Browns Must Sign a Defensive End in Free Agency in Order to Compete

[mikeyP]

Cleveland Browns Must Sign a Defensive End in Order to Compete in 2011-2012 | Bleacher Report

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Mike

[Sez.EJ]

Love Charles Johnson.. Kiwi Nuka... I say stay away.. his neck injury is a very scary.. I say no way.. We cannot take that risk. We have to get it right if we bring in a free agent..

DE is mission #1 in free agency.

As for Dqwell.. We must bring in a replacement..he cannot be counted on. Sign him if he will stay cheap, or turn him loose.

[YtownBacker]

Although both would be great signs I don't see it from Heckert or either player wanting to come here. I believe the Browns have to look at someone like Victor Arbiamiri. To go along with him or one of the better second tier DEs they need to resign Mitchell and develop Bernard. Smith is a good run stopper but he belongs inside as a rust DT in this defense.

But, it isn't a DE that will stop the Browns from competing any more then the lack of depth and talent in the defensive backfield. Brown has lost a step and isn't in the premier CB class. He might be able to transition to a very solid FS but we are so thin at corner that moving him creates two holes. What this team doesn't have is a nickle back. Please don't say Wright because he can't play inside. Hell, he can barely play outside. That said part of his problem last year was that he was hung out to dry by poor safety plan last year. He can be a decent 3rd WR against a teams #3 or #4 WR but he isn't the guy you want playing against their #1 or #2. Slot receivers eat the Browns alive because we don't have a nickle back. Neither Brown or Wright can play the position. At this point Adams is our FS with a couple of kids and Sorensen or Ventrone as his backup. Now that sucks as bad as our 3rd and 4th corners.

Give me Ike Taylor and move Brown to FS and hope everyone stays healthy because there is less depth there then DE. Besides, half those guys are FAs and probably should be resigned.

Man it's a toss up DE, LB or DB...........they all are thin in depth and overall talent. One or two injuries and you can flush the toilet. I hope we score big in FA and not just at DE.

Nice article but my point is that maybe it should say "one of the positions we need to sign a quality FA for to compete is DE."

[Sez.EJ]

I totally disagree that getting a DE makes us competative. While I agree it is probably the most gaping hole we have, we have talent issues all over the roster in a VERY good division...and a green QB.. while talented.. he's still green.

[mikeyP]

Trust me, Ike Taylor and Sheldon Brown are both products of strong defensive front 7's. Sheldon was exposed last year in pass coverage in Cleveland because the pass rush was lacking. I have a feeling Ike would be much of the same. Generate a formidable pass rush and Sheldon becomes serviceable again.

[Brown Warrior]

Originally Posted by mikeyP

Trust me, Ike Taylor and Sheldon Brown are both products of strong defensive front 7's. Sheldon was exposed last year in pass coverage in Cleveland because the pass rush was lacking. I have a feeling Ike would be much of the same. Generate a formidable pass rush and Sheldon becomes serviceable again.

Back, back, back, back.... it's outta here!!

This board loves DBs, which is fine. But the defensive front helps the back more than the other way around, something we've discussed a million times. Pittsburgh's heat on passers made their DBs look good, something their own head coach brought up. Same is true for Green Bay, where Shields and Williams might not be so awesome for the Browns or Bengals, teams that haven't been hassling passers much.

If the Browns field a really strong front four and have guys attacking the edges, Eric Wright rebounds to the day all of, oh, a year ago, when he was seen as a potential Pro Bowler. Sheldon Brown is no longer the oldest 32-year-old on earth. Put those guys in Pittsburgh or Green Bay? They're just fine.

The Browns have a guy in Haden who is better than anybody on either Super Bowl team in coverage, yet those teams ranked #1 and #2 in pass defense. Oh, and sacks, too. So Mikey's point is excellent.

Would love to see another DE with some pass rush ability. Also love Benard as the "Joker" Alo described. Bring the heat.

[YtownBacker]

Originally Posted by Brown Warrior

Back, back, back, back.... it's outta here!!

This board loves DBs, which is fine. But the defensive front helps the back more than the other way around, something we've discussed a million times. Pittsburgh's heat on passers made their DBs look good, something their own head coach brought up. Same is true for Green Bay, where Shields and Williams might not be so awesome for the Browns or Bengals, teams that haven't been hassling passers much.

If the Browns field a really strong front four and have guys attacking the edges, Eric Wright rebounds to the day all of, oh, a year ago, when he was seen as a potential Pro Bowler. Sheldon Brown is no longer the oldest 32-year-old on earth. Put those guys in Pittsburgh or Green Bay? They're just fine.

The Browns have a guy in Haden who is better than anybody on either Super Bowl team in coverage, yet those teams ranked #1 and #2 in pass defense. Oh, and sacks, too. So Mikey's point is excellent.

Would love to see another DE with some pass rush ability. Also love Benard as the "Joker" Alo described. Bring the heat.

Heaven forbid we talk about anything but WRs.

So you are saying that DBs are the product of a good pass rush. Just like WRs are the product of a good QB. D-Lines make DBs and QBs make WRs....................wow. So if we can throw anybody in there as a DB if must be okay to throw anybody in as a WR and watch McCoy make them a star.

DBs benefit from a solid pass rush but pass rushes look a hell of a lot better when the DBs can cover up the receivers. Them sacks pile up when a QB has to scramble because no one is open. Maybe there is something about a quick 3 step drop passing game like the WCO that neutralizes the rush that I just can't get my head around. You have to cover guys or good QBs will eat you alive no matter how good a rush you have. CBs have become a priority position for teams for a reason.

[mikeyP]

I don't think that YTown - I do think that good DB's become great with a solid pass rush though.

Guys like Asomogha (giving up trying to spell his name), Revis, Rodgers-Cromartie and that crop are not products of great pass rushes but are true cover corners and do help the pass rush a lot.

I think Haden may be able to develop into that but we have gaps.. E Wright if resigned and Sheldon Brown would greatly benefit from a formidable rush so they aren't in coverage as long and aren't being exposed.

I agree with the initial coverage benefiting the pass rush and I think the two play off one another. The thing I was mainly addressing was after the 3 step drop, if there is no pressure on the QB like we have seen over the past few seasons (it improved last year with Ryan's exotic blitzes), it doesn't matter who is in coverage because a WR is going to get open if the QB has all day.

Good points.

[mikeyP]

Originally Posted by Brown Warrior

Would love to see another DE with some pass rush ability. Also love Benard as the "Joker" Alo described. Bring the heat.

I've read that Heckert wants to utilize Benard as a situational pass rusher. I think there's been concern all along that he can be an every down DE. Hopefully, he can prove everyone wrong. The guy is an absolute beast. With him and Sheard coming off the edges (assuming we hit gold on Sheard) for the next 6-8 years, we could do good things in the pass rush.

[Brown Warrior]

Yeah, the "Joker" is the situational pass rusher in the Philly/Chicago hybrid 4-3.

Y, I know you're contractually obligated to disagree with everything I say, but I suspect you agree with me on this because you know football. Sure, there are usually 3 to 4 legit "lockdown corners" in the NFL, but with the way the rules are, you aren't likely to truly cover your way to greatness. Each of those 3 or 4 great cover guys (meaning 28 teams don't have one of them) can only cover one guy... out of 5 or 6.

As any football guy will tell you (and has, over and over) the pass rush helps coverage more than the other way around.

And why did you say God forbid we talk about something other than WRs... when we're talking about something that isn''t WRs? Why are you being so habitually contrary when it doesn't even make sense?

First I talk too much about QBs. Then WRs. Then RTs. Then CBs. Then pass rush. What is it you wanna talk about? Hot dogs?

[mikeyP]

I love foot-long hot dogs with Bertman's Ballpark Mustard and onions!

[Seesaw]

To those saying the DL doesn't make the DBs better...remember how many more interceptions our pretty poor DB's had when Jamir Miller made the Pro Bowl?

I'll also note that the best DBs in the world can't cover someone for 8 seconds, which is around how often opposings quarterbacks had to throw on us when we brought no pressure.