They kinda had to do that, because none of them (except Takitaki*) covered worth a damn last season, and PFF has to grade pass and run equally.
Linebackers Coach Jason Tarver sounds exactly like Bill Belichick as he says repeatedly that they all have to "do your job", and that's music to my eyes.
That's just discipline; being where you are supposed to be (including in zone coverage).
Joe Woods is keeping the defense simple, so the players can rely on their reads and instincts and just react. This should get them out of the gate quicker than most defenses (especially those coached by Leonardo De Pettine or brainiacs like him).
The linebacker's assignments can be simpler than those of other players. Inside guys are often responsible for only 2 gaps vs the run or a short zone vs the pass (or a called blitze). All they have to do is diagnose the play correctly, and react accordingly.
Outside 4-3 Linebackers tend to cover more and set the edge less (well you know SAM and WIL are different too), but in Joe Woods' defense I would expect not much man coverage out of these guys (he obviously thinks Defensive Backs do man better for some reason).
In the Joe Woods 2020 defense, with this Defensive Line in front and this secondary behind, I respectfully tell you that PFF is incorrect:
1: They're here to stop the run (and blitze) first, and cover second, and at least Phillips and Takitaki do these things quite well.
2: Expect Mack Wilson to be much better in year 2 than he was as a rookie under Steve Wilks duh
This crew might not be elite, but sure as hell won't rank 31st in the NFL.
Greg Newland lists his 3 most underrated Browns' players and nailed it!
THANK YOU Greg for naming my man Terrence Mitchell! There is intelligent life in Cleveland!!!
Terrence Mitchell was better than Greedy Williams in 2019 and was elite in 2018. Better than most corners in the NFL, and everybody predicting Andrew Berry would cut him because his 3.66 mil salary is too massive for a "backup" WOW.
Greg's next guy was Sheldon Richardson, who has earned every penny of his 11.9 mil, playing both DT and DE.
Richardson is like Ogunjobi; right around 300 lbs but quick and athletic. Niether of them belong at nose tackle, which is where Larry got stuck, and a big part of why he's regressed.
Sheldon Richardson got to play where he belongs, and rote havoc. He will play some DE in 2020 too, by the way.
I would have listed Higgins or Njoku ahead of Bitonio on the underrated list.
Elliott Kennel asks who is going to stop the run for the Browns this season. It wasn't his best article:
1: Olivier Vernon is solid vs the run, and Myles Garrett grades out exceptionally high in that category. Both missed over half the season.
2: Joe Schobert DID miss a lot of tackles.
3: Andrew Billings and Jordan Elliott are very good vs the run.
4: BJ Goodson was a run down specialist and Jacob Phillips led the SEC in tackles (including at or behind the line and exceptionally few misses).
5: Takitaki. Nuff said.
5: Takitaki. Nuff said.
Elliott does give Sheldon Richardson his props, and concedes that Wilson 2.0 will be better, but he sold Vernon and Garrett short, and utterly ignored 4 new players.
YOU STAND CORRECTED
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