DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Browns counting on oft-moved linebacker C Thompson

Browns counting on oft-moved linebacker

Monday, September 3, 2007
By STEVE DOERSCHUK

BEREA Way down at West Texas A&M. Way up in the NFL.

As a Cleveland Brown:

Inside linebacker, outside linebacker, 4-3 scheme, 3-4 scheme, once touted Round 2 pick, replaced by a Round 2 pick, this coach, that coach.

Believe this: Linebacker Chaun Thompson has been turned over, under, upside down.

But get this straight: The Browns really need him now.

Outside linebacker Willie McGinest is trying to return from back surgery at age 35. Quick-change Thompson, 27, got moved again, replacing McGinest in the three-man rotation starring Kamerion Wimbley and Antwan Peek.

McGinest won't be back until after this month's gauntlet against the Steelers, Bengals and Ravens.

Thompson was one of the most visible Browns of the preseason, flying around, wrecking plays.

"Chaun has been one of the highlights of camp,'' General Manager Phil Savage said after setting the final roster. "We feel real good about having him, especially with Willie's situation.''

Thompson was the only Brown with more than one sack during the preseason.

"It doesn't matter where you put me,'' he said. "I can handle it.

"One thing about playing so many positions. You know the ins and outs of a defense. Inside linebacker. Outside. They have their different points.

"You learn them all.''

Thompson started 15 games and made 102 tackles at outside linebacker in 2005. Coaches moved him inside for 2006 after the Browns signed McGinest and drafted linebackers Wimbley, D'Qwell Jackson and Leon Williams.

He is fast and strong, but Jackson was judged to be more instinctive. Thompson went to the bench.

He tried to take it in stride. He said Jackson was a decent guy who played well, making the demotion easier to swallow. By mid-December, it was clear he was frustrated.

Through 14 games, he had 17 tackles. Game 15 was on Christmas Eve. Andra Davis was out with a concussion. Thompson got a start and was in on 17 tackles.

Coming off the preseason finale at Chicago, Thompson confirmed he is in the final year of his contract. He doesn't talk much about that.

Whether or not this is last year in Cleveland - he has played in all 64 Browns games since 2003, with 30 starts - it could be fun.

"I think we'll do real good,'' he said. "We break the regular season down into quarters. The preseason is like a quarter. We went 3-1.

"But we can't worry about that. Keep our head down. Play hard. Then look up.''

Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail:

steve.doerschuk@cantonrep.com

Browns Round 2 picks in the expansion era.

1999. WR Kevin Johnson, out of football.

2000. WR Dennis Northcutt, seven-year Brown now with Jacksonville.

2001. Quincy Morgan, faced Browns Thursday, cut by the Bears two days later.

2002. WR Andre Davis, played three years with Browns and has bounced from Patriots to Bills to Texans.

2003. LB Chaun Thompson, has played in 64 straight games.

2004. DB Sean Jones, broke through as a top safety in '06.

2005. DB Brodney Pool, joins Jones as a starting safety this year.

2006. LB D'Qwell Jackson, made 115 tackles in 13 starts before turf toe took him down.

2007. CB Eric Wright, set to start against Pittsburgh Sunday.

I've often wondered, what would have happened had Thompson joined a team that put him either inside or outside and left him there,,,,, with his physical abilities, could he have been a pro bowler?

I know people rag on him alot,,, but look at the circumstances and tell me that you don't understand how difficult it's been for him since being chosen.

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Thompson was one of the most visible Browns of the preseason, flying around, wrecking plays.

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Chaun Thompson should have one job...get the QB.

The Browns have used this guy in all the LB spots...middle...weak...strong and one thing is clear.....Chaun Thompson has extra-ordinary speed for a man his size.

Where ever the Browns play Thompson...DE or LB...he should have one assignment...go after the QB.

Thompson can be a disruptive force...and this defense needs to put more pressure on opposing QB after ranking in a tie for 27th in sacks with only 28 sacks in 2006.

MAC...

i agree that's what he's suited best for, but i have a bit of a different take on it...

his major knock is not knowing his assignments, having trouble with being a sound all-around guy...with the 'see ball, get ball' directive, his athleticism shows, but that's boom or bust, and hardly a reliable cog to a great D (which i believe we're on the way to having)...

so my thought is that having to learn the 4-3, then the 3-4 both inside and out, he's been forced to study and understand more than if we had asked him to just be a rusher from day 1...the switching has forced him to work at his weakness rather than just avoiding it...i think that has made him more complete, and less prone to overrun...now, he'll probably never be a real good starter at this level, but at this point, i could care less about the #2 pick thing...he's a guy i feel ok with if we lose a starter for a game or two...

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his major knock is not knowing his assignments,

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You and I would have trouble knowing our assignments if every year they changed them on us...LOL

I think he is best playing the run or going after the QB... as far as coverage, he still needs to work on knowing exactly where he needs to be... He got used a few times, then made a few good plays right afterwards..

I dont know if he was just getting winded, or he really was getting used. lol. I hope we resign him though. IMO, he's an asset to this team. He could start if needed, so with that being said, he's a great depth player for the Browns to have.

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"One thing about playing so many positions. You know the ins and outs of a defense. Inside linebacker. Outside. They have their different points.

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The man's weakness has become his strength, hehe.

I like Chaun Thompson a lot. People talk about cutting him, I think people are nuts. If they watch the game he produces every time. There is no reason not to keep him on the team and instead to keep a guy like Mason Unck.

Thompson has done everything we've asked him to, and while it might not have benefited him much as a player...... it's become a great asset to us. He's one of our two primary backup linebackers (also Leon Williams). And since we have four of them, I'm sure that we'll see plenty of Thompson this season.

I've always felt that in a 4-3 scheme Thompson would have excelled given time. His coverage has become good and he can run sideline to sideline with RB's. He can also rush the passer. I prefer D'Qwell, Leon Williams, and Andra at the inside LB spots for right now; but if one goes down he's more than suitable to jump in on that rotation. As for the OLB rotation, he's just fine too.

When his contract runs out, he's one of those guys I hope we re-sign. He does whatever we ask.

do you honestly believe that, DAMAN?...

i take my job seriously enough to learn everything i'm supposed to, and then some...it's not like they give him a new playbook/new job 1 week before the games start...he gets several months with nothing to do but work out and learn...

i'm not blaming the kid...some guys are slow learners...in fact, he's one of the guys i root for, i guess in part b/c fans have been so harsh on the guy...it's not his fault he was selected so early...if he were picked up 2 rounds later, and still on the roster 4 years later as a decent backup, people would cut him a lot more slack...

to all those that call him Chumpson, those that lambaste Butch and praise Savage and/or Crennel, please explain why Savage and Crennel have kept him on the team if he's such a bad player, only 1/9 players to stick since regime change...

Thompson has two qualities the Browns should look into before his contract expires. He's a good rotational player with plenty of usable skills, and he will be cheap. The fans that don't like him see a 2nd round pick that shouldn't have been touched before the 5th round. I'm fairly sure that no one but botch knew this guy was alive.

and boy can he hit..

I got no link, but from what I heard the New York Jets were pretty interested in him also. There's 32 teams in the NFL, who knows if another coach saw what Butch saw and was going to take him. That's all that needs to happen. Everyone has everybody rated differently, and it takes one guy to screw up your whole plan.

And yeah, as I said; if we were playing a 4-3 I think people's opinions of "Chumpson" would be a lot different. And yeah, what do I care about when he was drafted. This was like 5 or 6 years ago. Most of those guys are cut or traded anyway. It wasn't like he was a 1st round pick.

FWIW.... Don Banks of Sports Illustrated had CT as a sleeper pick, prior to the 2003 draft. 2nd round was too high for CT, but we've had a lot worse.

It is fairly amazing that Thompson is still with the team, given how much he's moved around. He's a very good fit on the outside, and it would help him to play that role, rather than one of the complicated inside spots. But, his presence could be nice because RAC could move him around (like the Patriots used to do when RAC was the DC), and it could help make our lame blitz packages a bit more creative.

I feel good about Thompson being the backup on the outside. he hasn't been a train wreck yet and deserves to be there at least. As far as learning assignments, that should come with more reps. He's been under Grantham long enough that things should be clicking for him (which I think is why he's had a pretty good preseason). It's nice that we have the depth at LB where we can even have this discussion.

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do you honestly believe that, DAMAN?...

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Did you notice the "LOL" after the statement.... it was supposed to get a laugh,,, obviously, it failed...

Where ever the Browns play Thompson...DE or LB...he should have one assignment...go after the QB.

One of the things U guys have missed is actually watching him..
Thompson doesn't have a lot of pass rush moves..thats why he doesn't get to the QB..oh wait taking off and running into a blocker could be a move
The reason he hasn't stuck anywhere is simple..very little instincts to match his athleticism..he's more of a pursuit type LB..

I agree....he isn't a pass rusher. His sacks usually happen after a play breaks down.

But....he has played better, that I can't deny.

Pre season stats...

13 Chaun Thompson CLE LB ...............TACKLES..............SCK...
............................................. 9 Total...8-solo..1-ast...2.5...

Just preseason which may or may not mean a thing. Thompson ranked tied for 13th with 2.5 sacks. No other Browns defensive player ranked in the top 50 during pre-season.

As I said, Thompson has exceptional speed for a man his size. I believe he could be a disruptive force if the Browns coaches used his talents to rush the passer....jmho...WOOF...mac

MAC...

the thing is, ATTACK is right, although not entirely, IMO...you cannot expect CT to be effective as a rusher lining him over the tackle, a la Wimbley...he doesn't have moves..scratch that, he doesn't have move......but he can be effective as a rusher if he's used in more creative blitz packages...something similar to a stunt, where he lines up over tackle, then attacks the center-guard gap(fill in the #, all you x/0 smarties)....