Browns talk to Cleveland media

[BernietheKid]

Browns talk to Cleveland media

By Matt Florjancic, ClevelandBrowns.com Staff Writer
Posted 35 minutes ago

INDIANAPOLIS, IN---Browns General Manager Tom Heckert joined Coach Pat Shurmur for a brunch press conference with the Cleveland media.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN---While the quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs held their press conferences at Lucas Oil Stadium, Browns head coach Pat Shurmur and general manager Tom Heckert held a brunch with the Cleveland media at the team hotel in downtown Indianapolis.

During the nearly hour-long session, Heckert and Shurmur both addressed this weekend’s Scouting Combine and the Draft, which will be held from April 28-April 30 at New York City’s famed Radio City Music Hall.

“Philosophically, we’re picking No. 6 and we feel we’re going to get a tremendous football player. Obviously, there’s some great players that’ll be available for us at No. 6. As far as picking guys high at certain positions, I don’t think that’s an issue. If you can find a great player and he’s at the spot where you’re willing to pick him, let’s do it.

“As a head coach, I think it’s important that we get the best players and when we come out of this draft, as it stands right now, let’s get seven really good players that are going to be major contributors and guys that are going to be with us for a long time. If we can do this, then, I think we’re moving forward.”

For Heckert, a veteran of more than 20 NFL Drafts during his career in the front office with the Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles and Browns, the key is setting up as many possible outcomes of the first three rounds as possible.

“You want to make sure you cover as many areas of concern as you can, but without passing up a really good player,” he said. “If you think they’re going to be whatever position in the second round, that’s probably a good thing about picking sixth. You have to maneuver and figure out where you can get these players.

“You try to work the board,” Heckert added. “Whoever you take with the first pick, make sure you get that guy in the second round. You try to come up with the best possible scenario for the first three rounds.”

With Shurmur and Heckert acknowledging the team’s switch from a 3-4 to a 4-3 defensive alignment, there were questions about the crop of defensive linemen in the 2011 Draft class.

“Both defensive tackles and defensive ends, it’s a good group all the way around,” Heckert said. “Obviously, the underclassmen field helped a little bit; quite a few of them came out this year. Who knows how many will go before us. There’s a lot of guys that are going to go early-early.

“Normally, you would say if a guy could rush the passer outside, you’d take him over the other guy, but I don’t know,” he concluded. “Defensive linemen are so demanded that if you’ve got guys that are equal, then you got with the pass rusher on the outside.

If you really like a guy that is special as a tackle, he’s still going to get pressure on the quarterback. He’ll help you.”

MCCOY IMPRESSED IN FIRST YEAR

In his rookie season, McCoy started eight games for the Browns and completed 135-of-222 attempts for 1,576 yards with six touchdowns against nine interceptions. McCoy, who ran for 136 yards and one touchdown on 28 carries, led the Browns to victories over the then-reigning Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints in the Louisiana Superdome on October 24 and perennial AFC East power New England Patriots at Cleveland Browns Stadium November 7.

“We have all the confidence in the world that Colt’s going to be good,” Heckert said. “Really, the only question is the experience factor. He’s had some good days and he’s had some bad days, but from everything that we’ve seen, and Pat’s watched him, we think he’s going to be good.”

UTILIZING THE RUNNING GAME

Browns running back Peyton Hillis ran for 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns on 270 carries, all of which were career highs and led the team in 2010. He also caught 61 passes for 477 yards and two touchdowns.

His ability to catch the ball out of the backfield will come in handy in the West Coast offense.

“The West Coast system starts with a two-back set,” Shurmur said. “The halfback has to be able to catch the football out of the backfield as well as run with it. The fullback is the guy that needs to block, win the one-on-one battles with linebackers and be able to catch the ball out of the backfield.

“We’re going to hand it to them and throw it to them,” he added. “The running backs are key positions.”

JACKSON WANTED BACK

In the lunch with the media, Heckert addressed his corps of linebackers. D’Qwell Jackson was one of the players mentioned in that second line of defenders. Though he has missed much of the last two seasons due to injury, Jackson’s physical stature could help him in the Browns’ switch from a 3-4 to a 4-3 defensive scheme.

“I think D’Qwell feels that way, I really do,” Heckert said. “I’m not speaking for D’Qwell, but I’ve talked about him about this in the past and I think he is. I think he could play either one. He’s really not an outside linebacker in a 3-4, but in a 4-3, he could probably play Mike or Will.”

In addition to Jackson, the Browns have Scott Fujita, Chris Gocong and Marcus Benard to help fill out the linebacker positions.

“Fujita is the ideal Sam linebacker,” said Heckert. “He’s a guy that could play on the line of scrimmage if you wanted to or off the ball. He’s done both. The other outside linebacker is a guy that’s not going to be on the line of scrimmage. The Will in a 4-3 and the inside guys in a 3-4 are somewhat similar. Gocong could probably play all three. We do have some versatility.

“Obviously, we know (Marcus) can rush the passer,” he added. “On third downs, he can be on. That’s one little difference in the 4-3, where your defensive ends in the Nickel don’t have to be your starting defensive ends. At least on third down, he’ll be down and what he does on first and second down, that’s probably a wait-and-see thing.”

ANCHORING THE LINE

Ahtyba Rubin started every game at nose tackle for the 2010 season and was among the NFL leaders for tackles by a defensive lineman. Even with the defense’s switch from a 3-4 to a 4-3, the Browns are confident in Rubin’s ability to disrupt an opposing offense.

“He can play either one,” Heckert said of Rubin playing one of the two defensive tackle spots in a 4-3.

Browns talk to Cleveland media

[Riffer X]

“The West Coast system starts with a two-back set,” Shurmur said. “The halfback has to be able to catch the football out of the backfield as well as run with it. The fullback is the guy that needs to block, win the one-on-one battles with linebackers and be able to catch the ball out of the backfield.

“We’re going to hand it to them and throw it to them,” he added. “The running backs are key positions.”

This goes into what I've been saying. I really believe they are going to move Hillis to FB, let Vickers walk and look to Hardesty as the starting tailback.

This could also lead into grabbing a guy like Ingram if there is a tradedown to give them a three headed monster. Hillis is the prototype FB in the WCO and they didn't draft Hardesty for nothing. Vickers is not a WCO FB and most likely not going to be resigned.

[Brown Warrior]

Heckert seems pretty confident in a lot of our current personnel, which doesn't really surprise me all that much. Most of these guys were 4-3 in college and many in the pros, too.

Noticed that Heckert talked about DQJ and Gocong's versatility, their ability to compete at a couple or, in Gocong's case, even three positions. I agree... that's a very good thing. But we clearly need a couple more guys at that level.

[faninthehammer]

I know its a dead horse but wasn't versatility at linebacker one of Mangini's mantras? Ironic that his long term plan could be what makes his successors' look good.

[Brown Warrior]

Hilllis is a terrific receiver (a WCO trait) and had 1,200 yards rushing last year... and you think Shurmur's gonna move him to fullback?

I'm gonna say nay.

[Sez.EJ]

I'd hate to see Vickers go..but I understand why.

[nickers]

Vickers will probably wind up in dare I say it ...Pisspuke or Baltiwhore....

[faninthehammer]

is Vickers not capable of catching the ball or just underutilized?
Not only would it be silly to move a 1200 yard rusher to fullback but what makes anyone believe Hillis would accept the move?
He's a team player and all but would be daft to accept that move.
Plenty of backs in his position would be holding out next season after becoming a household name in just one season.

[Vegasdogg]

Originally Posted by faninthehammer

I know its a dead horse but wasn't versatility at linebacker one of Mangini's mantras? Ironic that his long term plan could be what makes his successors' look good.

Sometimes versatility is another term for mediocre. There are a lot of things Mangini did that made the team better, but I'm not sure he was good at developing talent. Or finding it.

On another note........

Vickers may just well be a fantastic FB or he may be gone. But a guy like Vickers isn't easily found. He is like the Matt Roth of the O. They're both absolute beasts and meat eaters. They love to smash and mash. Hard to find in players. He could stay.

Hills can play FB or RB. In the WCO any particular play can have 2 RB or 1 and 1. The only people on the field who would know are the 11 guys on offense since Hillis plays both. But still I think you need a Vickers on this football team to run the ball. Hillis can't take the beating at FB and RB, IMO. I know Vickers can take the hitting and smashing.

[Riffer X]

Here are some basic backfield formations in the WCO. Note that the fullback doesn't differ that much from the tailback, it is mostly a two back set where both are very prevalent in the passing game and can move and shift for mismatches. I can't post just the backfield base sets since it is in PDF form and I don't know how, but this is an excellent resource of the WCO for reference if you bother to click the link and check it out.

http://www.centuryinter.net/midway/c...tcoast/wco.pdf

[Brown Warrior]

I don't know, Riff... I certainly knew the fullback from the tailback on all the Eagles, Packers, Niners, and Seahawks teams. Lots of Pro Bowl tailbacks who were pretty damn different from the guys blocking for them.

[Riffer X]

Shep, you are the apex of the definition of copy cat league. If you were a GM, you would do nothing but compare every little detail from the latest success stories and try to emulate every one of them. Want a 4-3 RDE, make sure he is same size and speed of the latest winner or script sheet. You read up and do your damndest to figure all the latest trends and football on paper that you can, and that is good, but I like to think outside the box a little and set my own trends instead of copy them.

Let me ask you this, do you remember a two back tandem that went by the name of Byner and Mack? Do you remember which one was a FB and which one was a TB? How about Mike Pruitt and Greg Pruitt--or even more recently, Leroy Hoard and Eric Metcalf/Ernest Byner/Tommy Vardell? Do you recall what a huge factor Rathman was in the 49ers success and how huge he was for Roger Craig?

Hillis goes 250 and played FB at Arkansas. He's a born FB for the WCO and could serve more as a dual tandem with another big back like Hardesty. I think it would be a great pair back there and I think the Browns will give it great thought. This is just my supposition, I haven't heard the Browns mention it one time yet, but I do think they will find ways to play both these guys together quite a bit. I want my best weapons on the field, and Hillis is ten times the weapon Vickers or the average FB is in this system.

Vickers is more of a relief valve pass receiver, not an actual route runner like Hardesty and Hillis both are. Those guys together can really create mismatches and attack, which is ultimately what the theory and philosophy of the WCO is all about. It's about saturating the defense with pass catchers and attacking the weakest defender.

I hope people take a look at that PDF I posted and really take a look at the base two back set alignments. There is no differential between the FB or the TB.