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D-Line: Where 2 Deep Isn't Too Deep

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  • I think Phil Taylor is going to be on the field a lot more than you guys are perhaps surmising.

    Zombo

  • this Browns defense will be kickass. I can't wait for the football to start.

  • Whatever they run 4/3, 3/4, hybrid.....I agree that depth now is a key....as last year with so many injuries what turned out to be what we thought was a strength became a weakness. You just can't have like 4 of your top 5 DL sitting on the sideline and expect maximum production.

    The scenarios you all point out here look great.....but let's get lucky for once and remove the injury but. Then, yes, like Stacy's mom I think we will have something going on.

    @the-gipper said:

    Whatever they run 4/3, 3/4, hybrid.....I agree that depth now is a key....as last year with so many injuries what turned out to be what we thought was a strength became a weakness. You just can't have like 4 of your top 5 DL sitting on the sideline and expect maximum production.

    The scenarios you all point out here look great.....but let's get lucky for once and remove the injury but. Then, yes, like Stacy's mom I think we will have something going on.

    Try to look at it this way. I've never seen us have 4 of our top 5 defensive linemen standing healthy on the sideline for extended periods between reps. When I went to the TN game - the thing that jumped out at me was how often our big defensive linemen were running on and off the field in every series. And it wasn't like we were all that healthy either. If this year's goal is to improve against the run - the Dline will be prioritized. That's a good thing considering the types of running games we face in the AFC North.

    When we predict how many Dline and how many LBers we think they will keep, we're using their positions in the 3-4 (our Base D at least allegedly) even though we will use multiple fronts and occasionally see OLBers used as DEs. I think that's how they get classified by position when they're listed on the active roster as well. Therefore, I'm not including Kruger, Solomon, A. Bryant and Orchard as Dline in the head count of Dlinemen I think we'll keep.

    The outrageous volume of injuries to our dline in 2014 has me thinking we'll keep about 7 defensive linemen (and stash a young stud on the practice squad). Part of this planning factors in guys will get dinged up and miss games or play hurt - "play like a Brown."

  • I think Phil Taylor is going to be on the field a lot more than you guys are perhaps surmising.

    Zombo

    Zombo said:

    I think Phil Taylor is going to be on the field a lot more than you guys are perhaps surmising.

    In what role? Coaches seemed to say Phil's 3-4 DE time was over, so to see significant time he'd have to beat out Shelton at NT. Can't see that, but he might be able to push his way to a "1B" status in a heavy rotation.

  • Phil Taylor is a prime cut candidate

  • Zombo said:

    I think Phil Taylor is going to be on the field a lot more than you guys are perhaps surmising.

    In what role? Coaches seemed to say Phil's 3-4 DE time was over, so to see significant time he'd have to beat out Shelton at NT. Can't see that, but he might be able to push his way to a "1B" status in a heavy rotation.

    @tour2ma said:

    In what role? Coaches seemed to say Phil's 3-4 DE time was over, so to see significant time he'd have to beat out Shelton at NT. Can't see that, but he might be able to push his way to a "1B" status in a heavy rotation.

    Inside. He's a big, talented guy, can be explosive if he comes back healthy. I think we'll see him a lot spelling Shelton at the nose and on the field in four linemen situations.

    Zombo

  • Phil Taylor is a prime cut candidate

    XxDaBuckeyexX said:

    Phil Taylor is a prime cut candidate

    His contract is fully guaranteed this year, so that makes no sense unless you don't think he is good enough to make the team outright.

    Zombo

  • That's not to say Big Phil can't find time at DE, I'm certain he can. Is he a 2 gapping candidate? Absolutely not. He has the wingspan though to help set the edge and prevent tackle read cutbacks.

    Obviously that would be a true 'heavy' package. I'm certain he'll get plenty of looks when we go to 4 down as well. However the possibility of seeing Shelton and Phil on the field at the same time is highly likely, especially given our first game against the run heavy Jets.

  • well can shelton beat out phil? remember when phil was healthy last on the thursday night game at cincy? we looked pretty good on the dline with him playing LDE and rubin at NT. when those guys are healthy they are good.

  • well can shelton beat out phil? remember when phil was healthy last on the thursday night game at cincy? we looked pretty good on the dline with him playing LDE and rubin at NT. when those guys are healthy they are good.

    @miktoxic said:

    well can shelton beat out phil? remember when phil was healthy last on the thursday night game at cincy? we looked pretty good on the dline with him playing LDE and rubin at NT. when those guys are healthy they are good.

    I remember Phil being completely miscast as a 34 DE kind of like Corey Williams was when Phillip traded for him.

    His ass is on the line this year. It is put up or shut up, and will come down to camp performance. As it should be.

  • XxDaBuckeyexX said:

    Phil Taylor is a prime cut candidate

    His contract is fully guaranteed this year, so that makes no sense unless you don't think he is good enough to make the team outright.

    Zombo

    Zombo said:

    His contract is fully guaranteed this year, so that makes no sense unless you don't think he is good enough to make the team outright.

    Zombo

    He has to make the team outright, but it isn't a given. They will eat his contract because they can afford to and have the room.

    This is what competition is all about under Pett and his staff.

  • Well lets hope Phil shows up ready to compete this year......he was the "only" one to fail the conditioning test last year and, now, he has some serious competition ahead if he wants to keep his job....

    I definitely dont see the Browns eating his contract though.....Phil has trade value, so if they feel he wont make the roster, I see him being traded for whatever we can get.....(but I really expect him to make the team and play well, as long as he stays healthy)

  • Well lets hope Phil shows up ready to compete this year......he was the "only" one to fail the conditioning test last year and, now, he has some serious competition ahead if he wants to keep his job....

    I definitely dont see the Browns eating his contract though.....Phil has trade value, so if they feel he wont make the roster, I see him being traded for whatever we can get.....(but I really expect him to make the team and play well, as long as he stays healthy)

    @mudfly said:

    Well lets hope Phil shows up ready to compete this year......he was the "only" one to fail the conditioning test last year and, now, he has some serious competition ahead if he wants to keep his job....

    I definitely dont see the Browns eating his contract though.....Phil has trade value, so if they feel he wont make the roster, I see him being traded for whatever we can get.....(but I really expect him to make the team and play well, as long as he stays healthy)

    Does he now?

  • Here is a really good site on salary cap implications http://overthecap.com/calculator/cleveland-browns/ .

    Phillip is sitting pretty and our new Gerard Warren apparently. His salary is at $5,477,000. If he is cut, it all goes to dead money and we get nothing gained toward the cap.

    He will have to be Jabba the Hut in order for them to cut him. I still think he should be motivated though. Drafting Shelton is almost a direct smack in the nads to him I would think. Sure, they let Rubin walk, but drafting Shelton pretty much says "we don't trust you Phillip".

    If he is in shape and has his game face on, Shelton and he could make a devastating pair in 43 sets and they could also spell each other in 34 rotations. Taylor is probably best playing no more than 60% of the snaps anyway to be effective. For Christ sake leave him off of 34 DE though, that was a bad experiment right there. Can't be a turtle and play 34 DE. No way, no how.

  • There are considerations other than "the cap" involved in trades...

  • @mudfly said:

    Well lets hope Phil shows up ready to compete this year......he was the "only" one to fail the conditioning test last year and, now, he has some serious competition ahead if he wants to keep his job....

    I definitely dont see the Browns eating his contract though.....Phil has trade value, so if they feel he wont make the roster, I see him being traded for whatever we can get.....(but I really expect him to make the team and play well, as long as he stays healthy)

    Does he now?

    @tiamat63 said:

    Does he now?

    Id think so.....maybe not much, but gotta think there are a number of teams that would want him and might give us something....(as opposed to just cutting him).....maybe not.....

    Personally hoping he sticks and returns to form.....

  • @tiamat63 said:

    Does he now?

    Id think so.....maybe not much, but gotta think there are a number of teams that would want him and might give us something....(as opposed to just cutting him).....maybe not.....

    Personally hoping he sticks and returns to form.....

    @mudfly said:

    Id think so.....maybe not much, but gotta think there are a number of teams that would want him and might give us something....(as opposed to just cutting him).....maybe not.....

    Personally hoping he sticks and returns to form.....

    That would also include absorbing his salary in a trade.

    Still of the belief he has trade value?

  • @mudfly said:

    Id think so.....maybe not much, but gotta think there are a number of teams that would want him and might give us something....(as opposed to just cutting him).....maybe not.....

    Personally hoping he sticks and returns to form.....

    That would also include absorbing his salary in a trade.

    Still of the belief he has trade value?

    @tiamat63 said:

    That would also include absorbing his salary in a trade.

    Still of the belief he has trade value?

    Yep....

  • @tiamat63 said:

    That would also include absorbing his salary in a trade.

    Still of the belief he has trade value?

    Yep....

    @mudfly said:

    Yep....

    Then God bless because you're an eternal optimist.

  • @tiamat63 said:

    Does he now?

    Id think so.....maybe not much, but gotta think there are a number of teams that would want him and might give us something....(as opposed to just cutting him).....maybe not.....

    Personally hoping he sticks and returns to form.....

    @mudfly said:

    Id think so.....maybe not much, but gotta think there are a number of teams that would want him and might give us something....(as opposed to just cutting him).....maybe not.....

    Yeah....Im over the top with it....Maybe - maybe not = eternal optimist?.....ok.... 😳