Defensive Coordinator George Edwards is being let go by the Vikings, and rumor has it he'll be coming to Cleveland.
It might work. This is Mike Zimmer's Defense (Edwards is rarely even mentioned), but Edwards was a DC before Zimmer hired him, and Edwards has been running that scheme since 2013.
Zimmer is a great defensive mind, and Edwards would no doubt bring his boss's principles with him.
The Vikings Defense is a 4-3, and keeps 4 down linemen in nickels and most dimes. Coverages vary, but are mostly single high or cover 2. Every type of man coverage, and zone.
The Vikings show similar "looks" most of the time, then shift around right before the snap. They also show blitze, then bail instead, and use every twist and stunt in the book.
Zimmer's "trade-mark" set is the double a-gap blitze set, normally used in passing situations.
The two linebackers line up on each side of the center, showing blitze. This drives them nuts, because they don't know if either or both are really coming, and have to just guess, sorta.
The writers who gave me this also missed the fact that this stacked front would force any runs outside.
Everybody is doing that stuff now, and Offenses are adapting, so George Edwards will need to be sneaky and diabolical like Zimmer, and...well Stefanski will know.
The Browns remain in a good place, as they have a lot of options for both coaches and front office people.
Edwards and Broncos OC Rich Scangarello were "late entries".
Scangarello would run the Shanahan system, which is clearly a prerequisite.
Scangarello helped Drew Lock to a 4-1 w/l record, and did a good job overall, considering the players (including quarterbacks) he had to work with.
You guys know I love that Shanahan offense, so I'm just grinning ear-to-ear now. And trust me: so is Nick Chubb, and it might just keep Kareem Hunt here, too.
The offensive tackles too---and of course Baker Mayfield.
A few notes here:
1: ALL running backs can look good in this "one-cut" system, but guys like Hunt and (especially) Chubb can make HUGE plays out of it often and frequently.
2: Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb can do everything a bigger, slower fullback can do, and Hunt has been doing it ever since he was activated.
Now, look at the 49ers. Jimmy Garrapolo gets in trouble when he passes too often, right?
Well, the Niners have a good offensive line, but they get exposed on passing downs. Jimmy is a fine quarterback, but he takes too much heat in those situations, and forces passes.
...sound familiar?
But look at what that team has done, and where it is!
It's the SYSTEM, ok? It protects weak pass protecting offensive tackles, so-so running backs, and even skittish quarterbacks.
I know that Hunt and Chubb are much better than Coleman and Breida, and that Baker Mayfield will be better than Jimmy G. And now, drafting 10th overall (*and wherever they do after they trade OBJ*), they should have better offensive tackles, as well.
The defense is a different story. It's sprung leaks all over the place.
I don't know if they'll release Olivier Vernon, but I know they should, and that DePodesta agrees with me.
Either way, the front four is in trouble. I expect Larry Ogunjobi to bounce back, Garrett is Garrett, and Sheldon Richardson is very solid. Thompson is actually looking decent as well, but you need EIGHT.
There is no comparing the Browns front four to the Niners front four. That Defensive Line needs a serious upgrade.
Linebackers are---well Wilson is here, but Dorsey dumped the most talented one for a bag of donuts, Schobert is a free agent, and...hmm not that bad: Takitaki, and Adarius Taylor is...almost...err average...
Nevermind cornerback is ok, but (assuming the new guys all agree with the fired guys that Damarius Randall MUST GO even if he's dirt-cheap) the Browns might need safety help again!
...I don't get the Randall hate. He didn't get hurt on purpose. He didn't suck. But these writers color him a GMF and never say WHY!
Joel W Cade wrote a great article (as usual) about why he feels the new regime will "punt" the draft (ie trade down and pile up draft picks again).
I wish I could have Joel with me here at Longhorn Steakhouse so we could debate this over tall ones, but since that aint happenin, I need to correct Joel here:
1: Joel expects Dorsey's termination to be a major disruption in the scouting process, and for what data Dorsey himself compiled on college players to be...doubted, or something?
Well no. Dorsey was fired, but the scouts were NOT. The new Front Office isn't starting from scratch here, and John Dorsey's eye for talent will NOT be dismissed by DePodesta, let alone the new GM.
2: Trading down is very possible, but Joel hasn't considered the almost certain OBJ trade. The Browns could draft maybe 10th and 21st in the first round, and have a third third round pick.
3: It's not rocket science. Offensive (or defensive) tackles aren't that hard to scout, and the success-rate for those drafted high are much better than all other positions (except maybe EDGE).
We here know that Greg Robinson was a bust, but he's the exception-not the rule.
4: The Browns are NOT rebuilding, and expect to contend in 2020. They NEED a solid Left Tackle (or anoth...whatever) NOW, and those guys are hard to come by (and rediculously expensive) in free agency.
There are 4 stud OT's who might be there at 10, and who the real experts think are worthy of that pick. Possibly ALL of them could start immediately at LEFT Tackle in this scheme, but certainly 2 of them...and the 2020 Browns should not trade down from that.
With all that being said, I almost always like trading down and piling up draft picks (being "analytical" and all), so if they trade down I won't soil myself like many of you will.
And (oh yes) this is a DePodesta thing:
Trust me: The GM will have given Paul a list of players they would draft at 10 overall, and once the 8th overall pick is in, he will advise the GM on how to proceed:
"Four of your primaries are still there, and seven of your secondaries. You can move down to 13 and lock up one of your top guys, or to 16 if you feel lucky and are willing to draft a second tier player--"
That's DePodesta's job. The GM's job is to decide what he wants to risk based on this advice:
He could trade down further and get an awesome deal...but might lose all of his top targets, see?
DePodesta stays in his lane...are you getting this? So it's up to the GM to figure out what he thinks the other teams are going to do based on their needs, and what he's willing to risk.
...well ok the GM might field a trade offer and consult DePodesta on it too, so he can prevent the GM from getting hosed.
Just as I'm excited about the Shanahan offensive system, I'm thrilled that Paul DePodesta and analytics are finally being taken seriously.
As Joel and I point out, John Dorsey blew DePodesta's plan out of the water with his dumbass trades and stuff. We thank God that the Haslams have finally picked a side.
Idiots cite "1-31" as evidence that "moneyball" doesn't work.
DePodesta opposed Hue Jackson (he preferred Bills Coach Sean McDermott).
Andrew Berry, you people, was the real GM during the Sashi Brown regime. Sashi Brown had almost nothing to do with "football".
Berry was an ex-player, seasoned scout, and scouting boss.
HE drafted Njoku, DeValve, Higgins, Schobert, Peppers, and signed Tretter and Zeitler. Andrew Berry ia smart.
I hope we get him back okbye
No comments:
Post a Comment