...that was sarcasm (sigh). Taylor is a skyscraper at 6'9" (36" arms), so anybody trying to run around him should pack a lunch.
He's a superior athlete who started in college on a basketball scholarship, and he was remarkably fast (5.1 40) for his height at the combine.
Alex went undrafted partly because some question his love of/commitment to football, but there are other reasons too:
He's too tall, and every defender he faces will be "under his pads" with a leverage advantage.
Callahan could train him to crouch a lot, refine his punch/keep them off his body, etc. Hans and Franz can pump him up from his skinny 310 lbs. With his natural agility, balance, and coordination, this is one skyscraper who could overcome the leverage issue.
...and he could easily get up over 340 lbs. At that point, he could face-plant any edge-rusher who tried to get low and bend the edge around him.
Taylor has the agility and speed to block in space, and his length would be a great asset there, where he could reach out and shove guys off-balance with impunity (basketball star, remember?)
Elliott sees Kendall Lamm as Taylor's biggest obstacle, but I'm not so sure about that, as Chris Hubbard was re-signed as a utility guy (including swing-tackle).
It's not always about right now, who is slightly better among backups. If Taylor looks like he could tread water in an emergency, he could displace Kendall Lamm even though Lamm is the better player.
Taylor's cieling is much higher, and his salary is 2.5 mil lower.
That's why the sarcastic remark about signing Jason Peters. When a team is that extreme about nownownow, they never have any young ascending depth.
Right now, the Browns' top 6 offensive linemen will be the starters and Hubbard. An interior lineman who can play center would be 7th, and I believe that has to be Nick Harris.
The team could actually risk going with those 7, as Hubbard has and can play everywhere except center.
Most teams activate 8, and some 9 on game day, but if the 8th or 9th guy gets on the field as anything other than a blocking Tight End, that team is in trouble.
...and you don't pay 2.5 mil more for Kendall Lamm if an Alex Taylor will do.
The guys on Yahoo Sports expect the Browns' skill players to be underpriced in Fantasy Football, and so do I.
The oddsmakers are projecting the Browns to finish 3rd in the AFC North behind the Ravens and Steelers.
Well, why not? The legendary and immortal Big Ben will come roaring back to dominate the Browns like he always has! Why--he might be even better than he was at 37 after a year off!
Seriously, the Steelers are loaded at Wide Receiver (4-deep) and added TE Eric Ebron.
Their offensive line is almost as good as the Browns' too, and their running backs are above adequate!
Yeah I know: On paper the Browns have more/better Tight Ends and running backs, but clearly Baker Mayfied vs Ben Roethsenberger aint even close, right?
Wrong. I won't repeat my last post here, but Big Ben is more likely than not to decline in his decrepitude, and Mayfield will be better than he was in 2018.
The Steelers' defense will have to stop Nick Chubb (and Hunt) before they can get heat on Mayfield, and they won't.
The Steelers have a lot of talent on defense, especially at linebacker with Devin Bush, TJ Watt, and Bud Dupree. Then there are Cam Heyward, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Gramps Haden, and Tuitt.
The Steelers still run a true 3-4. Bud Dupree and TJ Watt are 269 and 254 lbs respectively, and as much Defensive Ends as linebackers.
Their primary jobs are passrushing and containment. Inside 'backers Vince Williams and Devin Bush are true full-spectrum linebackers--and Bush is a beast.
Stefanski's offense should keep the Steelers' base 3-4 on the field (by design). There will be 2 (occasionally 3) Tight Ends and/or 2 Running Backs, and Stefanski isn't trying to outsmart everybody; he is going to run the ball!
So Dupree and Watt can't tee off on Mayfield, and have to focus on sealing the edge (their DEs are really DTs ok?)
They're quite good at this (especially Dupree), but it takes away what they do best, and keeps them on their heels.
And it's the Offensive Tackles who are aiming at them, see? The Tackle on the "play side" (where the ball is going) is trying to get his head outside that defender's outside shoulder so that he can drive him downfield and buy the running back a clear path down the sideline.
It sounds like the faster, more agile defender can easily stay outside, but the blockers are moving forward as well as sideways, and have the advantage of knowing where they're going for the first 2 steps (long story just hang wit me).
The defender can't keep retreating; he has to stop or re-direct the runner near the line of scrimmage, or he's just letting him rack up yards anyway, see?
He can sometimes beat the lumbering blocker to a spot where he can funnel the running back inside, but now the Tackle is going to try to blast him out of bounds instead.
Dupree can "anchor" and maybe hold his ground, but Watt can't.
Anyway the Browns' Offensive Tackles have the advantage and can beat the edge-setters down over the course of a game.
Fitzpatrick and Bush are better positioned and suited to track Chubb down in space, but at least one Tight End is out there, and sometimes the center, too.
It will be incredibly difficult to hold Nick Chubb under 5 yards on any one play in this scheme, with these blockers.
Baker Mayfield could even be as bad as the simpletonians think. It wouldn't matter.
Oh--you think Big Ben would just score touchdowns at will and force Mayfield to come from behind right?
Get over it: Ebineezer Bell and Antonio Brown have left the building.
The 2020 Steelers can run a truly scary 3/4- wide, and Ebron is dangerous, but they don't have a Hunt or a Chubb, and the Browns just added Billings, Elliott, Phillips, and Joseph to help stop the run.
Keep Gramps behind the chains and on the scoreboard, and let's just see what this Browns' defense can do:
Expect Woods to man up outside, and for Ward and Williams to get the job done. Make Ben hold the ball...
Anyway the 2020 Steelers are overrated and the 2020 Browns are underrated, and the Browns should finish ahead of the Steelers.
Because they are more talented.
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