I only don't understand one thing: we need a number of good defensive players to approach next season hoping it will be the turnaround of this franchise and getting them via draft or FA will not be easy.

So why switching to a system that will cause us to need even more skilled players than the current one?

I have nothing against playing a 3-4. I just don't want that decision to slow down the rebuilding process.

I want to win games, sweep Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Cincinnati and make it to the Super Bowl!

Is that clear enough, Chud?

@miktoxic said:

i don't understand the talk about our D line. i think we're pretty solid there. if a DE fell in our lap to bookend sheard then great. but i don't see ourselves drafting that position before LB, CB or safety.

if we do, then i know banner and lombardi are shit and we'll suck for another 20 years.

Sheard is no longer a DE...

if we do, then i know banner and lombardi are shit and we'll suck for another 20 years.

Zombo said:

Ya, I see a Taylor-Rubin-Rucker line with Billy Winn rotating with Taylor and Rucker and Hughes and Taylor rotating inside with Rubin. Sheard will be the Vrabel/Harrison guy that will be a primary pash rusher who plays linebacker and also will be in a three point stance at times. I can see Jackson and Maiva/Gocong* inside and somebody new on the other outside.

I don't think there is any need to panic, personnel wise, that we are moving to the 3-4. But we still need a corner, a safety and a OLB for sure.

Zombo

--*assuming Gocong is healthy and in a good contract situation, not sure what the deal is there.

Do you think Robertson fits in anywhere? I could see him playing OLB opposite Sheard. I think he's shown some good quickness and attacked the ball pretty good, made plays all over the place it seemed and i thought he did a good job when he was asked to drop back into coverage. Also he's only going into his 3rd year so he should be peaking in the next few years. Or would he be better in the middle next to DQ? Personally i would like to see that combo in the middle, i think they'd be pretty tough together in there.

@maddogg7888 said:

DE:Taylor, Parker

DT:Rubin, Hughes, Kitchen

DE:Rucker, Winn

OLB:Sheard, Fort

MLB:Jackson, Maiava

MLB:Gocong, Acho

OLB:Robertson,JMJ

That's how I see the best lineup with our current roster, having said that a big time OLB would be needed as well as a CB and Safety, we have plenty of D-line depth but some more MLB depth in the later rounds would be nice

Mingo or Moore would look great on that depth chart!!!

The D-Line should be fine with Taylor-Rubin-Rucker/Winn

@maddogg7888 said:

DE:Taylor, Parker

DT:Rubin, Hughes, Kitchen

DE:Rucker, Winn

OLB:Sheard, Fort

MLB:Jackson, Maiava

MLB:Gocong, Acho

OLB:Robertson,JMJ

That's how I see the best lineup with our current roster, having said that a big time OLB would be needed as well as a CB and Safety, we have plenty of D-line depth but some more MLB depth in the later rounds would be nice

Yep, we agree...

Z

DT:Rubin, Hughes, Kitchen

DE:Rucker, Winn

OLB:Sheard, Fort

MLB:Jackson, Maiava

MLB:Gocong, Acho

OLB:Robertson,JMJ

That's how I see the best lineup with our current roster, having said that a big time OLB would be needed as well as a CB and Safety, we have plenty of D-line depth but some more MLB depth in the later rounds would be nice

@the-gipper said:

In other words, he would get "burned" in the 3-4?

I remember that song as being the devils music of the time! boy have times changed...

I think DQuell may get burned too in the 3-4 (he did under Mangini/Ryan) unless Horton can help there?

I like Craig Robertsons development too, but again - thriving in the 4-3

We need a LB who is just plain nasty.... and can lead?

Horton - better be able to "teach ya to learn"

@ballpeen said:

I found this a interesting read as I was browsing around.

DraftBrowns.com

Editor: Brendan Leister

With Ray Horton being brought in as the Cleveland Browns’ new defensive coordinator, a switch to an attacking 3-4 defense seems to be in the cards. With the switch, most of the players in the front seven are in line for a position change. None of these projections are sure things. I could be way off on a few of them, but I am simply looking at the players’ skill sets and projecting them the best I possibly can.

Ahtyba Rubin:

When the Browns previously employed a 3-4 defense, Ahtyba Rubin was the nose tackle. I expect him to return to the position. He may have the athletic ability to hold up as a 5-technique (defensive end in a 3-4), but I feel that his best fit is at nose. Rubin isn’t ever going to be an elite nose tackle, but he’s a solid starter and his skill set fits the position well.

Phil Taylor:

When Phil Taylor came out of Baylor, many draft pundits hyped him up as a pure nose tackle. Due to the hype, many expected Taylor to be drafted by a 3-4 team. In watching Taylor at Baylor, I always felt he had the athletic ability and versatility to play anywhere from nose tackle to 5-technique on the defensive line at the next level. Simply using him as a nose tackle and not moving him around at all would be wasting the freakish athletic ability that he possesses for a man his size. I expect Ray Horton to use Taylor in multiple spots on the defensive line, but in the base defense, I think that he’ll start at 5-technique (defensive end). Taylor has the combination of athletic ability and strength to really thrive at the position.

Billy Winn:

In being drafted in the sixth round, Billy Winn wasn’t expected to be a big-time contributor during his rookie season. Now that the 2012 season is in the books, his future looks very bright. Winn showed impressive athletic ability for a defensive tackle and also showed a great deal of versatility. He dropped into coverage on 18 snaps and lined up as a defensive end on 43 snaps in 2012. This versatility will help Winn in transitioning to Ray Horton’s defense. I expect Winn to compete for a starting position at 5-technique opposite Phil Taylor. I also expect Horton to take advantage of Winn’s versatility and athletic ability by moving him around.

Jabaal Sheard:

When Jabaal Sheard was in the 2011 NFL Draft, many expected him to be a good fit as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. After playing his first two seasons at left defensive end, it’s time for Sheard to make the switch. Sheard’s role won’t change a ton as he makes the transition. Rather than being in a 3-point stance on most downs, Sheard will be standing up the majority of the time now. He will still be asked to rush the passer most of the time. Also, this may be surprising to many, but Sheard stood up on 22.1% of pass plays in 2012 and dropped into coverage on 6.1% of those plays. Sheard will undoubtedly have to drop into coverage more often and he may have to lose some weight (may not have to), but his skill set fits the position well and I expect him to play well in Ray Horton’s defensive scheme.....

Ya, I see a Taylor-Rubin-Rucker line with Billy Winn rotating with Taylor and Rucker and Hughes and Taylor rotating inside with Rubin. Sheard will be the Vrabel/Harrison guy that will be a primary pash rusher who plays linebacker and also will be in a three point stance at times. I can see Jackson and Maiva/Gocong* inside and somebody new on the other outside.

I don't think there is any need to panic, personnel wise, that we are moving to the 3-4. But we still need a corner, a safety and a OLB for sure.

Zombo

--*assuming Gocong is healthy and in a good contract situation, not sure what the deal is there.

DraftBrowns.com

Editor: Brendan Leister

With Ray Horton being brought in as the Cleveland Browns’ new defensive coordinator, a switch to an attacking 3-4 defense seems to be in the cards. With the switch, most of the players in the front seven are in line for a position change. None of these projections are sure things. I could be way off on a few of them, but I am simply looking at the players’ skill sets and projecting them the best I possibly can.

Ahtyba Rubin:

When the Browns previously employed a 3-4 defense, Ahtyba Rubin was the nose tackle. I expect him to return to the position. He may have the athletic ability to hold up as a 5-technique (defensive end in a 3-4), but I feel that his best fit is at nose. Rubin isn’t ever going to be an elite nose tackle, but he’s a solid starter and his skill set fits the position well.

Phil Taylor:

When Phil Taylor came out of Baylor, many draft pundits hyped him up as a pure nose tackle. Due to the hype, many expected Taylor to be drafted by a 3-4 team. In watching Taylor at Baylor, I always felt he had the athletic ability and versatility to play anywhere from nose tackle to 5-technique on the defensive line at the next level. Simply using him as a nose tackle and not moving him around at all would be wasting the freakish athletic ability that he possesses for a man his size. I expect Ray Horton to use Taylor in multiple spots on the defensive line, but in the base defense, I think that he’ll start at 5-technique (defensive end). Taylor has the combination of athletic ability and strength to really thrive at the position.

Billy Winn:

In being drafted in the sixth round, Billy Winn wasn’t expected to be a big-time contributor during his rookie season. Now that the 2012 season is in the books, his future looks very bright. Winn showed impressive athletic ability for a defensive tackle and also showed a great deal of versatility. He dropped into coverage on 18 snaps and lined up as a defensive end on 43 snaps in 2012. This versatility will help Winn in transitioning to Ray Horton’s defense. I expect Winn to compete for a starting position at 5-technique opposite Phil Taylor. I also expect Horton to take advantage of Winn’s versatility and athletic ability by moving him around.

Jabaal Sheard:

When Jabaal Sheard was in the 2011 NFL Draft, many expected him to be a good fit as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. After playing his first two seasons at left defensive end, it’s time for Sheard to make the switch. Sheard’s role won’t change a ton as he makes the transition. Rather than being in a 3-point stance on most downs, Sheard will be standing up the majority of the time now. He will still be asked to rush the passer most of the time. Also, this may be surprising to many, but Sheard stood up on 22.1% of pass plays in 2012 and dropped into coverage on 6.1% of those plays. Sheard will undoubtedly have to drop into coverage more often and he may have to lose some weight (may not have to), but his skill set fits the position well and I expect him to play well in Ray Horton’s defensive scheme.....

just bring mangini back.

OHHH!!

@the-gipper said:

Here is the list of Outside linebackers projected to possibly go as high as the third round, per CBS Sports. Their overall prospect rating is included:

#7 Jarvis Jones, Georgia

#23 Alec Ogletree, Georgia (really, Ga. had 2 best prospects?)

#56 Khaseem Green, Rutgers

#64 Arthur Brown, Kansas St. (The Crazy World of)

#65 Sean Porter, Texas A&M

#70 Chase Thoms, Stanford

#72 Brandon Jenkins, Florida St.

#79 John Simon, Ohio St.

#82 Jamie Collins, So. Miss.

#92 Jelanie Jenkins, Florida

#105 Travis Long, Wash. St.

#112 Trevardo Williams, UConn

Now, that seems like a pretty deep list of prospects. I know from watching OSU that John Simon has a hell of a motor. He is reminiscent of Mike Vrabel...which would be good. If he were picked up as a 3rd rounder, great.

Any thoughts on any of the others?

A guy who is probably listed as a DE (and not on that list) who I like is Damontre Moore from Texas A&M

@mdmusch said:

Arthur Brown would get eaten alive in a 3-4... He will be a great 4-3 backer

In other words, he would get "burned" in the 3-4?

#7 Jarvis Jones, Georgia

#23 Alec Ogletree, Georgia (really, Ga. had 2 best prospects?)

#56 Khaseem Green, Rutgers

#64 Arthur Brown, Kansas St. (The Crazy World of)

#65 Sean Porter, Texas A&M

#70 Chase Thoms, Stanford

#72 Brandon Jenkins, Florida St.

#79 John Simon, Ohio St.

#82 Jamie Collins, So. Miss.

#92 Jelanie Jenkins, Florida

#105 Travis Long, Wash. St.

#112 Trevardo Williams, UConn

Now, that seems like a pretty deep list of prospects. I know from watching OSU that John Simon has a hell of a motor. He is reminiscent of Mike Vrabel...which would be good. If he were picked up as a 3rd rounder, great.

Any thoughts on any of the others?

He might be able to drop back into coverage but we dont know?