Vernon can stand up, and this is how you rotate your best players out for rest when you don't have a Gerald McCoy.
And far from lacking depth at linebacker, the 2019 Browns now have too many of them.
All sorts of exotic fronts suggest themselves; sufficient to run any front vs any offense in any situation.
Oh sure, that awesome four-man front is always available, and no doubt will be run the majority of the time, but see what happened in 2018?
They wore down! Myles Garrett hung in there pretty will, but Ogunjobi faded severely, and the other guys...nevermind.
These guys shouldn't have to play more than 55-60 snaps per game. That's the most physically demanding position on the field; it's being in a car-crash at every snap.
Steve Wilks, as he's said, will run a lot of nickels, and try to have one safety close to the line and inside (where a linebacker would be).
This guy can't take on any blockers, of course, but can do everything else (including blitze). He has more range and is better in coverage (notably on vertical routes) than real linebackers are.
He is a reliable sideline-to-sideline tackler, see? Wilks sacrifices size and strength for speed and coverage, ok?
Well, there could also be two real linebackers (and yes, only 3 down linemen) there with him.
And listen get over Chris Kirksey, everybody. He's not very good. Dorsey didn't draft him, Wilks just met him, and the tapes don't lie.
For that matter, Joe Schobert is on thin ice too. Efficient tackling (run-stopping in general) will be much more important than coverage for Wilks in this defense. If Joe can't tackle, Joe can't play either.
See earlier posts: Joe Schobert is trade bait. (Kirksey would be, but he's too expensive).
But I digress: Genard Avery and Sione Takitaki are the ideal "type" to be the two real linebackers in this personnel group, as they are very effective passrushers and downhill players. They can take on and defeat huge blockers, and jam Tight Ends.
They're big strong aggressive guys who make it almost impossible for an offense to get a hat on any of the DBs, you see?
And oh yeah: That's a 4 down lineman front; a 4-2.
A lot of people would dispute Takitaki and Avery as the two linebackers here, and that's fine. I'm "reaching" a little on two very young players, and projecting them ahead of Kirksey, Taylor, Wilson, and even Schobert.
I could be called overly-optimistic about these guys' ability in 2019, but it's the system that makes them fit in better than the other guys.
One linebacker would probably line up in a Tight End's face. No pretense of trying to cover him here. He's just there to jam the guy and force him outside or inside (per a plan), then to set the edge or attack.
Niether of these guys should man-cover anybody, but Avery in particular can drop quickly and become a human roadblock in zone coverage.
This is how the Steelers used James Harrison, and Wilks will certainly do this too:
If we're looking at a white board, we see a symbol representing Avery (or Takitaki) on a hashmark 6-12 yards beyond the line of scrimmage.
Now, any receiver who had intended to run through that area is forced to re-route. This really screws up West Coast timing stuff, because now the receiver might have to "sit down" (stop dead) and hope the QB got that memo too.
The other defensive players know about this 250 lb human roadblock and exploit the traffic jams (or mistakes) it causes.
Long story short: When you have 5 DBs who excel in coverage, you can "get by" with a big nasty guy who just stands there and dares you to throw it anywhere around him.
This is why analyses of linebackers "in coverage" are often flawed. No doubt, James Harrison was "inconsistent" in coverage throughout his carreer per PFF, but in reality did a great job.
No do you get this? That catch he "allowed" was coming towards him, and he smashed the guy an instant later. And PFF et al may never devise a way to credit a dropping linebacker for how he "herded" opposing receivers into the clutches of his smaller teammates.
Anyway, Genard Avery is a real LINEBACKER, and doesn't need to man cover in this scheme.
Takitaki isn't as fast or quick...or as strong either, but is a similar player, who only became a linebacker in his final college season.
The fact that until then, Sione was a DE is significant, as he is used to taking on and shedding blocks (successfully) from a 3-point stance.
Avery is the better athlete, but Takitaki is exceptional in his own way.
Now, for those one of us who think with our brain, Avery working at DE probably means that they think Avery can do Takitaki stuff, and want to see if they can safely build that into their embryonic defense.
If Avery fails out of a 3-point stance, Wilks can't build a "shrimp-front" into his playbook based solely on Takitaki.
No doubt, they're seeing how well Takitaki can become a human road block too. The reporters won't notice it until he picks off a pass or something.
None of the other linebackers are as big or strong as these two guys...how many different ways can I say this?
Avery and Takitaki can turn a 3-man D line into a 4-man front, or a 3-man passrush into a 4 or 5-man rush, or...well it gets astronomical here with 4 down linemen and 2 edge guys and a shrimp-blitzer but I digress:
Joe Schobert and Chris Kirksey are on the block/bubble. Chris Smith might be on the block too, if Chad Thomas continues on his predictable path of development.
McCoy is a longshot for the Browns, but a consolation prize would be if the Ravens are the team that overpays him. 30 mil over 3 years with 17 mil guaranteed (4-plus of that in year 3) would be ideal, but the Ravens aren't that dumb, unfortunately.
Sorry I got into the weeds with the business stuff there, but just trust me: That's a huge part of this.
Like, if the Browns paid McCoy 11 mil for one season, no problem! He's off the books in 2020, and meanwhile helped train the younger guys and got us a Division Title and whatever.
But if...the hell with it check earlier posts in re McCoy. I don't think
I'm cautiously optimistic that the Ravens will overpay him for several years. The Ravens have 24+ mil in cap space, so they can bid with the Browns.
But the Ravens run an oddball 3-4 defense which McCoy doesn't fit. Of course, now that Terrelle Suggs is gone, they might change things...
The 2019 Ravens are a little desperate, as they just lost Suggs and both of their other starting linebackers (btw including CJ Mosely) to free agency.
I would love to have Gerald McCoy on a sensible deal, but next best would be the Ravens overpaying him and having to adapt their defense to make the most of him.
Most likely,
If the Ravens do land McCoy, it certainly upgrades them, and makes more headaches for the Browns (and Steelers and Bengals).
I consider McCoy to the Ravens very likely, as they are kinda desperate...
The facts are that they're all-in on Lamar Jackson and a mandatory gimmicky offense, they just lost all 3 of their starting linebackers, and
PR bullcrap aside, nobody rates Jackson in Mayfield's zip-code, the 2019 Ravens Defense with the 2018 Ravens Defense, equates Harbaugh to Belichick (let alone God), expects the 2019 Browns Defense to be no better than the 2018 version...
Bullcrap aside, Jim Harbaugh indeed knows that he is overmatched talent-wise. You would NEVER have heard that from Steelers' Head Enabler Mike Tomlin.
I admire both Harbaugh brothers. Jim said "yeah you got us outgunned on paper, but we will beat you on the field anyway."
This zinged over everybody except one guy's heads, but Freddie Kitchens got the message.
I think Freddie (and company) will manage to somehow manage to find a way to beat much less talented team twice in 2019.
Oh poor Freddie! The babe in the woods, tossed into the maelstrom so early, vs Harbaugh and Tomlin...
Sorry I can't keep this up: What you see is what you are about to get.
DZea
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