DE Joe Jackson, despite not being very heavy (listed at 258 lbs--his Combine weight--he's probably closer to 270 lbs by now), is actually a better edge-setter vs the run than he is a passrusher.
As a passrusher, according to what I've read, Jackson is quick, but not exceptionally so, and has "stiff hips".
As you can read for yourself, at the time he was drafted (5th round in 2019), the writer said that with a better counter-move and refined hand-fighting, he could become pretty effective. There's a good chance that with a few games under his belt, he's a better all-around player in year 2.
DE Porter Gustin made the final cut as the fourth Defensive End, but I don't think that Jackson vs Gustin is an either/or thing.
Randy Gurzi thought that "only" 8 Defensive Linemen on the roster was "thin", which is wrong. But here again, with 5 Tight Ends, 6 Linebackers, and 6 WRs, they have guys to trade or release to make room for Jackson and DT Vincent Taylor.
Taylor is yet still another explosive 305 lb "3-tech" penetrator, but at least this analyst said he could also play the zero shade and take on double-teams.
I have to rethink my own rubber-stamping of these guys, as Jordan Elliott's profile also said he could two-gap.
Anyway Taylor sounds just plain awesome, especially as a disruptive passrusher.
As you see, the biggest knocks on him (in 2017 when he was drafted in the 6th round) were that he was top-heavy, played upright (without leverage) sometimes, and he needed to improve his hand-fighting.
All very fixable (and I bet he's added at least 12 lbs to his butt and legs after 2 seasons with Hans and Franz).
Eli Ankou is the 4th DT (zero shade only).
I'm not sure what will happen to Eli now. He's a big space-eater, but all four other guys are much better athletes.
If my theory that Joe Woods is channeling Bud Carson is correct, Ankou could get cut now.
Randy Gurzi had a bad-article day as he kinda labeled Taylor a run-stuffing Nose Tackle, but it seems Taylor can play the position.
We all love Larry Ogunjobi, but he's been weak vs the run at zero-shade (ask PFF). He's probably not going anywhere, but Elliott or Taylor could overtake him on the depth chart (if he doesn't improve vs the run).
Reminder: Bud Carson ran a 4-3 and used a Safetybacker. His Defensive linemen all attacked, and he often sent a blitzer, even on running downs.
You need special Defensive Tackles to do that. Lots of guys can out-quick the big uglies, but the running back just runs around them (into the hole they just left), and the smartass Offensive Linemen just turn around and shove them upfield before they can stop or turn.
Aaron Donald is the best there is at this, partly because he's only 6'1" (height works against you here). (Donald was also only 280 lbs when he was drafted.)
Donald is first and foremost a passrusher, but he also nails running backs in the backfield a lot, because he plays low and is agile.
But I suppress: Taylor and Jackson are real upgrades (not just breakglassincaseofemergency guys). They'll be part of an extremely deep rotation.
An aggressive, athletic, and light Defensive Line wears down. They're all-out on every snap, fighting much bigger guys, and chasing much smaller and faster guys.
If Jackson and Gustin play 15% of the snaps each, and Clayborn takes 20%, Vernon can be protected, and Garrett preserved (for crunch-time).
The DT rotation would be more balanced.
No more caving in late in games. 9 or even 10 Defensive Linemen make sense, if all of them are good, and PLAY.
And remember Dieken Jones: "They didn't wear us out. We wore them out."
But I regret: UPDATE Ankou and Pharaoh Brown released (blush-blush).
Brown doesn't surprise me much either. This regime favors athleticism over "blocking" or being huge or whatever, and Steve Carlson is a Seth DeValve-like converted WR.
Brown will find work. He's a conventional Tight End who is a solid receiver and in-line blocker.
OTM (other than ME) analysts are very concerned about Tight End blocking mainly because they are utterly oblivious to this specific offensive scheme.
While Stefanski will no doubt have a Tight End "chipping" to help Wills out on 3rd and longs, glorified Offensive Tackles aren't useful in this offense.
If everything works as it predictably should, the Browns won't throw conventional passes over 25% of the time (that they pass). When they do, at least 2/3rds of these will be quick-hitters from 3-5 steps deep.
All these athletic Tight Ends can chip (it's easy), and guarantee Jedrick Wills mastery over his passrusher...and still go out for a pass.
Running (at least 55% of the time) is over 90% zone-blocking, and most of that horizontal outside and stretch zone, so why exactly is it imperative to have a TE who can block in-line?
Redundancy Alert: All zone-blocking schemes look as neat and tidy in chalk as man-schemes, but in reality they just create chaos (which instinctive running backs can exploit ie "daylight" everywhere).
For Tight Ends (as well as Offensive Linemen), athleticism matters a lot more than "road-grading" stuff, because it's all "in space", see?
This is where a Njoku or Carlson can take a linebacker or safety out of the play with a little one-handed shove, or just plain getting in their way.
You can't arm-tackle Chubb or Hunt (or Johnson, for that matter), and here you can't plant your feet or square up, so why can't a 235 lb Carlson ruin your day as certainly as a Pharaoh Brown?
Indeed, just as more athletic DTs fit Woods' scheme, faster and more athletic Tight Ends fit this Shanahanian offense DO YOU U N D E R S T A N D?
But I repress: I read a totally unsubstantiated and perhaps BS rumor that the Browns were about to extend Kareem Hunt's contract.
You guys know why I can't dismiss this since I've been lobbying for it (Redundancy Alert):
Kareem Hunt lacks leverage due to his off-the-field antics, and can't expect to have a great season as the "Robin" to Nick Chubb's "Batman".
He only averaged 4.2 YPC over the second half of 2019, but caught 37 passes for a 7.7 yards per-catch (more often than not out of the slot).
Nick Chubb averaged over 5 YPC and 7.7 yards per-catch in 2019 (but Hunt caught twice as many passes per game).
I've been telling you that if I were DePoBerry, I'd be trying to extend (or trade) Hunt rtf now.
His 2019 receptions extrapolate to over 74, the 0.8 fewer YPC are a "margin of error" thing owing to his comparatively microscopic sample size. He's averaged 4.7 YPC for his carreer, and 4.9 YPC when he won the rushing title as a rookie with the Chiefs.
Kareem Hunt is a home boy who wants to stick around (within reason) (he's even formed a strong relationship with Nick Chubb).
Stay with me here: 7.7 yards per-catch was under
Kareem Hunt might be a bargain right now, even if you pay him top 5-6 RB money.
Duh front load the guarantees and use incentives to mitigate the cap hit, but you're getting an extremely reliable slot-receiver here, as well as a rushing champ. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?
You people need to stop mentally replacing Kareem Hunt with a Tight End in 2020, ok?
But I regress: I doubt that this Hunt extention rumor has legs (it might have been inspired by this Blog! I'm a "source" doncha no?)
The Ravens loom, and I have an "L" penciled in here.
I remember Bud Carson's Browns blowing the Steelers out in a similar situation (scoring over 50 points), but we need to be realistic here.
I will take the "over", and probably not use anybody (except Chubb) in fantasy. I will consider a huge point-spread...
You people get that I don't wager or lose much, right? If I risk 18 bucks and lose 1.75 I'm not a compulsive gambler right?
...Think with your BRAIN, dammit. Okbye
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